Many people find transitioning to veganism challenging. Especially if you are not able to prepare your meals when travelling and have to eat in unfamiliar places. But think about it for a moment, plants were a staple of the human diet for thousands of years, it is possible to find them pretty much everywhere. Plant-based is becoming a trend so more and more conventional stores and restaurants have options for vegans, there are ways to find the suitable places with help of HappyCow, Google Maps or advice in vegan Facebook groups. A little bit of preparation can make your travelling extra smooth. Especially having your snacks ready to calm you down and save from starvation.
I am obsessed with snacks, often prepping snacks ready for some trip or hike gets me as excited as the event itself. So let’s talk about the snacks you can prepare yourself or buy.
I usually buy some raw bars, trail mix/ nut/seed mix and travel-friendly fruit/veg (bananas, apples, baby carrots). Sometimes I go overboard exploring the vegan section of the supermarket at the new place and buy too many snacks 🙂
If it is a snack to take to work or a day trip I am preparing sandwiches/wraps, or hummus and some chips to go with it, chop some fruits and veggies in a container. Sometimes I make flaxseed crackers or other savoury snacks.
Snacks I take to work/day trip:
– Chia pudding or overnight oats
– Yoghurt (coconut, almond) & fruit
– Rice cakes & peanut butter
– Date bliss balls
– Cherry tomatoes & fried tofu cubes
– Raw bars, raw cookies
However, the best snack especially when you need quick energy is fruit. Fruits ideally should be eaten on its own, not after or together with some meal since it is digesting faster than cooked foods. To make fruit snacking easier on the go, chop your fruits into bite-size pieces, add some berries and carry in a container. For a quick lazy option, you can buy a ready smoothie or fruit salad available and most supermarkets, but if you prepped it yourself you can control the quality and freshness of fruits better.
If travelling in the heat, start your snack with some cold coconut water of fresh juice, then have some fruit. It will help you to replenish water and quick carbs.
When travelling I really like exploring supermarkets in new countries and cities. I often choose to snack on some bread products, to taste how it is in that specific place, together with some hummus or other spread. Just be mindful of labels, not all bread products are vegan, obviously.
If you eat enough calories and have balanced main meals you might not even need snacks. But travelling or unusual schedule for the day might make it challenging. If you don’t have some healthy snack on hand you are risking going for sweets and other unhealthy choices (luckily less vegan options, but still). If everything fails and you can’t find any vegan goodies, search for nuts and dried fruit. It is quite high in calories so will help you last for a few hours till finding some better option.
What is your favourite snack?