Vegans will travel; it is a fact. Unfortunately that means visiting places with little or no options for a meatless diet. There are several ways you can prepare for a trip and the almost certain mid-day hunger striking without a whole foods or a vegetarian joint in site.
Pack your Snacks
It is crucial that various nuts, fruits, and other tasty treats are included in any packing trip. Snacks provide much needed grazing time and offer something to do other than stare listlessly out a window. With nuts, you can focus on the enticing crunch; with fruit, the delicate sweet bursts; and with other prepared snacks, such as granola bars, the nice full feeling received after consumption.
Some great snack ideas to carry on any road/plane/boat trip:
- Nuts in all varieties- Spend some time flavoring them with soy sauce, barbecue, salt, and spices. Play around with sweet and savory flavors and mixtures of textures.
- Fruit- Fresh or dried, it is all good. Apples are hearty contenders for the bottom of a purse or backpack and are easily eaten—just toss the apple peel at the next gas station stop. Bananas are a bad choice unless you want to make a smoothie in your bag. Of course, dried fruit is prime for maximum storage.
- Pre-made snacks- Granola bars, vegan chips, crackers, all are great items to bring along a long trip. Think about what is filling and what is nutritious, especially when crossing stretches of roads with endless amounts of fast food restaurants.
Learn to Compromise
Guess what? When traveling, especially on the road, snacks are not always going to cut it. When the stash of nuts goes too low or you are just plain sick of tamari roasted soynuts, compromise is key. The Taco Bell at the next exist will offer some vegan options, even though it may not be the most healthy choice. When hunger strikes and you are so far from civilization that Happycow can't save you, look for one of these places for some grub:
- Subway- Okay, Subway is actually fairly healthy; that is why it is at the top of this list. The truth is, many a vegan has been saved from sure starvation with a veggie delight from Subway. With several veggie options, low prices, and a wide-spread presence, Subway is the number one place for vegan eating on the open road. However, be sure to order the Italian bread—it's the only one that is vegan.
- Taco Bell- Although usually terribly unappealing, Taco Bell can be a lifesaver when traveling; this is especially true if you have eaten a lot of veggie delight sandwiches from Subway and need some beans. Order a plain bean burrito without the cheese or a Mexican pizza without cheese, ,meat, or sour cream.
- Wendy's- Salads and a baked potato offer vegans a simple meal. Wendy's are fairly prominent throughout the United States and will definitely be seen on any cross country road trips.
- Other Sandwich Places- If you are lucky to come across any of the following: Jimmy John's, Planet Sub, Which Wich, McCalister's, Blimpie's, or Panera Bread Co. a nice veggie sandwich is in reach. McCalister's also offers veggie chili and veggie potato options.
View your Resources
Before taking any trip, check out the vegetarian options nearby on HappyCow and review a list of vegetarian/vegan options at fast food restaurants here.
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