Gives you a lot to think about. Interesting. I don’t think I’ve ever had this much opportunity to really consider what I’m eating… every morsel… this closely.
Milk hides everywhere – even in Special K Cereal (BEFORE you add milk – cow, almond, soy, or otherwise!)
I’ve found some fantastic recipes… sweet potato and black bean enchiladas… butternut squash and red bean Chilean stew… blueberry cobbler (amazing! Made twice THIS WEEK!?!?)… and so much more.
I’m a bit concerned about business travel. I’ve been able to make vegetarian work, but now I don’t want to eat cheese, dairy, or milk. The China Study (see blog post on the book) made a huge impact on me.
So. What do you do? If you’re vegan… what do you do when you travel? Someone tweeted me and said they eat before they go out to a restaurant with family and friends… not a really great plan, I don’t think. There’s always salad – maybe with some added beans? What about convention centers (yikes! Scary thought… vegan there?!?).
Would love to hear your thoughts…
If you’re eating out, try ethnic food – especially Lebanese, Indian, and Thai. Many of their dishes are already vegan, or could be vegan if the cheese or whatever is left off. They are also likely to accommodate you if you ask (of course always nicely).
Most pizza places can leave the cheese off of a vegetarian pizza, and pizza crust and marinara tend to be vegan too.
Breakfast when traveling is a little trickier, but there is always oatmeal, fresh fruit, and hash browns with salsa :). I tend to carry snacks like mixed nuts or pretzels in my bag if I’m traveling. If you’re really in a bind, then you can temporarily adopt a “don’t ask/don’t tell” policy about things that we would normally assume to be vegan. We all do the best we can.
Good luck!
I’m not vegan, but I am dairy free, and yes, dairy is hidden EVERYWHERE.
If we’re talking restaraunts, I just learned to ask. I have absolutely no problem asking what’s in a dish, is it cooked with butter or olive oil, please leave the dairy out and sending it back if they don’t listen to me.
I think part of the problem when people travel is they “don’t want to be a bother”. I consider the repercussions of eating dairy the bigger bother, so I have no problem insuring that my health needs are met. Yes, sometimes I wind up with a basic salad and a few sides of vegetables, but sometimes I get some really great meals that don’t make me deathly sick.
Staying with family can be a bigger bother because you have competing needs and family politics. I just tend to yell “QUIT POISONING ME!!” when I see butter headed for my vegetables. ;D