So you’ve survived your trip and you’ve now arrived at your holiday destination or business hotel. How can you stay raw while eating in your hotel or dining out? You can find the previous tips to stay successfully raw while traveling here.
Tip 1: Google your location
Before I leave on a trip, I always spend a few minutes searching on Google where I can find vegetarian and vegan restaurants, juice and smoothie bars, raw food restaurants, health food stores and farmers’ markets near my destination. This little trick will certainly save you a lot of time and energy when looking for a place to grab a bite and make it so much easier to stay raw while traveling! You can also join a forum like Give it to me Raw and ask fellow raw foodies what their recommendations are for lunch or dinner at your travel destination.
Tip 2: Explore the local markets for fresh produce
When traveling abroad, look for local farmers’ markets to try new exotic fruits and vegetables. If you don’t know where to look, ask locals where the best markets are. Most times, they will be more than honored to introduce you to their local produce. Don’t forget to study certain phrases such as “I am a vegan”, “I am looking for some fruit” and “Where is the closest farmers’ market?” Once you know the basics of a foreign language, your search for high quality raw produce will become much easier.
Tip 3: Check in advance if your destination comes with a refrigerator
A lot of hotels have a little minibar or refrigerator included in their rooms and suites, but it is always best to check in advance to avoid unpleasant surprises. While Simon and I were traveling through California, we always bought fresh produce for several days in the local Whole Foods Market and stored as much as possible in the hotel room refrigerator. After one of those food-shopping trips, we arrived at a new hotel and suddenly noticed that our room didn’t come with a refrigerator as we had expected. The only way we could keep our food from going bad was to eat it as soon as possible and to keep certain products in a washbasin full of ice. The chambermaids must have thought we were crazy…
Tip 4: Improvise while dining out and remember to have fun!
There are several ways to stay raw when dining out on a holiday or business trip. If you like Mexican food, ask for a salad with guacamole and salsa. Bring some of your own flax crackers and you have yourself a satisfying and delicious meal! If you prefer the Japanese cuisine, order vegetarian sushi rolls and ask them to leave out the rice and put in extra vegetables and avocado. Vegetable sushi rolls with soy sauce and wasabi can be a real treat! When going out to a French or Italian restaurant, it is always possible to order a tasty salad and a wide range of vegetable side dishes. If you’re not sure you will be able to find a decent salad, you can take some flax crackers, avocado, lemon juice or fruits with you in your purse, order a large bowl of lettuce, tomato, peppers and cucumber and simply add the toppings you brought with you. Dining out should be fun, not stressful! If you plan ahead, you will be able to stay raw in almost any situation.
