Adding Vegetarian Menu Items To Your Food Truck Menu

So, you’ve weighed your options carefully, studied the pros and the cons, and decided that serving those who have chosen a vegetarian lifestyle is right for your food truck. But how do you start making changes to add vegetarian menu items?

Do you go jump in with both feet and create a vegetarian specialized menu? Or do you adopt a more gradual approach by transitioning your existing menu with a few vegetarian menu items?

Whichever way you choose to make the change, you can help your customers achieve the health benefits of vegetarianism by significantly cutting down on the amount of meat products you offer, and making vegetables, fruits, legumes, and whole grains the focus of your menu.

Adding Vegetarian Menu Items to Your Food Truck Menu

You can start with adding whole-grain products like whole wheat bread and flour, instead of refined or white grains. Plan for a wide variety of foods, and don’t be afraid to add vegetables, fruits, grains, breads, nuts, or seeds that you’ve never prepared before. Experiment and explore! You may discover a new favorite or two, and learn fresh new ways to liven up more traditional vegetarian dishes. Many vegetarian foods can be found in any grocery store or commissary. Specialty food stores may carry some of the more uncommon items you are looking for. When shopping for the food for your vegetarian menu items; plan ahead, shop with a list and read food labels. If you decide to prepare dairy products, choose non-fat or low-fat varieties.

Adding vegetarian menu items can be as easy as you choose to make it. Whether you prefer to serve up delicious entries or choose quick sides or deserts, vegetarian meals can be very satisfying to your customers and your bottom line. If you get in the habit of preparing menu items with the following, vegetarian meal prep time will become a snap:

Whole-grain cereals such as oatmeal, whole-grain breads and crackers, such as rye, whole wheat, and mixed grain and other grains such as barley and bulgur wheat
Beans, such as pinto, black beans, and garbanzo beans
Rice (including brown, wild, etc.) and pasta (now available in whole wheat, spinach, and other flavors) with tomato sauce and beans and/or chopped veggies
Vegetarian soups like lentil, navy bean, or minestrone.
A wide variety of vegetables and fruits.
Fortified soymilks and soy cheeses, should you choose to not serve dairy products.

The Bottom Line

As you learn to experiment with preparing different foods and learn that a meatless menu doesn’t have to lack variety, you’ll find your decision to add vegetarian menu items was not only wise, but easy and fun to implement into your food truck’s menu.

Please do your part today and join the Meatless Monday movement? Signing up is fast and easy! Mobile Cuisine Magazine looks forward to our continued sharing of Meatless Monday articles with our readers!