Vegetarian Travel Dispatches

The early part of the year is always quite hectic for me travel wise, so, having just returned from a trip to San Diego, I thought now would be a good time for me to revisit some tips that help me with maintaining a vegetarian travel lifestyle on the road.

Spicy Bowtie Pasta Salad from Starbucks, San Diego Airport

If you're checking luggage, consider packing some individual servings of shelf stable, non-dairy milk.  (If you're not checking and have access to a local market that carries them, that's also an option.)  Before I left on my latest trip, I bought two three packs of Enriched Rice Dream and stashed them in my suitcase.  I had a mini-fridge in my room, so I was able to chill them when I got to my hotel.  In the mornings, I brought them down to the buffet and poured some on cold cereal and drank the rest.  Granted, some establishments may frown upon you bringing your own food into their place.  In my case, the buffet manager was not only understanding of me bringing my own milk, but she also wrote down the brand name for her lactose intolerant daughter.   The cereal and rice milk, along with a slice of whole wheat bread and peanut butter and a bowl of fresh fruit, made for a nice breakfast that kept me going the whole day.

I also packed some individual cereal bowls I picked up at CVS for $1 a piece (Cheerios and Raisin Bran Crunch), as well as some Enjoy Life Very Berry Bars and Barbara's Multigrain Cereal Bars, both of which were handy snacks.

The last time I flew, I was still eating dairy products regularly, so I knew I could always pick up a cheese sandwich or a slice of pizza.  But, this time, I found some nice, healthy vegan options to share with you.

Veg Friendly Rice Bowl, Urban Taco, Dallas-Fort Worth Airport

On my way out and back to San Diego, I had layovers in Dallas.  On my way out, I grabbed a Mediterranean Wrap from Au Bon Pain.  By omitting the feta, I had a nice, filling and vegan friendly lunch.  Au Bon Pain also sells fresh fruit cups, which are a great vegan friendly option for any meal or snack.

When I was heading home, at the Starbucks in the San Diego airport, I picked up a Spicy Bowtie Pasta Salad and Pita, Hummus & Veggies and a fruit cup, all of which made for a nice lunch on the plane.  While the bowtie pasta portion was smaller than I would have liked, the flavors were quite good.

Finally, for dinner in the Dallas airport, I stopped at Urban Taco.  They can turn any of their tacos or sandwiches into a rice bowl, and I had a delicious roasted poblano, black bean and corn mixture.

Next week, I head to Berlin, Germany, where I'll continue my vegetarian travel adventures.  Stay tuned!