It isn't always easy being a vegetarian in this world of ours. If you adhere to a vegetarian eating lifestyle, you've dealt with your share of frustrations when dining out or attending gatherings for work or pleasure. With perseverance and the right attitude, it can be done. It helps to be proactive. When dining out, check the menu of the restaurant beforehand. If the menu isn't available online, don't be embarrassed to ask the server for suggestions or to inquire if a particular item is vegetarian. I'm still somewhat surprised how often the server and sometimes the restaurant isn't sure exactly what's in the dish. Hey, you're serving it and you don't know the ingredients?  Is it made with chicken stock or vegetable stock? Wait, it has gelatin in it? Do you know what gelatin is, man? Nasty stuff.

But, with a smartphone and access to the internet, things can go much easier. Yelp is a go-to app for me, as I can often use it to track down vegetarian restaurants in whatever city I'm in. And there's no denying that vegetarian eating is becoming more mainstream. When all else fails, I find a local Whole Foods and make my own meal from their food bar.

More about watching what you eat on the road in my next post.