Dining Out for Vegetarians
As meatless meals continue to gain popularity, restaurants are responding by offering more vegetarian options. However, new vegetarians, and especially vegans, may still find it a challenge to find appealing healthful meals when they eat out. Dietetics professionals can help by becoming familiar with vegetarian options offered by local restaurants and by guiding clients towards creative solutions in a restaurants that do not include vegetarian entrees on their menu.Ethnic Restaurants
Ethnic restaurants are usually a good choice for finding vegetarian fare. Vegans will need to be aware that some of these dishes are likely to contain dairy or egg products although this may not always be obvious from menu descriptions. See below.
The following list is a description of commonly found vegetarian dishes available in various ethnic restaurants.
Chinese, Thai, Japanese Restaurants:
Vegetable, rice, tofu, and noodle stir fried dishes. Note: Some vegetable Thai dishes, such as Pad Thai, may include fish sauces. Some sauces may include oyster sauce as an ingredient. Many rice dishes or vegetable dishes such as Moo Shi Vegetables may contain eggs, which can usually be omitted by request.
Indian Restaurants:
Dal (curried bean dish usually made with lentils), curried vegetable and bean dishes, samosas (fried pastry pockets stuffed with potatoes and vegetables), rice dishes and flatbreads. Note: Indian dishes are often prepared with ghee, a type of clarified butter; patrons can request that dishes be prepared with vegetable oil instead.
Italian Restaurants:
Minestrone soup or pasta fagioli soup, vegetable lasagna, pasta with marinara sauce, pasta primavera, eggplant Parmesan. Note: Both soups and tomato-based sauces may contain beef broth. Fresh pasta often contains eggs.
Middle Eastern and Greek Restaurants:
Pita sandwiches stuffed with hummus spread (chickpeas and tahini), falafel (chickpea croquettes), tabouli, eggplant dishes, Greek salad.
Mexican Restaurants:
Quesadillas, bean burritos, vegetable fajitas, bean tacos, cheese enchiladas. Note: Some Mexican restaurants still add lard to their beans. Many bean dishes are topped with cheese or sour cream, which can be omitted on request.
Diners and American-style Restaurants:
Even traditional restaurants known for family-style and American cuisine can satisfy vegetarians. Veggie burgers have become standard fare in many restaurants. Meatless pasta dishes are also often available. Vegetarians may, however, find it necessary to put together a meal from a variety of side dishes and appetizers. Some ideas include potato salad, macaroni salad, coleslaw, steamed vegetables, corn on the cob, baked potatoes, mashed potatoes, salad bar items, vegetable soup, garlic bread, and rice dishes. Vegetarians should be sure to ask about the fat used for frying as some restaurants use animal fats. Also, vegetable or bean soups may be made with beef or chicken broth.
Restaurants that are slightly more upscale may boast a variety of vegetarian offerings on their appetizer menu such as grilled vegetables and stuffed mushrooms. Some vegetable dishes may not be listed as individual menu items, but may be served with entrees. These are usually available, however, as separate items upon request.
Creative vegetarians can ask the chef to prepare a dish just for them using ingredients on the menu. For example, if a menu lists grilled vegetables as an appetizer and seafood pasta under the entrees, the chef may be happy to prepare a pasta dish tossed with grilled vegetables and herbs. In busy restaurants, it may be helpful to call ahead to make sure that the chef can accommodate a special request.
Fast Foods
Fast food restaurants offer challenges to the vegetarian consumer, but for the savvy vegetarian, they also offer a growing number of options. Pizzerias are always a good choice and most will accommodate requests for pizza without cheese. Submarine sandwich shops are among the best choices for vegetarians as most have a vegetarian option for a cold sub and sometimes for a hot sub with a veggie patty. These can all be prepared with or without cheese. Mexican fast food restaurants also are good choices for finding hearty vegetarian fare including burritos, tostadas, and tacos. Some fast food hamburger restaurants are beginning to offer salads and other vegetarian options. Often, best bets for finding vegetarian fast food include those restaurants that are not part of national chains. Independent taco, falafel or gyro stands sometimes offer a wider variety of choices and many now highlight or clearly identify vegetarian and vegan menu options.
Breakfast
It is relatively easy to find lacto-ovo vegetarian breakfast items in all types of restaurants. These include egg dishes, waffles, pancakes, and French toast. Vegans can choose toast or bagels, breakfast potatoes, fruit, or hot or cold cereal. Most restaurants are unlikely to offer nondairy milks for cereal, so vegan patrons who want milk with their cereal should bring their own. It's easy enough to do this since so many nondairy milks are available in 8-ounce aseptic packages-perfect for travel.
Desserts
With the exception of piecrusts and other pastries that may contain lard, dessert is usually vegetarian. Vegan options include some fruit pies, fruit crisps, sorbet and poached or baked fruit.
Eating on the Road
It's increasingly easy for vegetarians to find places to eat when away from home. Most large cities have several vegetarian restaurants that can be found by consulting the yellow pages. Even smaller cities will have Chinese or Italian restaurants, two of the best options for finding meatless fare. Airlines offer vegetarian options for passengers. Special meals must be ordered at least 24 hours in advance. Some airlines offer more than one tpe of vegetarian meal and passengers can select (in advance) from among vegan, lacto-ovo-vegetarian, fruit plate, and even Asian vegetarian meals. Many savvy vegetarians do bring along snacks when flying since special meals do not always make it onto the flight and many airlines are cutting back on meal service. Restaurants in airports often have vegetarian options including sandwiches, pizza, other Italian foods and Mexican food. Also, trains that have dining cars usually offer a vegetarian option although it pays to call ahead to be certain Cruise ships offer an abundant variety of food and finding vegetarian options is seldom a problem.
Resources
Guide to Vegan and Vegetarian Options in Fast Food and Quick Service Chains. Baltimore, Md: The Vegetarian Resource Group, 2001.
Web Sites with Listings of Vegetarian Restaurants
Happy Cow's Global Guide to Vegetarian Restaurants:
http://www.happycow.net/
VegDining.com
http://www.vegdining.com/Home.cfm
Vegetarian Resource Group:
http://www.vrg.org/travel/
For Information on How to Order Additional Fact Sheets
Visit www.vegetariannutrition.net/fact.htm
or contact:
Vegetarian Nutrition DPG
c/o American Dietetic Association
Practice Team
216 W. Jackson Blvd.
Chicago, IL 60606
(800) 877-1600 ext. 4815
practice@eatright.org
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