Tips For Eating Out as a Vegetarian

You can handle the vegetarian diet when you are at home. You can handle it when you pack your own lunch and live your daily life. What you may have issues with is eating out as a vegetarian. Here are a few things to keep in mind when you eat out that may help you stay on track and keep you from eating just salads. These tips can be used at most restaurants and can help you stay on track even when you are at dinner with business associates.

Look for Vegetable Sides

Order side dishes a'la carte. Most restaurants list their sides in a'la carte options. You can make a full meal this way and go with a steamed vegetable option. If you are a lacto-vegetarian then you have an added bonus of adding things like macaroni and cheese to the mix. If you still aren't seeing this coming together, here is an example. Go the a'la carte menu and choose steamed broccoli, mashed cauliflower, and macaroni and cheese. You are getting a full meal, no meat, and you are sticking to your diet plan. 

Go for Soups

A soup and salad combo is offered on many restaurant menus. There is usually a soup of the day, but there are also soups that are meatless. Most restaurants have a vegetarian or vegetable soup. You do need to check if this has a beef broth, depending on your level or type of vegetarianism. You can also go for clear soups which, in most cases, use a vegetable broth. Cream based are also an option like broccoli and cheddar or a potato soup. Pair with a salad and you are good to go. 

Choose the Establishment

One way to really make sure you are eating out as a vegetarian, and doing it easily, is to pick the place you eat. Make sure you know the restaurants in your area and you are going with one that has vegetarian options. It may be a small menu, but options are key. This will allow you to have a nice dining out experience while others who are not vegetarian can have an equally nice experience. 

There are other tips and tricks you can use, but these are the most common. Remember, even when you are eating out at a catered function, you can still eat a vegetarian lifestyle without impeding on the festivities and without offending your host. 
