“No Problem, I’m Cooking Chicken”
While I am at home in States, I don’t struggle to find delicious vegetarian food. Restaurants that cater only to vegetarians are opening across the county, and there are a plethora of veggie friendly cuisines like Thai or Indian, but traveling can be a bit more difficult.
My first adventure outside the U.S. as a vegetarian was to Costa Rica. I hadn’t been a vegetarian for very long, so I was still learning to get creative with vegetarian cuisine, I scraped by on Luna bars I brought from home, mangoes, pineapple, and rice and beans. After a few days of that, lets just say my stomach was not in the best shape, if you catch my drift….it was there and then that I realized that my dream for lifelong travel would be a bit more complicated with my new eating habits.
Over the next few years I experienced a few different reactions when I arrived at a new restaurant or someone’s home and artfully announced in a non-offensive way that I was vegetarian. They ranged from a good hearted, “no problem!”, to utter disgust, to a few people even asking what that means with a face of confusion on why one would not eat meat. My favorite reaction was while visiting a rural home in the Andes. I was greeted with a rather rotund women who responded with a smile and ‘no hay problema, estoy concinando pollo’ (or not a problem, I am making chicken). Clearly vegetarian meant something different to this women, and I had to further explain that chicken too was off the menu. After some reassurance from me that I in fact am healthy and was perfectly okay eating the side items, she warmed up to the idea and we had a good time.
Visiting people’s homes is probably the hardest aspects of traveling as a vegetarian or someone with a special diet. The last thing you want to do is offend someone, and as you explain your restrictions, you need to respect the hosts culture and values. I find that being upfront with people, is usually the best way to conquer the issue. If you are bringing something as a gift, make it something you can eat! You should always stash something in your bag for later, just in case. In some cases you can skip out on trying a potentially revolting main dish, like I did in Laos, by simply being vegetarian. Extra bonus!
I like to think a few years on that I have mastered being vegetarian while traveling, that there is no place I can’t go and find food. While that is true, I’ve learned that the challenges are endless and in some cases that you just need to open your mind, and take a bite — there are new food adventures around every corner.
great post! jess is also a vegetarian and so i have witnessed many “challenging” moents on the road. i think the problem in south america is that carne (meat) is generally regarded as beef. a dish that had no meat in it would always come with bits of bacon, chicken or mystery meat, not to mention stock. so while im not a vegetarian myself, i can definitely feel you on this one!
So true about South America! I speak some spanish so for me its a much easier place to explain than other non english/spanish speaking countries.
This was really interesting to read. I’m not a vegetarian, but just a few months ago I attempted a challenge to eat vegetarian in Thailand for a month – I got some interesting comments from locals who knew that I normally devoured anything and everything. It was actually easier to do than I had thought as I know a bit of Thai and know how to order each dish without meat. There are also quite a few vegetarian restaurants in Bangkok.
Thailand and most of South East/South Asia in my experience is amazing for vegetarians. I recently went and honestly it was a joy to have so many options both in traditional restaurants and as you say in veggie only places. Do you find that you continued to eat less meat?
hi Becka, as I once considered being a vegetarian, I should mention that traveling as a vegetarian around Southeast Asia is a blessing as there are many types of choices here. If you’ve traveled the lower Southeast Asia, you would know what I mean. Good write too!
I was lucky enough to take a Thai cooking class with all vegetarian options! Southeast Asian cuisine is definitely my go to take out here in DC!
When we backpacked around Italy and France after college I was still a vegetarian, and it posed a lot of interesting problems. I was staying with an older distant relative from Belgium for a few days, and she just couldn’t comprehend what being a vegetarian meant. “Do you eat chicken? Do you eat potatoes? What about beef? Wait, how about potatoes???” It was so funny and so uncomfortable at the same time.
Sometimes the places you think will be easiest will be the hardest. Though I haven’t been I’ve heard from other vegetarians that Spain and Portugal can also be tricky.
Honestly though, thinking back on my months in Scotland when I was pre vegetarian, I would imagine if you stuck to traditional family eaten meals it could be a bit interesting as well…Haggis and the traditional meat and potatoes are definitely not the menu.
I’m a vegetarian too, although I eat eggs and fish. I find that living mostly on fruit and vegetables isn’t difficult anywhere in the world and the best way to avid food poisoning. Admittedly, som fruit look a bit weird, but as you say, just open your mouth and take a bite.
Great point, if you can find a local market and have a place to prepare fresh veggies its not too hard. You do still need to watch out for food poisoning even on fruits and vegetables. I got a quite the case in Thailand actually. But alas, it could have been MUCH MUCH worse!
I rarely eat meat when traveling because I cook most of my own meals, and it’s just not worth the effort to cook meat for one person. I like all the fresh fruits and veggies the best.
One of my favorite things about travel are the plethora for fresh fruits and veggies seemingly on every corner! Grabbing fresh fruit on your way to the your next bus/train is the best!
Wow I didn’t realize it would be so tough to be a vegetarian outside the US. I would think that there would be a variety of vegetable dishes to choose from a daily menu. I like how they think chicken is not meat. Hahaha
I think if you can be a vegetarian on the road, you are really committed. I’ve heard it’s really hard in Latin America. Way to stick to it!
I’m not a big meater. I don’t eat red meat or awful offal and I’m not a fan of grey meat either. I usually try to order vegetarian dishes and I’m amazed at how a lot of it actually has meat in it.
I remember one day, in Vietnam, when I was feeling queasy and anti-meat, I went to a clearly signed “vegetarian” restauurant. I ordered a tofu dish, only to discover it was tofu stuffed with pork!
Oh my, I have not come across this yet! I will be sure to be on the look out.