Travel as a vegetarian

Among countries in which vegetarianism and veganism is not the norm, those in the West tend to be the most accommodating, and even non-veg restaurants, particularly in the Netherlands, Denmark, the US, Canada and the UK, generally offer several vegetarian options and the staff are likely to be better prepared to answer questions regarding what dishes are vegetarian-friendly. Mediterranean countries such as France, Italy and Greece are known for making delicious composed salads. Some of them have ham or anchovies in them, but many do not. Vegetable side dishes (contorni) in Italy are usually vegan and can make a very satisfying meal. France overall is quite vegetarian-, and moreso vegan-unfriendly by Western standards, but Ratatouille and lentil stews are often vegan, as are many couscous dishes.

Regardless of where exactly you are in the West, you'll generally find far better options the more urban you go. A country pub in the United Kingdom will usually have little more to offer to vegetarians than a bowl of chips (and even then, they may have been fried in animal fats), whereas dining districts in London will have whole restaurants dedicated to vegetarian and vegan cuisine. However, some rural locations (and some small cities dominated by a college or university) may have a significant community with an "alternative" lifestyle that includes veganism, and restaurants catering to their preferences.

In Romania and other places where the Orthodox Church is strong, a "fasting" or "Lenten" diet is generally vegan and alcohol-free, although in some countries, such as Serbia, the diet may be interpreted as including fish or shellfish and beer (but never meat, eggs, or milk).

In the Eastern Mediterranean, North Africa, and places like Yemen, you can easily make a satisfying meal out of mezes (mezedes in Greek)—small plates and spreads such as falafel; tabbouleh; baba ghanouj; ezme; pickled turnips; hummus; spicy carrots; Arab, Greek, Turkish, Israeli, or Moroccan salad; foul (fava bean paste); etc.

Israel has a pretty high share of the population who are vegetarian or vegan, which may in part be due to the limits on meat consumption imposed by kashrut and the rules of halal food – and most Israelis are (culturally at least) Muslims or Jews. In general you'll be spoiled for choice in places like Tel Aviv, but there is still a good selection in other parts of the country.

India has a long tradition of vegetarianism among Jains and some Hindu sects, so finding vegetarian meals will not be a problem. However, veganism is not widely understood, and Indian vegetarian food makes extensive use of dairy products, so finding food that is suitable for vegans is going to be a challenge.

In mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau, seek out Buddhist vegetarian restaurants, including those that are attached to Buddhist temples. Some Buddhist temples may also serve free vegetarian food in their dining hall to feed the poor. You can partake as a tourist and won't be turned away, but it is considered polite to donate an appropriate amount of money to the temple if you can afford to do so. Buddhist vegetarian food has a long history in China, and is known for its creative ways of imitating meat using only vegetarian ingredients like tofu, mushrooms and gluten, making it worth trying even if you are not a vegetarian. However, don't assume that a vegetable dish at ordinary restaurants will not include non-vegetarian ingredients like oyster sauce, pork, lard, or dried shrimps (see below). Also be careful about soup dishes as even vegetable soups can be made with meat stocks.

Similarly, due to a long history of Mahayana Buddhist influences in Japan, South Korea and Vietnam, there are vegetarian restaurants to cater to more devout Buddhists. In the rural parts of Vietnam, the nearest Buddhist temple will generally be your best bet in seeking vegetarian food. In Japan and South Korea, Buddhist vegetarian food is considered to be a form of fine dining, meaning that it is mostly very expensive. Temple stay programmes in Japan and South Korea usually include vegetarian meals as part of the package. However, don't assume that all food served at temples in Japan is vegetarian: vegetarianism was largely abolished for Buddhist monks in Japan following the Meiji Restoration, and today, the vegetarian tradition is mainly preserved as a homage to the past, rather than as a regular diet for monks.

In East Asian cuisines (except for those of some ethnic minorities), dairy is traditionally not used. Thus most non-dessert Buddhist vegetarian food is essentially vegan, but make sure your dish does not contain eggs or honey. Veganism per se is not widely understood.

In most of Southeast Asia, your best bet at finding vegetarian food is generally among the ethnic Chinese or Indian communities. For vegans, Chinese Buddhist vegetarian restaurants are generally the safest bet.

In most places in Australia, restaurants provide few if any options apart from a bowl of chips. Sydney, Melbourne, and the regions surrounding both cities have good vegetarian and vegan options, and other major cities like Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Canberra and Hobart have a decent bit to offer. Outside of major cities, options are more limited, though the fast food chain Hungry Jacks (Burger King) has vegan burgers.

