Restaurant Ingredients
As a consumer you have a right to know what you?re eating and buying, so don?t feel bad about asking. Restaurants are there to serve you. Always be kind in the way you ask, but you should have no problem at most restaurants getting served a meal consistent with your particular tastes or values. It might help to inquire about the ingredients as some foods have "hidden" animal ingredients that you might want to avoid.
Barbecues
If a friend is having a cookout or barbecue, simply take your own meatless burger or hot dog to throw on the grill. You could also do veggie kabobs with fresh vegetables and marinated tofu or tempeh. Be sure to take along enough to share, some people may be surprised how tasty being a vegetarian really is!
Eating At A Banquet
If you call the restaurant or hotel kitchen to request a vegetarian meal for an event, feel free to suggest a dish that you know you can eat and that the kitchen is likely to be able to make. For example, most kitchens have the ingredients to make pasta primavera or a large baked potato topped with steamed vegetables. The suggestion should make it easier on everyone.
Non-Vegetarian Restaurant
If you are at a restaurant that doesn?t offer vegetarian dishes, take a look at the meat-containing entrees and determine if they can be prepared as vegetarian dishes instead. For instance, a pasta dish mixed with vegetables and shrimp could easily be made without the shrimp. This is most likely to work at restaurants where the food is made to order.
Eating Out With No Dairy
When you eat out, you can ask for the dairy to be left out of many recipes. Try ordering a pizza loaded with veggies, and skip the fatty cheese. It?s delicious! Or order that next burrito without the cheese, and you?ll be just as satisfied as ever.
Ordering Options
For healthy options when dining out, you can order a baked potato with salsa. You can also order a small side order of unsalted fries along with a dinner roll, as almost every restaurant carries these items.