A Sample Vegan Meal Plan if You are Eating at Restaurant Chains

EATING OUT CAN SOMETIMES BE A BIT OF A CHALlenge for vegans, but it's becoming easier as more options are readily available. In fact, many major food chains are now offering specifically labeled vegetarian foods, and many include vegan options. It seems simple enough to find one meal, but what happens when you're on the road and faced with the task of eating every meal away from home? We decided to find out by creating a five-day menu plan using only what was available for vegetarians from the top nine chain restaurants. (See article on page 14 of Vegetarian Journal, Issue 4, 2008, available at www.vrg.org/journal/vj2008issue4/VJ4_2008.pdf .) Most of the restaurants we looked at were not open for breakfast, so breakfast consisted of items such as single-serve soymilks, flesh fruit, and breads that could be purchased at most convenience stores. If you are traveling, these could be obtained without special preparation or storage.