Never get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life

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Traveling has always been something I’ve been drawn to. As a kid, we’d never stay in one place too long on a family holiday, we’d always have to explore the area, and we never returned to the same place twice. Since I’ve been old enough, I’ve been traveling everywhere I can with friends and eating my way around the world. It was so simple to walk into a restaurant, pick up a menu and select anything on there. When I turned vegan, I worried I wouldn’t be able to have the same experiences; enjoy the cultures and freedoms. In the past 2 years, I’ve found my feet with vegan traveling and I hope this post makes someones journey a little bit easier.

1. Research

It may sound simple, but it is effective. To get the right results using a search engine, it’s best to use key words rather than full sentences.

Use your preferred search engine and search the following:

[insert place name] vegan 

e.g. Prague Vegan, Barcelona Vegan

The results will be a mixture of blogs by people who have traveled to the area you’re going, restaurants that advertise themselves as having vegan options and handy guides from locals. Never underestimate how far a good search can take you in your hunt for tasty vegan food!

2. HappyCow

This is not a sponsored post. HappyCow is my go to for every location and I’ve found some amazing food through them.

HappyCow is a free to use website with a, reasonably cheap, paid app on the Android and Apple Stores. Vegans/Vegetarians/etc add locations that offer vegan options to the database and review the quality and quantity of vegan options, often posting pictures of their finds.

The app can use your location and point you in the direction of the nearest vegan burger!

If you can’t purchase the app, the website is free to browse. Again, this is not a sponsored post! You can find the website here!

3. Pinterest

Pinterest is a bliss for travelers and foodies alike. Along with using a search engine, this seems like an obvious one but one to include in this list all the same. In the same fashion as using a search engine, you’ll find an aesthetically pleasing array of pictures and blog posts waiting to tell you where to find that vegan funnel cake. Use the same search terms as the search engine and you’re good to go.

And you’ll find some amazing, wanderlust inducing travel pictures on there too. Don’t miss out on that!

4. Instagram

I love a good Instagram post as much as the next person, but I do have an obsession with food on Instagram. I am normally that person with their camera out as soon as the food arrives, trying to nab a picture of it’s perfect presentation.

I can hear you screaming ‘Why!?’ at your phone screen!

Well, I like to document the food I eat, and obsess over it later! I also like to stalk the food I intend to eat in the future.

Before going to a place (even if I don’t have a trip booked there), I will try to find 2 or 3 places to follow on Instagram. This gets me even more excited to eat at these places. My poor partner has to listen to me talk about all the food I want to eat for weeks, even months in advance!

5. Ask!

If all else fails, ask! I have been to so many places where nothing is listed as vegan on the menu but they can make something for you or adapt a dish for you. We’ve all been there trying to make a meal out of side dishes, ask which of those are vegan and treat yourself to some Tapas!

I think it’s good to learn how to say ‘Vegan’ in your chosen country’s language so you can be as clear as possible. For example in France, you’d say ‘Je suis végétalien/Je suis végétalienne’ (masc/femm) but be careful as the close ‘végétarien/végétarienne‘ means vegetarian! So make sure you are sure of what you are saying!

And be aware that it is totally OK to leave if they don’t seem to be taking you seriously or don’t have anything suitable on the menu.

6. Go to a Supermarket/Delivery Service

Finally, if all else fails, head to the nearest market/supermarket/corner shop/delivery service, and grab some food to eat at home. It’s not always glamorous but sometimes, it makes a difference to eat a nice home cooked meal while you’re out on holiday. If there are limited options for eating out, this can mean repeating is avoided.

I included this, but I think this is the last option you should use. Traveling is about experiencing the culture you’re visiting and most cuisines use vegetables etc. Being vegan shouldn’t restrict what you experience and as the world adapts to more of us, we will have more options. I just thank goodness that I was born in a time to experience all these wonderful options cropping up around the world. If there was a time to go vegan, it’s now.

7. Share!

If I could recommend anything to a vegan travelling, it would be to share your experiences! As a self-confessed obsessive foodie, I love looking at pictures and stalking those that post their pics! You may also help out a fellow traveler trying to find some good vegan grub!

Thanks for reading this far if you did, and check out my Instagram for regular food stories! 😊