When people find out we are vegan, and find out we spend most of our time in Central America they always seem to blurt "But how?!"
Believe it or not, being vegan on the road is actually quite easy.
Below is a general list of our weekly shopping and meals we eat. Sometimes we have to skimp on luxuries (like avocados) to save a little money, and other times we get to splurge and buy passion fruits (that can cost $1 each) but hopefully this can give you a guide as to what you can live on financially as well as how to eat vegan on the road if you so desire.
For the protein, we travel with a 2 quart crockpot which allows us to have black beans, garbanzo/ chickpeas, or lentils cooking while we surf in the morning and ready to eat by lunch. You can buy beans in a can, but it is much cheaper and more nutritious to cook them yourself. A 2 qt crockpot is about $10 in the states and maybe $20 down here and you'll easily get your monies worth in the first week of using it! They don't take that much energy either, so even if you pay electric out of your rent down here it won't be a big deal.
If you plan to eat out - all restaurants will make you a GalloPinto (rice and beans) with veggies, tortillas, and avocado or pasta with veggies. You can get yummy veggie pizza too (we just ask them to leave off the cheese) Many places sell smoothies, so fresh cold fruit is a breeze too.
We often travel with multivitamins, energy bars, and protein powder to ensure optimum nutrition. (not included below, but about $5 extra per week)
On being vegan athletes - people often ask how we are getting enough protein and nutrients without meat. I have been vegetarian since I was five, and we have both been vegan for the past seven years. I've always lead an active life involving sports and haven't ever suffered fatigue as a result of being vegan. In fact, I'd say that since I cut out dairy I've had much more energy. If you decide to try eating vegan I strongly recommend doing a little research and making a few healthy meal plans to get started so can be sure you're eating right. If you need help with this please shoot me an email I would love to help you create a meal plan that works for your lifestyle alive (at) insearchofsol.com.
Our typical day includes at least 60-80 minutes of hiking the beach with a 20lb backpack, 3 - 6 hours of intense surfing, and sometimes a 30 minute yoga / pilates session. The food we eat is delicious and satisfying and you might be surprised on how good you feel eating it!
If you click the 'food' tag on the right you can find more vegan recipes and ideas too!
Why are we vegan? Click here to find out.
