Many restaurants have online menus that can be reviewed ahead of time. Using an app or website like Happy Cow, VegDining, and Vanilla Bean can help locate restaurants that offer plant-based options. Yelp is also a good tool for finding nearby restaurants with vegan or vegetarian options that can be adapted to fit your needs. 

Get creative with ordering

In cases where a restaurant does not offer a fully plant-based meal and no other eateries are nearby, use the menu as a list of ingredients in which you can ask if a plant-based meal can be made for you. For example, if the menu lists steamed veggies and a baked potato as sides and has an entree that contains black beans, see if a meal from these ingredients could be made for you.

Kindly communicate your needs

If possible, call ahead to make the staff aware of your dietary preferences and to see if they can accommodate such. Don’t be afraid to ask for clarification about different options on the menu to make sure they suit your needs. You may want to kindly ask if a dish can be made without oil and if whole grain options are available for bread, tortillas, and noodles.

Ideas for plant-based options at different types of restaurants:

Steakhouse

• Plain baked potato or sweet potato with beans, corn, or salsa
• Low-fat, plant-based selections from the salad bar
• Sides of rice, beans, and steamed veggies
• Veggie burger

Note:

• Make sure veggie burgers are made without eggs or cheese

Asian

• Appetizers: steamed vegetable dumplings, edamame, seaweed salad, miso soup
• Entrees:
  • Steamed veggies and brown rice or noodles, with or without tofu
  • Veggie sushi

Notes:

• Make sure pad thai does not contain eggs
• Check that dishes do not contain oyster or fish sauce
• Order sauce on the side or consider creating your own sauce using low sodium soy sauce and/or hot sauce

Middle Eastern

• Appetizers: Tabulah salad, hummus, grape leaves, Mutabbal eggplant, fatoush salad
• Entrees:
  • Falafel wrap with tahini and salad
  • Mujadarah (rice with lentil)
  • Kushari (Egyptian dish rice and chickpeas or dal comes with red sauce)
  • Ash soup (Persian bean and noodle soup)

Ethiopian

• Legume and vegetable dishes/stews

Indian

• Tomato-based chickpea, lentil, and vegetable curries
• Lentil stews or dals
• Veggie and tofu curries with brown rice

Note:

• Be aware of ghee and yogurt-based curries

Italian

• Minestrone or pasta fagioli soup
• Pasta, whole grain if available, with tomato sauce and veggies
• Pizza without cheese, loaded with your favorite veggies and herbs  
• Salad, see if beans can be added and if  vinegar or lemon juice is available for dressing

Notes:

• Make sure soups are not made with animal-based broth
• Check that noodles do not contain egg

Mexican

• Bean and veggie burrito or tacos
• Veggie fajitas
• Rice and beans

Note:

• Make sure beans are made without pork or lard

Opting for a camping vacation?

Have a plan for meals and snacks so you will know the required ingredients and equipment to pack. Doing some prep beforehand, like washing and chopping veggies, measuring seasonings, and making a batch of a soup or stew that you can freeze and reheat at camp makes things easier once you arrive. Consider some of these options for tasty meals that you can whip up when hungry:

• Breakfast:
  • Oatmeal with fruit
  • Homemade granola or bran cereal with some shelf-stable non-dairy milk and fruit
  • Potato, bean, and veggie scramble 
• Lunch or dinner
  • Chickpeas or 3 bean salad with some veggies
  • Build-your-own bowl: pre-cooked or quick-cooking whole grain, some canned beans or lentils, and veggies (canned or washed and chopped fresh)  to make a flavorful bowl at camp, add some spark with salsa, vinegar, or low-sodium soy sauce or liquid aminos
  • Whole grain or legume pastas cook quick, add some veggies and oil-free tomato sauce for as tasty meal
  • Grill some homemade veggie burger, carrot dogs, and veggies