Question(s)...

How do you deal with the challenges of dining out? Especially when you are in the company of people who will order a steak the size of their head if it is available

Any suggestions on making good food choices or favorite places that you go to that offer alternatives?

And how do deal with eating on the run and fast food joints?

I've been doing Ornish's plan for a little while now (it's vegetarian) and it has reminded me of the eight years I was a vegetarian. I thought maybe I'd post some of my hints (from way back and the new ones I've been picking up).

How do you deal with the challenges of dining out? Especially when you are in the company of people who will order a steak the size of their head if it is available

Depends. Are the challenges with the people or the dining out? People are easy to handle. Most of them don't notice that you're eating vegetarian unless you point it out. (Like throwing down the menu in disgust and yelling, "there's nothing I can eat here!") Once in awhile, I dine with a friend who tries to bait me into an arguement. Usually if I say something along the lines of "I, personally, couldn't kill this so I feel bad eating it. It's just my choice." or, "It's something I'm doing for me." As far as dining out, you'd be suprised how many things are vegetarian or can be adapted that are on the menu.

Any suggestions on making good food choices or favorite places that you go to that offer alternatives?

Soups. I frequently find vegetarian soup on the menu. Check the stock choice though. Make friends with the chef of your favorite resturant. If you're a regular, they'll usually go out of their way to please you. Any hippie joint.

And how do deal with eating on the run and fast food joints?

I thought this would be the hardest, but I find it the easiest. You just got to think out side of the (happy meal) box. Fast food for me has become the 7-11 or mini-food mart. There's always yogurt or cottage cheese that is in a safe sealed container with an expiration date (who knows about those rotating hot dogs!). Burger King's BK Veggie is yummy if I can't get away with no fast food and Wendy's has a great salad. Yes, there's the obligatory "side salad" but GAG ME. Usually, I can find something much more appealing somewhere else.

Vegetarian is pretty easy. Usually there's some kind of pasta, or soup, like GJ mentioned. Sometimes you can eat a la carte -- get side orders of vegetables, potatoes, fruit, etc. (That's what I do if I go to a steakhouse. At Outback, I eat a bloomin' onion (share it with others, don't eat the whole thing by myself ), a salad, and mashed potatoes.) Asian and Indian restaurants tend to have lots of vegetarian items. So do Mexican restaurants.

Vegan is harder. Most places, the vegetarian dishes have cream sauces or cheese. Still, Asian and Indian restaurants are good. So are restaurants where you can get pasta with red sauce. Sometimes at Mexican restaurants I'll order things like burritos or quesadillas without the queso (cheese). A lot of those entrees have grilled vegetables and rice, and that by itself is plenty without the cheese.

One thing about the BK veggie, if you don't want it cooked on the same grill as the meat burgers ask them to microwave it. Also, Taco Bell doesn't use lard in their refrieds, so a vegetarian can eat there, but I don't think they're vegan friendly. Some Taco Bells are also combining with Pizza Hut, so one can get a personal pan pizza, or some breadsticks on the run. I usually resorted to this in airports.

its amazing how hostile some people can get over someone choosing not to eat meat a a meal. i have been literally under seige while eating my soy bologna or spinach salads by co workers in the past. i am not one of these people that broadcast my vegetarian preferences, but after working with people over the years it becomes common knowlege that i do not cosume meat.Let me tell you that i also respect others choices and never criticize. Wellllll, let me also tell you, i might as well be a criminal.People seem to sometimes get kind of angry that i wont eat anything with eyes. quoting from the bible, telling me about farm life, etc. but i hold my own and just tell them its my preference.veggies taste a whole lot better to me than meat.i also think it is rather rude when people make faces at things they never even tried. people have alot of negative crap to say about animal rights activists, but let me just say, the eat meat activists can be a pretty hostile crowd.

I know what you're talking about. Haven't had anyone say anything mean to my face. But online, on discussion boards where people don't have to face each other, pro-meat people can get nasty. And the thing is, if veggies argue back, all of a sudden we're radical weirdo tree huggers.

I don't try to convert people or comment on what they eat. Neither does any other vegetarian or vegan I know! The stereotype of the militant environmentalist is just wrong.

I don't know if you have a Quizno's in your areas, but their veggie sub is fantastic!

Well you have to admit that some vegetarians are pretty radical and obnoxious about their lifestyle choices too! I don't understand why people at your work are bugging you about not eating meat - what difference does it make to their lives? People can be so strange sometimes Besides you are support wheat and vegetable farmers so there!!!!

