When you hear the word “vegan,” what do you think? Do you think about the struggles of eating vegan food or how powerful the lifestyle is? There are millions of misconceptions about veganism and vegan food, one being that a vegan lifestyle is difficult. But, in reality, it is easier and better than many people think! With the increase of veganism in recent years, many widely popular restaurants have incorporated vegan foods into their menus. Now, I don’t consider myself a vegan because of health reasons, and I am not going to try and force you to try veganism. But, I will talk about the popular places that now have vegan food and how you should try them out. A few of my friends are vegan, and because of that, lately, I have incorporated vegan meals and snacks into my daily life. Overall, my health is flourishing, and I feel so much better than I do when I don’t eat vegan food.
Many people assume that vegan food is unappetizing and that the lifestyle itself is challenging to maintain. What people fail to realize is that vegan is all around us and way easier to obtain than we thought. There are so many health benefits to vegan foods, including a decrease of risk for type-2 diabetes or cardiovascular disease. If you want to try it out or are just curious about eating vegan food, here are the top three most popular restaurant chains that include the best vegan food options!
- Starbucks
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It seems too good to be true, I know. But, you can order most drinks from Starbucks (if you order correctly) to be vegan. Replace the milk in coffees with soy milk, almond milk, or coconut milk and remember to tell your barista to hold the whipped cream, drizzles, or anything dairy-based. Starbucks baristas are very understanding and will not look at you funny for asking for coconut milk instead of regular milk in your coffee. Also, the sprouted grain vegan bagel at Starbucks goes perfect with any drink and is a great healthy vegan snack.
- Chipotle
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With the addition of their sofritas, spicy tofu, it has become increasingly easy to eat vegan at Chipotle. With the sofritas, you can eat it in a bowl, burrito, or taco (all are vegan) with their vegan add-ins like black beans, fajita vegetables, all salsas, and lettuce. Also, the chips and guacamole are vegan, so they pair to be nicely on the side! Another meal option is the vegetable bowl, which is everything except the meats and dairy-based add-ins.
- Panera Bread
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Panera has increased its vegan options so much that it is easy to order vegan there. Some popular vegan salads include the Fuji Apple with chicken (order without chicken and gorgonzola) and the Modern Greek (order without feta). The Mediterranean Veggie (order without feta and switch bread to sourdough bread, french baguette, or other vegan bread listed on their menu) is an excellent sandwich and is my personal favorite. Panera Bread also provides vegan smoothies and drinks that go perfectly with any vegan meal!
Whether you want to try vegan meals, or even if you want to become vegan little by little, these restaurants have you covered with some tasty plant-based meals.