The plant-based lifestyle can seem tough when you are on the road. I love experiencing local cuisine while traveling and there are plenty of native vegan options if you know where to look. These habits will help you relish traveling while maintaining a plant-based lifestyle.

Plan your meal ahead of time. Google Maps is your best friend because it allows you to search for “vegan restaurants” and save these options on the map before leaving home. It can seem like a chore to research restaurants beforehand, but it helps you soak in the moment once you arrive. You are going to look up a good place to eat at anyways so you may as well search for the best local, plant-based options.

Double-check the menu. Google relies on customer confirmation for vegan options so it’s not always accurate. Check the menu online for plant-based options. Pick your meal before heading out the door, so you’re not tempted to order something else after arriving. It’s okay to give the restaurant a call and ask if you are unsure about the vegan options. Better to know beforehand then show up and stay hangry.

Salad is almost always an option. Any salad can be made vegan. Other go-to options are smoothies, juices, acai bowls, burritos, and falafels. For group restaurant outings be sure to check out the menu before leaving. Worst-case scenario, you can eat beforehand and order a side salad once you arrive. I had to order a side bowl of fruit at one restaurant because they didn’t have any salad options. It was a sad day. It gets easier every month because restaurants are slowly catching on to the plant-based craze and providing more vegan options.

Pack snacks. For those times that no options are available, a meal bar will do. The trick is to bring indulgent bars and snacks that won’t let you down. There are surprisingly delicious vegan snacks that hold up during travel. Pack these snacks on long flights, road trips, and exploring during the journey. Most destinations require perishable food, like fruit, to be consumed before landing. You can typically carry any unopened, airtight sealed snacks to your final destination.

International flights require vegetarian meal requests ahead of time. Be sure to check the special request for a vegetarian meal when booking or a few weeks before your flight. We can all agree that in-flight meals are nothing to write home about and the plant options are even worse. When in doubt, pack a snack. You can rely on those meal bars and snacks throughout your trip.

Practice makes perfect. These tips will become second nature with a little time and effort. I hope these tips help you smoothly maintain your plant-based lifestyle when wandering.

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