A vegan who hasn’t been hangry on a holiday because of a lack of food options hasn’t been vegan for long! It can be a challenge, but these tips will make it easier:
Always Take A UHT Dairy-Free Milk In Your Suitcase
Most hotels have milk available as part of their buffets and breakfasts. Full fat, half and half, even fortified milk is sometimes available. More recently, soya, oat, coconut, and other alternatives have made an appearance as more holidaymakers seek to lower dairy consumption.
However, it is never a guarantee that you will have it at your hotel, or even at the shops local to your accommodation. For that reason, to ensure that you don’t end up without milk for your cereal, tea, or coffee, always take a carton of UHT dairy-free milk in your suitcase.
Always Have Snacks
As a vegan, there are times on holiday (and even at home) when you are hungry but vegan food is not available. For those times, you must always have some snacks with you to avoid hangry outbursts. Consider popping the following in your suitcase:
- Mini vegan pretzel packets
- Small bags of nuts, seeds, and dried fruits
- Raw fruit bars
- Vegan cereal bars
- Dried vegan fruit roll-ups
- Vegan flapjacks/ granola bars
Learn To Veganize
Most non-vegan eateries and cafes have dishes that can easily be veganized. Here are some prime examples:
- Mexican food with tortillas, guacamole, salad, salsa, stir-fried veggies, and refried beans (if suitable) – hold the cheese, sour cream, and meat
- Pasta arrabbiata or tomato pasta without cream, hold the cheese and check pasta isn’t made with egg
- Veggie breakfast: tomatoes, beans, mushrooms, avocado, toast – hold the sausage, bacon, and butter
- Mezze – pita or sourdough with olive tapenade, hummus, olive oil, roasted veggies, olives, and salad
- Cheese-free pizza (if the base is fresh and milk-free) with all of the veggie toppings
- Veggie or bean curry without ghee, cream, or meat fats, served with plain boiled rice
If you can, ask the server about making dishes vegan as they may well know how to help you, saving you the job of veganizing for yourself.
Learn The Lingo
Learning basic phrases for the place you are visiting can be helpful when it comes to you ordering food in a foreign country. Learn the word for vegan, as well as phrases like ‘no dairy’ or ‘no egg.’ This will be really helpful when trying to communicate with locals who may not speak much English. Free apps like Duolingo are a good start if you want to learn more than a few phrases of the local language before you travel.
Branch Away From The Tourist Areas
You may have to travel outside of the tourist areas to eat a good vegan meal. Coincidentally, this could actually give you a much better insight into the place you are visiting.
Paris, for example, has lots of tourist areas by the Eiffel Tower for non-vegans to enjoy whilst they see the sights. However, branch out and you can explore the famous Jewish quarter with its gorgeous architecture and phenomenal vegan-friendly L’as Du Fallafel. Or how about Le Potager Du Marais serving stunning healthy vegan food, just a short leafy walk from the Seine.
Doing a vegan tour of an area can actually be an excellent tool for exploring it in a way that you wouldn’t have if you ate anything and everything.
With the tips above, you can avoid being hangry while you travel as a vegan – you just have to be savvy and always, always bring snacks!
