I was on a website when someone asked me: How do I travel as someone who is vegan?
Here’s my answer …….. with this blog called: Vegans Eating Out.
I do several things:
I bring a cooler with me in the car
I bring snacks in my purse or bag
I remember that vegetables are available everywhere I go, every restaurant, every fast food restaurant, every friends’ house
When I go to a hotel, I request a fridge in advance, and cook stuff in advance. I bring vegan cheese for a bagel I bring, I bring hummus, carrots, red peppers and unfortunately chips. Not the best choice for healthy eating because you can’t eat just one!
It’s amazing how many times I have been in restaurants where I am the only vegan and am able to create and ask for meals based on what they have on the menu.
The only Vegan option in a Thai Restaurant is usually Curries and Pad Thai. Everything else contains sauces that contain fish.
Italian is easy. No fresh pasta because it has eggs. Dried boxed pasta is just fine. Check with the restaurant that the Marinara is vegan. Some restaurants add an anchovy paste into the sauce in place of salt. And of course you can have a salad. Just omit the cheese. You can even eat pizza. Load it with veggies and sauce and just ask them to leave the cheese off.
Sushi is a blast. Order cucumbers and avocado, seaweed outside like a California roll. Some places have asparagus. Just ask: “What vegetables do you have” then have them create the roll! I also get vegetable tempura and peel off 90% of the breading. This way I get the flavor without all the fat. And if they use the same fryer for Tempura and Meat, I haven’t done that much damage.
These days there are vegan burgers, quinoa burgers, rice burgers as options. Just make sure you don’t kid yourself. Fast food is fast food. And fast food is not healthy. If you’re being vegan for health reasons, stay mindful!
I’m probably having a really easy time at being vegan because I’m a chef that traveled the world, cooked in kitchens and took cooking classes at Michelin Star Restaurants before I was vegan, but also because I see food as flavor profiles. You can have bbq any time. Just make sure the sauce is going on vegetables not meat, chicken or fish. Sometimes, I will order a baked potato, side of veggie like broccoli or grilled anything (vegetable) and then scoop out the potato and blend it together with veggies, bbq sauce and eat!
If you have time, scroll to the bottom of the home page here and find Restaurant Reviews. Here’s one of my blogs that talks about additional tips for people eating out vegan. Lately, I have been telling you what you can eat that’s vegan in regular restaurants and of course where to find Vegan Restaurants in San Diego.
Hope this helps!
