Traveling Plant Based: Successfully Navigate Eating Out & Helpful Strategies
As I have adopted this new lifestyle one of the things that has made it so manageable and successful is being able to make the majority of my own food. Here’s the thing though, I love to travel. Travel is a large part of my identity and I have already had a few experiences of navigating eating while in a different setting, but my most recent trip presented a lot of new challenges.
Living in the Midwest a typical thing I hear is that cheese and dairy are such a part of the culture so how do I go out and enjoy myself. It has been easier than it might seem on the surface. I have been surprised by how much restaurants cater to all types of eating. Now my recent trip to Nashville was a huge challenge.
Nashville is known for meat, meat, meat, and mac n cheese. Ok maybe not but that’s what it seems like if you try to eat out anywhere. So in this article I’m going to go over how I navigate these challenging situations and my tips for being able to travel and enjoy going new places to eat.
I’m not going to lie, it is challenging to be plant based and navigate the food scene in an unfamiliar city. It takes a lot of preparation and for the traveler who just likes to go with the flow it can be difficult. You will enjoy yourself so much more though, if you prepare a list in advance of places that you know will have plant based offerings on the menu. When going to Nashville or any city simply take a day before you go to look up restaurants that will offer good quality foods. You’ll be less stressed out and of you are with others they will feel better about you having plenty of options ready to offer.
Remember to be gentle on yourself. You have to know that you won’t be perfect. While more and more restaurants are offering plant based options on the menu they may not always be the first choice. Be kind to yourself and do your best. If an impossible burger is the only thing on the menu that you can eat than it is what it is. Yes it still is processed and not ideal but it’s also the only thing available. The world is changing, not quickly enough, but as a plant based eater we all know that things won’t always be perfect.
Always double-check with a server that a food doesn’t contain dairy or eggs. Things that may appear to be safe, or that typically don’t have any animal products in them, may have hidden things not listed on the menu. Most places will be able to easily find out for you and based on the freshness of the food they can typically remove the dairy. Dairy I would say, in my experience, has been the most hidden ingredient. Ask if items can be adjusted or in some cases I have found that restaurants will have a special vegan meal, not listed on the menu. It is important to advocate for yourself and maybe your inquiry will make places rethink what they offer on their menus.
Being prepared is the best way to manage eating and traveling.
Bring snacks in case the place you go is so limited it still leaves you hungry or if they have no offerings but you want to enjoy time with friends
If you stay at a place with a kitchen plan to eat there more than eating out (this also saves money)
Know that you won’t be perfect and that you’ll have to do your best
Some cities are more welcoming and present a lot of unique options to plant based eaters. Take Portland and LA for example, you’ll run into a ton of really unique restaurants offering a lot to plant based eaters. In other places you’ll be shocked just how these people function when all they have access to is meat, beer, cheese, and dairy in literally every single dish that’s on every single menu. It’s really eye opening in some cities to see how the people go about their daily lives with so much garbage at their disposal and no easy access to physical activity. Cities like this offer a huge opportunity to bring in healthier options and to expand their outdoor access. Think of how much more we would be capable of if more people had access to foods that increased their energy, decreased their disease and illness, and gave them more life.
The bottom line is be prepared, be kind to yourself, and do your best. Traveling is an amazing thing and such an incredible way to see the world don’t be deterred by the food situation being more challenging. That is all part of the experience, to see how others live in this world. It can also give the opportunity to educate people in places where unhealthy food is the only thing it seems that people eat. We can help those who don’t know any better to open their eyes to a world of better health. Be open to all that comes with the experience of travel.
