Check Out Some Meatless (Monday) Options at Your Favorite Restaurant Chains

Today’s customers demand more from restaurants than just food. A growing number of major fast-food and quick-service restaurant chains are experimenting with more plant-based menu items suitable for various eating lifestyles or preferences.

This wasn’t always the case. A few years ago, vegetarian options were limited to french fries, a side salad, and maybe a lifeless veggie patty rarely ordered and hardly promoted. But now, a host of plant-based options are the menu stars, creating a buzz as customers are interested in trying exciting, next-era restaurant creations. 

Here are a few places offering plant-based options:

California Pizza Kitchen
Although the foundation of classic pizza is cheese and sauce, California Pizza Kitchen makes it easy to remove any cheese or dairy products from their pizzas. The California Veggie pizza and the Tostada Thin Crust can both be easily made plant-based. There’s also the newly-released plant-based “Don’t Call Me Chicken” BBQ pizza. If you’re in the mood for something that’s not round and doughy, CPK offers lettuce wraps with vegetables, smashed pea and barley soup, and tomato basil spaghetti.

Cheesecake Factory
The Cheesecake Factory has plenty of options for every type of eater. Some meatless options include the vegan cobb salad, fried cauliflower, pasta pomodoro, avocado toast, spinach and mushroom flatbread, lasagna, french country salad, and their version of a meatless burger.

Cava
A rapidly expanding fast-casual restaurant concept specializing in Mediterranean flavors, Cava is a relatively new player to launch on the scene. Still with over 100 locations nationwide, the fresh, veggie-forward food is clearly a hit with customers. When ordering, you have the option of salad, grain bowl, RightRice (a high protein and high fiber grain made from 90% vegetables), or pita sandwich, and they can all be stuffed or layered with your choice of proteins, toppings, dips, and spreads. They have falafel, roasted vegetables, and roasted sweet potatoes that can be paired with typical salad toppings. They also have unique ingredients, like lentil tabbouleh, fire-roasted corn, and tomato and onion salad. Nearly all their salad dressings are vegan, so have fun trying their Greek vinaigrette, tahini caesar, hot harissa vinaigrette, and Skhug (a cilantro-based spicy topping).

Chipotle Mexican Grill
It’s easy for people of any eating lifestyle to dine at Chipotle Mexican Grill. The chain is built upon the idea of customizing dishes to fit your preference, and they offer a number of naturally vegetarian and plant-based meat alternatives. For protein-packed fillings, you can go with beans (pinto or black) or their vegan sofritas (braised tofu with poblano and chipotle pepper). Of course, there are also the many fillings and toppings, including guacamole, corn, roasted veggies, lettuce, and Chipotle’s signature salsas.   

Panera Bread
For breakfast, lunch, or dinner, Panera Bread has you covered. That’s why the line for the drive-through is always so darn long. If you’re there before 10:30 am, you can get one of their bagels (a few of which are vegan) and one of their vegetarian egg sandwiches or soufflés. When it comes to non-morning meals, many of their salad and bowls can be customized to remove any dairy or meat products. The Baja bowl, Mediterranean grain bowl, tomato basil cucumber salad, ten vegetable soup, Greek salad, and strawberry poppy salad are all excellent vegetarian options that can be modified to be vegan-friendly.

Qdoba
Qdoba has always been a good option for people looking to eat more plant-based foods. Tacos, taco salads, burritos, and bowls can be ordered with beans, pinto, or black as the central protein.

Remember, as a customer, your dollar is your voice. Ordering the vegan or vegetarian option is the best way to encourage the further adoption of more plant-based foods and ingredients.

Click here for more options.

Remember to harness the power of checking in to enhance the success of your wellness plan.

Use the Monday Campaigns: Weekly Check-Ins
Mindful awareness, accountability, goal setting and tracking progress are evidence-based techniques that enhance the success of a wellness plan. Each week, Monday Campaigns participants are invited to use the weekly check- Ins (Weekly Check In, February 13) to help you:

• Remain motivated;
• Reflect on your progress;  
• Consider how you will work with your Push Pal to get the most effective results from your wellness experiences; and
• Recommit to your weekly goals.

Turn intentions into actions.

Submitted by:
Dahlia Henry-Tett, HR-Chief Wellness Officer, employeewellbeing@nvcc.edu