Eating Out, Vegan Style

Is it hard? No. I mean, it can be, but it doesn't have to be. You just can't be lazy. >_<

This is one of those things where you may tend to shy away from eating out with friends or going to a hole in the wall joint. I know, I've been there. It can be frustrating when you want to go to a veg restaurant and your non-veghead friends say they don't like/eat vegan food.... um... so no apples? You can't eat any vegetables? And wait, you don't like fruit!? Okay, let me get this straight. You want a salad, but you won't go to a restaurant that makes bomb salads because it's vegetarian?? Sigh. It can feel very one sided when people curl their noses at vegan restaurants, but then want you to join them at their meatfest restaurant. They have that one vegan option! >_< Also, watching people chow down on a burger or chicken leg is very unappetizing.

As an avid beer lover, bars are a blessing and a curse. Unless I really feel like having a veggie burger, I'm most likely out of luck. And sometimes even those are off the table. Maybe some fries? But you can always look at the bright side. I'm not really going for the food right? I'm going for the beer. So, snack! I find the most filling and easy to carry snack is trail mix or any kind of mixed nuts. They fill you up fast and are really good for you. And then there are places like Golden Road Brewery, that have an amazing vegan menu...with options!! Score! Half their menu is vegan for goodness sakes. And honestly, I have woken up enough times remembering the nasty crap I ate the night before and regretted it, more than the hangover to not be so heartbroken at the inability to eat pub food too often.

You just need to know where to look and usually plan ahead. If you want to go out to eat, check out HappyCow or Yelp. These are great resources and can help you find some good options.

You can find me on yelp here. If you live in the SF Bay Area or Los Angeles, you might find some of my reviews helpful. I try to follow people who are vegans and live in my area. That way I get good reviews, not just about a restaurant's Mongolian beef or how juicy their steaks are. Um, not helpful.

Most importantly, you have to be willing to tell people what you would like. You don't have to feel guilty for your eating habits! It's their job to feed you well so you come back and want to give them your money. Don't be a dick about it, but if you don't ask for vegan options there is no knowledge of the demand for it.

Just sayin'