Tips for Traveling Vegetarian
Despite being fairly normalized in the US and many other countries, vegetarians still have concerns when travelling abroad about finding food they can eat. I know because I have those concerns too, pretty much every time I travel abroad and sometimes when travelling within the United States. But fear not! You can travel the world as a vegetarian, I promise. And if you are, here are some helpful hints.
Don’t Be Intimidated
I don’t know about you, but there are plenty of times when well-meaning people or guide books/blogs etc tell you that it’s going to be rough because the people in Place X loooove their meat. And that may be true, but that doesn’t mean that’s all there is. I had incredible vegetarian meals in Argentina, after effectively being told that the county eats nothing but beef. Lies. The fact is, people who aren’t vegetarian often overlook vegetarian options and just assume there is nothing (I’ve seen that with friends at restaurants as well). Don’t let the nay-sayers intimidate you. There are more options out there than you think.
Learn Food Words
Generally, when I travel to a new country, I make sure to learn key words such as “thank you” and bathroom and, of course, vegetarian. But vegetarian means different things to different people. Often in the US, the first question I get when I say I’m vegetarian is “do you eat fish?” Which is one of my biggest pet peeves in life. But if the lack of clarity is that bad here, it’s only fair to assume it’s worse when language and cultural barriers get in the way. So I suggest also learning words for “meat,” “chicken” and fish” so you know what to avoid/add to your explanation.
Find Restaurants with English Menu Translations
It’s heresy, I know, in these days of having an “authentic experience” and “going off the beaten path” to suggest actively seeking out menus with an English translation. The un-hipster-like horror! But I have never gone to a restaurant abroad and seen an English menu that didn’t have vegetarian options. If a place is willing to deal with non-locals enough to translate the menu, they are willing to accommodate vegetarians and will have something for you on the menu.
Find an Indian Restaurant
This was one of the first pieces of travel advice my dad gave me when I started travelling abroad. Both my parents are vegetarians and have been since the ‘70s when its was far less common. But Indian cuisine is the most vegetarian-friendly in the world, and you can find it many many places. You find an Indian restaurant, you find vegetarian food.
A corollary to this tip is visiting a Buddhist monastery and eating there if they have a restaurant. Those are less ubiquitous though.
Take a Cooking Class
I love taking cooking classes when I travel. And since I generally travel solo they are a fun way not just learn more about a culture through their cuisine, but to meet other travelers. It’s a great experience. They are also overwhelmingly willing to accommodate vegetarians, and can give you the opportunity to try vegetarian versions of dishes you can’t otherwise find. My favorite was making pastel de choclo, a sort of Chilean shepherd’s pie with a corn mush topping – it was the only time I was able to get a vegetarian version of the dish in that country and I still make it at home sometimes.
Be Flexible
“Be flexible” is solid advice for travelers in general, but I’ve found it to be especially true for vegetarians. Part of being flexible meaning making a meal out of Ritz crackers and Coke when on a 10-hour bus ride and there is literally nothing else you can eat. But, and only if your principles allow, being flexible also means not worrying too much about what something was cooked in. I spent nearly six months living in South-East Asia and yes, that plate of rice with cabbage, morning glory and tofu I got from a street stall in Hanoi was probably cooked in fish sauce. Maybe those veggie dumplings in Beijing were fried in peanut oil, maybe in lard. I don’t know. I never eat pieces of meat, and I make a good-faith effort with everything, but it is a lot easier (although not necessary) if you are flexible enough not to interrogate every part of the cooking process with every dish, just in case there is meat involved somewhere.
