What do you eat at the resto?

[Little Blueberry]

Hello,

I am just wondering how do you guys deal with going to restaurants with friends. We don't always get to choose where we would like to go...

What do you do in a sushi restaurant? Besides the handful size salad and miso, what do you eat?:confused:

Steakhouses seem to be the best because they usually offer great salads but what about a Chinese or eclectic restaurants?....

[Veganforlife]

Hmmmmm....maybe eat before and then get that handful size salad?

[Ariannah]

If I know I am going to a restaurant and am pretty sure that there will likely be nothing for me to eat, I'll eat a lot of good, sweet fruit in advance.

I'd just get the handful size salad, otherwise. Is it imperative to eat a lot at the restaurant? If I have to defer a real meal to later, it's not the end of the world.

In a Chinese restaurant, I'd probably be sipping water and enjoying the company. I don't have to eat if there is nothing there for me.

[Little Blueberry]

Thank you Ariannah for your insights.

I guess there are not many ways to get around it. The fun of going to a restaurant to be served a savory meal while avoiding food prep and dishes is no longer applicable.:rolleyes:

Do your non-raw food friends feel uncomfortable when you don't want to eat anything with them because of your lifestyle?:eek: I guess I am asking this because I am afraid to become on their "black list" on foods night out...

Tell me raw food friends! What are your encounters and how have you dealt with them?

[Veganforlife]

I find my friends are intrigued by either what I eat or that my willpower is there.

[Ariannah]

Thank you Ariannah for your insights.

I guess there are not many ways to get around it. The fun of going to a restaurant to be served a savory meal while avoiding food prep and dishes is no longer applicable.:rolleyes:

Well, that to me is the joy of RAW! The produce section comes ready to eat :-D


Do your non-raw food friends feel uncomfortable when you don't want to eat anything with them because of your lifestyle?:eek: I guess I am asking this because I am afraid to become on their "black list" on foods night out...

Tell me raw food friends! What are your encounters and how have you dealt with them?

Well, I'm married and have a huge family, so going out to restaurants as a single is kind of not high on my list of activities these days :) Most of our food consumption is at home and at church potlucks (where we can bring our own food anyway, so finding something to eat isn't a problem). Occasionally I do eat at restaurants or coffee shops and have found salads and not had to make an issue over it.

However socially, people had a bit of a time getting over the change. I used to really enjoy and hope for certain cooked things friends made when they invited me over, and to suddenly cross them off my list was a bit of a jolt. They knew though that it wasn't a slam on their cooking eventually, because I did enjoy these things when I ate cooked.

Because many social events revolve around food, being up front with your closer friends and saying you are feeling good eating raw and wish to just keep eating that way is a good idea. I tried to be a closet raw fooder and it didn't work out too well. Now I just "say it", and thank goodness the media is talking about it a bit so it's not a foreign word :)

[DavidZaneMason]

-The social aspect of eating raw is actually one of the major issues - for sure. So its a very intelligent question.

-My experience is that I DON'T rely on others to feed me. PREPAREDNESS is my watch word. I eat before I leave the house, bring a snack in my car or pocket, and will sometimes eat again when I return.

-I often eat nothing at restaurants (although I will often munch on an apple or avocado that I have in my pocket). When asked, I simply say that I am there to spend with THEM, not to eat. I don't answer to hostile or critical questioning....especially in public. I WILL respond to polite and genuinely curious questions in PRIVATE.

-I will sometimes go so far as to say: "I'm on a special diet". This is true, and usually forstalls any comments by staff. If a staff person were to give me flack (which has NEVER happened)....then I would speak with the manager. Restaurants are VERY wary of getting sued....so I've never had anyone challenge me on my 'special diet'! Ha! ha! No worries - eh?

-What do you think?

-David Z. Mason

[Raw Jewelrylady]

Ok- I'm going to offer my latest way of dealing w/ Restaurants & it is GREAT.

I ask the waitress to challenge the chef to put together his/her most creative salads. I always scan the menu..for example I was at IHOP...House of p-cakes yesterday at 9am-had fresh grapefruit & then had them make a salad of fresh spinach,broccolli, mushrooms, tomatoes, raw pecans, evoo & vinegar & lemons. It was fantastic & some ladies sitting by me asked what I was eating that looked so GREAT!

I have been doing this the last few months & really enjoying letting others prepare *RAW* for me..& enjoying my time out. It's all how you percieve your going out time. I prefer to celebrate life & don't want to miss out.

Hope this helps..
Lana

Ps. I do have a snack before I leave home just in case....

[Free Energy]

I agree with RawJeweleryLady. Any rest. will make what you ask if they have the ingredients. There are so many people with far more "weird" requests than just whole fresh fruits and veggies. I worked in the rest. business for 15 years and I've seen it all; from people wanting only 1 ice cube in their drink to having prime rib pureed in a blender. Enjoy the company and feel good that you are doing something wonderful for yourself!

[misslinda]

In the past, I never eat unless the restuaraunt offered organic veggies or fruit. I'm strictly organic/raw. If my friends were eating, I'd eat before hand or carry fruit in my purse. I don't think there is anything wrong with going to a restaurant with friends and not eating---being good company is what's important. :)

[aubrey]

I posted a thread about this last month, and the great solution that was presented then was to put a notecard in your purse explaining that you are a raw vegan and telling what you eat. When you get there, hand the card to the waitress and have her give it to the chef. I have gotten some awesome, creative meals out of it, and people are always staring at my plate inquiring what it is!

