This may be your first vacation since going vegan, and it’s natural to feel a bit anxious about finding vegan options. But remember: Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance! With a little planning, you can enjoy delicious plant-based meals wherever your travels take you.
So How Do We Properly Prepare?
Research
Firstly, do some research on your travel destination to see how vegan friendly it is. In the United States you can use Happy Cow which will only show you vegan restaurants in the area, or Yelp, which you can search for vegan options at restaurants. From my experience using Yelp, I learn more searching through the comments. Many restaurants claim to be vegan friendly, when they really aren't. Check their menu and do a little scrolling through the comments section to see what people are saying. You can specifically search for keywords within the comments to find when people mention "vegan".
Secondly, if you know you'll be somewhere that's not too vegan friendly, make sure to book a place with a kitchen. While traveling, especially if we will be in one spot for a while, we definitely end up cooking a few meals in the place we stay at. It doesn't need to be anything fancy- a mini fridge, hot plate, and a few kitchen utensils and we're good. Plus, whether you're vegan or not, cooking a few meals while traveling will also save you money.
Also, don't be afraid to ask the locals for recommendations. You can reach out to the front desk at the hotel you're staying at, the owners of the airbnb or just find some friendly faces to ask. In Peru we found the best picarones thanks to the owner of the place we stayed at.
Pack
Our other advice is to pack snacks, and maybe a few emergency meals depending on how long you are traveling. There have been many times when our snacks have saved us from unbearable hunger. Like when we've had a delayed flight and have spent hours at an airport with our only vegan options being overpriced plain toast and some chips.
Especially when traveling, we want to make sure we fuel our bodies with good nutritious food. We should care as much about our meals as we do our outfits for a trip (if not more). Put some thought into what to eat. Plan ahead and pack some granola, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, some protein bars, a simple carrot salad that can travel in a jar. Just a heads up if you're from Florida, you can bring a pub sub with you. I have made the quick grocery store run before a flight and packed a few snacks along with a delicious Publix sub.
Staying hydrated is just as important, but some airport water fountains can have pretty unappetizing warm water. We know TSA won't allow liquids above a tiny 3.4oz bottle, but did you know you can go through TSA with ice?! One of our favorite hacks for traveling is to freeze our filled water bottles. Just drink any melted ice before going through TSA and fill up on some water once you get through. Now you can enjoy ice-cold water and save your money for things other than overpriced airport water.
Learn
Although the word vegan has become much more popular around the world, it's still important to learn a few phrases when traveling to a country where your primary language isn't spoken. We usually learn to say things like "no meat please", "I'm vegan", "does it have dairy or eggs?".
Learn about cultural dishes that are already vegan. In Spain many dishes are already vegan, like, gazpacho, patatas bravas, churros, pimientos de padron. Find what local cuisine happens to be vegan. This is a great way to still feel like you can enjoy cultural dishes while not sacrificing on your morals.
To Conclude
Many people worry that traveling as a vegan is challenging and might detract from their enjoyment. However, we believe that proper preparation prevents poor performance! By doing your research, packing food and snacks, and learning a few helpful phrases, you can make the journey smoother. From our own experiences traveling as vegans, we’ve found that a little preparation is key to enhancing our enjoyment. With a little thought and care, anyone can navigate vegan travel with ease—it’s not as hard or impossible as it seems!
