Here are some tips that will absolutely help you navigate these prickly waters.

1. Always offer to bring a dish or two to share.

Start by calling the host and express how excited and thankful you are to come to their home. Let them know you’ve been on a roll with your plant-strong eating program and you don’t want to put them out by having to prepare a separate dish just for you.

2. A dinner party where everyone is eating standard American food isn’t the best place to discuss all of your nutrition knowledge.

Even if someone asks or brings it up, you can tell them “I’d love to tell you all about it, but now is not the time or place. Let’s talk sometime soon or go to lunch.”

3. Use Dr. Doug Lisle’s “seem strategy.”

If there are people who are insistent in asking about what you’re eating, there is a simple answer that helps to diffuse the most persistent people. If someone starts questioning you about your diet simply respond, “It seems to be working for me.”

4. Compliment the host.

Even if you can’t eat the food served, be sure to compliment the host on how nice everything looks. Also, be sure to thank them for inviting you.

5. Eat before you go as an insurance policy. 

When you have no idea what food will be offered, it’s a good idea to fill your belly with a healthy plant-strong snack or meal beforehand. This will keep you satisfied and prevent you from diving into the contraband! A hungry tummy makes mental midgets out of all of us.

6. Bring dessert! 

Everyone loves dessert! I love bringing some of my favorites: Blueberry Dumpster Cobbler, Date Nut Crust Fruit Pie, or Fruit Salad with Lemon Zest. Everyone loves all of these and they are super easy to make!

7. Sometimes the host will offer to make a dish you can eat.

Give some suggestions and tell them what plant-strong means. Again, be sure that you thank the host for their time and for being so considerate of the way you eat.

8. Drink water and skip the booze.

Be sure to keep yourself hydrated with water during parties. This way you can not only be the designated driver but also the responsible eater!

9. Remember that it’s not all about food! 

I love hanging out with my family and friends. Sometimes we make social engagements all about food when they should be about the people who are there! One of the wonderful things I have discovered is that the longer you stay on the plant-strong path, the more friends you’ll find in your life who are also plant-strong.

When you find yourself visiting friends and family who do not follow the plant-strong code of conduct, remember that you are the only one responsible for your health and nobody cares about your health and well-being as much as you! Stay plant-strong!

This article was originally published on January 28, 2013, and has been updated.

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From The Engine 2 Seven-Day Rescue Diet

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When our family was approached to participate in the groundbreaking filming of “Forks Over Knives” nearly a decade ago, we were so excited about the possibility to help more people than ever go plant-strong and transform their health. Little did we know that our Esselstyn family getaway would soon become a sort of travel destination for fans of “Forks Over Knives.”

Let’s dig a little deeper than what you see of the farm in the documentary. Here are some little known facts and trivia:

• The farm has been in our family since 1685. You read that correctly. The Esselstyn Family Farm has been in our family since before there was a United States of America! Claverack, New York, wasn’t even established as a town until 1788—so our family was apparently well ahead of the trend, passing this beloved property from generation to generation.
• Its age places the Esselstyn Family Farm in very select company. Going back to 1685 means adding up a lot of years for a farm to stay in one family. And it is extremely unusual. In fact, it’s one of only two farms in the entire state of New York to have been owned and operated by the same family for over 300 years.
• The farm still yields a crop each year. That’s right—we currently grow organic barley, rye, and wheat on the farm.
• Claverack is centrally located. You may not have heard of Claverack, New York, before—many people haven’t! But it’s actually centrally located to a large part of the United States. In fact, it’s less than a two-hour drive from both New York City and Boston, and it’s within an eight-hour drive of major cities like Buffalo, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Detroit, and more!
• Our family spends a great deal of time here. My parents spend the entire summer at the farm. It was a wonderful place for my siblings and I to grow up! In fact, we love taking our kids to the farm to spend quality time together as a family every summer.
• Our BIG family reunion has been held here the past six years: Plant-Stock! When we were thinking of a way to bring together the entire whole-food, plant-based “family” to celebrate another year of plant-strong living, there seemed like no better place than the farm. This year, we’re gearing up for our sixth annual Plant-Stock from Aug. 18 to 20, right at the farm. Crafted with a unique lineup of speakers and activities that embody the spirit of “Forks Over Knives,” Plant-Stock reinforces why we are all on this plant-strong journey together.