In Auckland, vegan options aren't hard to find, but outside of major cities, options in New Zealand are very limited. The same is true to a greater degree in New Caledonia.

In Fiji, with its very large Indian community, you won't have a problem finding vegetarian food most of the time.

For other countries in the Pacific, there's little to offer since vegetarianism and veganism is not the norm, and if you're a vegetarian, you might find it really hard to find a proper meal here.

In many countries, seemingly vegetarian dishes can actually contain meat, in the form of sauces, seasonings, broths, lard and even just pieces of meat mixed in to add flavor. Don't assume that a dish doesn't have meat just because the menu doesn't mention it. Something innocuous-looking like sauteed vegetables or even bread may have meat added in some parts of the world, and it's hard to tell if a soup has meat broth without asking. Learn what types of hidden animal products are common in the country you're visiting, and if in doubt, ask before ordering.

In parts of Southeast Asia, it can be challenging to find completely vegetarian food. Belacan—shrimp paste—is generally an ingredient in the rempah (spice paste) of Malaysian dishes, even when you can't taste it separately. Similarly, in Thailand and Vietnam, there is very often some fish sauce in an otherwise vegetable dish. In those countries and also Indonesia, it is common for little dried shrimp to also show up in vegetable dishes (these are common in some regional Chinese cuisines, too). So finding strictly vegetarian food in these countries may require extra effort, and where you can find South Indian vegetarian or Chinese Mahayana Buddhist vegetarian food, you may want to avail yourself of the opportunity.

In China, where tofu was invented, it is not considered only as a meat substitute, but can share a dish with meat, so don't assume a tofu dish will be vegetarian. Be particularly wary of the popular dish mapo tofu which usually uses a little pork. Just as Tex-Mex cuisine mixes meat and beans, so too does Chinese food mix meat and bean curd. Also, many traditional Chinese pastries that otherwise seem vegetarian may use lard as one of their ingredients, in much the same way that butter is used in many Western pastries: a prominent example is Hong Kong's famous wife cakes.

Japanese food often uses dashi, a stock which is commonly made from bonito flakes but can be made from kombu (kelp). Sometimes, sardines or mushrooms are used, instead. If you are not a pescetarian, try to determine to your satisfaction whether exclusively vegetable ingredients were used to make the dashi.

In Korea, the basically vegetable staple kimchi usually uses dried shrimp in its preparation, and may use other non-vegetable ingredients, depending on regional traditions within Korea. It is possible to find kimchi that is strictly vegetarian (e.g. at restaurants serving Buddhist temple cuisine), but do not assume the kimchi that is put in front of you is truly vegetarian unless you have done due diligence.

In Europe—France and Spain especially—make sure when you order composed salads that you know whether they include ham, bacon/lardons, salami/mortadella, anchovies, and also eggs or/and cheese if you are a strict vegan.

In the United States, especially the South, cooked vegetables are often made with lard or butter. French fries are often deep fried in animal fat.

Some vegetarians make the decision to "leave their diet at home", meaning they make concessions while traveling. These may range from permitting a single dish just to get by to a complete vacation from one's usual diet. There are a variety of reasons for making this choice. In social situations and especially when you are being hosted, you can make a very bad impression (as outlined above) by refusing food. If you are trying to make the world a better place, offending people is seldom effective. Even if you are alone, some vegetarians prefer to forego their diet while traveling so that they can fully immerse themselves in the culture, including food culture, or simply because they want to try famous dishes, which will often contain meat.

There are many different levels of concessions. Some vegetarians stick with their diet when traveling, but in a more easygoing way than usual. At restaurants on the road, you might consider going "don't ask, don't tell" about ingredients like fish sauce and lard, even if you would always check back home. This can ease a lot of practicalities, especially if there's a language barrier.

If you follow a plant-based diet in your home country partly due to opposition to factory farming or excess meat consumption, you may find that these issues are less severe in your destination. In some parts of the world, people still breed and raise animals in a pre-industrial fashion, without genetic modifications, feeding them steroids, penning them up in small quarters, etc. While in the end the animals are unwillingly killed anyway, it may be that locals depend on eating animals for survival, so it can be unwise to judge people.

While a hiatus from your diet is something to think about, it is certainly not for everyone. There are a wide variety of reasons to be vegetarian, some of which permit this sort of thing and others that do not. Consider your own reasons and weigh them against your travel wishes to reach your own decision regarding whether this option may be viable for you.