How Vegetarians Can Survive In the Airport

Whether you’re a vegan or a vegetarian, finding things to order when you eat out can be difficult and there usually isn’t much variety either. At least you can go home and whip something up to make you happy. Unfortunately, when you’re traveling, it can be even more inconvenient to find something healthy and tasty several times a day to satisfy your hunger that still sticks to your food ethics. You aren’t the only one that has problems finding dining resources. There are also those with food allergies, gluten allergies, lactose intolerance…and those that just plain don’t like certain things. Restaurants are beginning to branch out and make a broader range of food selections that can satisfy more food restrictions, all while being a bit healthier.

Many vegan experts suggest packing your own snacks, like peanut butter and soy nuts. Happily, you can get specialty food items in almost all destinations, so you can save room in your travel bag for things you actually WANT to pack, like clothes. You also save checked baggage fees, because you don’t need to bring those items at all. With a little more education on the subject, and chatting with a few vegetarian friends, I’ve now learned quite a bit about what you can and can’t eat and the different vegan substitute products on the market. I’ve even purchased some myself, in an effort to save money and eat better. And yes, you can save money by buying and using some of these products, like egg substitute, which you can use in your baking. It saves you money, because it last so much longer than a carton of eggs and it doesn’t go bad. But enough of my frugal shopping habits.

As a vegetarian, you aren’t just looking for foods to eat at your destination, but on the way as well. I found a great list of dining establishments found in most airports that cater to your needs, so you can eat before your flights and on layovers without having to live on the baggie of carrot sticks you packed in your carry-on.

On the Ground

Argo Tea

• Chickpea Salad (vegan)
• Garden Lentil Salad (vegan)
• Parfaits: Acai Banana, Green Tea, Mixed Berry
• Ruggelah: Apricot Pecan, Raspberry Almond
• Signature Muffins: Banana Nut, Blueberry, Chocolate Chip, Lemon Poppyseed
• Spinach Tomato Pesto Panini
• Tea Bite: Roasted Tomato Cheddar
• Tomato Garden Vegetable Salad

Au Bon Pain

• Apple Strudel (vegan)
• Black Bean Soup (vegan)
• Chickpea & Tomato Cucumber Salad (vegan without cheese)
• Curried Rice & Lentil Soup (vegan)
• French Moroccan Tomato Lentil Soup (vegan)
• Green Bean & Beet Salad (vegan without cheese)
• Portabello & Goat Cheese sandwich (vegan without cheese)
• Vegetarian Chili (vegan)
• Vegetarian Lentil Soup (vegan)

Auntie Anne’s

• Pretzels: Cinnamon Sugar, Garlic, Glazin’ Raisin, Jalapeño, Original, Whole Wheat (vegan without butter)

Charley’s

• Delight Grilled Vegetable Plate
• Philly Veggie (vegan without cheese or mayo)

Caribou Coffee

• Bagels: Cinnamon Raisin, Multi Grain
• Banana Bread – reduced fat
• Chewy Granola Bar
• Cinnamon Coffeecake
• Oatmeal: Classic, 7-Grain (vegan)
• Muffin: Better Morning, Blueberry, Cinnamon Streusel, Double Chocolate Chip, French Toast, Mountain Berry
• Pumpkin Pecan Bread
• Scone: Cinnamon Chip, Cranberry, Cranberry Orange, Lemon Blueberry, Maple Oatmeal
• Southwestern Black Bean Salad (vegan)
• Veggie Daybreaker Breakfast Sandwich
• Yogurt Parfait – low-fat

Einstein Bros. Bagels

• Bagel: Sundried Tomato (vegan)
• Bistro Salad (vegan without cheese)
• Chipotle Salad (vegan without cheese)
• Fruit Salad (vegan)
• Kettle Chips Classic (vegan)

Jamba Juice

• Any Drink

Moe’s Southwest Grill

• Burritos: Made to Order (can be vegan)
• Chips (vegan)
• Personal Trainer Salad (vegan without cheese)
• Tacos: Made to Order (can be vegan)

