Do you struggle to find healthy, plant-based meals when you are on the road and not able to cook for yourself?
If so, this short article is for you because it’s actually not as hard as it may seem when you know what to look for.
Regardless of whether you are going on vacation and won’t have access to as many home cooked meals, or you are simply going out to eat, this article is designed to share my top tips and tricks for how you can still eat healthy, plant-based meals when you’re not in the comfort of your own kitchen.
Let’s begin.
1. Bring your own food for meals/snacks
Now this might seem obvious, but it is often overlooked.
Whether you’re going on a plane, or simply spending the weekend away, it’s a great idea to pack some healthy meals or snacks that you can take with you on the go.
In terms of actual meals, you can pack things such as oatmeal and fruit for breakfast if you’re in a hotel, and soups and stews for lunch/dinner. If you’re on a road trip, you can pack burritos or sandwiches and store them in a cooler.
The options are endless – you just need to use your imagination and do some preparation.
In terms of snacks, regardless of whether you’re going to be gone for the day, or several days, preparing a few healthy snacks for the road is always a great idea. For example, even just fruit like apples, bananas, and oranges are great options.
If you need ideas on 9 high protein, healthy, plant-based snacks, check out my article here.
2. Seek out grocery stores
Grocery stores have some of the best plant-based foods out there, such as mock meats, produce, sandwiches, and snacks.
Whether you’re looking for a quick snack or ingredients for making a nice dinner, the grocery store will be your best friend. And that might seem pretty obvious, but you’d be surprised. People often overlook grocery stores thinking all their meals have to come from food shops and restaurants.
3. Tell the restaurant what you’re looking for
There’s a couple good options you have here.
Option one is to look at the menu and see what they have. You might notice steamed vegetables and tofu in one dish, and rice and beans in another.
Ask if they can combine those foods into one meal and you’ll have yourself a healthy plant-based meal!
And if you don’t see much on the menu you want to eat, simply call ahead or ask the person taking your order if they can make something (and tell them what you’re looking for). Oftentimes, chefs are happy to throw together a healthy, plant-based meal. In fact, lots of them actually enjoy doing this because it’s something new!
They could do a vegetable stir fry with rice and tofu. Or maybe a burrito/burrito bowl. Or a salad with a bunch of toppings on it. There are lots of options.
Whatever it may be, you’d be surprised that most places have these types of foods and they can create a nice meal, even if the dish might not be on the menu.
4. Cuisines with great options
Mexican restaurants: Many Mexican dishes are already plant-based and if they’re not, it’s super easy to make them that way. If it’s a burrito, taco or quesadilla, for example, simply omit the meat/cheese and request extra veggies and beans.
Indian restaurants: There’s many options at Indian restaurants! Aloo mutter is my all time favorite.
Chinese restaurants: Stir-fried vegetables, tofu, and steamed rice. Lo mein/fried rice (you have to ask for no egg or else it usually come with egg). There’s a ton of options at Chinese restaurants!
Italian restaurants: pasta and marinara sauce, vegetable pizza with no cheese, vegetable side dishes, salad, bruschetta.
Thai restaurants: Thai food is one of my favorites when getting restaurant food. Pad See Ew (my favorite!), drunken noodles, pad thai, and much more.
Japanese restaurants: There are a lot of options here, including rice, noodles, vegetables, seaweed, soy products, etc. Vegetable sushi is a great option!
Sandwich shops: Any sandwich shop could make a veggie sandwich/wrap, just ask for it if it’s not on the menu.
Mediterranean restaurants: Falafel, Greek salad, vegetable paella, bean soup, and much more!
5. Fast food
Sometimes, you just need something quick and easy – if that’s you, here’s a couple great options:
- Chipotle: My go-to is: rice, beans, sofritas, fajita veggies, corn, salsa, lettuce (and guac if you want it). Get a bowl/no quac if you want to reduce calories.
- Pizza: Order a veggie pizza with no cheese and tell them to add all the vegetables they have.
- Taco Bell: bean burrito with no cheese
- Other fast food places: While it’s not the healthiest option, many fast food restaurants now have mock meat products (such as Beyond Meat), so you can always look out for that if you’re in a crunch.
6. Utilize technology to find food near you
Vanilla Bean and Happy Cow are two Apps you can download off the App store that are designed to help you find vegetarian and vegan foods near you.
All you do is simply input what you’re looking for and the app will help you find options that match!
You can also use Yelp when searching for healthy food as I’ve had pretty good success doing that.
The Bottom Line
It’s not as hard as it may seem to continue eating healthy on the road. You simply need to plan ahead and explore different options you have.
Whether you decide to bring snacks, prepare meals, shop for healthy food at the grocery store, or find good options at a restaurant, you don’t need to succumb to eating crappy food just because you’re on the go.
Online Plant-Based Fitness and Nutrition Coaching
So if you are looking for a coach (who understands a plant-based diet) to help keep you accountable and create a plan specifically for you, I recently opened up a few spots for my online fitness and nutrition coaching. Here’s what it includes:
- Customized workout routine that is tailored to your goals based on your schedule/available equipment.
- Tailored plant-based nutrition coaching so you can reach your goals while optimizing your health.
- Integrated support system that allows you to be held accountable throughout your journey.
If you’re interested in working with me so you can reach your fitness and nutrition goals, feel free to reach out as I’d love to talk more about whether we might be a good fit for each other. Find out more here!