Hey there! I'm in Pueblo, CO, visiting my grandpa, and since his bedtime is pretty early, I thought I'd make a post! Anyway, I wanted to give you all some tips on traveling (whether on a plane, or not) while trying to eat healthier, being vegan, and saving money. Some of these things you may not have known you could take on a plane, or would even benefit you while traveling. Trust me, they do!
So let's get this started!
1. Bring An Empty Water Bottle Through the Secuity Checkpoint
Did you know that when you're at an airport, you can't bring a bottle of water, but you can bring an empty one! Water can be expensive to buy anywhere, but especially the airport, so this is one thing you won't be forced to buy! After you get through security, and you're waiting for your flight, just fill it up at the nearest water fountain! People will see you and think, "Why didn't I think of that?"
2. Stay Hydrated!
While traveling, sometimes we forget to drink. You need to drink water, and lots of it! While traveling your schedule gets all out of wack, whether you're going 2 hours away, across the country, or across the world! When my schedule gets weird (i.e. waking up earlier, eating when I'm usually not, etc.) I feel groggy and have a dry mouth. Water always helps!
3. Bring Fresh Fruits and Veggies!
Now, you can't do this if you're traveling to another country, but if you're staying in your country, do it! Apples and carrots are what I like to bring because apples are nice and juicy (and provide fiber), and carrots are something good and crunchy to snack on!
4. Bring Dehydrated Snacks, If Possible
I bought a dehydrator from a thrift store for about $4, but that's the only reason I have one. Dehydrators range from $50-$100, maybe even more. I'm cheap, so I won't buy something, unless I can get a really good deal! Since I am able to dehydrate, I brought some apple and banana chips, and kale chips. Some stores sell dehydrated kale chips, zucchini, banana chips, apple slices, broccoli florets, you name it, someone's dehydrated it. So, if you don't have a dehydrator, you might be able to find some good snacks at the store. BUT, always make sure to look at the ingredients! Some snacks that are different flavors might have some things you can't pronounce, as well, so make sure it doesn't! Just because some packaging looks rustic, has a picture of a farm, or just looks natural in general, doesn't mean its good for you!
5. Be Sure to Refuel Throughout the Day!
While traveling, its easy to get to a point where you're absolutely starving, and it is set in your mind that you will eat everything on the menu at those airport restaurants! If you refuel throughout the day, you won't get the urge to buy something you think you want. I brought some protein bars with me that are organic, and I got them on clearance at Sprouts! Watch my food haul video to see how much I got, for such a low price! They have 200 calories each, and 21 grams of carbs! Perfect for us vegans who want tons of calories, so we can stay full! ;)
6. Heck! Why Not Bring a Meal?
A couple years ago I went to California with my mom and step dad. (They're who I got my thriftiness from). My mom found out that you can bring a cooler bag full of food as a carry-on, so guess what? That's what she did! We had stuff to make sandwhiches (bread, sliced tomatoes, sliced cucumber, avocado, etc.), carrots, apples, bananas, grapes, and some other stuff I can't remember. We ate our sammies at our lay over and were tied over until we could eat something that night! You can save money, and not be hungry while traveling!
7. Stay "Regular"
When I say "regular," I think you know what I mean, but just in case you don't, I mean keep pooping. Sometimes its hard to do this while traveling because, like I said before, you're schedule gets out of whack! What I do to overcome constipation while traveling, is by eating fruits! Especially apples! No matter what, apples always make me go! They have to be fresh, though. The dehydrated ones are too dry.
8. Take Sprouted Nuts and Seeds!
Don't even think about buying nuts and seeds already sprouted, unless you're leaving in less than 5 days! Sprouting nuts and seeds is so easy, even I can do it, and that's saying something! The big investment here, is buying truly raw nuts and seeds. I would recommend starting out by just buying Raw Almonds and/or Raw Sunflower Seeds. They are the best ones to start with, and the sunflower seeds aren't badly priced.
9. Don't Sweat!
Okay, not literally. But seriously, don't over think your food. That's the worst thing you could do because you will constantly be worried about what you're going to eat. When you first get to where you're goibg, go to the grocery store near by. They'll have fresh, healthy fruits and veggies! Some places have pre-cooked dishes, etc. I know Whole Foods does, although they can be a bit pricey. When we went to Cali, we stayed in an Extended Stay for the week and a half we were there because we wanted to cook our own food. And we did. It wasn't difficult. But, if you can't cook all of your meals, or you're going somewhere that doesn't have any grocery stores around, remember this: No matter where you go, there are always options. At restaurants you can get salads, a la carte, and some places do vegetable plates where you can oick 3 or 4 sides for a set price. Also, try to find some Indian restaurants! Traditional Hindu Indians are vegetarian, so I'm sure they'd have plenty of options! Also, check out the website: HappyCow.com
10. Enjoy Yourself!!!
Go see all the sights you've been wanting to see since you were a kid! Make sure to do all the free ones first, then the paid. I say to do this because free means no money spent, yet, and you have a clearer mind. Once you start spending money, you might worry about going over your budget. Do the free stuff first, and you'll see how much money you have left!
I really hope you found these tips useful, and realize that you can travel easily and affordable as a vegan, raw vegan, or any other thing you like to call yourself!
Thank you so much for reading!
Allyson
The proposed "compromise" says that there is no requirement for the labeling of GMOs. That's a compromise? That sounds very one-sided, to me. And why would Whole Foods not want GMO labeling, anyway? Well, they have many products in their stores that have GMOs constructed by Monsanto, and if people saw that they had GMOs in their stores, they'd lose a lot of business. Well, I think this might make them lose even more business. They have sold out, and are paying people off, in order to make more profits, while threatening the health of their customers, and the children of the parents shopping at Whole Foods, thinking they're a reliable company. 
