Your Guide to Vegan Road Tripping
No matter where you’re going or for how long, it’s super-easy to be a compassionate road warrior. All you need are a few tricks and tips, and you’ll be on your way.
1. Pack snacks
Life on the road is pretty sedentary, so you’ll want to stock up on healthy snacks that give you fuel without overdoing it on the calories. We suggest veggies and hummus, dried fruit, celery sticks with peanut butter, peanut butter and banana sandwiches, fresh fruit, vegan jerky, and protein bars.
If you’re having a serious junk-food snack attack (it’s OK—we all get them), you’re lucky because gas stations and 7-Eleven are always stocked with vegan snacks.
For more options, check out PETA Business Friend Deja Vegan. The site offers nutritious, healthy snacks for active individuals who care about animals and living a full life.
2. Take a few tools
If you have room in your car, packing a few plates, bowls, utensils, and maybe even a cooler will be endlessly helpful. With just a bowl and a fork, for example, you can stop at a grocery store, whip up some vegan egg salad, and serve sandwiches to your entire crew.
3. Dine at restaurants
Most restaurants serve vegan options! Look for falafel sandwiches, veggie burritos, and marinara pasta sauce. And some veggie burgers and sandwiches can be “veganized.” Just ask your server to hold the cheese.
4. Don’t skip breakfast
I know some of you aren’t morning people, let alone breakfast people, but listen up! Eating healthy carbs when you wake up can help keep you feeling good throughout the day.
Simply spread some peanut butter on a bagel, and you’re golden. Also, 7-Eleven carries Silk Soymilk, so eating a bowl of cereal is totally possible. Add a piece of fruit or two to your breakfast, and you’ll really be off to a good start. Also, keep an eye out for nondairy yogurt, which is carried now in many grocery and health-food stores.
5. Try the lunch special
Many restaurants offer lunch specials, so if possible, plan to arrive at your destination at lunchtime. The HappyCow vegetarian restaurant app is great for looking up the best vegan establishments wherever you’re going. In fact, there are many vegan apps that can help make traveling vegan easier.
6. Pack your personal-care products
As you know, being compassionate isn’t just about choosing not to eat animals and animal-derived foods. It also means that you avoid personal-care brands that support cruel animal tests and include gross ingredients in their formulas. Be sure to pack all your cruelty-free goodies so that you don’t needlessly spend money re-buying them on the road.
7. Munch on frozen foods
Odds are that you don’t have a microwave in your vehicle (duh), but that doesn’t mean that you won’t have access to a microwave on the road.
There might be one wherever you crash each night, and there’s one at almost every gas station. If you ask nicely, gas station attendants will usually let you use them. At a cost of about $4, these frozen meals get the job done!
8. Make your trip more animal-friendly
There are many ways to help animals while road tripping, like letting hotels know that down comforters are cruel or rocking an animal rights bumper sticker on your car. Here are some more ideas to up the animal ante on your trip.
And last but not least, if you’re traveling with your beloved pooch, here’s some helpful information about animal-friendly accommodations.
