I am a vegetarian. does anyone have any tips to use when dining out, or any recipes?

Answer 1

Best thing that happened to my vegetarian night life: veg restaurant directory on VegDining.com. By choosing fully vegetarian restaurants, I have let go of usual anxieties such as meat contaminating my supposedly vegetarian meal, or cooks inadvertently using dead animal products in preparing my food.

Here's the link:

http://www.vegdining.com/Home.cfm

Good luck!

Answer 2

I review the menu for all the vegetarian options available.

What are the salads that are offered?

What are the vegetable or bean or potato side dishes?

This gives me an idea of what produce is available in the kitchen. If there are not obvious vegetarian options on the menu or the ones offered do not appeal to me, I pleasantly ask my server for a plate with the various items of my choosing. I've done this at several Marie Callender restaurants, as well as at fine gourmet restaurants. Usually the server is relieved that I have a solution to the "problem" of not finding a suitable vegetarian or vegan entree on the menu. I've always been treated graciously when I've done this and my company and server seem to appreciate my creativity.

Answer 3

In the restaurant biz, it usually pisses a lot of us off when customers ask for something substituted or left out of our dishes. We create those dishes that way for a reason. What you really should do is ask your server if there are any vegetarian options on the menu, or if any of the options are naturally meatless. This will not only make the waiter happier, but the cooks will be more pleased with you for not having to change their dishes, which takes time and effort. And also be careful what you order, like Caesar dressing which actually has anchovies in it.

Answer 4

Mediterranean food is usually a great place to start looking - lots of bread grains pasta and vegetables.

As far as dining out, just ask for whatever you order with no meat on it. If they wont do that, ask for the meat on a separate plate. Usually they will charge you the same as the food would have been with the meat in it tho. Most restaurants are really good about this, being that there are so many vegs nowadays.

When I am in a rush I go to Wendys and get a Jr cheeseburger deluxe with no meat and no onions lol. Its just a sandwich, and its sooo yummy.

Answer 5

Most restaurants have vegetarian options and some even offer 1 or 2 vegan if you are concerned call them or check their website for what they offer and ask the server if you can get an item "meatless" it is usually a yes and that makes dining out even easier. Good Luck!

Answer 6

Most restaurants now have SOMETHING without meat in it. A few years ago I was trapped into going to a steakhouse for a family member's birthday and there was nothing on the menu that wasn't a steak. After talking to the waiter, he got the chef to make me a plate of vegetables and potatoes for the night.

If there really is nothing veggie-friendly on the menu, you can always order a salad and tell them to keep the meat off though. At some places you kind of have to be specific to say no meat and not just say no chicken and ham or whatever because sometimes they'll just substitute one meat with another meat.

Answer 7

Ordering things a la carte, as opposed to ordering an entree, is often a good way to go when at an "American" place. Most will have a garden or side salad, some form of rice or potato and fresh fruit available at the least. Just order them separately. As long as you don't use too much dressing or butter and the like, it can actually be a halfway decent reasonably healthy meal.

Answer 8

Usually a lot of places will have sections with at least one or two meatless entrees, ethnic restaurants are more likely to than American though. Red Robin is really good about it, because you can sub in a Boca patty or Gardenburger in any of their burgers. If there are no meatless entrees, ask if they can make you a pasta dish or a salad and more often than not, they'll be willing to accomodate.

Answer 9

Almond & Herb Dip
serves 4
Serve this dip while the charcoals are heating up
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Ingredients

¼pint / 142ml tub soured cream
2tbsp mayonnaise
4tbsp ground almonds
2tbsp snipped chives
2oz / 50g peeled and grated cucumber
1tbsp fresh chopped dill
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1 Mix all ingredients well in mixing bowl.

2 Chill for 1 hour.

3 Turn out into a serving dish and garnish with chive flowers, toasted flaked almonds and dill fronds.

4 Serve with a selection of crudités - try to vary the vegetables from those used in the vegetable kebabs.

Tips: Make sure the mayonnaise contains free-range eggs, or buy the vegan variety

Answer 10

try different kinds of restaurants. "American" food doesn't really lend itself to a good vegetarian meal, but lots of ethnic foods do, such as Indian, Chinese, Mexican, Italian(as long as you eat cheese).
ask questions. ask about how foods are prepared, what they are cooked in (some refried beans are cooked in lard, a no-no for vegetarians). a good restuarant will accomodate your requests as best they can.
hope that helps, your question is a little vague. if the problem is the people you eat out with, that is something you have to address with them, and try to come up with choices everyone can enjoy.