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Avoid Meal Concerns by Planning Ahead

Christa Shelton by Christa Shelton on Fri, Feb 3rd, 2012

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Q: I find myself on the go quite a bit and oftentimes will pick up “vegan” items from fast food restaurants. I have to admit I do eat a lot of french fries and if they have a veggie burger I might get that as well, is this a bad idea? Do you think the food I get from fast food restaurants even if they are technically vegan could be cross-contaminated?

A: Okay, the short answer is yes, it’s a bad idea and yes, food can be cross-contaminated with the fried chicken or bacon cheeseburger. However, since I know that a short answer is not sufficient, I will elaborate. ;-) I feel that we always run the risk of swallowing pork grease when going to a fast food joint to pick up some “vegan” food when out and about. This is one of the reasons I feel that planning ahead is SO crucial. If the veg lifestyle is your choice, then some adjustments do have to be made to accommodate it and ensure you are eating the highest quality food even on the go.

I recommend for you to do your best to plan for the week over the weekend and make sure you have what you need prepared ahead of time, this will cut down on your need to eat out frequently in general. If you prepare your food on the weekend and also make sure you have enough snacks to take with you daily (i.e., fruit, trail mix, vegan energy bars, etc.), this will help save your wallet and your stomach. Keep in mind, you always run the risk of food being cross-contaminated when eating at non-veg restaurants whether they are fast food or not.

As I’ve mentioned before pertaining to eating out, don’t be afraid to ask questions about how or where things are cooked, people with food allergies do it all the time and this is no different in my opinion. Also, remember that you want to thrive on a veg diet and frequent stops to the drive-in are just not a good idea in general. So, since you are a busy person, you must make time to plan and prepare. It is very possible to be unhealthy on the veg diet and I’m sure that’s not your goal. So, take a moment and create a new routine and you’ll be bypassing BK and Mickey D’s in no time!

Photo Credit: chrismetcalf

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About Christa Shelton

Christa has been practicing the veg lifestyle for almost eleven years. She blogs daily at Veggin' Out with Christa. She is passionate about veganism and educates people about its benefits through health coaching and speaking engagements in order to help those considering or transitioning to this lifestyle. She is also a VegNews Street Team member and a top health blogger and speakers bureau member for wellsphere.com.