One questions we’re asked repeatedly is “How are we supposed to eat when we’re out?”
Dr. Neil Barnard had the following advice:
Eat before you go!
You are there to be with your friends - you have no obligation to eat unhealthy food.
It’s no one’s business what you order for your meal.
Look for vegetable soups, salads, side veggies, etc.
Do the best you can, order the healthiest entrée, enjoy the meal and your friends…and then leave.
That’s great advice - but there are places you can go that make it easier. Let’s talk about 10 places where we eat when we’re traveling: (Please note - we prefer organic food that we prepare - but these ideas are at least plant based)
We like Mexican restaurants. We can order veggie fajitas, bean and rice burritos with tomatoes, burrito bowl salads and more.
We eat at Oriental restaurants. We order veggie stir fries, wok veggies and rice dishes. Be careful and ask - avoid the “animal fried rice” or “egg fried rice”.
We might be found at an Italian restaurant. Pasta with marinara can be good - but be sure to ask them to use as little oil as possible. Watch the veggie lasagna - it’s usually loaded with cheese. And if you go to Chido’s here in Warren, Frank always has a WFPB option or will create something for you. Just ask.
We enjoy a good salad bar. We side step the eggs and meat (and those things made with mayo) and hit the fresh veggies hard. Watch out for the salad dressings - stick to balsamic vinaigrette or be like us - bring your own!
We are HUGE fans of Chipotle. They serve mostly organic beans, rice, etc. and the food is really good. Stay with the veggie menu and your food is fit for a king (or queen)!
Quadoba’s is like Chipotle only they aren’t organic. If we have a choice between the two, we always opt for Chipotle.
Wegmans or Whole Foods market most always has a WFPB prepackaged or ready to eat off the food bar meal that offers lots of variety.
Pizza chains - This one is easy. Order your favorite veggie pizza and ask them to leave the cheese off. If they have fruit, it adds a lot of great taste. Be sure to ask them to not add any additional oils as some pizza chains add oil or butter to the crust after baking.
Fast Food Options? We have been known to drive through Taco Bell. We order a “Cheesy Bean and Rice Burrito” off the $1 menu - but then ask them to hold the cheese, hold the jalapeno sauce and add tomatoes ($0.25) and red sauce ($ 0.10). Everything in the burrito is then WFPB.
Another fast food? Sheetz and Wawa have a Mexican menu. Get the “do it yourself” burrito, start with rice and beans, add tomatoes, salsa, pico, fajita veggies, banana peppers and anything else that sounds fun. You get a fairly robust burrito!
Just as a reminder, we’re not advocating eating out every meal and not telling you that everything you get will be as good for you as food can be - but if you’re traveling and need a meal, consider being as healthy as you can.