Nowadays, we have a progressive popularization and development of vegetarian culture. Besides, curiosity truly increases among the masses because people are interested in trying something tasty and unusual at least once. Food establishments in the United States always have at least one vegan dish; moreover, there are 17 new experimental cuisines adapted for veggies worldwide. Variety is surprising, isn’t it?
A healthy lifestyle isn’t an obstacle to an awesome trip. You need to learn some nuances before setting off. This article collected helpful information to make plans easily and travel pleasantly.
How to travel as a vegetarian
1. Leave your restrictions at home
In fact, restaurants are often oriented toward local culture, and meat is just a part of that. But in the meantime, you may feel frustrated because it is impossible to order anything. Don’t be a fussy eater. Open your taste buds and make the most of the destination. The best strategy is to be adventurous and ask the chef to modify one of the regular dishes into a vegetarian variant. Let them demonstrate high creativity skills and surprise you with an excellent dish.
2. Stay in touch with the veggie community
While you are getting ready for a trip and there’s plenty of time ahead, do research online and visit forums. They have various topics that touch on vegetarianism in different aspects. Here you can find a thousand animal-free alternatives and many tips for cooking, living, and traveling. Let’s have a look at the most popular sites:
- VegTalk. Space for discussions: you are welcome to ask everything literally and find a local from a place you’ve chosen for a trip.
- Vegan Forum. Free access to many travel tips and support from a big vegan family.
- VeggieBoards. Join the community to talk about recipes and preparation.
In addition, vegan bloggers write a lot of reviews of establishments and other staff. The necessary information in their posts may also be useful. Check their pages:
- Veggie Vaggabons. A travel blog about everything for outdoor adventures, according to a vegan lifestyle.
- Mostly Amile. Ideas for wellness travel and yoga.
- The Vegan World. Find vegan food anywhere. The blog owner, Caitlin, wrote two guidebooks about vegan travel, which are easy to find on her blog.
One more method to find a vegan-friendly place is to go through Instagram hashtags and mention in the search something like #VegetarianPrague or #PlantBasedTexas.
3. Do your best to ensure comfort
First, think about ways of transportation and how to reach the destination better, with a plane or a car. We don’t advise you to bring yours because vehicles for daily usage aren’t well equipped and don’t have enough amenities.
Rental cars are an excellent point to take into consideration. It is more valuable than a flight because you don’t have to pay the baggage fee for your extra bags and various kinds of equipment (camping, etc.). A group needs a roomy auto, so the best solution is a car rental for 12 passengers. It means flexibility; you can remove seats and regulate the space as you wish according to your plans without stressing.
Still thinking that renting a car leads to huge expenses? Check out the hacks to cut the price.
4. Do some linguistic research
The term “vegetarian “has different definitions in different languages, depending on the country and location. For example, the Japanese don’t use this word, although they have an equivalent called bejeterian. If you ask them, almost no one can understand you. On the other hand, if you ask for “yasai,” the waiter will offer you vegetable-based dishes.
In some cases, “vegetarian “can mean only fish meals, so you must describe your dietary specialties as much as possible. Using the translation app, write in the local language that you don’t eat animal and fish products. or install the apps-helpers:
- The Vegan Passport – a complete description of vegan requirements for a meal in 72 languages with pictures:
- HappyCow finds vegan restaurants worldwide.
5. Be ready to back up with supplies and snacks
It is an essential element for every journey. Healthy grabs are incredibly important on a road trip because they boost energy and keep your organism fresh. The other reason is that vegan products may be absent in small towns or villages, except vegetables and fruit: granola bars, sugar-free trail mixes, fruit chips—all your favorites.
Conclusion
Traveling as a vegetarian is more interesting than usual because it requires more preparation and imagination. We wish you safe and unforgettable trips!
