Eating out as a plant-based vegan

So, you know the plant-based lifestyle is for you but you've made every excuse in the book as to why you can't go for it...

"I don't have the time to cook so I am always eating out
I don't want to be unsocial and not eat out with friends
There aren't any vegan restaurants near me"

If you know my story you would know that in my 7 years of plant-based veganism I have faced so many challenges and today I am sharing how I overcame the challenge of eating out as a plant-based vegan.

I grew up in the south of the united states. In Alabama, there are very VERY few vegans and even fewer vegan restaurants.
I am SO glad to see that over the years the vegan community has grown but seven years ago no one in my small town even knew what plant-based
veganism was.

Do you relate to any of this?

Girl, if I can go plant-based vegan with a full schedule, no vegan friends, and no vegan restaurants
near me you can too!

I'm Zoe Cordeiro and I help women like you rock their transition into the plant-based lifestyle so they can finally align their daily actions with their core beliefs.

Keep reading to learn how to eat plant-based at any restaurant, anywhere.

When it comes to eating out as a plant-based vegan in a normal restaurant I have 2 tips for you.

1. Be prepared
2. Have an open mind

These 2 tips will help you eat plant-based anywhere!
Let's get into them!

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A post shared by Zoe â–¡ Plant-based Health Coach (@zkwellness_) on Oct 15, 2020 at 2:41pm PDT

Be prepared

This is the motto of the plant-based lifestyle.
Because you think and eat differently than the world around you you have to be prepared every single time you leave your house.

My husband Gabriel often laughs at me for bringing snacks everywhere I go. I never leave the house without my water but more importantly for this subject, I never eat out without looking at a menu first.

Reading the menu beforehand will save so much time!
You will be saving the time of your waiter and the friends you go to eat with.

Here's how you can do it...

Go onto the restaurant's website, look at their menu.
Go through the dishes and look for vegan options (keep in mind that they may not be marked as vegan), if you can't find any dishes that are already vegan dive deep and see how you can DIY them.
Most restaurants are more than happy to work with you in this area.
Call the restaurant and see how they feel about working with you.
Remember to be kind and be clear.
Not many people know what plant-based veganism is so be patient and explain. (we don't eat meat, dairy, or eggs. We try to avoid added oils and sugars.)

Once you find a few restaurants in your area and select your favorite dishes you won't think much about this. You will get comfortable with reading menus and eventually you won't even sweat it but, it does take a lot of ground work.

Click here to hear about my chain restaurant go-tos and what I order at every type of restaurant.

Keep an open mind

I have said it before and I'll say it again, you CAN eat vegan anywhere!
You just have to keep an open mind and let go of your expectations. Girl, Expectation is everything.

I hate to say it but sometimes when you go out with friends you aren't going to love your food.
But you will be eating something and socializing. And, isn't that what it's about?
If you're going out to eat because of necessity rather than sociability then you will have the ability to go to a
place that you enjoy.
For example, when I go out with my friends they might want to go to a BBQ restaurant where my only option is a side salad and fries but when I am alone I will go to a place like Panera bread and get a veggie soup in a bread bowl. That's the only vegan option at Panera but it is still super delicious!

You won't always have to lower your expectations but remember that even if you do, you will still be social and get the opportunity to eat out.

Would you like to learn more about eating out?

In my book, Thriving on plants I give you my complete restaurant guide that goes deeper
into this subject.

I talk about reading the menu through plant-based eyes, give a list of vegan options at chain restaurants, and walk you through my go-tos at every type
of restaurant.

This book also talks about basic plant-based nutrition, my 5 steps to plant-based success, and is accompanied by 16 of my favorite recipes.

Girl, how can you miss out on this?

Download now