I'm back! The past several weeks have been a whirlwind! I took a brief break while I was being a road trip rock star! 2600+ miles later, I'm glad to be home and really, really glad to get back to my usual diet. After nine days of eating on the road, I can't stand the thought of eating at another restaurant anytime soon!
Traveling vegan does present some challenges and I learned a few things along my journey. Whether your a vegetarian/vegan or just adhere to any special diet, I've compiled a list of the things I learned. Hopefully, you will find these helpful.
1. Be flexible. I knew ahead of time that there would be challenges. It really depends on how strict you are with your diet. This is very general. Even for meat-eaters who are dieting, vacations and trips are a challenge for anyone watching their calories. You may just need to give yourself permission to relax a little.
2. Plan and prepare ahead of time. I have a mental list of safe places to eat. This is especially helpful when forced to eat fast food. I'm not a huge fan but refer to tip numero uno. Be flexible. Meals at Subway, Taco Bell and Baja Fresh can pretty easily be veganized. I also packed snacks. Dried fruit, nuts and seeds are super easy to throw together, keep well and keep you satisfied between pit-stops. I also relied on Lara Bars and my newest find, Bora Bora bars. They are a seed/nut/fruit bar made with agave nectar. Organic, vegan, yummy and can be purchased at Costco!
3. Make friends with your server and ask questions. I try to let my server know ahead of time that I'm "picky" and then ask a bunch of questions about how things are prepared. I also usually ask for substitutions. I have found that if I'm friendly and polite but assertively ask for what I want, they are usually very accommodating.
4. Lie only if you must. There is a difference between "don't" or "won't" eat and "can't" eat. Can't implies that for whatever reason, you cannot eat certain foods due to health reasons. Your waiter will fear making you terribly ill if you are served foods you "can't" eat! So if all else fails, tell them you are lactose intolerant, have a gluten allergy, or make up some mysterious condition.
5. Be flexible, part two. It is not always going to perfect and perhaps you feel like splurging a little. Go ahead! I love biscotti and haven't had any since converting to vegan eating. I was at Disneyland, ordering a coffee and the biscotti just looked so yummy. I figured if I was going to splurge, it should be at Disneyland, celebrating my son's birthday. I really enjoyed that biscotti and the moment in time. Very worth it. Pick your moments to enjoy something you love. Savor it and don't feel guilty about it.
Our trip was fantastic but I'm happy to be home and gently getting back into the normal groove of life. I'm fighting what I think is the flu but am optimistic that I will be feeling better and back to my usual self soon.
Namaste
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