These tips will help you maintain your vegetarian or vegan diet abroad

Between the head-to-toe health benefits and the ecological impact, many people are committing to plant-based diets, including veganism and vegetarianism, to enhance their lifestyle. In spite of the trend, in many places, the market has not yet caught up, so navigating grocery store aisles can be a hassle, nevermind navigating a foreign food culture. Travelers looking to find plant-based cuisine choices on the road should consider these steps when planning their route:

Pack snacks

Whether it’s floods, flat tires or flight delays, a holdup on the road always seems more severe when the available food options exlude those who eat plant-based diets. Coming prepared with both quick, unwrappable snacks and more hearty to-go meals could be a lifesaver for the vegan adventurer who ran up against an unfortunate travel snag.

Learn to specify in the local language

Across the globe, the definitions of “vegetarian” or “vegan” can vary or are simply unknown. In some countries, fish is not thought of as “meat” in the same way as pork or beef, while in others, cooking vegetables in animal fat might not be seen as a disqualification for vegetarian fare. To help navigate these cultural differences, learning the specific terms for ingredients and cooking techniques can help plant-based travelers make decisions that align with their values.

Happy Cow

A restaurant aggregator akin to Yelp but for vegans is Happy Cow. This is an essential tool when planning a plant-based trip. The portal has listings for not only vegan restaurants around the world, but also food stores that offer vegan alternatives and recipes using vegan ingredients. There are even vegan-friendly resorts and excursions listed for more comprehensive travel planning.

https://www.happycow.net/

Vegan groups on Facebook

While online indexes can help you find brick-and-mortar restaurants with a solid digital presence, you can go one step further by joining a local vegan Facebook group localized at your travel destination. Here, you might find more of a selection of hole-in-the-wall spots, street food options, grocery store offerings and an explanation of menu items from restaurants that might also serve animal products.

Explore vegan food from abroad

Certain communities are well-known for using less meat and fewer animal products in their cooking than others. Looking for culinary establishments that cater to these groups can help mitigate the risks of menus lost in translation. Many devotees of Buddhism and Hinduism keep a primarily vegetarian diet, while many East Asian styles of cuisine lack the inclusion of dairy-based ingredients. For this reason, finding Chinese, Japanese or Indian restaurants abroad, or looking in the neighborhoods of nearby temples, can be useful shortcuts for catering to one’s plant-based needs.

This story was originally published August 25, 2022 at 8:00 AM with the headline "These tips will help you maintain your vegetarian or vegan diet abroad."