Introduction
If you’re a vegetarian, you know how difficult it can be to find food that fits your dietary needs. Unfortunately, many fast-food items that you thought were vegetarian are actually not. From French fries to veggie burgers, here are seven popular fast-food items that you thought were vegetarian but aren’t. Read on to find out what to avoid and what to order instead.
7 Popular Fast-Food Items You Thought Were Vegetarian But Aren’t — Eat This Not That
Vegetarianism is becoming increasingly popular, and many fast-food restaurants are offering vegetarian options. But some of these options may not be as vegetarian as you think. Here are 7 popular fast-food items that you may have thought were vegetarian, but aren’t.
1. McDonald’s French Fries
McDonald’s French fries may seem like a safe vegetarian option, but they’re actually cooked in beef fat. So if you’re looking for a vegetarian option at McDonald’s, opt for the side salad or a fruit cup instead.
2. Burger King Veggie Burger
The Burger King Veggie Burger may seem like a vegetarian option, but it’s actually cooked on the same grill as the beef burgers. So if you’re looking for a vegetarian option at Burger King, opt for the BK Veggie Sandwich instead.
3. Subway Veggie Delite Sandwich
The Subway Veggie Delite Sandwich may seem like a vegetarian option, but it’s actually made with cheese that contains animal rennet. So if you’re looking for a vegetarian option at Subway, opt for the Veggie Patty instead.
4. Taco Bell Bean Burrito
The Taco Bell Bean Burrito may seem like a vegetarian option, but it’s actually made with lard. So if you’re looking for a vegetarian option at Taco Bell, opt for the 7-Layer Burrito instead.
5. KFC Potato Wedges
KFC Potato Wedges may seem like a vegetarian option, but they’re actually cooked in chicken fat. So if you’re looking for a vegetarian option at KFC, opt for the corn on the cob instead.
6. Wendy’s Baked Potato
The Wendy’s Baked Potato may seem like a vegetarian option, but it’s actually cooked in beef fat. So if you’re looking for a vegetarian option at Wendy’s, opt for the side salad or a fruit cup instead.
7. Arby’s Roast Beef Sandwich
The Arby’s Roast Beef Sandwich may seem like a vegetarian option, but it’s actually made with beef. So if you’re looking for a vegetarian option at Arby’s, opt for the Veggie Sandwich instead.
So there you have it — 7 popular fast-food items that you may have thought were vegetarian, but aren’t. Be sure to double-check the ingredients before ordering to make sure you’re getting a truly vegetarian meal.
We all know that pulling up at the drive-thru to grab a bite isn’t the healthiest decision, but you gotta eat, and sometimes, that’s the most convenient option. But fast food isn’t equally convenient for all. Vegetarians, for example, have a harder time staying within their diet while eating fast-food thanks to the most carnivorous nature of chain menus.
And we hate to be bearers of bad news, but we’re about to make it even harder. There are actually quite a few fast-food menu items that seem like they should be vegetarian, but actually aren’t. That’s right, just because something doesn’t have meat in it, definitely doesn’t mean that it is fully vegetarian.
So before you eat fast food next time, check out this list of tricky fast foods that seem vegetarian but aren’t.
While the entire premise of the Impossible Whopper is to be a vegetarian sub for the classic burger, strict vegetarians should steer clear, as the meatless patties are cooked on the same grill as beef patties, much to the dismay of many.
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While there are some options for vegetarians at McDonald’s, you’re going to need to skip the side of fries, as they are made with beef flavoring and are therefore not vegetarian.
In case you’re not up-to-date on your cheese-making knowledge, parmesan cheese is made with rennet. Rennet, of course, being an enzyme that is found in the lining of goat and calf stomach. While some vegetarians would still consider this to be within the vegetarian line, others do not.
Nutritionist and Fresh Starts Registry expert Allie Echeverria says, “Rennet enzyme is an ingredient necessary for making certain kinds of cheese, including parmesan, and it comes from the stomach lining of animals. While there are vegetarian forms of rennet that contain no animal products, those can make aged-cheese taste bitter.” Which explains why many restaurants steer clear of the vegetarian version. To add insult to injury with this particular salad, Caesar salad dressing is also a vegetarian no-go, as it’s made with anchovies.
Sadly, this Italian classic is decidedly non-vegetarian if you have a problem with rennet-made cheese—that delicious alfredo sauce is made with loads of parmesan cheese.
There’s nothing like a comforting bowl of soup, and French Onion seems like a low-calorie, meat-free way to dine, but sadly, no. The bases of most soups are made using chicken or beef stock, and you guessed it, Panera’s French Onion is no different, as it’s made with a chicken stock base.
It definitely seems like a safe vegetarian choice to grab a Strawberry Banana or Mango Pineapple Smoothie from McDonald’s. But unfortunately, it isn’t—the yogurt in these smoothies is made with gelatin, which most vegetarians avoid since it is made with animal derivatives.
Eating vegetarian? Forget getting a Garden Zalad with Zax sauce, because that sauce is made with Worcestershire sauce. And fun fact: Worcestershire is made with anchovies and is therefore non-vegetarian.