As a new vegan, eating out with non-vegan friends can seem daunting. The best option, of course, is to convince your non-vegan friends to try out a vegan or veg-friendly restaurant with you! However, it's not always possible to eat at a vegan restaurant, and when it isn't, the quick, easy answer is: scan the menu for vegan possibilities, ask questions, and if all else fails, order a salad.
As a new vegan, eating out with non-vegan friends can seem daunting. The best option, of course, is to convince your non-vegan friends to try out a vegan or veg-friendly restaurant with you! However, it’s not always possible to eat at a vegan restaurant, and when it isn’t, the quick, easy answer is: scan the menu for vegan possibilities, ask questions, and if all else fails, order a salad. Yes, there is at least a salad option on most every restaurant menu, whether the restaurant itself is vegan or not. But how does one ensure that the salad dressing is free of animal products? How does one make sure that the vegetables aren’t cooked or sautéed in an animal-fat oil?
It all comes down to research and communication. First, find out about veg-friendly restaurants around you (or the places you are traveling to) by downloading apps like Happy Cow (a vegan restaurant finder) to your phone (or checking the site out online at www.happycow.org). Then, read over restaurant menus and make phone calls if there is time. I’ve been known to call restaurants and ask to speak to the chef in order to discuss ingredients at length (hey, you gotta do what you gotta do!), often making friends in the process. If this is not possible, simply make it clear to the waiter or waitress that you’re vegan when you arrive. Beyond simply stating this fact, also be sure to define vegan – “which means I can’t eat any animal products, including eggs and milk” – as some are not clear on this matter (I don’t know how many times I’ve been asked “So you still eat eggs though, right?”).
Most restaurants are happy to accommodate your requests and questions on dishes on their menus. Another option is to piece together a meal from several side dishes – most places will offer some sort of sautéed vegetable or potatoes. You can often find sides of rice on the menu, also. Just be sure to also ask how these items are cooked, being wary of added butters or oils.
If all of this seems like a lot, indeed, it may be at first – but then, eventually, it just becomes part of your life. As a vegan living in a largely non-vegan world, you learn quickly that maintaining your ethics and health requires thorough participation in every step of the dining process. With a little preparation, some focused questions, and a lot of making new friends with waitresses, waiters, and chefs around town, vegans can eat out most anywhere non-vegans dine.
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