Today's special guest blog comes from my friend Shannon over at one of my favorite vegan blogs, Diary of A Vegan. She's sharing some great tips on what to take to eat while traveling, which is going to come in real handy for my upcoming travels to Asia!

I love traveling. To experience other ways of life, different cultures and new scenery has always appealed. Yet on my travels as a vegan over the past three years, I’ve realized just how non-vegan the world really is.

After moving to New Zealand from LA a year ago, my blissful vegan bubble burst, as I realized not all cities have multiple veg-friendly restaurants to frequent, nor supermarkets that stock an array of animal-free goodies. I found myself in a country hardly au fait with organics, let alone veganism.

Yet it has been a great lesson in becoming resourceful… seeking out products from online retailers and speaking to café owners about stocking goods with ingredients that don’t require harming animals.

This resourcefulness has resulted a few favorite staples I never leave home without: nutritious food I can easily pack into my handbag for daily outings, camping or taken on longer road trips. Here are just a few…

Seaweed

This ancient superfood is not only a powerhouse of nutrition; it’s also easy to take anywhere. High in fibre, seaweeds such as nori, kelp and wakame, are also packed with amino acids, minerals, trace elements and boast A, B, C, D, E, and K vitamin complexes. Great for boosting energy on those long drives.

Chlorella

I buy chlorella tablets from The Tree of Life store. Chlorella has the highest content of chlorophyll than any other plant on earth, is an immune detoxifier and immune stimulator (great for removing heavy metals from the body). Plus, it tastes great.

Celtic Sea Salt or Himalayan salt

Where water goes, minerals go. By adding a pinch of one of these salts to water, cells are instantly getting hydrated, with the added benefits of minerals. I carry mine in a re-cycled glass spice shaker and carry it with me just about everywhere. 

Dried fruit and nuts

If I have time to plan ahead, I’ll soak some almonds, brazil nuts and sunflower seeds and add them to a homemade trail mix of organic raisins, pumpkin seeds, dried coconut, raw cacao nibs, chopped dates and basically whatever else takes my fancy at the time. Also great for energy.

Goji berries

Goji berries are a complete protein and foundational to Chinese medicine. These little orange wonders of nature are incredibly nutritious and are said to heighten intelligence. I also carry powdered goji with me and mix it with spring water.

Organic fruit and veggies

There’s nothing easier than eating as nature intended. From apples to kiwi fruit, I’ll pack anything that’s fresh and in season.

Pre-mixed muesli

I pre-mix muesli for home, so it’s simply a matter of pouring it into a jar (I re-use jars from seed butters etc) and buying non-GMO, organic soy milk

Raw Revolution raw bars

When I left LA, I was so sad to miss out on these healthy and convenient bars. A click to www.vitacost.com did the trick and, a few weeks later, they landed on my doorstep. A must for any road trip!

Raw cacao balls

If you do have time to prepare ahead and love nothing more than to nibble on something sweet, try your hand at whipping up some raw cacao balls before you leave. All you basically need are dates, walnuts, a touch of coconut oil and raw cacao powder. I also like to add dried coconut and real vanilla.

Thanks Shannon for the awesome post! Be sure to subscribe to Shannon's blog, Diary of A Vegan and follow her on Twitter for more awesomeness!