Vegan Traveling: Staying Healthy on the Road
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I’ve spent a lot of time traveling in cars. I spent much of my life touring as a musician and I’ve driven across the country more times than I can count. Being vegan and gluten free on the road isn’t easy and it’s especially difficult if you want to eat healthy. Sure, Pringles might technically be vegan but do you really want to live on gas station snacks? I didn’t think so. Here are some snacks that you can take on your next trip. You can eat car food and still get your vegetables in. Many of these snacks you can make yourself but I’ve included links in case you prefer to purchase them.
CRACKERS:
If you have time to prepare foods in advance, these raw dehydrated crackers are a great car snack. They are healthy and a good source of protein and fiber. Don’t want to make your own crackers? Try Mary’s Gone Crackers. They are vegan and gluten free and full of healthy grains and seeds. I also really like the Simple Mills Almond Flour Crackers.
KALE CHIPS:
Kale Chips are an excellent way to get some greens on the road. I have two recipes on my site (lemon tahini kale chips and “cheesy” kale chips). Both are raw vegan and I make them both every time I am going to be on the road (and also when I am camping or backpacking). Don’t have a dehydrator? Don’t have time to make your own? Rhythm Kale Chips and Brad’s Kale Chips are both great.
OATMEAL:
Most gas stations offer hot water and if you have hot water you can have oatmeal. If I have time to prep before my trip, I’ll portion out instant oats ahead of time. Then I can just throw them in a bowl and add hot water. Another option is to buy oatmeal cups. Everything is measured and flavored. These are great because you can eat them right out of the container they come in. Just add hot water!
PROTEIN BARS:
The good news here is that you can find Cliff Bars in most gas stations these days. For soy-free alternatives, I have a couple favorites. My go-to bars have long been the GoMacro Bars. They are vegan and gluten free and sweetened with coconut sugar and brown rice syrup instead of more refined sugars. I was recently introduced to No Cow bars and I was blown away. Finally! A bar that is low sugar, high protein and totally vegan.
SHAKES/SMOOTHIES:
If you happen to have a travel blender than you can make yourself some pretty fancy shakes and smoothies while traveling. Even without a blender you can take advantage of meal replacement and protein powders. I regularly mix a scoop of Vega One protein powder with almond milk or water, shake it up and drink it. Sure, it’s not a milkshake but it’s pretty darn good. And really, the goal is to get nutrients and calories when you can’t necessarily cook yourself three meals a day. Some vegans I know aren’t fond of the Vega (I personally love it). The Garden of Life Raw Organic Meal replacement powder is an alternative that I often use. These are both great options because they pack much more into your shake than just protein. Both contain veggies and fruits along with lots of other superfoods.
For a really easy way to get extra protein and nutrients with zero fuss, try out prepared plant based protein shakes. I keep the Orgain shakes on hand and always take them traveling when I can’t hassle with mixing my own shakes.
HUMMUS:
If you have a cooler and the time to make it in advance, you can make your own hummus. Otherwise, there are a number of options for hummus that does not need to be refrigerated. Brami and Veggicopia are two of my favorites. Hummus is a staple for me when I travel. I dip veggies in it, spread it on rice cakes and eat it with gluten free crackers.
CHIPS:
If I know I am going on a trip, I’ll slice up a bunch of veggies (beets, sweet potatoes, parsnips, etc) and throw them in the dehydrator. When I am traveling and eating car food, the things I miss most are VEGETABLES! This is a great way to get them. An alternative, if you want to buy them, are Rhythm beet chips. These are SO GOOD and I would eat them every day if I could. I’m also a huge fan of cauliflower tortilla chips. Sometimes I dip them in salsa or hummus but they are so good I mostly just eat them on their own.
I know I said that you can’t live off of gas station snacks and Pringles, but have you tried Vegan Rob’s crisps??? I tried them for the first time the other day and was blown away. They are a healthy version of Pringles. So good!!!!!!
NUT BUTTERS:
Okay, I eat them by the spoonful and that works for me but you could also put them on a banana or dip veggie slices in them. Almond butter is my favorite. You can take take jars of nut butter on the road or get pre-portioned packets to make things really easy.
SPIRULINA:
This isn’t really a snack, I realize. I am including it on the list because it’s been a lifesaver for me. Spirulina is full of nutrients (protein, iron, and B vitamins to name a few). I’ll take spirulina tablets when I am on the road and know that I might not be able to eat as well as I usually do.
What else do you like to eat when you are traveling? I’d love new snack ideas to add to my knapsack!