Heading out on the road this holiday season? You have come to the right place! The Vegetarian’s Guide to Packing Food for a Roadtrip has lots of tips for your outing! There are endless options to make your trip complete! You can make it fun, filling, healthy, and capable of pleasing even the pickiest eaters. It is entirely possible to eat completely plant-based when you are out on a road trip + I can show you how!
Tara’s Tuesday Tips:
The Vegetarian’s Guide to Packing Food For a Roadtrip
Having raised two vegetarian kids, we have been on our share of road trips with lots of hungry mouths to feed along the way. In my opinion, the main priority is to have food readily available when the hunger strikes. That way, you can focus on the journey + getting where you are going safely, on time, and happy!
10 Tips to Remember When Packing For a Vegetarian Roadtrip
- Think about the things you normally eat at home, nothing weird or new.
- Snack size Ziploc bags or single serve containers are your roadtrip best friend.
- Cooler bags are cool. No need for a giant cooler. The little soft ones are so much easier!
- Invest in high quality ice packs. Worth the money, they keep things cooler longer.
- As the driver, you won’t be able to peel, open, or cut food, remember that when packing!
- All foods must lower stress levels, not raise them. Not negotiable.
- Easy to pack + easy to eat.
- Don’t forget spoons, forks, hand sanitizer, wipes, and a good ol’ roll of paper towels.
- Involve your travel crew when packing the bag. No surprises means no fighting over who got the better snack in the back seat while you are trying to drive or navigate.
- Err on the side of healthy but be realistic. It’s a road trip + road trips are meant to be fun so make the food fun too.
Easy Vegetarian Road Trip Staples for Any Adventure
- Dried Fruit
- Granola
- Nuts
- Single-Serve Nut Butters
- Vegan Jerky
- Sandwiches or wraps (PB +J, veggie burgers, chik-n patty wraps, bean burritos)
- Fruit pouches (squeezable fruit such as applesauce pouches/baby food squeezes)
- Cookies or breakfast bars (Kind, Cliff, Picky Bars, check labels for your personal dietary restrictions)
- Energy bites/balls (homemade or store bought)
- Dried/roasted chickpeas
- Chips, crackers, pretzels, veggie chips, Hippeas
My Favorite Fast Food Stops as a Vegetarian
When my carnivorous friends are on a road trip + they get hungry they hop off the road and can easily find something for everyone in their car in minutes. We herbivores need a little more foresight into the hunger situation when the cooler food is just not cutting it any more. Let me tell you something …. the options are getting better + better with time! That being said, this list is written as of December 2022! Check the individual restaurant’s website for the latest updates if you are concerned.
So, here are the MVF favorites that have been tried + true on our road trips through the years:
- Taco Bell (ask for anything to be made with beans instead of beef, there is also a secret vegan menu if you ask)
- Chipotle (need I say more?)
- Subway (If you are vegan, you are pretty much limited to veggies on white or wheat bread here. If you eat eggs + cheese you have more bread options and can enjoy the veggie patty or an egg. If you are on a road trip outside the US the offerings are different.)
- Panda Express (Beyond Meat Orange Chicken is available now in most US locations)
- Blaze Pizza (If you eat cheese, go for it! If you are vegan, they offer non-dairy cheese + beyond meat toppings!)
- Burger King (Unlike McDonalds, the French Fries at Burger King are vegetarian. The bonus is that at Burger King the fries have a dedicated fryer so no sharing of the meat oil! You could also get the Impossible Whopper without sauce or cheese if you are vegan. Remember, it will be cooked on the grill with the burgers so if you are a strict vegetarian, ask for your patty to be cooked in the microwave. The French Toast Sticks, Hash browns, and oatmeal are also vegan options here. )
- White Castle (Two options here! The Impossible Slider + the Dr. Praegers Veggie Slider both vegan without sauce or cheese! French fries + onion rings are also vegan or mozzarella sticks for vegetarians.)
- Starbucks (Plenty of non-dairy milk options for drinks, oatmeal, dependent on location there are usually a variety of boxed options in the refrigerator section, and the Impossible breakfast sandwich for vegetarians.)
Make-Ahead & Pack Ideas
- Hummus + cut up veggies or pretzels/crackers/chips
- Before you head out, heat plant-based chicken nuggets or patties in the microwave, cut into strips, layer into a tortilla, spread on some hot sauce or dressing, roll in foil (this is a usual on any trip for us)
- Peanut or other nut butter + jelly sandwiches
- Oatmeal in containers with fruit/nuts/toppings on the side
- Bagel toasted in the morning with a folded Just Egg + vegan buttery spread wrapped in foil (this is another MVF favorite)
- Store-bought or homemade pizza cooked that morning, cut up, put in individual containers
- Homemade trail mix (this is a great option to get the family involved – let them design their own trail mix concoction, label their container with their name + pack it away for their enjoyment when hunger strikes)
- Homemade cookies put in individual baggies are a perfect + an unexpected treat!
- Roasted chickpeas or soybeans
- Pasta salad or pesto pasta cooked the day before + portioned out (don’t forget a fork!)
- Beyond Meat or your favorite veggie burgers cooked that morning, put on bread or buns, customized with toppings + labeled with your road trippers name
Be Organized!
I know, I know, I say this all the time in my tips. Planning is everything. But seriously, it is! Especially when it comes to a vegetarian on a road trip. You MUST plan. Know your travelers, and remember the road trip is not the time to make everything super healthy or change up the food. Get them involved so they know what is packed, and then toss in a few surprises to bring a few smiles to the party. I always toss in some Oreos or vegan candies that make everyone happy when they find them in their bag.
Keep the cold things cold and the warm things warm. If you make anything on the list above, put it in a separate cooler bag that is for things that don’t need to be chilled. Also, mind your fruit! If you know it turns brown and they won’t eat it, don’t pack it! Instead use fruit that is stable like uncut apples, pears, grapes in snack bags, oranges, or blueberries. Most importantly, don’t forget breakfast and the drinks!
Some Other Posts You Might Enjoy As a Vegetarian Packing Food For a Roadtrip
- The Vegetarian’s Guide To Packing Food for a Hike
- What To Do When Your Child Wants To Be A Vegetarian
- How I Got Here
- The Vegetarian’s Guide To Mood Boosting Foods
- Cranberry Peanut Butter Energy Bites
- Homemade Chewy Peanut Butter Granola Bars
- Vegan Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
- JUST Egg Muffin Breakfast Bites
- JUST Egg Hack (Baked JUST Egg)
- Healthy Eggless Oatmeal Banana Bread
- Peanut Butter Banana Bread
- Easy Healthy Homemade Granola
Food For Thought
I really hoped you loved my tips this week! Planning ahead for your adventure will make a HUGE difference in your experience. Vegetarian or not, the same basic principles apply when packing food for a road trip. We have had many super fun + successful road trips with and without a car full of kids. One thing I am always mindful of when we head out on an adventure is to either have my food in tow or my stops mapped out. There is enough to worry about, let meatless snack options not be one of them! This holiday season, I hope your travels are fun + full of yummy plant-based foods!
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