National Coney Island

• Hummus Veggie Sandwich/Wrap
• Vegetarian Pita with Fries
• Vegetarian Tuna

Panera Bread

• Bagels: Blueberry, Everything, Plain, Sesame, Sweet Onion Poppy Seed, Whole Grain (vegan)
• Classic Café Salad (vegan)
• Low Fat Vegetarian Black Bean Soup (vegan)
• Mediterranean Veggie Sandwich (vegan without cheese)
• Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich (vegan)
• Sourdough Bread Bowl (vegan)

Starbucks

• Cranberry Flax Muffin (vegan)
• Fruit Cup (vegan)
• Hummus Plate (vegan)
• Multigrain Bagel
• Oatmeal (vegan)
• Organic Fruit Scone with Pecans (vegan)
• Plain Bagel
• Protein Plate
• Raspberry Bran Scone (vegan)
• Ratatouille Sandwich/Roasted Vegetable Panini
• Veggie Artisan Breakfast Sandwich

In the Air

Cibo Express offers over 1,000 packaged, ready-to-go menu items that you can grab to eat on the plane. Many are vegetarian or vegan and are fresh and organic.

Most airlines don’t serve real meals anymore, but they do offer snack boxes. The airlines that offer vegan/vegetarian options are as follows:

American Airlines (vegan)

Continental Airlines (vegan)

Delta Airlines (vegan)

United Airlines (vegan)

US Airways (vegan)

Air Canada

British Airways

Aer Lingus (vegan)

Virgin Atlantic

Lufthansa

Air Malta (vegan)

Turkish Airlines

Qantas Airways (vegan)

Air New Zealand (vegan)

Indian Airlines

Cathay Pacific (vegan)

Malaysia Airlines (vegan)

Qatar Airways (vegan)

Singapore Airlines

Vietnam Airlines (vegan)

Unless you’re on an international flight, chances are you’ll be paying for these in-flight meals and snacks, so you may be better off bringing your own to begin with from Cibo Express or from one of the many other dining establishments above. If you don’t mind paying for a meal, make sure you request a vegetarian or vegan entrée well ahead of your flight to ensure the meal actually makes it onboard for you. Usually, you can choose food options when you book your flights. If that is a choice when booking, make sure you order it then, because some airlines will not let you change it later once your reservation is in the system.

Are you a traveling vegetarian? Have you found other food options at popular airport restaurants and delis? Had a good or bad experience with the meals on airlines? Let us know, so you can help your fellow trip-takers have smoother and more delicious travels! 

Hop On the Bus, Hop Off the Bus in Vegas

It wasn't that long ago that I was all excited about the concept of the Hop-On Hop-Off buses that I'd never been on before. Once I started, as predicted, I've never wanted to see a city any other way. Okay, that's not true, but I enjoy the tour buses so much, I've not gone anywhere since without climbing onboard one. Vegas has two routes for their buses (downtown and The Strip), so you can learn about different parts of town and have totally different photo ops and cool places to check out. The bus tour was included on my Explorer Pass from Smart Destinations and makes up a large portion of the cost, giving you a great discount on your activities while in town.

We spend a ton of time on the Strip each time we're in Las Vegas, so we chose to take the downtown route, since we've hardly made it down there on our many trips. You need to catch the bus out front of Circus Circus (the tour office is across the street). Choose a seat on the top deck of the double-decker for the best views and unimpeded views for your picture taking. The top deck has an attached shade to keep you from frying in the sun, but I suggest slathering on the sunscreen, popping on your sunglasses and picking a seat in the fourth row from the front, so you don't have the windshield in your way or the top, if you want to take photos. You'll thank me, especially if your bus is crowded. 

The downtown route takes you past the Mob Museum {you can read about it here} and the awesome new container park. If you don't know what a container park is, it's an area made up of those metal shipping containers, turned restaurants and shops. There's an amazing metal praying mantis out front that lights up the night by spitting flames to music when the sun goes down. It's free to enter and you'll find all different kinds of shops and dining venues. The kids can burn off their energy while you shop at the playground in the middle of the park. After 9, the park is 21 and over only and alcohol starts flowing. Wednesday and Sunday nights movie nights, where you can kick back with a beer and watch a popular classic. When we were there Caddyshack was playing.

