My partner and I were both vegan for a number of years while we did a lot of road trip traveling. He no longer is vegan but I still am, so I’m always still strategizing for good food either to pack of find along the way.
When we take road trips, we try to pack some back up food even though we’re always looking for restaurants to try. Below are a bunch of ideas for snacks and meals and for items you can pick up at a grocery store along the way. Sometimes, you might end up eating from a chain or fast food restaurant too. The end of this post has links to vegan options for just about every place you might come across in your travels and what I do when we’re at a hotel or non-fast food restaurant and don’t see obvious vegan options.
Apps/sites:
Equipment ideas:
- Car coolers
- Cutting board and knife
- Ziplock (or similar) bags
- Utensils, napkins, wet wipes
- Collapsible bowls
- Travel blender (if you want to make smoothies on the road)
- Travel kettle
Items for cooler:
- Plant-based milks (in shelf-stable boxes, keep in cooler just to keep cool)
- Bread or pita to make sandwiches:
- Nut butters
- Chickpea salad
- Eggless salad
- Hummus and veggies (carrots, cucumber, bell pepper, lettuce, onions…)
- Avocado, cucumber, and tomato (chopped)
- Condiments (mustard)
- Vegan packaged food (deli and cheese slices)
- Tortillas to make wraps filled with salads:
- Avocado, endive, pistachio
- Lentil and brussels sprouts
- Cucumber quinoa
- Mediterranean quinoa (omit feta or use vegan version)
- Lebanese lentil
- Thai noodle
- Dijon-lime quinoa
- Buffalo chickpea wraps
- Curried chickpea
- Salsa and canned beans with pop up tops (the latter doesn’t need a cooler)
- For smoothies:
- nut milk
- protein powder
- fruit (strawberries, blueberries…)
- greens
- ice
Items that don’t need a cooler:
- Carrot cake cupcakes
- Banana walnut muffins
- Protein energy bars
- Cereals and oats (add fruit and milk) and spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, date syrup…)
- Granola
- Fruits (bananas, apples, pears)
- Veggies (tomatoes, cucumbers
- Nuts (almonds, cashews, walnuts, pistachios)
- Precooked rice packets, canned tomatoes, canned beans, and salsa (can eat room temperature or heat by putting rice packet in hot water; the liquid from the tomatoes will loosen up the rice; can add salsa, beans, etc.)
- Dried fruit
- Trail mix
- Cookies:
- Smoothie packets:
- Popcorn
- McDougall’s soups (just add hot water)
- Starbucks Via (not really related to plants)
See also:
Vegan on the Road: How I’ve Eaten Healthier than Ever While Driving Across the Country
Road Trip Ideas: Vegan Meals and Snack Ideas
Fast food with vegan options:
Try These Vegan Fast-Food and Chain-Restaurant Options on the Go
20 Meatless and All-Vegan Options You Can Find at Popular Fast Food Chains
Fast Food Menu Hacks for Vegans
Fast Food Options:
- Old Spaghetti Factory
- Buca di Beppo
- Outback Steakhouse
- Burger King – impossible whoppers!
Limited Options:
- Hardee’s/Carl’s Jr – most buns aren’t vegan (although veggie burgers are), but you could do a lettuce wrap; fries are vegan
- Jack in the Box – no veggie burgers or buns; potato options and black beans are vegan
- Chick-Fil-A – only salads can be made vegan
- Ruby Tuesday – can find vegan options at the salad bar
- Buffalo Wild Wings – veggie burger isn’t vegan; salads can be made vegan
- Dairy Queen – only salad and drinks
- Dickey’s BBQ – only sides
- Applebees – salad only
- KFC – sides only
- In n Out – fries only
- Five Guys – fries only
- Jimmy Johns – bread is not vegan
- McDonalds – no good vegan options
When I’m at a hotel without vegan options on the breakfast menu, I can normally ask for just potatoes, veggies, and beans (if they have them), and toast with avocado (or tortillas and then I make my own breakfast burritos!). Hotels also generally have oatmeal and fruit. And recently, I’ve learned that lots of restaurants secretly (?) have beyond or impossible burgers, just not on the menu. I normally just ask if they have vegan options and the non-menu items are revealed.
(I used Amazon’s affiliate links so I might get a commission if you buy stuff).
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