WOT?
I’m Vegan and I sometimes have trouble finding restaurants that can accommodate my diet. What do you suggest?
SUMMARY
I keep a number of apps in my arsenal that help me find food under almost any circumstance. Each app has a different purpose. I use:
- HappyCow
- Vegan Eating Out
- HealthyOut
- OpenTable
WHY?
There is no single app that can give me the best chance of finding Vegan food. Each app in my list is used for a different purpose. Let’s break it down:
HappyCow
With a free and paid (no ads) options, HappyCow not only finds vegan restaurants near your location but also restaurants that have both vegan and non-vegan options. In addition, stores such as Whole Foods are also included which I have found to be extremely handy. I typically reach for HappyCow first when I’m travelling or in an unfamiliar neighborhood as it quickly shows me places I can eat that are nearly. I use the paid version ($2.49) to eliminate ads and also to support the developer. If you pick only one vegan app on my list, make it this one.
Vegan Eating Out
Sometimes you don’t always have control over where you’re going to eat. in addition, your friends, family or co-workers may be going to a fast food or chain restaurant. It’s hard to know what’s safe to order in these situations since you’re not even sure that the cashier knows what it means to be vegan. At times like this, I reach for Vegan Eating Out.
Vegan Eating Out contains a database of restaurants and then shows you what you can eat at those restaurants. For instance, Au Bon Pain lists the vegan soups offered as well as menu items that can be modified to become vegan, such as “Pasta Marinana with Vegetables (without Cheese)”. The items displayed however aren’t always complete meals but instead can be ingredients offered at that restaurant which could be combined together to make a meal. For Subway, the vegan breads are listed as well as the “Made to Order” options such as: Avocado, cucumbers, green peppers, Lettuces, etc. Based on the options shown, you could ask Subway to assemble a vegan sandwich.
I tend to use this app less as I try to control where I go out to eat more often than not, however it’s a good app to have, just in case.
Note: I’ve had Vegan Eating Out Android app on my phone for quite some time. When looking for the Google Play link, I found that there wasn’t one. It looks like the app is downloadable if you search for it on Google, however you may wish to use caution anytime you load an app that is not in the Play Store.
In addition, the Vegan Eating Out Website makes reference to a mobile version which costs $2.49 a month after a free 7 day trial.
HealthyOut
If you’re looking for healthy dining options, HealthyOut will help you find them. Start off by configuring HeathyOut with your dietary preferences. I select “Vegan” from the list to show only vegan options, however there are 19 choices, some of which are: Atkins, Gluten Free, Lactose Free, Low Sodium, Paleo, etc. You can combine options too so that you can find that perfect vegan-low-sodium-low-carb-high-protein meal you’ve always wanted.
Once you’re ready to go, HealthyOut uses your current location to search for “Dishes” that meet your criteria. A search near me has found 821 dishes, all of which are vegan. You can narrow by individual ingredients too if you had your heart set on pasta, tofu, salads, etc. The dishes displayed individual entrees offered at nearby restaurants. All sorts of nutritional data is included (when available) with the calories, fat and protein in the meal. Options to make the dish healthier through “Healthy Modifications” are listed. For example, the Eggplant Sandwich at Le Boulanger says, “Request whole wheat or nine grain bread; Request no cheese for Vegan or Lactose Free.”
Pictures of the meals are included and if not, you can snap one of your own within the app. Maps with pushpins showing all restaurants make it easy to find meals while travelling.
OpenTable
I’m a big fan of OpenTable and have used it for many years before I became vegan. I’m happy to see that one its search critiera is for vegan restaurants.
If you’re not familiar with OpenTable, it’s an app that lets you make restaurant reservations, but it does it with a twist. Usually, you know that you want to go to dinner, so you pick a time, call a restaurant and hope that they have an opening. If not, you have to pick another. This goes on over and over again until you get frustrated and decide to see what’s in your cabinets or fridge. With OpenTable, you tell the app what day you want dinner, the time and for how many people. It will then search your current location (or another distant land if you wish) for all restaurants that meet your criteria. In other words, every restaurant listed has availability for the time you specify. OpenTable also displays whether the restaurant has an available table 15 minutes before, and 15 minutes after your reservation time. You can view a menu to see in advance whether the resaurant has what you want as well as the address and a map of the restaurant’s location. Once you’ve made up your mind, few clicks is all it takes to set your reservation. If you need to cancel the reservation, it’s just as easy.
Since a restaurant must buy into the OpenTable reservation system, I tend to find the restaurants listed in OpenTable as higher quality than your average restaurant on the street which you may find using HappyCow. OpenTable is a great to find restaurants for a date, or date night when you want the ambiance to be bit more upscale.
As you can see from my descriptions, each app has something different to offer. Armed with these apps, I’m almost always able to find something to eat and I have options of what to eat when going out with friends.
Just wanted to give you a heads up; VeganEatingOut is no longer working but there’s some sites like CrueltyFreeReviews or VRG that have keep a list of vegan-friendly fast-food chain restaurant menus.