My card says something like:

"Dear Chef,

Hi! I am a raw vegan. I eat only raw, uncooked, fruits, nuts, veggies, seeds, and sprouted grains. I prefer not to eat anything cooked, marinated, or processed. I was wondering if you could pretty please make me a salad or some veggie wraps or some other dish out of the raw items you have in your kitchen, of your choosing? I really appreciate you and your staff helping me to meet my dietary needs off the beaten path! Blessings! ~A"

Over half the time, the chef will bring me my plate personally. They have even told me they had fun coming up with something new. I've been doing this for nearly a month now, and I love it!

[Morn]

You already have great suggestions. In Japanese Restaurants you can order vegtable sushi rolled without the rice. I have also started ordering 2 side salads and having them put them together so I can have a larger salad and then I tell them to put a bunch of raw veggies on it. Hope this helps

[Dj 247]

I can relate to the closet raw foodist. I eat mostly raw all day, but at supper my husband frowns on my raw food ideas. Like last night we went out to Applebee's and I wanted to make him happy so I ordered a veggie patch pizza instead of a salad. I really am not making excuses. I know he would not of been happy if I ordered a salad only. I mean eating out has been a big part of our relationship, it is what we do. I am not always going to eat to please him, but I don't want to rock the boat to soon. I have to transition him as well as myself into a really raw diet.

[Little Blueberry]

Wow! I thank all of you for sharing your inspirational thoughts and experiences! It really helps to have a forum like this for support and staying on track.:)

Like DavidZaneMason said, it is true that dealing with the social aspect of raw food diet is one of the most challenging. It is not easy, for example to eventually turn down your favorite cooked food that someone used to especially prepare for you... I have been +85% raw for 2 years, now 95% but aiming at 100%. It is all those times where I simply used to not sweat the small stuff, (hence the 5-15%) that I am now aiming at closing the gap which mostly comprises of social issues!

Simple salads at restaurants are indeed the best alternative a raw foodist can have. Unfortunately, unless it is a specialized raw food resto (which I have never yet been), there is nothing as heavenly good as I can prepare at home! :p

Enjoying other people's company has been done through the sharing of food and drinks for centuries. The art of tea beautifully expresses this, withstanding the test of time. Since food represents nourishment and enjoyment along with abundance, it is easy to understand that a courteous act is to share food or a beverage all together. If you really have to, I like the idea of eating the apple in your purse or from your jacket pocket, for the single purpose of sharing the enjoyment of nourishment and abundance in the presence of loved ones. If all fails, then of course your simple presence in their company is enough.

I am grateful for everyone's support and ideas.

By the way, Raw Jewelerylady, in your latest way of dealling with resto, when you said you "always scan the menu" and then ordered your "special fresh salad", was it because they did not have one on the menu that meeted the criterias? Or simply because you wanted a more rounded salad of everything they had and give the chef an opportunity to be creative by making this one for you?

Misslinda, I definitely admire your strenght and will power to stick with strickly organic raw! Wow, that is powerful! By the way, while out with friends, have any resto stoped you from eating your own fresh organic fruit that they do not offer?

Aubrey, I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE your idea!! That is very creative and ensures that there is no miscommunication between the server and the kitchen staff. It also affirms your request that will most likely be taken seriously as opposed to someone just being picky about the menu. And how often do chefs get that awesome opportunity to be creativity challenged? No wonder they even like to bring it to you personally!! I just may try that!

Morn, Thanks for the idea for sushi place. I have many friends who likes to go out especially for sushis. I never thought of asking for the rolled veggie nori! Now, if someone can make you a great roll, that IS a sushi chef!!!!

DJ 247, THAT is exactly the social issues I am talking about. We often feel pressured to keep doing things the same way we have always been. Especially by someone close to you such as your husband. Transitioning too fast may be a set for failure. Anything that is done slowly and consistenly is what becomes a lifestyle. I think the reason your husband frown on your raw food idea at supper is because he does not believe that you are fully enjoying yourself through this diet (yet), which is why he would be happier to see you eat pizza with him because he thinks it is more enjoyable than a salad... The thing is, the more you eat raw, the more your tastebuds change. Overtime, a fresh crispy salad will become way more appealing than a gooey "grease wheel"!

I personally think the greatest raw food challenge is the social aspect. Which is definitely most felt during early transition. When your partner or best friends say "Hey! Come on, we were eating "___" last week together and you really liked it!!!"

Hang in there DJ 247, we are all in the same boat and go through that at one point or another. Wether you are 80% raw or 95%, closing the gap is just as hard. Then I am assuming that at 100% the challenge is to unwaveringly stay there....;)

....so let's have fun eating out!!!:D

[misslinda]

Misslinda, I definitely admire your strenght and will power to stick with strickly organic raw! Wow, that is powerful! By the way, while out with friends, have any resto stoped you from eating your own fresh organic fruit that they do not offer?


Ya know, I've always eaten it before hand b/c I use the time to engage in conversation. I think out of respect for the restaurant, I would never willing put it out unless I consulted the manager or owner. I was fortunate on one occassion to have lunch at a waterside bistro that served organic salad--for twenty bucks....it was worth it--well the gentlemen paid :)