25 September
One issue that comes up in vegan travel is finding snacks in foreign countries. You won't find many raw food bars in Germany, and if you do they're usually really expensive.
Even if you're traveling in North America, the cost of granola bars can add up if you eat them every day. The trick for how to travel and be vegan on a budget is to look for local foods, and often fruits and vegetables are the easiest to find.
A useful tool to bring with you on your vegan travel adventure is a paring knife, although be sure to put that in your checked luggage! A very small cutting board can come in handy as well, although isn't necessary.
1: Apple with nut butter: Peanut butter isn't always available, but there is usually some kind of nut butter to be found. In Turkey, Phil and I had hazelnut butter. Nutella (or any other chocolate-hazelnut spread) is huge in Europe, but it uses milk and lots of sugar.
If you can't find a good nut or seed butter, you should be able to find snack bags of nuts or seeds that are perfect for vegan travel. Having them together with an apple makes you feel more full, and keeps you from needing to munch all day.
2: Ants on a log: Celery with peanut (or other nut/seed) butter and raisins is a classic snack in North America, and can usually be approximated in other countries for delicious vegan travel snack food.
It's always good to get more green vegetables into your diet, particularly when traveling and your body needs more vitamins and minerals to maintain health with less sleep, different foods and different bacteria.
3: Cucumber and/or tomato: This doesn't sound like much of an idea on its own, but sprinkle a tiny bit of salt on the sliced vegetables and let them sit for a minute or two.
The salt will draw the moisture and flavor of the vegetables to the surface and they will be so delicious. Remember, vegan travel doesn't have to be complicated!
4: Carrots with hummus: Hummus or other dips can be found pretty cheaply in grocery stores, although usually hummus is the only option without dairy.
Just scrub the carrots with water, cut off each end and dip. If you prefer it, baby carrots come peeled. Other vegetables work well for vegan travel too, like peppers, cucumber or cherry tomatoes.
5: Fruit! My favorite vegan travel snack is a whole lot of fruit, perhaps with some nuts or seeds in a fruit salad. Fruit is full of water, so helps to keep you hydrated and will also fill your stomach up quite easily.
It usually flows through pretty quickly though, so adding some nuts or seeds slows the digestion down and keeps you satisfied until your next meal.
6: Bread with Vegetables: There are usually lots of options for local breads - baguettes, pitas, kaiser buns, crackers etc. Most are fine for vegan travel, although foccacia uses milk powder.
Eating some vegetables on bread is healthier than cheese, and makes for almost a meal or a large snack. Digestion is faster than with cheese, so if you don't eat too much you'll still be ready for your next meal.
7: Pickles, Olives, etc: There are often bins of pickles, olives, or other pickled vegetables that you can buy in whatever quantity you want in grocery stores or markets, which is very handy for vegan travel.
They are full of flavor, and olives in particular are very filling since they have a high proportion of fat. The salt will help to stimulate your digestive system, so these make a good snack an hour or two before a large meal.
© Heather Nauta . heather@healthyveganrecipes.net
Disclaimer: This website is for educational purposes only, from the research,
education and experience of Heather Nauta. It is not intended as medical advice.
Disclaimer: This website is for educational purposes only, from the research,
education and experience of Heather Nauta. It is not intended as medical advice.
