A question I get a lot is how I pack vegan food for road trips, specifically how I packed food for our trip to China. The first step is choosing a good bag. For China, we packed an entire suitcase full of food, then at the last minute, we decided to divide the food up between our bags in case that suitcase was searched, and we weren't allowed in the country with it. Luckily, no one searched our bags upon entering China, so we were good. I also don't think what we packed would be confiscated, because we didn't bring in anything they asked us not to bring, I'm just a constant worrier and rule follower {for the most part}.

For road trips, we have experimented with different sized coolers and such, but have found the best insulated bag from Whole Foods for $9.99. You can wear it like a messenger bag, it carries a lot of food, and it fits in our trunk and backseat nicely.

When we were packing for China, we were really packing for calories and protein. Neither of us had any clue as to what our meal availability would look like, especially after researching online {which usually paints the worst case scenario}. Looking back, breakfasts and snacks were the most important meals to pack for. Our tour director, through the company we went with, did an amazing job of coordinating vegan lunches and dinners for us. Even though I felt like we had Chinese food smells seeping out of our pores by the time we went home, we were at least well fed. I had this card as well, which helped with the language barrier a couple of times when we were on our own.

I was also concerned by the lack of fresh fruit and vegetables, and I admit that I was much like Charlotte in Mexico from the Sex and the City movie when it came to eating fresh fruits and vegetables while in China - I stayed away! I did eat vegetables that were cooked with lunch and dinner, but I was seriously craving fresh fruits and vegetables after nine days. I took my multivitamin and went with it. Most of the food grossed me out, so it was cool.

For breakfasts, we packed, a high protein cereal, GREENSuperFood chocolate drink powder, some unfrosted vegan pop-tart-like packaged pastries from Whole Foods, peanut butter, and a loaf of bread. Soy milk was readily available at our hotels in China, but it was always served hot. So we made "hot chocolate" with our chocolate drink powder, which made me feel like I was getting some greens, even if they were powdered.

For snacks, we packed peanut butter filled pretzels from Trader Joe's {they were so nice to have}, Omega Trek Mix individual bags from Trader Joe's, a vast sampling of different types of bars, and dark chocolate bars that we portioned to last the entire trip.

For lunches and dinner, we packed a bunch of Dr. McDougall's soup/entree cups. We really only ate these twice {even though I packed 18 of them!} when we were in airports. In China, they have hot water dispensers that are sort of like water fountains, because everyone drinks so much tea and needs hot water, so it was easy to fill these up when we were out and about.

For US road trips, packing vegan food is much easier {and healthier}. For our trip to Niagara Falls this week, we are packing mainly for breakfasts, snacks, and lunches. I've researched several vegan-friendly restaurants in Canada, so I think we'll be good for dinners. Seems Canadians are much friendlier towards vegans than the US. Even at several non-vegetarian restaurants, they'll have a separate vegetarian or vegan menu.

For breakfasts, we are packing a high-protein cereal and almond milk with some organic fruit. I like to take my own fruit, because hotel fruit grosses me out. I never know if it's organic or where it came from. I'm funny about my produce, and I'm totally aware that this is a quirk of mine.

For snacks, we are packing the same pretzels and nut mix from Trader Joe's as above, along with cucumbers, bell peppers, and carrots that are cut and washed and hummus for dipping.

We really only need lunch when we are on the road for two days, because we are not taking the interstate, and I think we'll be fine once we are at our destination. So, we are packing some leftover pizza for one day and making sandwiches another.

Also, I always remove things from their original packaging when packing. For example, I put the pretzels in a separate resealable container. I find the food stays fresher for longer and I can pack it more efficiently.

I'd love to know some tips you have for packing vegan either internationally or domestically. It takes some thought, but I couldn't imagine it any other way.