OTH for Vegan Highway Eats
A cross-country road trip is not for the faint of heart, especially when you’re a vegan driving through the south.
But I’m here to tell y’all that I made it through twelve states with a full belly, a slew of snack-hacks, and some new “fast-food” fixes I’ll be craving for days to come.
The day before our trip, I made a quick run to Whole Foods to stock up on a few multipurpose staples I knew would be helpful to have on-hand. Here’s what was in my basket:
One loaf of Base Culture paleo sandwich bread (for avo toast and almond butter sandwiches)
ProBar Organic Meal Bars (I typically eat these for breakfast, but they’re also a great midday pick-me-up)
Organic apples, bananas, and mixed nuts or dried fruit (easy, grabbable snacks)
It’s important to me to take the time to gather healthy foods for a long journey so that I know I’ll be well-fed and feeling energized from start to finish. Plus, with these delicious basics, breakfast, lunch, and between-meal snacks are a cinch.
Still, this was a long trip that required some variety. Upon my fella’s hankering for a burger, I recalled lettuce wraps as a naturally grain-free option on the menu at Five Guys. Turns out, they also have a Veggie Sandwich filled with grilled mushrooms, grilled onions, tomatoes, and green peppers that can also be made with a lettuce wrap. Anticipating it might taste a little bland, I ordered mine with extra mustard, which I quickly realized was a mistake after biting into the iceberg lettuce and having a gob of yellow mustard land on my jeans. Here’s the takeaway: unless you like wearing your food, this sandwich is meant to be eaten while stretching your legs, not while weaving in and out of highway traffic.
I’m not usually one to go for a midday coffee, but when that road trip daze starts to set in, there’s nothing that a little caffeine and sugar can’t fix. I recently discovered that Starbucks can make frappuccinos with any of their non-dairy milks, and with a Starbucks at just about every other exit, this was an effortless solution to my afternoon sweet tooth. (I prefer a sugar-free frap, and for even less sugar you can ask to leave out their Frappuccino Base, which is used to add thickness.) Luckily, Starbucks also has lots of vegan-friendly grab-and-go treats, including mixed nuts, HIPPEAS Organic Chickpea Puffs, Emmy’s Organic Coconut Cookies, Kind Bars, That’s it. Fruit Bars, and Charles Chocolates Caramelized Crisped Rice Bar, just to name a few. The fruit and nut snack blend with an iced almond milk matcha latte was definitely a recurring favorite go-to combo.
All in all, I’d say it was a successful foodie trip for two. Ever-hungry and filled with adrenaline, thankfully we always had something tasty right at our fingertips. I’m certain we’re the only people ever to have eaten avocado toast at a gas station in Mississippi, but hey, there’s always a first for everything.
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