Is it possible to travel and eat a vegan diet?
Travelling is a great way of exploring different cultures and the foods that they eat, but if you follow a strictly vegan diet this could be more of a challenge.
If you are travelling in Europe and North America, most people understand what you mean if you tell them you are vegan or vegetarian, but for countries that have very different food cultures, explaining your food requirements can be very tricky, so you need a Practical Guide to Travelling as a Vegan
Thankfully, technology can be your friend and there are a number of apps available which can find restaurants who offer plant-based / vegan options and healthy food.
happycow.net is a free to use app, available on Appstore and google play, which finds vegan restaurants, cafes, and shops near you. It can help you search for vegan-friendly bakeries, health food stores, catering, farmers markets, juice bars, coffee shops, or other types of vegan businesses and use filters for delivery and take away options!
Choosing to go self catering is another good option, as you can visit local markets and buy all the ingredients you need to make something special.
Don’t hesitate to ask the host of your Airbnb or villa for local advice, as most are more than happy to help and try and sell their local area.
How do you get over the language barrier to let someone know your dietary needs?
Google Translate has got me out of many a sticky situation in the past. It is worth remembering that some countries may not have the same internet capacity we have here, so download the languages you need before you go, so you can use them offline.
Do your research before you go. Write down phrases in a notebook in the local language. If you can’t read them, you can always show them to the individual if they don’t understand you.
Take some of your own foods or supplements, as if your diet isn’t planned properly it could make your poorly. If you are worried whether you are getting the correct nutrients before you go, Vegan blood testing gives you the opportunity to amend your diet or start taking the correct supplements.
Although you are not allowed to travel with fresh foods, it is possible to take solid foods, such as snacks and dried fruits in your suitcase or carry bag incase of emergencies.
Have you travelled as a vegan, is their any tips I have missed?
Claire
Its a great idea for an app. Much like intolerance’s, when you’re abroad it can be hard to make locals understand what you can and can’t eat.
As a vegetarian, i’d be very upset if I ate meat by accident. even more so for a vegan. I suppose going self catering might help this somewhat but it is nice to be able to eat in local restaurants while away, so a very handy app to have x
Sim @ Sim's Life
I tend to check out online menus before visiting a restaurant to choose options. The app sounds great though and would certainly help!
Sarah Bailey
It is wonderful that more places are offering vegan meals and that you can access information via this app is going to make it so much easier for people now!
Anosa
The app would have definitely come in handy for my friends when they went to South Korea where vegan diets are not really a thing so they struggled a lot with finding places that catered to them.
Kristina
I’m going to pass this info to my vegan friends who often struggle eating vegan when travelling etc so they just end up snacking on crisps and fruit for a whole week which isnt great!
Samantha Donnelly
It seems that it is getting easier to eat vegan meals now and this app will be helpful to those looking for places to eat
Rebecca Smith
That app sounds fab. I’m not vegan myself but have family members and friends who are and often find it hard to find somewhere to eat.
Melanie williams
I am vegan so this is perfect for me. I think it is possible, but I always try to plan in advance a little x
Yeah Lifestyle
I totally agree finding a good restaurant with vegan option can be hard. The happycow app sounds like a great app to help find a suitable place to eat.
Sarah | Boo Roo and Tigger Too
I think there are more vegan options becoming available. It’s great to see that there is a app to make finding a restaurant more easily.