As a Vegan and Clean Eating Coach, I always emphasize the discipline of preparing your own foods. Clean Eating focuses on replacing processed foods with healthy whole foods. When you become conscious about your health, you must become comfortable asking questions, requesting modifications and packing healthy food alternatives. I bring snacks with me wherever I go because I have learned through trial and error that you can’t assume healthy whole food snacks will be available wherever you go.
Many people ask me, how do you travel with snacks? They ask me, you can fly with that? Most people do not take my word that TSA guidelines note I can fly with the snacks I bring, so I always direct them to their link about what you can bring. This includes fruits, dried goods as well as water bottles. For years, I would bring a large, emptied mason jar with me on planes to drink from, but I found the flight attendants had difficulty filling it with hot water. I now use a different container (see below).
I specifically choose to bring items to make sure I receive vital nutrients, keep my body alkalized, maintain healthy hormonal balance, reduce inflammation, reduce bloating, and provide energy. Recently, I had the opportunity to travel to Cuba. The experience was equally amazing and frustrating. It was a frustrating because I made the assumption there would be an abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables like there are on other Caribbean Islands. I am so grateful packing snacks is ingrained in my mind because, without my stable snacks, I am not sure how I would have withstood.
5 Must-Have Vegan Travel Snack Essentials
1. Super Greens Powder. I always bring a pack of Super Greens Powder for each day that I travel. At times, I might have two packs a day. Super Greens Powder is a high concentration of leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables, grasses, and varieties algae that oxygenate the body, repair cell and muscle damage, and provide antioxidants. Through trial and error, I have found that Macrolife Super Greens Powder is the best for me. It easily blends with water, and I do not have any bloating if I take an empty stomach.
2. Almond butter. As a kid, I would literally eat a jar of peanut butter. As a teenager and adult, I was in love with all things peanut butter and chocolate. As I began eating clean I learned the benefits of organic raw almonds and raw almond butter. They not only help to prevent heart diseases and heart attacks, but they support brain function, are a healthy fat, are high in fiber, maintain skin health, and help to prevent overeating. My typical raw almond butter requires refrigeration; however, when I travel, I bring Justin’s Classic Almond Butter single pouches.
3. Hemp hearts. I absolutely can’t live without having hemp hearts every day! Hemp hearts are the seeds of the hemp plant, Cannabis sativa. Yes yes yes, they are the same species as cannabis (marijuana), but these seeds do not contain enough of the compound to provide the drug-like effects of marijuana. They are extremely nutritious with a unique texture and taste. I can eat them right out the pouch or sprinkled over coconut or almond milk yogurt, a salad, or a smoothie. I prefer the Manitoba Harvest individual packs. Hemp hearts are full of plant-based protein and healthy omega fatty acids, and they improve digestion, assist with healthy cholesterol levels, increase energy levels, and help with weight loss.
4. Pumpkin Seeds. Pumpkin Seeds are full of health-enhancing and disease-fighting compounds. They are loaded with vital vitamins and minerals, healthy fatty acids and help battle osteoporosis, anxiety, and heart disease to name a few. I particularly like eating pumpkin seeds for their high amount of protein and calcium. As many of you know, vegans (especially female vegans) have to be creative in getting the right amount of protein and calcium.
5. BPA-Free Water Bottle. One of my really good friends blessed me with an OGGI Calypso Double Wall Water Bottle. I must admit, I have been a mason jar user since my Clean Eating life began, so I was very hesitant to use it. However, after looking into it and knowing it was non-toxic, non-leaching, and BPA free, I was sold.
Lastly, I would like to say that my snacks are very kid-friendly. It seems not only did my nephew like the snacks but so did his baseball teammates. I was happy to share with them (well a little begrudgingly) because they did an amazing job as a California All-Star team in Cuba.
What are your go-to vegan travel snacks?
Cheers to your health!
Also by EnJunaya: 5 Vegan Foods to Sculpt Your Body
Related: 6 Ways to Keep Digestion Moving While Traveling
5 Tips for Traveling with a Non-Vegan
5 Healthy Eating Tips for Traveling
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Photos: Pineapples via Unsplash, EnJunaya Canton
