Eating Vegan While Traveling/Eating Out

Hello everyone!


Something I am already experiencing that is causing me a little trouble being a vegan is what to do when going out to eat, or traveling on the road and needing a quick bite. 

Do you think being vegan means no more fast food? Not quite.

There are quite a few resources online for this, including PETA's website.  

After doing my research, McDonald's is NOT a great place to go if you are vegan.  Even the fries are NOT vegan.  Here's what's in them!

FRENCH FRIES:
Ingredients: Potatoes, Vegetable Oil (Canola Oil, Soybean Oil, Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Natural Beef Flavor [Wheat and Milk Derivatives]*, Citric Acid
[Preservative]), Dextrose, Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate (Maintain Color), Salt. Prepared in Vegetable Oil (Canola Oil, Corn Oil, Soybean Oil, Hydrogenated Soybean
Oil with TBHQ and Citric Acid added to preserve freshness), Dimethylpolysiloxane added as an antifoaming agent.
*
CONTAINS: WHEAT AND MILK.
*Natural beef flavor contains hydrolyzed wheat and hydrolyzed milk as starting ingredients.

So, not vegan OR gluten free. Big no for me. Hash Browns served during breakfast are pretty much the same deal.


If you want fast food fries, go to Wendy's.  Their fries ARE vegan and only seasoned with sea salt. (They're good, I've had them before).  They also have baked potatoes and there is an option (allegedly even in their cash register according to the PETA tips) to have a veggie sandwich which is everything except the meat and cheese.

Subway: Another okay place to go if you are vegan but your options are limited to the veggie delight sandwich/salad. 

Taco Bell: A really GOOD place to go if you are a vegan and hungry for something that's NOT a salad. 

"Taco Bell has many great options for vegans! The fast-food chain has a variety of sides that are vegan—including the cinnamon twists, chips and guacamole (or pico de gallo), cilantro rice, black beans, and Mexican rice—and all its salsas are vegan. You can also order the fresco bean burrito, the veggie Cantina bowl without sauce, or the regular bean burrito without cheese. Several of Taco Bell's other dishes can be veganized simply by omitting a few ingredients. The 7-Layer Burrito can be vegan with five layers—just forgo the cheese and sour cream. The tacos, nachos, and Mexican pizzas are vegan when you ask the cashier to hold the meat, cheese, and sour cream."

I actually really like their bean burritos, and I do order them cheeseless. I just put more hot sauce on them. I have never tried a 7 layer burrito before but perhaps I shall in the future.

Of course I prefer NOT to eat at fast food, but sometimes with my lifestyle there isn't much option.

As for breakfast, if you still want your hash browns, go to Dunkin Donuts.  They have hash browns that are (in my opinion) tastier than McD's anyway (they have herbs and such in them too) and are both vegan AND gluten free.

CONTAINS ALLERGENS: None

INGREDIENTS: Potatoes, Vegetable Oil (Contains one or more of the following: Canola Oil, Soybean Oil, Cottonseed Oil, Sunflower Oil, Corn Oil), Dehydrated Potato Flakes (Potatoes, Mono and Diglycerides, Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate and Citric Acid added to preserve natural color), Salt, Granulated Onion, Modified Potato Starch, Modified Cellulose, Spices, Leavening (Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate, Sodium Bicarbonate, Corn Starch, Monocalcium Phosphate), Sodium Alginate, Garlic Powder, Calcium Lactate, Sodium Citrate, Xanthan Gum, Malic Acid, Dextrose, Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate added to preserve natural color.

From what I have read, the vegan options at sit-down restaurants are much more abundant than at fast food. Figures.


Any other suggestions from my fellow vegetarians/vegans in terms of eating out (aside from the VERY obvious "Just don't!") comment below!