I haven’t always been a vegetarian. And thus, I’ve faced a steep learning curve in the past few years: eating in a completely new way when I travel.
For the most part, I’ve loved the challenge. Many destinations—cities, especially—have a plethora of incredible vegetarian-friendly restaurants to choose from. Ones, quite frankly, that I wouldn’t have considered before. I’ve also loved revisiting some of my favorite places, like Edinburgh, and widening the aperture on what it means to eat like a local (spoiler alert: vegetarian haggis is delicious).
Other destinations have been more of a challenge for a variety of reasons: the traditional cuisine is meat-focused, such as in Spain, Australia, or Argentina; vegetarianism isn’t widely practiced; or restaurant variety is limited. When visiting those types of destinations, I’ve had to be flexible. Sometimes I eat at a restaurant more than once; sometimes I opt for girl dinner (thanks, 7-Eleven). It works out—but I don’t always feel like I’m getting the authentic dining experience I did before my vegetarian days.
TL;DR: Traveling as a vegetarian adds a new twist on planning a trip. But I’ve learned some useful tricks along the way. With advanced research and helpful tools at my disposal, I can feel more confident ordering my next meal.
1. Research restaurants and other places to eat ahead of time
Hear me out, type B travelers: I know you like to go with the flow, but doing some research on grocery stores, natural food markets, vegetarian-friendly restaurants, Buddhist temples (common in Asian countries like Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam, and China), and farmers markets will make your trip go a lot smoother. Especially if you—or your travel buddies—are known to get a little hangry.
Before your trip, take a quick look at a map and identify where you can pick up plant-based supplies (think: fresh fruit, vegetables, and protein-rich snacks) to have on hand in your accommodations. If you have a kitchen available (more on this below), you might also want to pick up ingredients to make a few vegetarian-friendly meals.
No kitchen access? Look for vegetarian-friendly restaurants in your area so that you’re not scrambling at the last minute for dinner plans. Better yet, make reservations now. Your type A companions (and future self) will thank you.
Tip: When possible, book a vegetarian food tour at the beginning of your trip. That way, you’re getting local expertise about what’s plant-based—and you know what to look for the rest of your trip.
2. Download apps to make traveling as a vegetarian easier
Thanks to smartphones, the answers to many travel-related quandaries are already at our fingertips. And eating plant-based while traveling is no exception.
As a vegetarian traveler, the top apps I find most helpful are:
- HappyCow: You can locate and filter for vegetarian, vegan, and vegan-friendly restaurants right in their app. You can also read reviews, save places in an offline map, and connect with like-minded eaters in their online community.
- ChatGPT: Likewise, the app is useful for locating vegetarian-friendly restaurants. I simply ask for recommendations based on my location and preferences, e.g., “What are the best vegetarian restaurants in Seoul?”
- Google Translate: I use the camera feature for identifying ingredients on a label or in a dish, but the app also comes in handy for communicating basic phrases (e.g., “I don’t eat meat”) when I’m ordering.
3. Pack protein-rich snacks
For those moments between meals, pack vegetarian travel snacks. Having nuts, seeds, dried fruit, protein bars, nut butter packets, and other protein-packed snacks in your carry-on can help stave off hunger while you’re on the go.
Protein powder is also great to have on hand. You can mix up a quick protein shake while you're out and about with bottled water or plant-based milk from a convenience store or coffee shop.
Tip: Locate convenience stores, cafes, and more with TripIt’s Nearby Places feature. You can easily get directions to head there right away, or tap the plus (+) sign to save the spot for later.
4. Pre-order vegetarian meals on your flights
Snacks can only get you so far, especially on long-haul flights. And you don’t want to have to risk choosing from meat-only options. Instead, pre-order a vegetarian meal for your flights. That way, the airline knows your preference ahead of time and can plan to accommodate your needs accordingly.
5. Learn how to communicate your dietary preferences
Last year, I stayed in a small village in South Korea. And when the owner of the local inn recommended a nearby noodle shop, I didn’t think twice: my dinner plans were set. What I didn’t anticipate was that said noodle shop did not have a menu. The true definition of IYKYK. So not only could I not scan the ingredient list for vegetarian-friendly options, I also didn’t know what to order. But I trusted the kind face of the owner/server/chef (yes, she did indeed wear all those hats) and I was determined to try her handmade noodles.
This is where Google Translate came in handy: I typed in “I don’t eat meat” into the app, showed her the translation—and in a matter of minutes, I had an array of vegetarian dishes in front of me: bowls of kimchi, peppers, plus noodles and broth.
Of course, that was a unique case, and most restaurants have menus that you can scan. But in a pinch, knowing how to communicate my dietary preference made the difference between a memorable experience and having to try my luck somewhere else.
6. Book accommodations where you can prepare your own meals
As I mentioned above, having access to a kitchen can fill the gaps when eating out is a challenge. Plan ahead by booking a vacation rental with a kitchen or a hotel room with a kitchenette. In doing so, you have the option to cook meals for yourself—filled with the plant-based ingredients you know and love.
