Help--Veggie in the Caribbean
 

I'm heading to Aruba, St. Marten, St. John and Curacao with my non-veg family. Any tips on restaurants or how to order so I don't have any suprises?

What, pray tell, is a non-veg family?and how would you order in a restaurant back home? Would be no different. <BR>Ronnie

You are in luck if they eat fish, shellfish, pork, chicken, beef, lamb, goat and starchy foods like potatoes or rice. Except in expensive restaurants there is not a lot of fresh vegetables as you know them in the USA as they have to be flown from elsewhere most likely Florida otherwise they are frozen. Local cooking tends to be on the starchy and spicy side. It may be over salted if you are on a low salt diet. Meal prices can be similar to US large cities if you want better than average food. However, don't expect top quality beef however I have eaten some very good lamb flown in from somewhere in the BVI.

You could take a bunch of lettuce, carrots, cucumbers, etc. with you in a cooler and eat them while your family enjoys a regular meal. If that's too much trouble, you can eat coconuts, bananas, sea grapes, mangos, and boiled palm leaves all available in the islands.

You did not specify what type of "veggie" you are - but I have found that the restaurants on St. John and throughtout the Caribb are very accomodating to those who prefer certain veggie "diets." You ask how things are prepared or you "invent" your own entree depending on your restrictions and most places would be more than accomodating. Some do offer vegetarian options on the menu! Morgan's Mango is one option on St. John. So, Ron, is right. There are several strickly vegetarian restaurants on St. Thomas however. You would do nothing different than you would at home - or on the cruise ship you are on (assuming with those stops that is how you are going) choosing those things which fall within your scope of preferences.