Being Veggie

Creamy Pasta Dish

One thing I have noticed throughout this trip is that the vegetarian and vegan food options are very limited. On most menus, I would say about 90% of the choices have meat in them, and 99% would be unsuitable for vegans. Usually the vegetarian and vegan options consist of a garden salad, or some kind of pasta; basic vegetarian/vegan cuisine. There is never anything substantial on the menu for vegetarians nor vegans. 

Typical Vegetarian Cuisine

Considering that the climate is perfect for growing fruits and vegetables, I do not understand why this phenomenon is occurring. Everywhere we went there were fruit trees and gardens filled with tasty vegetables. There is so much potential for the restaurants to use their local produce in a creative, fun, and tasty way. But, for some unknown reason, most restaurants are not taking advantage of this opportunity.

I think being a vegetarian here would be absolutely miserable, especially if you want to dine out often. But why is this happening? Why is there so little appreciation for those who choose not to eat meat/dairy/eggs? How does this benefit anyone in the state? Its sad that there is so much potential for great vegetarian and vegan cuisine that is not being used here.