It still excites me when first-timers visit us and are in awe that they are actually at THE farm from “Forks Over Knives.” And now that you’re armed with insider knowledge and history on the farm, you’ll be ready to impress your friends with some plant-strong trivia!

I hope you’ll join us at the farm for Plant-Stock this year. It is an honor for our family to welcome our “extended” family (all of you!) to our summer home to celebrate another year of plant-strong living. There is still space available to join us for fun, activities, amazing plant-strong food, and truly unique speakers that you won’t find anywhere else this summer!

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From Plant-Strong: Discover the World’s Healthiest Diet—with 150 Engine 2 Recipes

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From The Engine 2 Diet

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(Editor’s Note: If you can’t find the Ro-Tel brand, you can substitute with any other diced tomatoes with green chilies.)

Recipe from The Engine 2 Seven-Day Rescue Diet.

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Meet and learn from Rip and Scott at the 5th Annual Plant-Stock this summer!]

Scott Jurek has won the most prestigious ultramarathons in the world multiple times, including Badwater (a 135-mile grueling race from Death Valley to Mount Whitney), the Western States 100 (which he won seven consecutive times), and the Spartathlon (a 153-mile race between Sparta and Athens). In May of 2015, Jurek set the speed record for completing the Appalachian Trial (2,200 miles) in 46 days, 8 hours, and 7 minutes.

Rip Esselstyn: Which is harder for you – finding good food at the airport or taking a rest day?
Scott Jurek: Neither are that hard anymore, but I’m going with “finding good food at the airport.”

Rip: When you’re on mile 80 of a 100 mile run, what do you daydream about?
Scott: When I was on the Appalachian Trail, I fantasized about being at home and laying down on my couch.

Rip: You and your, wife Jenny, are obviously one heck of a team – who is the better cook? Who is better with directions?
Scott: She’s a great cook when she wants to but it’s not her passion so I have to say me. Considering that she navigated her way to every meeting point on the Appalachian Trail, she’s a master with sense of direction and navigation.

Rip: What’s your favorite late night snack?
Scott: Popcorn or Panda Puffs (Google it!) with almond milk.

Rip: What’s your definition of a “manly” food?
Scott: Food has no gender!

Rip: If you opened a restaurant serving all your favorite foods, what would be at the top of the menu?
Scott: A tempeh dish with lacinato kale and potatoes. I grew up in a Polish household so potatoes are a must!

Rip: What song do you sing in your head when you’re running for 100 miles?
Scott: Usually I don’t get a choice—it’s whatever is in the subconscious. Sometimes that’s a good thing, sometimes that’s a bad thing.

Rip: Do you have any tricks to motivate yourself when you just don’t feel like running? Like on day 39 of your epic Appalachian Trail hike last year?!
Scott: For me, finding an intention or offering up the run to someone I know helps alleviate the discomfort when times get tough. I also use micro-goals (i.e. get to the next shady spot, get to the next road crossing) which make the big goal seem attainable.

Rip Esselstyn (L) and Scott Jurek (R)

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Rip Esselstyn: If you could share a plant-strong meal with anyone on the planet, who would it be and why?

Rich Roll: My answer to this question is always changing. Right now I’d say John Oliver because he is culturally relevant, extremely influential, and has an acute ability to convincingly sway public opinion on matters of social significance. One dinner and I think I could convince the guy that plants are the future.

Rip: If you designed a Rich Roll granola bar, what would it be called?
Rich: Oh come on! Too easy. Granrolla.

Rip: What’s the last workout you did? Where was it?
Rich: I just finished a 14-mile trail run in Topanga State Park near my home in Los Angeles.

Rip: What is something you used to eat all the time but repulses you now?
Rich: Nacho cheese sauce.

Rip: What book do you recommend people read?
Rich: The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle.

Rip: Who has bigger calves? You or Me? Can we have a “calf off” at our events this year?
Rich: Me. No contest. We can have as many “calf off” contests as you want, but you will lose every time. (Just don’t ask me to do any pull ups.)

Rip: What’s your definition of a “manly” food?
Rich: I think the fact that we feel the need to characterize some food as feminine and some food as masculine is just bizarre. We’re all humans living on planet Earth—food is food.

