I am trying to go all vegetarian, but I am on the go constantly and having a hard time eating?

Question

I am in a temporary situation where I am having to do much travel where I am gone for multiple meals, so I can't just pack a lunch. (I do do that, but I am often gone for dinner, too.) So far, the only foods I can find on the go are from Subway (salad, veggie delight)and cheese pizza (which is not very good for you). I don't like other fast food salads because they taste disgusting. I also live in the South where vegetarian restaurants don't exist.

Any suggestions?

Answer 1

Eating fast food veggie can be tough in most places. Here are the places I eat at:
Taco Bell - bean items
Pizza - pick your favorite location
BurgerKing - BKVeggie
Subway - Veggie delight or Veggie patty
Quiznos - grilled sandwiches.
Fazolis - we used to have these close by but they are gone. Not sure if they are still around but it is basically a quick pasta place.
Indian food if you can find it.
KFC has mashed potatoes, Corn, mac-n-cheese

Many sit down restaurants also have veggie entrees:
All Italian, Indian, Mexican have something
Also many grill type restaurants carry veggie burgers(Fridays, Chili's)
IHOP has a veggie chilli

Also most restaurants now have their menu on a website so check out some in your area and find ones that might have something for you.

Also consider packing double. I've done that when I am going to be gone too long to wait for diner. Something for lunch and something completely different for diner.

Hope that list helps.

Answer 2

Whenever you pass a Panera Bread restaurant, check it out. It's the best fast-food place on earth! Artisan breads, salads, soups, etc. You can read the ingredient lists online at http://panera.com/. Unless you turnn vegan, you'll love it!

Also, Burger King does serve a veggie burger. Once again, if you turn vegan do note that the bun has eggs in it.

Try to get a pizza without the cheese! It loses a lot of its fat and calories, but it still has the tomato sauce and toppings! In fact, I would say that it tastes better without the cheese.

It doesn't hurt to buy a refridgerator that plugs into your car (they're cheap) and keep some tofu dogs, etc. for when you can't find anything vegetarian. And if you can, plan ahead. If your coworkers plan to have dinner at a steakhouse and they don't want to change plans, immediately call the restaurant and ask what items (salads, etc.) are vegetarian.

Hope I was a help! 8-)

Answer 3

Do you have Taco Time down there? They have good veggie burritos...WAY better than Taco Bell. I'm veggie and can't stand taco bell. I believe that both McDonald's and now Burger King have some kind of vegetarian burger. I also hate fast food salads. What about Wendy's...don't they have a potato bar or something? Also, be sure to keep your eye out for smaller independent places like sandwich shops or burrito joints. Subway, does get old, I know what you mean, and so does pizza. What about Starbucks? They have some things to eat also other coffee houses might have some sand which type things. Bagel shop? Do you have a Noah's bagels there? They are a national chain. What about asian food? Many asian restaurants will have great lunch deals...you could seek out a favorite or two and get their take out menus and have them on speed dial on your cell to order something that's ready for pick up. and asian food will almost always have veggie options that are great...you may even get some tofu! good luck!

Answer 4

While not incredibly healthy, many of the fast food restaurants have veggie burgers now. So far, BurgerKing is the only one that I've seen it featured on the actual menu board, but some of the others have it if you ask.

Also, there's more you can put on a pizza than cheese. My favorite is tomatoes, mushrooms & pineapple. Sounds kinda weird, but it's good. Also, some of the nicer chains have toppings like artichokes, spinach, etc. Get the "mediterranean chicken" without the chicken, for instance.

On the healthier side... small deli's and coffee shops have been my favorites. Any of the deli's that make sandwiches can make you a veggie sandwich. Adding oil & vinegar (or just vinegar), or having them use horseradish instead of mayo adds to the flavor on veggie sandwiches. Also try using a strong-flavored cheese. The place I go to has havarti, which is EXCELLENT on their veggie sandwich (which has lettuce, tomato, cucumber, sprouts, pickles, etc).

Answer 5

Re. cheese pizza: get a thin crust, no extra cheese, and loads of veg toppings. Almost healthy...

Do you have taco fast-food joints? Those are easy to get a vegetarian meal at, usually -- just ask for beans instead of meat; just about anything on the menu can be made (well) that way.

The fast-food salads are lousy, yes...

McDonald's, here, has grilled cheese sandwiches now; not saying they're great, but -- if desperate...

Eat larger breakfasts. Some fast-food egg dishes are respectable.

Grocery stores have much better take-away than they used to. Here, you can usually get a variety (!!) of vegetarian sandwiches; not just cheese.

Do you have bagel places?

If you hit a fast-food joint with a patient and intelligent person at the counter, ask for a burger with extra lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, etc, etc, and...no burger. This assumes no veggie burger on the menu, though I'm not a fan of them anyway.

Pizza places should be able to make a hot sub for you, which is at least a change from the 'veggie delight.' Mushrooms, onions, green peppers, cheese, with lettuce and tomato and so on after it's been grilled.

When travelling in the weirder (to me; I'm Canadian) parts of the States, I was fascinated by the vegetable 'sides' in otherwise non-vegetarian places. You just don't see that stuff up here. (Even KFC doesn't bother with stuff like green beans up north.) You _can_ make a meal out of a wee bowl of green beans, a wee bowl of rice, a wee bowl of etc etc. Luby's, for example, has a pile of them for $1.60 a throw --
http://www.lubys.com/06menuEntrees.asp

Don't eliminate something just because it comes _with_ meat. Pasta topped with chicken is easily just pasta.

Try delis. Egg salad sandwiches. Sandwiches with loads of veggie and cheese. And 'sides'...

But, really, grocery stores are your friend. Stash some fruit in your car; at least it'll offset the effects of all that pizza...

Answer 6

I was a vegetarian for three years and I also ran across this problem quite frequently. Unless you're at home, it's hard to eat. Aside from Subway and pizza, I ate Burger King's veggie burgers, at Taco Bell I ate cheese quesadillas or bean burritos. You can also ask restaraunts to make changes. Like substitute beef with rice or beans. I used to eat KFC famous bowls without the chicken all the time!

Answer 7

Subway is the only fast food restaurant I really like, for just those reasons. There are a couple other places you can go, too, though. Taco Bell has vegetarian food, along the lines of bean burritos. Wendy's has baked potatoes. Some days you just may not be able to keep up the vegetarian diet, though. It's no big deal; just forgive yourself and move on.

P.S.--Have you ever tried pineapple pizza? I know it probably sounds gross, but it really is worth trying!

Answer 8

I have a cooler that I can plug into the power outlet in my SUV (the lighter if you have an older vehicle), which is basically a mini fridge on the go. We use it for camping so we can take fresh food with us and not have to rely on resort priced meals. You can take your own fresh salads, etc and eat on your own terms, not a restaurants. The money you save on take out will pay for the cooler. They're about $100 (in Canada) and I got it at Canadian Tire. Wal-Mart has them too! Good luck, it's do-able!

Answer 9

Stay away from carbohydrates! White bread, white pasta, I think even whole wheat pasta are not good. Natural carbohydrates are OK; avocados, potatoes, even a little rice. Whole Wheat bread is OK, I think. I never feel full or hungry (after my brain injury), but I was told to do that to lose weight. ALSO, get in the habit of walking your weight off, which is hard for me, since I ambulate with a cane!

Answer 10

If you can stop for these foods, you can certainly pack lunch and have it on the go. Make a veggie sandwich and keep it in a small cooler.