I have been a vegetarian for more than three years, and for the last few months I have been transitioning to veganism. Even after three years, I get asked if I want “just a little bit of turkey” or told to just “pick off the pepperoni,” because it is still not totally understood why so many choose not to eat animal products and by products.
I have written before about why not eating meat is good for the world and for yourself and in a time when the climate is warming to critical levels, it has never been more imperative to cut down on meat and dairy consumption in everyday life.
I am always the one who has a tricky order because there aren’t readily available options for me at restaurants. The biggest everyday obstacles for me is the options I have with on-campus dining and the limited amount of options when I eat at restaurants.
The absolute best fast food restaurant for vegetarians and vegans is Taco Bell. This is a shock to everyone who does not know about the many options Taco Bell offers, but Taco Bell is actually very accommodating.
On any menu item, you can replace the meat with refried beans or potatoes -which are both vegan options- for no added price. In addition, any item can be ordered without cheese or sour cream. Taco Bell also recently announced they would be added a vegan menu, so people no longer have to ask for these substitutions themselves.
Part of what makes Taco Bell such a great place for vegans and vegetarians is that there is still substance and flavor even without the meat or cheese in items. Often times, ordering vegan at a restaurant means french fries and a side salad, which is fine, but not for every meal out.
There has been an increasing demand for vegetarian and vegan options in a fast food climate, but most places are not as flexible as Taco Bell, and have begun to add new items and options.
Wendy’s is a fairly good option because they have salads with good flavor, fries, and baked potatoes that can be ordered without meat or cheese. However, that’s the end of the choices, and these are the same choices at any other place.
At places that are not drive thrus, but still fast food, like Subway or Chipotle, making vegan meals is fairly simple. For example, Subway bread, when not topped with cheese, is vegan and has lots of veggies and dressings that are vegan.
Chipotle can be ordered without meat or cheese (not that Chipotle queso is anything to write home about anyway). Qdoba is basically Chipotle, except it’s better. There aren’t any Qdoba’s close to SXU, but Qdoba recently added Impossible meat to their list of proteins.
Impossible Meat is a meat replacement that tastes pretty much exactly like ground beef and has been making it’s way to different locations of different fast food chains. There is even a website where you can search the area around you to find restaurants that sell impossible burgers.
White Castle began serving impossible burgers in it’s locations starting this past January in Las Vegas and has since been expanding where it is available.
On the whole, the restaurant industry has a long way to go when including all types of dietary restrictions. I think that making vegan options more widely available will cut down on overall meat consumption and encourage more people to try meat alternatives.
Emma Farina
Opinions Columnist