Whether you are a 100% plant based vegan, or you are just looking to eat healthier, it can be a challenge when you want to eat out at a cafe or restaurant.
Here are 5 handy plant based eating out tips to help you:
plant based eating out
1. Check the Menu Before You Go
If possible, get a copy of the menu from the restaurant you will be going to. Most places have their menu online these days. Have a look through and try and pick something that you think will be vegan. Keep in mind that a lot of pastas and breads do include egg as an ingredient. Be prepared with your preferred options and when you get to the restaurant (or call first) ask the wait staff to check if your meal has any meat, dairy or eggs.
2. Call the Restaurant beforehand
It is often a good idea to call the restaurant beforehand to see what vegan options they have available. Quite often, given enough time, the kitchen will organise something for you if there is nothing available off the menu.
3. How to Choose Your Plant Based Meal
When you go to a cafe or restaurant you’ve never been to before, always look at the “Vegetarian” options first and then go through those options to see which ones may have egg or dairy – and either leave those options or ask if it can be made without egg or dairy.
4. Allergies vs Vegan
It is often much easier to say that you have an egg and dairy allergy, as opposed to being vegan. The wait staff are always very helpful this way because they don’t want you to collapse at the table if you eat something you have an allergy to!
5. Eat Before You Go Out
Another tip for eating out or going out to non plant-based restaurants, is to eat before you go. Have a healthy meal before you go out so you don’t feel hungry when are out. This way you can just have a light salad or some steamed vegetables and a drink or two – all the while enjoying the great company of those around you 🙂
Hello, Anja. I am a fan of your YouTube and recipe site, thank you for your efforts to make cooking vegan simple and delicious. I very much appreciate your enciouraging example. I am fairly new to this lifestyle…I began in May and have had only a few minor set backs along the way. For example, in the beginning learning to eat enough; as well as,keeping salt low. I have not struggled with hidden fats or fake food substitutions, thankfully. But, I have not thus far had the weight loss success that I am aiming for. This slowness has me back at the books, reading and studying any of the high carb low fat vegan sources I can find. To include: Dr. John McDougall, Dr. T.C. Campbell, Dr. Esselstein etc. As I have watched and taken notes of your “What I eat in 30 Days”, I noticed in one episode where you refer to some celebrities trying a vegan diet and “eating a chia type pudding that you yourself ate most mornings when you first began”. Your comment got me thinking and has prompted my request to ask if you initially had as much variety in your daily regime or if there were some staples you stuck with that aided in your fantastic results? Thank you so much for considering my question. I am committed to succeeding on this lifestyle even if it takes my body a bit longer to respond. Thank you again. Warm regards, Miriam Slack
Hi Miriam. Thanks for your feedback and questions. If you are not achieving the results you desire, keep a food log. Write down everything you eat in a day and do a quick weigh in the mornings before breakfast (around the same time is deal) and note that in the food log to. You will soon see when you lose weight and when you don’t. This way you can see what your body digests best etc and when you have the most energy etc. Try eating more greens like kale and spinach. Also, if you feel like a savory breakfast have it, if you prefer something more sweet have it. I didn’t overthink it and just tried to focus on the least processed vegan foods I could find. I never counted calories and only ate till I was full. Breakfast may be beans on toast or mushrooms and avocado on toast, or chia pudding, or a smoothie – just whatever I felt like at the time. Lunch is often a curry, soup or tortilla wraps with falaffels and salad etc. Dinner much the same again or sometimes just a smoothie if not that hungry. But do get those greens in 🙂 Hope that helps and let me know how you go with your food/weight log xx
Hi Anna,
My name is John (43) .
Been through quite a few diets including Ketogenic for 9months -lost 46lbs, gained all back and more-.
I can’t go on if I get hungry. It seems that I can’t get satiated with veg (bread affects me adversely, not with allergy but a degree of intolerance being lethargic afterwards).
1-Is rice perhaps permitted in order to fill the gap?
2-I’m on the road all day, any advice on how to prep for road? I end up hungry and eat trash because there’s precious little healthy food available on the road in the States.
Hi John… you need healthy wholefood starches eg. potato, sweet potato, rice, quinoa, beans etc All the best, Anja