Q: As a new vegan, I don’t know if I can still eat out in Tex-Mex restaurants.  What kinds of questions should I be asking to make sure there are no animal products in my food?

A:There are some questions that vegetarians and vegans have to ask when eating at Mexican food restaurants. They are crucial. The first one would be asking if lard is used for cooking or is used in the beans or to fry corn or flour for chalupa or nacho shells, because a lot of the time they will not say it is unless you ask. The second one is asking if chicken broth or beef stock is used in any of the foods like sauces for example, because sometimes it will not be listed. The third one is asking if the meat or dairy products are cooked on the same surface as the vegetarian meals. Sometimes only certain dishes are, so this is an important question. The fourth and final one for vegans is making sure there are no dairy products, like cream or sour cream for example, stuck secretly into the meal or served with it, because these ingredients are sometimes overlooked.

Written by Brittany Estes-Garcia while volunteering with The VRG.

For information about vegan & vegetarian options at fast food and quick service chains, visit:
http://www.vrg.org/fastfoodinfo.htm

For information about vegan, vegetarian, and veg-friendly restaurants in the U.S. & Canada, visi:
http://www.vrg.org/restaurant

If you would like to volunteer for The Vegetarian Resource group, please email [email protected].