Rip: How many hours of sleep do you like per night?
Rich: Eight hours. I need my sleep and I don’t skimp on it.

See Rip and Rich at the 5th Annual Plant-Stock this summer!

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Here are some of my tips for staying fabulously plant-strong—no matter where you are. You can remember these with the acronym F.A.B.:

1. Figure out what you can eat.

Use the menu as a list of ingredients. A 100 percent plant-strong meal might not be listed on the menu, but maybe the restaurant uses some ingredients in other meals that are completely plant-strong. For instance, you might notice steamed vegetables and potatoes in one dish, and black beans in another. Well, the three together make for a great plate! Sometimes it is helpful to call ahead.  You’d be surprised how many chefs will rise to the occasion and love making you a fabulous plant-strong meal. They may even come out to your table and let you know how much they enjoyed getting creative with your meal.

2. Ask for what you want.

Ask your waiter or waitress if a dish can be prepared with veggie broth instead of oil. Ask if they have whole-grain options. I’ve been told that the Pei Wei chain of restaurants is very accommodating with requests for plant-strong meals. You can ask for almost any dish to be made with brown rice and to have steamed vegetables and tofu instead of the meat. And get this: They will cook your meal using vegetable stock instead of oil! They call it “stock-velveted.” Sounds cool! Incidentally, their parent restaurant, PF Chang’s, will do the same thing.

3. Bring your own food.

I always pack a solid amount of food to take with me whenever I travel so that I have options on the plane or afterward when renting a car, driving to my next destination, etc.  You can pack things such as the Rip’s Big Bowl or oatmeal and raisins for a quick breakfast in a hotel room. You can also pack soups, and there is even vacuumed-sealed cooked brown rice available for sale at most stores, so all you have to do is reheat it. You can make plant-strong burritos and sandwiches and pack them in a cooler for road trips as well.

More Tips on Eating Out

Technology is your friend when it comes to finding vegan meals on the go. Check out the Vanilla Bean app and HappyCow to find all the vegan-friendly restaurants near you. Yelp is another great tool for finding nearby restaurants with vegan options.

Here are some tips for other restaurants:

• Asian restaurants: Ask for brown rice, steamed vegetables, steamed edamame, or tofu, hold the extra sauces, and use low-sodium soy sauce sparingly. Another good option is brown rice vegetable sushi.
• Italian: Go for whole-grain pasta and tomato sauce (with no cheese added), and ask them to throw in as many grilled/steamed vegetables as they can find!
• Steakhouse/American: Believe it or not, you can get a great meal at a steakhouse. Ask for potatoes, sweet potatoes, and lots of steamed vegetables. You can also ask for a huge salad. Ask your waiter for a salad with every fresh vegetable they have on hand (and even fruit), with a side of balsamic vinegar (or sneak in your own plant-strong dressing).
• Breakfast spots: Ask for oatmeal made with water or plant-based  milk, fruit, and some nuts. You can also ask if they have whole-grain bread, a little nut butter, and some fruit.
• Coffee shops: Hot herbal tea is always a great option. Most coffee shops carry plant-based milk now as well instead of using dairy creamer. If you are having a snack, go for something like oatmeal. You can also get a little bit of dried fruit and nuts at many places. I’m a frequent flyer and go for the Starbucks oatmeal, which is available in almost all airports.
• Gas stations: If you are on the road, you can find fruit at most convenience stores, and sometimes whole-grain pretzels or unsalted nuts as well.
• Grocery stores: Don’t forget local grocery stores! You can get items such as oil-free hummus, whole-grain crackers or bread, cut-up  vegetables/fruit, and low-sodium cans of beans (just be sure to pick up a cheap can-opener). You can even buy potatoes and frozen vegetables to microwave later in the hotel room. Or, you can make a great trail mix with whole-grain cereal, raisins, and a few nuts. Many grocery stores also have salad bars where you can make a great plant-strong meal. Go to wholefoods.com and find the closest Whole Foods Market and look for the Health Starts Here logo in the prepared foods section for oil-free, plant-strong options.

The bottom line is that no matter where you are, there are plant-based options to be found.

Stay plant strong anywhere!

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From The Engine 2 Diet

This kid-friendly recipe and other comfort food ideas are also available in our convenient iPhone app and newly released Android recipe app.

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