A Vegetarian Strategy for Buffets: Eating Well Without Overdoing It

Scout before you load your plate

On your first pass, walk the whole spread and take note of all the vegetarian options available before deciding how to allocate your appetite. This keeps you from filling up on dessert early and missing better dishes later on.

Where to head first

Fresh salad bars, roasted vegetables, mushrooms, tofu dishes, and vegetarian stir-fries from various Asian cuisines are usually the areas of a buffet with both the most vegetarian options and the best flavor.

Areas worth double-checking

Cream-based soups (often built on a meat stock) and fried rice or noodles that look vegetarian but may be seasoned with shredded meat are worth asking staff about, or examining closely.

A tip for beginners

The most important rule at a buffet is not to overdo it. Planning before you load up is far more rewarding than grabbing a little of everything and ending up stuffed without having eaten the dishes you actually wanted. After your first round, give yourself a bit of time to digest and gauge how full you are before deciding whether to go back for more — this helps you avoid moving too fast early on and missing the dishes you'd really enjoy later. It also helps to note which dishes stood out to you, so that on your next visit to the same buffet, you can go straight for what you liked and gradually work out your own efficient route around the spread.