Vegetarian Eating in Des Moines: Produce and Questions

Vegetarian eating in Des Moines works best when you follow the seasons: Iowa's markets overflow with sweet corn, tomatoes and melons in summer, and many kitchens cook with eggs, dairy and vegetables from the state's farms. It is also a pork state, so meat turns up in surprising places. This guide explains what to look for and what to ask.

This guide never says any dish or place is suitable for you. It is a way to ask well. Check each answer with the place.

What makes vegetarian eating in Des Moines easier at a summer farmers market?

The Iowa Farm Bureau says Iowa has a large number of farmers markets for its size. Peak-season picks, it says, include Iowa-grown sweet corn, tomatoes and melons. A visit to the Downtown Farmers' Market guide shows how a Saturday market works in the capital.

A market is the best classroom for a vegetarian visitor: you see what is in season, talk to the grower and buy something to eat on the spot. Kitchens often cook with the same produce, so a vegetable you tasted at a stall can be what you look for on a menu that evening.

What do Des Moines menus offer vegetarians?

A Des Moines Register guide to the East Village says vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options are available at a number of kitchens, along with seasonal American menus that use Iowa ingredients and Greek, Lebanese and Japanese cooking. Those cuisines tend to have vegetable-led dishes, such as mezze plates, rice and bean dishes and vegetable rolls. The guide is not new, so check what is on offer today.

Brunch is another good place to look, since eggs, potatoes, fruit and pastries make a meal without meat. The East Village guide walks the neighborhood where much of this sits.

Where does hidden meat turn up?

Iowa is the number one producer of pork, corn and eggs, according to the Iowa Department of Agriculture, so pork is everywhere. Watch for bacon in vegetable sides, pork in beans, meat stock in soups and sauces, lard in pastry and fat in refried beans. The state's famous sandwiches, the breaded pork tenderloin and loose meat, are meat by definition; both are everywhere in the state. Our Iowa food guide explains them.

Ask about a dish even if it sounds meatless. The word vegetable on a menu is not a promise about the stock or the fat it was cooked in, and kitchens can answer a simple question in a few seconds.

What about sauces, sides and desserts?

Sauces and sides are where a meatless meal can change. A gravy may be made with meat drippings, a bean side may include pork, and a green vegetable may be cooked in bacon fat. Pastry can contain lard, and some desserts use gelatin. None of that is visible on a plate, so ask about the one or two items that matter to you and let the server check with the cook.

If you are unsure, order the simplest preparation: a baked potato, a plain salad, roasted corn on the cob in season, or fruit. Plain dishes leave less room for surprises, and they let the quality of the produce speak for itself.

What should you ask about eggs and dairy?

Vegetarian does not mean the same thing to everyone. Some people eat eggs and dairy and some do not, and some avoid animal rennet in cheese or gelatin in desserts. Iowa is a leading egg producer, so egg dishes are common. Say what you eat and what you avoid, in a sentence, and let the server tell you what the kitchen can do.

If you are vegan, the question is wider: butter, cream, egg wash on bread and honey all count. The same rule applies everywhere: ask how the dish is made, and write down what you hear.

How do you plan a vegetarian day in Des Moines?

Start with a market in season, where you can buy fruit, cheese, bread and eggs and ask each vendor about their own products. Plan one proper meal at a place whose menu you have read in advance, and keep the other meals simple. If you are with meat-eating friends, pick a place with a range of dishes so that everyone has a choice.

Read menus online before you go and decide your dish in advance. Many kitchens will adapt a dish if you ask early and politely, but they cannot promise what they have not checked.

How can Mosey help you keep notes on vegetarian dishes?

Open Mosey after a meal and rate the dish, with a line about what the kitchen told you about stock, eggs or fat. Only the place and the stars are required. Add tags such as Vegetarian or Vegan, which are a rater's view and never a guarantee, and attach a photo of the menu line.

Build a list called Meatless plates and send the invite link to a friend, who can add stops even if they are new to the app. Follow friends who eat the same way and see what they rated and saved. The ratings and lists pages explain how.

What else covers Des Moines?

For more reading, see the Iowa chop guide to know what the pork side of the menu looks like, and the Des Moines page, the Iowa page and the US food guides.

Before your next meal in Des Moines, download the Mosey app and note the answer you were given.