Aquareggie - I have the same problem when I talk about organics or look for organic products in stores or stand at the grocery store reading labels so I know what is in my food - I get looks like I am a two headed purple monster standing in the organic aisle Well at least there are more people interested now so the choices in food and products is getting better

Trying2Bgood - thanks for the tip - there is a Quizno's near by place - I do eat at Subway and get their Veggie sub on wholewheat.

this is the way I see it. I don't feel like I am on a diet as its more than I have been changing the way I eat as to loose weight but its a life long change to eat healthier buy eating lots of fresh fruits and vegies, eat only whole wheat pasta, bread, brown rice, and not eat gravy and stuff but still eat steak, chicken and fish but I don't eat as much as I use to at a sitting. But I fugure if I am doing that every day and a week goes buy and I go out to eat, I just eat what I want for that meal. I always get water and not a soda and I may not order as large a meal as I had in the past but I don't think going out for a good meal will distroy all I have worked for in weightloss.

My two cents in here. The Alternachicks have heard me rant about this before but hostile, nosy, busybody co-workers exist whether your a veggie or not. Check out someone dieting or someone who's allergic to wheat. There is usually a coworker in the background pushy the sugar or rolling their eyes at someone who can't partake in pizza day. It's sickening!

At one place where I worked I used to bring a salad in a tupperware bowl everyday - simply because I LIKE to eat salad for lunch. Every single day someone in the kitchen would say "nice bucket of salad", " is that ALL you are eating for lunch" or "think your salad is big enough?" Okay, I used the same bowl everyday get over it people!!!!

So freaking what if I eat salad everyday? So what if my bowl is big? Why do these people care what I am eating? In fact I never made comments on whatever they were eating and if you dumped out the contents of my container it would have filled a regular size dinner plate - it is not like I rolled out a salad bar at the table -sheesh!!!!

At another place the manager would walk into the kitchen when I was heating my lunch and always said " EWWWW!! What are you eating -it stinks! " Well EXCUUUUSE me for eating my beef stew, leftover vegetable curry or homemade jambalaya for lunch! The only thing that you could eat around her and not have comments made was a peanut butter sandwich! She was so annoying!

Mauv that reminded me of whenever I ate a banana an old rude co-worker would moan at the smell, then proceed to eat and egg sandwich!!!

As for eating out - well I am lucky enough not to eat out very much! Like most here I am usually too busy trying to decide between the one veggie choice and starvation while my mety friends take hours to decide, so I don't worry about calories and fat etc! I usually avoid pizza as not really my fave anyway but, if we are going to a pizza place then ok. Mind you I once went with them to a veggie restaurant. A very good one and suddenly found myself in the unusual situation of having loads of choice! I eventually settled for a thai style curry as I am very partial to anything with coconut in it. Yum!

I know this is an old thread but I'm new here and wanted to put in a few eating out suggestions:

Taco Bell, fresco style bean burritos and pintos cup: they put in salsa instead of cheese. Very yummy! The bean burrito has 8 grams of fat and the cup is only 2! Very good on the run!

Someone else mentioned Subway veggie subs, always a favorite.

Also, there's a place called Sweet Tomatoes here in CA which is a chain of buffet style salad, soup and pasta bars. Whenever I meet people for lunch, I suggest there. Their pasta usually satisfies my friends, and I can get all the veggies and low-fat soup.

Everyone at my husband's work is low-carbing so here he comes in with rice, beans etc. They all just drool. And then the bosses' daughter starts up with "You know, they fry those beans in animal fat, you're still killing animals." He just has to roll his eyes through lunch.

Maybe people get all nosy and offended because they feel bad about not taking the step themselves. Peer pressure, even at that level, is enough to motivate people not to make change in their lives.

Welcome Ladycourt!

You are so right! Whenever you are trying to give up a habit or implement a new one or trying to lose weight some people will support you and others will criticize you because they can't take the steps themselves to do it.

Thanks for the suggestions!

One of the most important things I have learned about eating out is to ask questions. Many times there will be choices that are not on the menu, just waiting for you to ask for them.
When I have to do the fast food thing. I find that the places that offer a buffet are the best. They have always have salad, vegetables, breads, fruits, many options for healthy vegetarian meals.
The vegetarian topic does come up while eating out with people, I have grown tired of the: "So, what made you become a vegetarian" or "Why don't you eat meat" questions --- (Why do YOU eat it?!?!?!?)
Or "So, what DO you eat, then?" (As they watch you take a bite of something)...
After a while, they will get used to the fact that this is part of who you are. At least I hope that will happen (I've been a vegetarian for 14 years, and my dad is still telling people I will grow out of it)...