Tips for Dining Out

So I know dining out can sometimes be intimidating for veggies when going to a non-veg restaurant, especially if you're going out with non-veggie friends and family or, even worse, with non-veggie co-workers. After all, you don't want everyone making a big deal out of your lifestyle and asking you a thousand questions! Or sitting there telling you how much your missing as they eat food that you find disgusting. (I'll cover social etiquette in another post - including the pros and cons of choosing to dine or not dine with non-veggies.)

So here are some of the thoughts that I'm sure run through your head before hitting the restaurant. First, you're wondering if they have anything other than just a salad for you to eat. Next, you're wondering if the server will even be able to answer your questions. Then, you're wondering if the server will spit in your food or sneak something in just because you asked a thousand questions. Never fear - there's ways to overcome all of these issues!

Prepare before You Go
If at all possible, find out where you're going before you go (this makes life so much easier!). Then, check out their menu online (or ask them to fax it to you) and call ahead to ask questions! If it's a chain restaurant, they might even have a nutrition analyzer or allergen chart that you can view online. 

When calling a restaurant, call during a non-busy time, not during lunch or dinner hour rush. Explain that you would like to visit their restaurant but you have dietary restrictions/food allergies and you'd like to know if they can accommodate you. (If you can't call ahead, you should also say this to the server directly or speak to a manager.) Then, ask your specific questions (see below). Sometimes you'll be surprised and you might find out the chef is willing to make a special dish for you (which sometimes is just sauteed veggies, but other times it's the envy of all the other diners!)

How Do I Start the Conversation?
Personally, I tell restaurant staff that I am a vegan (or vegetarian if they don't understand that), but that I also have food allergies to dairy, eggs, and gluten. While I do have allergies to dairy and gluten, I do not have allergies to eggs. However, I find that restaurants are more willing to accommodate me and are much better at ensuring that I don't get contaminants if I say it's all an allergy (perhaps it's a liability issue). I know some of you may think it's wrong to lie about it, but the bottom line is, if you get contaminants in your food, you WILL get sick - we've all been there! So whether or not you're truly allergic, it doesn't matter in my opinion because all you want to do is try to enjoy a nice meal without being sick afterwards. If you are still uncomfortable saying you are allergic to food items then simply say that you "can't" eat them instead of you "don't" eat them. (I know it seems silly, but there is a difference.)

What to Ask
So what types of things do you ask? Here's my list: (Feel free to post more if you have any other tips)

• General - Always ask how food is prepared - with butter or oil and what kind of oil.
• Fried foods - If you're going to get food from the deep fryer, such as french fries, ask about the type of oil used and if they use a separate vat for meat products. Some places have stand-alone fryers for their french fries.
• Salad dressings - Make sure there are no eggs in the dressing. Caesar dressing usually has anchovies. 
• Soups - Make sure there is no meat broth used in the soup or egg in the noodles for vegans.
• Mexican - Check to see if they use lard in beans or chips and check if they use chicken broth in their rice. You may also want to ask if their chips are deep-fried in a separate vat from other products.
• Thai, Vietnamese, Japanese - Make sure they don't use fish sauce or oyster sauce, fish broth or fish flakes in soups, and fish eggs on sushi.
• Indian - For vegans, check for ghee (butter) and yogurt - some places put it in everything! 
• Italian – Make sure they do not use beef broth or anchovies in their marinara sauce. For vegans, make sure they don't use eggs in their pasta noodles.
• Middle Eastern - Check for chicken broth or eggs in the lentil soup (usually not a problem) and butter in the rice if you are a vegan.

Also, you can ask about specific entrees if you see something on their menu that looks promising.

Like I said, calling ahead and being prepared is your best bet. It's a little extra work, but it's worth it by making your dining experience less stressful and more enjoyable! But if that's not possible, you can certainly ask questions of the server as well. And as a last resort, you can always get a salad - just make sure you pick the restaurant the next time! :)

Wishing you health and peas,

VeggiePatti