The folks out there who have been living their best vegan life usually have some hacks they use when eating out at popular fast food and chain restaurants. Others who may be dipping their toes into the plant-based lifestyle for the first time might need some advice on what is okay for them to order off popular menus, so here's everything you should know before eating out at Taco Bell.
Being a friendly, accommodating place, Taco Bell has gone ahead and outlined the exact ways customers can modify their orders to fit their diets on the company's site. They do did clarify , though, that there is always a possibility of cross-contamination. "Taco Bell defines 'vegan' as recipes that contain no animal ingredients. It’s important to note, however, that in some restaurants we use the same frying oil to prepare menu items that may or may not contain animal ingredients. Also, we cannot guarantee that cross-contact with meat products will not occur," the company explains.
Regardless, there are several ways a vegan can order popular menu items to fit their needs. For example, ordering the Black Bean Crunchwrap Supreme without sour cream or nacho cheese sauce is a great option; getting a bean burrito with the command to "make it fresco" is another idea. Ordering an item "fresco style" means the cheese sauce, shredded cheese, mayo-based sauces, and low-fat sour cream with tomatoes will be swapped out, so it's a good trick to know before hitting up your drive-thru.
You can also try a Power Menu Veggie Bowl without cheese, avocado ranch, or sour cream for an option you don't have to eat with your hands. For a classic taco vibe, order a crunchy or soft shell taco, but be sure to remove seasoned beef and add black beans—then yep, make it fresco. Other items on the menu, like cinnamon twists or black beans and rice, are already vegan without any customizations.
Mixing and matching ingredients that are vegan as you please is an easy way to add some variety to your Taco Bell trips. Items like potato bites, refried beans, seasoned rice, chalupa shells, black beans, hash browns, and more are all certified vegan at Taco Bell, so you have tons of options. And of course, you can always explain your needs to the cashier. The only hard part will be figuring out which hot sauce to use!