Get back on the bus and check out Gold and Silver Pawn Shop from TV's Pawn Stars. You can get off here and stand in the quick-moving line to get inside. Along the way you'll see some of the city's graffiti art (which is commissioned by the city), famous chapels where celebrities got married, buildings that mark Las Vegas history and even Fremont Street. Jump off at the Golden Nugget, now a remodeled and chic hotel in the heart of downtown, and walk through to downtown's biggest draw. During the day, you'll be able to walk freely around the three-block stretch under the lighted canopy. Sit outside with an iced coffee or try your luck at any of the original Vegas casinos like Binion's Horseshoe or 4 Queens. At night, the only time it's dark here is when Freemont Street Experience is getting ready to run the show in the sky. The crowds are thick and there are tons of things to look at, including 3 stages with live music.

Further down the route, you can get off at the Las Vegas Outlet shops. If you're hoping to get a great deal on designer duds, this is where you want to go. You'll save an average of 30% off retail prices, plus the mall is inside, so you can cool off in the air conditioning while you shop 'til you drop. Other stops on your loop are the Stratosphere, the Las Vegas Convention Center and Circus Circus. 

The Strip loop takes you to the Las Vegas sign, the Linq's High Roller, the Eiffel Tower, the Miracle Mile Shops and more. You'll learn all sorts of Vegas trivia and you'll never look at the city the same again. 

What's your favorite part of Las Vegas?

Why I Love Vacation Rentals

I love a good vacation rental. They offer so much more than a hotel ever could, all with one rate. Last month we were in Vegas and stayed in a timeshare property we've stayed in before. It's on Las Vegas Blvd but far enough away from the action to be quiet and relaxing. It's also a great place to cool off from the heat of the summer sun, because Vegas can get hot. The rooms are comfy, cool and a great respite from the chaos of The Strip.

The property was right across the street from some restaurants, it had a small market on-site and they had a shuttle bus that ran to the grocery store for guests to stock up their kitchens. As you can see, we had a large bedroom, washer and dryer, a nice dining area and a good size kitchen. not only that, but we had a huge balcony overlooking the pool, with more than enough seating and a grill. If we wanted to grill more than our little BBQ could handle, there were shared grills downstairs in the common area. In fact, other guests were down there making some racks of ribs.

We had a perfect view of the lazy river on the property, which we made good use of. Nearby was also a play area for kids and a play area for adults - a game room with pool, ping pong, an arcade, a lounge and movie rentals. The resort had a spa where you could get a massage and also a gym (which I didn't get to, again). 

We had a two bedroom that was large enough to share with friends without us getting in each other's way or business since we had different morning routines. The rooms have a nice roomy kitchen and large dining table, so we could enjoy morning meals, leftovers and snacks. Our first stop is always the grocery store once we get into town, so we can stock up for our trip and save money on dining out.

I love all the amenities on the property. The market itself contained almost anything you could want. In fact, it was the only place I was able to find running shorts last time I was there, which I had somehow left at home. I don't run, but I do use them to both sleep in and sometimes as a swimsuit bottom. Now I have an extra pair to keep in my carry-on. The market sold bathing suits, board shorts, cover-ups, Las Vegas souvenirs, every grocery staple you could need, sunscreen, essential toiletries and a coffee shop that sold Starbucks coffee drinks. 

A vacation rental is one of the best choices for families or groups, because they offer so much and give you a ton of room to spread out in. It's like having a house at your destination. You have everything you need at your disposal and can save a ton of money by using your kitchen, entertainment and washer/dryer. When you can do your own laundry, you don't have to take much clothing, meaning it's so much easier to pack light and avoid baggage fees. We packed everything for our weekend in one large carry-on, but we could have packed just a few more things and been good for a whole week or two. More on what we did in Vegas later.

Where to find vacation rentals: Airbnb | FlipKey | VRBO | RedWeek | HomeAway

What are your favorite parts of a vacation rental?