Cheryl: We do not eat out because we eat try to limit meat/unhealthy fats, dairy and sugar. We have attempted the raw diet but failed but still have elements of it in our current diet which helps. What we have enjoyed by moving around the last 30 years is just shopping the local grocery and preparing our own meals because the items in the grocery stores changes in different regions. We loved AZ and AL for all the fresh produce and both places had such different varieties of things we had not seen before. We would see the farmer's with their trucks unloading fresh veggies at the grocery store. I think though that in most places today that you'll find if you ask for a "special" meal, they will try to accommodate you so if you aren't shy about asking, I'm betting they'll have a recommendation for you. Many dishes are put together at the last minute and can exclude the meat. It will surely be easier than it would have been like 20 years ago.

I don't know if you are aware but manufacturers have started putting lard in their products. It makes me really sick so I am careful to read all packages usually. Lard makes stuff taste really good. We got some Christmas cookies, pretty ones last year and I didn't read the label............ If you feel strongly about not consuming animal products, it would be very difficult because of the oils they use. I worked in food service, 3 different venues in the past, I prefer to see my food cooked or eat it raw.

I try not to eat out often .......due to restrictive diets , I prefer to pick it out in the stores or farmers markets so I know what Im getting......to many GMO'S....and additives anymore........

Rather a good BBQ with grilled Veggie's and friends!!!!!

I am both semi-vegetarian (I've not eaten mammal in over 20 years now.. but will occasionally have poultry or fish) and I'm gluten free.

We eat out often, and it's not been a problem at all.

I've just learned how to ask for what I want if it's not specifically on the menu. And some areas of the country are much more friendly to speciality diets than others (Portland, SF, Austin, Madison, etc.). Heck, I was just in Austin last week and many places had vegetarian gluten free menus!

It's also fun to see how the definition of vegetarian changes across the country. For instance, in much of the midwest, apparently chicken and bacon are vegetables. :D

- Cherie

I woke up this morning actually thinking about this topic and I need to make a better effort to make better choices. Cherie, As a native Midwesterner, I laughed out loud at your "apparently chicken and bacon are vegetables". So true! After growing up & up to my 40's there I lived for many years in Southern California and my diet became extremely healthy and simple. I loved the variety of fresh fruits and produce as Cathy mentioned and grew many of my own. Then a job took me back to the Midwest (Cleveland) for 10 years. I remember at first being annoyed at the high fat, high salt, and huge portion meals but after time it became my norm. Yesterday's reports about meat and cheese greatly increasing the bacterium in our guts which can affect out weight, inflammation and even behavior! #+€# I LOVE CHEESE. www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2013/12/10/250007042/chowing-down-on-meat-and-dairy-alters-gut-bacteria-a-lot-and-quickly

Thanks for a great topic Cheryl.

Sherry

If someone's goal is to sample all the culinary delights around the country, then yes, they will feel deprived if they're not willing/able to be flexible in their diet.

In my case, I don't feel deprived on the semi-vegetarian front - that diet is a choice. My desire not to eat meat is greater than including local foods in with my survey of a local culture. I do occasionally feel deprived on the gluten front, as that's more of a health need, than necessarily a choice. But I would feel deprived of that even if I was stationary.

I think it'll come down to which is more important to you - your dietary choice or your desire to include all local foods as your experience?

And just keep in mind, just because TX has BBQ ribs, they also have yummy yummy vegetarian-friendly Tex-Mex :D You can find plenty of ways to sample local specialities while still adhering to your dietary needs & preferences.

In traveling not only do we find great fresh vegetables at the local farmer markets in the towns we travel through or roadside stands, we also discover great foods.... For example I fell in love with the biscuits and gravy at Hardees which we didn't have in Southern California (now Carls' Jr have the biscuits & gravy). The chicken fried steak at Cracker Barrell. Pulled Pork sandwiches at a BBQ stand in a small town in OK we came across (can't remember the name of the town or stand) ... are you beginning to sense that I'm not a vegetarian...

Any way we like to try out the local dishes where ever we go...

I love sugar and I do feel deprived especially when we go somewhere that has the old-fashioned malts or rich desserts of any kind but feeling deprived can be good for the soul if you overcome it not to mention our son couldn't have it and I wouldn't have the heart to consume it while he had something else. I did, out of curiosity, run a google search and find this which is quite interesting: www.vegguide.org

Although my diet has become glutton free, I can't eat as much as I used to, and I prefer vegetables, I am also a foodie. I refuse to limit my options in the name of a specific diet. I have eaten barnacles and rattlesnake. I love the adventure that food and culture offer. I would die if I couldn't try the local or cultural dishes. That being said I prefer the healthier choice of a home cooked meal made from fresh ingredients. My rule, everything in moderation.