10 tips for Traveling While Vegan
Traveling is a great way to expand your worldview. When traveling, you get to try new things and experience different cultures. A great way to experience new and different cultures is through trying new foods. This can be harder to do for vegans and others who have dietary restrictions. Here are some things to consider when traveling while vegan:
Visiting Paris
Just Ask
Finding an option can be as simple as asking - Most restaurants will allow some kind of substitution when it comes to ordering food. You can look for vegetarian options on the menu and request them without dairy and eggs or find meat options without dairy and eggs and request either a vegetable substitution or a vegan protein option if there is one available. Remember that vegetables have lots of protein and can be greatly satisfying alone.
Use Apps
Use apps like Google maps or Happy Cow - On Google Maps, you can find a vegan restaurant near you with a simple search. While Happy Cow will show you fully vegan, vegan - friendly, vegetarian or vegetarian-friendly restaurants around town and somewhat close to you, google maps will show you a restaurant nearer to you with some options you can work with. Google is a bit of a more convenient option for vegan eating on the go, but if you are willing to go the distance to find the restaurants registered with Happy Cow, you can find more options all together at once.
Ghost Kitchen
Be Prepared for Vegan Restaurants to be Ghost Kitchens - Many vegan restaurants are not places where you can have a sit down meal. To prepare for this, have a space ready to eat your meal. You can search for a nearby park or some kind of outdoor seating. You could also use the spaces in your hotel or vacation rental to dine.
BYOP
BYO Vegan Protein - Bringing your own protein on the go is another easy option. You can bring a number of different kinds of things. You can bring lunch meat, hot dogs, hamburgers, and countless other things.
Diversity is Key
Oftentimes, the easiest way to find vegan options is by looking for restaurants from cultures that have a large meatless element to their diets. These diets will often include some kind of vegan protein as well as countless vegetable options. These kinds of foods can be found at Mediterranean, Indian, Thai, Lebanese, and Vietnamese restaurants.
Think Spiritual Communities
Look for religious groups who eat meatless - In many places, around the world and within the United States, there are various religious groups who follow a vegan diet. These groups can be found anywhere with various religious associations. Sometimes they even offer free meals to groups on a certain day of the week.
Cook on the go
Consider cooking in your hotel room - Another great option to consider is bringing cooking appliances on the road to cook for yourself. You can buy or bring appliances such as a small electric fry pan, a small crockpot, or a small blender to make vegan meals for yourself in your hotel room on the road.
Consider Renting a House
Get a vacation rental - Getting a vacation rental is always going to be a great option for vegans because though you may go up in price or your accommodations, you will go down in price on food and the cost will balance out. It also gives you control over your meals. Your vacation will be a bit of a disappointment if you cannot find yummy foods to eat, so it’s great to know that you can go back to your unit to prepare them yourself.
Bring your food with you
Pack a fully cooked meal - One great, though possibly harder, option will be bringing your own meal to places like planes and other transportation modes. You can bring food inside of a cooler or a cooler bag. You could also bring food specially wrapped up and sealed with you to ensure you’ll have an option.
Do Your Research
Do your research - Like with anything you do, the best thing to do to be prepared for your journey is to do your research. It’s easy to google where in your destination there will be vegan options or restaurants available. You could find out which market to buy vegan options from or even which markets offer freshly cooked vegan meals. A great place to find this information is in our facebook group, Vegan Soul Food.
