The Surprising Truth About Being a Vegetarian Abroad - Your Meat-Loving Friends Are Dead Wrong!

Travelling when you cannot eat certain foods can be hard, but that should not hinder you from exploring all that the world has to offer. It may seem daunting to travel as a vegetarian from a distance, but in fact, it is not as difficult as it may appear.

Being a vegetarian doesn't mean you have to sacrifice your desire to see the world. Many people assume that being a vegetarian abroad will be extremely difficult due to language barriers, unfamiliar food options and the predominantly meat-based diets of many cultures. However, this couldn't be further from the truth.

Technology has made it easier for vegetarians to navigate foreign cuisine. With translation apps, restaurant review websites, and social media at your fingertips, you can find great veggie spots even in the most unexpected locations. Downloading apps like Happy Cow, Trip Advisor and Google Translate can help you navigate languages, find restaurants and grocery stores, read reviews and connect with locals to help your stay.

Moreover, more and more restaurants are now catering for vegetarians. Even traditional and conservative countries are jumping on the bandwagon and are adapting their dishes to incorporate more plant-based ingredients. Many street food vendors and markets also offer a variety of local and traditional dishes, many of which are naturally vegetarian.

Another thing that might come as a surprise is that many traditional dishes from different cultures are already vegetarian or can easily be adapted to suit a vegetarian diet. From Indian curries, Moroccan tagines, Middle Eastern stews and Chinese noodle dishes, to name a few, it's amazing how many delicious dishes can be easily made without meat.

When eating out, you can always communicate your dietary requirements with a phrasebook or translation app, which will show the translation of your chosen phrase in the local language of the country. Restaurants will often accommodate specific needs if you explain, but when eating at hotel buffets it might be beneficial to double-check the ingredients in the dishes since they often prepare huge quantities of food for guests.

Accommodating a vegetarian diet on the road is easy and can even offer a chance to experience authentic cuisine in the places you visit. Traditional dishes often rely on plant-based ingredients due to their cultural significance, and historical influences, leading to authentic, rich, and delicious food in many locations.