Published by Ryan Hajek.
Traveling while vegan is easier than ever. Traveling while vegan is easier than ever. Whether you’re taking a road trip, hopping on a plane, or visiting another country, vegan options are available in more places than ever before. With a little preparation, you can find satisfying meals, avoid getting stuck without food, and stay true to your values wherever you go.
1. Pack Vegan Snacks
Traveling while vegan on a road trip is especially easy if you plan ahead and stop at grocery stores along the way. Stock up on snacks that give you energy without weighing you down. This way, even if vegan options fall short while you’re on the move, you still have something to keep you going. Good vegan options include:
- Whole fruits that pack well like apples and bananas
Gas stations, convenience stores, and airport shops are often stocked with these vegan snacks, too.
If you’re traveling by car, pack a few plates, bowls, and utensils so you can make meals on the go. Use a cooler to travel with perishable vegan staples like tofu, tempeh, seitan, hummus, and vegan milk and cheese. Outdoor recreation stores such as REI also sell freeze-dried/shelf-stable vegan meals that also travel well.
When traveling while vegan by plane, flights typically offer snack options such as pretzels or nuts, which are usually vegan—just check the ingredients first. Remember you can bring solid food into an airport and on an airplane.
2. Use the HappyCow App to Find Vegan Restaurants Anywhere
The HappyCow app is a fantastic resource for finding vegan-friendly restaurants anywhere. The app works in 185 countries!
If you have trouble finding a full vegan meal, check out PETA’s tips on what to do when vegan options are limited.
Do your best with the information available to you. If you later learn that something you ate wasn’t vegan, that doesn’t erase your commitment to animals. Being vegan is about avoiding animal exploitation as far as is possible and practicable.
3. Plan Easy Vegan Meals While Traveling
Grocery stores, convenience stores, and even many hotel markets carry ingredients for quick, inexpensive vegan meals. Keep these easy ideas in mind:
- Bean and rice burritos (tortilla, beans, microwaveable rice)
- Peanut butter and banana sandwich
- Hummus and veggie wrap (using flatbread or tortillas)
- A cup of oatmeal or granola with fruit and nuts
- Vegan instant noodles (add tofu for protein, calcium, and iron)
- Canned vegan soups (many lentil, vegetable, black bean, and chickpea soups are vegan, but check the ingredient list)
- Bean salad (beans, corn, tomatoes, avocado, and vinaigrette)
- Canned chili without meat
- Salad kits with a vegan dressing (try Follow Your Heart brand or a vinaigrette or oil-based dressing)
Why Traveling While Vegan Helps Animals
Every animal is someone. Right now, sensitive individuals are trapped on farms and denied their right to life and liberty, whether we’re traveling or not.
Pigs play games and form close social bonds. Chickens make friends and can recognize more than 100 faces. Cows care deeply for their babies who are taken from them in the dairy industry. And fish are just as clever, sensitive, and family-oriented as animals who make their homes on land. They can count, use tools, and demonstrate observational learning.
Vegan Travel Beyond Food
Finding vegan food while traveling is one way to help animals on the road. Traveling also presents opportunities to make compassionate choices about the attractions and activities you support. While you travel, please be sure that cruelty isn’t on the itinerary. Avoid any activity that exploits someone for “entertainment” such as:
- Photo opportunities with animals
