Eating Vegan on the Road
Maintaining any diet is pretty easy when you’re at home and preparing all of your own meals. What about those times when you’re out running errands and you get really hungry? Or when you’re on vacation and have to eat out at restaurants every day? Or maybe when you go over to someone’s home for dinner? All of these situations DO come up in every day life. How you PREPARE is going to make all the difference.
Anytime I leave home, I always have an apple, almonds, a Vega bar and water with me. No exceptions. I keep my purse stocked up. Then when I’m at school for a long time or running errands, I always have a snack on hand to tide me over until I get home. Easy. Get in the habit of carrying something with you. Not only will it be healthier than stopping somewhere for food, you’ll save yourself some money too. Worst case scenario–you don’t have any of those things with you. Most gas stations now a days have apples, bananas and even little fruit cups.
Eating vegan when you’re on vacation? This can be tricky, depending on where you are and whom you are with. Again, preparation is key here. When I travel, I pack my Shakeology, a little $15 blender, packets of oatmeal and almond butter in my suitcase. I’ve got breakfast covered. Then I try to do a little research. Check out the area online to see what restaurants are in the area. See if they have a menu online. You’ll be able to see which places have food that you’re going to enjoy before you even get there. Happycow.net lets you search nearby areas for vegan, vegetarian and veg friendly restaurants. Gotta love technology! Even if a place doesn’t have any vegan entrees on the menu, check out the sides! I’ve had a GREAT meal at a steak house by ordering a sweet potato, a side of broccoli, green beans and spinach. Be creative! Even see if the chef will be willing to whip up a vegan dish for you. Chances are you’ll get something great. You can even stop at a local super market, or better yet, check and see if they have a farmers market in the area. Load up on some fruit and veggies to bring back to your room!
Eating vegan while staying at someone’s home. This can be tricky. Honestly, this is probably the time when I say I’m 99% vegan. If someone is inviting me into their home and serves me something with cheese or butter, I’m not going to turn it down. I know I’m going to feel like crap for a while, but I’m ok with that. I will ask to see if I can prepare a dish to bring with, so at least I know there is one healthy option available, but, and you can totally disagree with me on this one, I feel it’s rude to the host to only eat the dish that you prepare and not what they have made for you. This happens so rarely that it’s not even a big deal for me, but that is what I do. I haven’t had any meat since November 2010, and I think the only time I will have meat again is when we go back to Africa. When you are surrounded by people who can’t afford food, and yet they invite you into their homes and offer to feed you, you just can’t turn it down. I’ve had some of the nastiest meat in Africa, but whoever fed me had to sacrifice so I could have that meal, so I’ll eat a little bit, and thank my host for preparing it for me.
What about you? What tricks do you have for staying on track with your vegan diet when you’re out and about?
