As a constant traveler, proper planning has helped me maintain my vegan lifestyle and prevented a trip from derailing my commitment. Here are six easy travel tips for vegans that will help you when you are on the road!
During the global pandemic, we sheltered in place. We ate at home. We prepared our own meals. We controlled what we ate. Our efforts to stick to a vegan lifestyle were much easier.
But the world reopened, and we started to travel once again. And with that, there are potential challenges to the lifestyle we have adopted. You may face some of the obstacles I addressed in my earlier blog post that can be found at https://easysmartvegan.com/the-six-obstacles-you-will-face-as-you-transition-to-vegan/.
Having just returned from a six-day trip to Las Vegas, I want to share with you my Six Easy Travel Tips for Vegans.
Tip #1 – Pack snacks
Whether you are traveling on a plane, train, bus, or automobile, pack your bag with compliant snacks.
Our flight out to Las Vegas, Delta Airlines provided a little snack bag with water, crackers, and an energy bar. As an avid ingredient reader, I found neither the crackers nor the energy bar was vegan. So, for almost 5 hours, all I had was 8 ounces of water. The airlines have not caught up with the movement yet.
But honestly, my hunger was my fault.
Pack your bag with walnuts (or other nuts), raisins, popcorn, roasted chickpeas, or fruit. Seriously, the 5 minutes of preparation will save you from reaching for something that is not vegan.
If you are traveling by car, packing your snacks will save you considerably in your pocketbook! Though you can find vegan-friendly items in gas stations and rest areas, prices are outrageous! Plan ahead and save money.
Tip #2 – Develop your plan of attack!
Do a little research about the area you will be visiting to know the restaurants with vegan options.
Honestly, it is as simple as a Google Search. Search “Vegan Restaurants Near Me” or “Vegan Restaurants in (where you are traveling to)”.
Some apps and websites can help. Simply go to your phone’s app store and search for Vegan Restaurants. There are several options with more added frequently. So far, my favorite website and app can be found at https://www.happycow.net/. I will continue to test the other websites and apps and will update this page as I discover more to recommend.
Using Happy Cow, I found Nacho Daddy which offered a wide variety of vegan options (click on the hyperlink for their vegan menu). The meal was absolutely delicious and was so big, it could really be shared. My research really paid off in finding this gem of a restaurant!
Tip #3 – Read menus before being seated
There is nothing worse than being seated at a restaurant, handed a menu, and then realizing there are no vegan options. Been there, done that.
If the apps and websites do not list any vegan (or vegan-friendly) restaurants, the burden is on you to read menus, preferably before you are seated.
I make it a habit now of never going into a restaurant without looking at the menu online or in person. Flights, a restaurant close to Planet Hollywood, is a perfect example. We walked around looking for a restaurant, reading every menu, and moving on. Until we stumbled upon Flights. The restaurant had a vegan option under each of their categories. I had the most delicious Black Bean Steak (this is the featured picture). Had we sat at any of the other restaurants before reading the menu, I would have had French fries and a side salad.
Tip #4 – Have a Plan B
As hard as you try, there are times when your vegan option is unhealthy or severely limited (i.e., French fries). Non-vegan family and friends, though trying to be understanding, can lose their patience, and they just want to eat!
Show some flexibility, but have a Plan B.
First, ask the waiter what the chef can make that is vegan. You will not be the first, or last, to ask. Chefs love to cook off-menu. It allows them to be creative.
If that doesn’t work, hit up Taco Bell for a Spicy Potato Taco or Black Beans and Rice (or similar). The key is knowing in advance that you have an option, albeit you may have to wait a couple of hours.
Tip #5 – Expect a Vegan Tax
Is this a real tax? No. But vegan dishes tend to appear overpriced. And they usually are. Consider that your vegan tax.
Tip #6 – Enjoy the culinary adventure!
Travel for me has always been in part about the food. As much as I enjoy taking in the sights of a place I have never visited, it is often the food I find memorable. Almost any type of cuisine offers a vegan option, even BBQ. Make your vegan or WFPB lifestyle part of your adventure as you travel!
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