Eating Out and Staying Raw: Keep it Simple

By Monica D. Siembor

There’s nothing more satisfying than eating the fresh organic produce you have at home. Oftentimes, however, we are faced with the challenge of eating raw at a restaurant. You can make this experience easier, and there’s no need to explain your raw food diet to your dining companions or to your server. Salads are your best option when eating out, but even this simple meal can be challenging to order. Try the following tips to help you.

Because most of the salads in restaurants include items such as meat, cheese, croutons, marinated fruits and vegetables, and heat-processed, sugar laden dressings, you will most likely not be able to order one of the salads listed on the menu. Instead, you will have to create your own salad from the fresh, raw ingredients they have listed in the various salad descriptions or that they have on hand in the kitchen. For example, most restaurants will have Romaine lettuce, Iceberg lettuce, field greens, and spinach. Choose one of these types of greens as the base for your salad. Then, choose some raw vegetables and one quarter – one half of an avocado (if available). Be careful when ordering avocado as some people think guacamole is avocado. Oftentimes guacamole at restaurants consists of very little avocado mixed with ranch dressing and other undesirable cooked, highly processed “foods.”

For a sweeter salad, just order greens, fresh berries, and apple slices. Don’t be afraid to ask for what you want.  Most restaurants will be more than happy to accommodate you. When you order your salad, this is what you can say to your server:

Scenario 1

“I’d like to create a simple salad. I just want a plate of Romaine lettuce with a lot of tomato, cucumber, celery, and one half of an avocado. Nothing marinated, nothing cooked, and no croutons or bread. Make it entrée size. No dressing—just bring me a lemon cut in half so I can squeeze it on my salad as dressing.”

This is very simple, but you can order any raw vegetables they have that you like. Most restaurants have some raw basics, such as tomato, cucumber, red bell pepper, celery, lemon, and sometimes avocado. Make sure your server writes down your order as remembering all of the ingredients in your salad is most often a challenge. Also, if they do not bring you enough vegetables on your salad, ask them for more.

Scenario 2

“Do you have fresh berries and apples?  I don’t want dried berries or berries marinated in syrup, just fresh berries.”

If they have fresh berries and apples, say:  “I’d like to create a simple salad. I just want a plate of spinach with a large portion of any fresh berries you have on hand. Cut up an apple into slices and put those on the salad too. Make it entrée size. Nothing marinated, nothing cooked, and no croutons or bread. No dressing.”

Most mid to high-end restaurants that serve gourmet deserts have fresh berries and apples. Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and apples on a bed of spinach make a very satisfying salad, even without dressing.

Here are some other helpful tips for eating out and staying raw:

• If the restaurant has a website, consult it for their menu ahead of time so you know what you will ask for on your salad. Sometimes, they have other fresh vegetables not listed on the menu too, so always ask what fresh vegetables they have on hand in their kitchen. Most of the time, the server will be happy to check for you.
• You can also call the restaurant ahead of time to request certain produce items or to ask that they prepare you a raw meal.
• If you frequent the same restaurants, they will come to know you and be prepared for your order. I often order delicious salads at J. Alexander’s restaurant and Fleming’s restaurant. They know who I am, and they know that I can eat a very large portion of greens and vegetables. They not only bring me a salad topped high with vegetables, they bring extra vegetables on the side.
• If possible, have a large portion of fruit before you go to the restaurant.  When you get to the restaurant, all you will have to do is order your salad. Oftentimes, the salads at some restaurants are very disappointing as the produce is less than ideal. If you eat fruit before you go, you will not be too hungry if you are unable to eat your salad.
• If you must, you may also bring your own fruit-based salad dressing. For a good dressing, try blending 1 cup tomato, 1 cup mango, the juice of 1 lemon, and one quarter cup of water (only if needed). Put your dressing in a disposable container, such as a 4 oz. Glad brand mini round. Seal the lid, place the container in a Zip Lock bag for extra leakage protection, and put it in your purse (if you carry one). Avoid this practice if you are dining with people you don’t know very well as it may appear tacky. Fresh-squeezed lemon on a salad works just as well. In time, when you simplify your meals even more, you will not even need the lemon.
• Some restaurants with a bar have oranges. If they have a citrus juicer or press, ask if they will make you a glass of fresh-squeezed orange juice. Have them put it in a wine glass with a nice slice of orange on the side for garnish.
• Avoid ordering nuts and seeds at a restaurant as they are generally not raw. They are also often coated with salt and/or sugar.
• Avoid ordering olives at a restaurant as these are generally not raw and are marinated in salt, vinegar, and sulfites.
• Avoid ordering dried fruits, such as cranberries or raisins, as these are highly processed and contain sulfites.
• If people ask, “Is that all you’re going to have?”, tell them that you ate ahead of time and that you just want a simple meal right now. Leave it at that, and move on to a new subject.
• If you’re out with a group of people and someone asks about your raw food diet, tell them that you’d be happy to discuss it with them at another time as you don’t want the subject of your diet to dominate the conversation. Discussion of a raw food diet can be very uncomfortable for people who don’t eat raw. You also want to avoid having to defend yourself about your diet when people start asking questions. Your defense, while perfectly right, may offend those eating the standard American fare. Avoid making others feel uncomfortable as they sadly lack the knowledge and benefits of raw nutrition.
• If you happen to be asked to a party or picnic, bring a raw dish to share. A fruit or vegetable tray or even a salad is always desirable. Bring a very large portion as you will see that everyone will devour it. I’m always surprised to see how most people react to really fresh quality fruits, vegetables, and greens—they love them. They think it’s a rarity to have them. It’s amazing to know that the fruits, veggies, and greens you share with them may be the only raw food they eat.
• While socializing in the raw, you may not want to declare yourself as eating 100% raw until you are absolutely sure that this is the lifestyle you want to adopt. Just tell people that eating this way makes you look and feel absolutely fantastic and that you’ll take it day by day and see what happens.
• Again, eating out and socializing in the raw can sometimes be difficult, but remember, eating raw isn’t a special diet; it’s a lifestyle. Try to adapt wherever you go. The tips in this article, the information on my website, and my other publications should help you eat out and stay raw.