5 Raw Food Tips For Dining Out

Follow my 5 Raw Food Tips for Dining Out and I'm positive your future meals out will be all the more enjoyable for it!

1) Enjoy your meal! Naturally it’s important that what you eat out is something you are really going to enjoy. No good salivating at the sight of your favourite cooked dish being devoured by the person sitting next to you while you’re left trying to make a side salad last all night and searching for something filling (or palatable) in amongst the limp pale lettuce! This is where preparation comes in, so either call up the restaurant in advance and spell it out to them what you’d really, really love (be polite, friendly, grateful and painstakingly precise and you should be fine) or select very carefully from the menu so that you have the finest plate of food in the restaurant. People cannot fail to be inspired by colour and variety on your plate – I’ve seen heads turn time and time again at the rainbow salads I’ve created from an apparently limited menu. For how to do this, read on.

2) Made to order. If you don’t have time to ring ahead or check out the menu in advance, then you are taking a chance, but it doesn’t have to end in tears. The best way I have found to get something I’m happy with (sometimes even delighted with!) is to master the art of menu scanning. This means looking at everything on the menu, memorizing what bits sound raw, and then asking the waiter ever so politely if they would mind making you a HUGE salad (you have to overplay this bit just to get a decent size!), and then adding (fill in the blanks from what you see). For instance, I usually start with melon – easy, straightforward, delicious. Then for main, I will request the HUGE salad, and then, assuming I’ve seen avocado, nuts, olives, sundries tomatoes and fruit somewhere (anywhere!) on the menu, I’ll ask for as many of those things to be added on to my plate as possible. I’ve never been refused yet, and rarely disappointed. And yes, heads turn and people drool!

3) The final analysis. When it comes to dessert, as above, this can make or break the evening. This isn’t about being “perfect” or holier than thou, but if you’ve taken good care to order fresh, raw food for your starter and main course then it would be a real shame to drown it in cream and pastry afterwards wouldn’t it? If you’re new to this or not ready (or willing) to forgo rich desserts, that’s definitely your prerogative, but if you do want to stay on course then a fresh fruit salad should always be available, even if it’s a simple bowl of berries or a second helping of melon. (Yes, I know, not ideal food combining, but hey!)

4) After dinner quiz anyone?! Post dessert, more questions may follow. You’ll be feeling ready to rock and roll, while your companions might be feeling ready to fall asleep! This is the time when they’ll be reminded why they don’t always enjoy the meal as much as they thought they might (and you'll be reminded of why you do), and this will also be the time when they may very well start to take more of an interest in what you’ve eaten that night. This is the time to stay relaxed and at ease with it all, keep answering those questions and if it feels appropriate why not offer to email them a recipe or two, or invite them over for a raw night? People love novelty and if you can let them know to expect more than a restaurant-style salad then you’ll stand a much better chance of them accepting! (For a great dinner or party recipe, checkout my Perfect Pizza – everyone loves it and it looks and tastes amazing!)

5) What it’s really all about. And finally, remember, eating out may be a lot about the food but primarily it’s about the company. So don’t shortchange your friends and family by retreating into your shell when you’re eating out with them. Share who you are, raw vibes and all, and talk about things other than food as much as humanly possible!

Have fun - and enjoy your meal

(c) 2008 Karen Knowler