143: Navigating Road Trips on a Plant-Based Diet

In this episode, I’m talking about how I keep my plant-based lifestyle going strong on a long road trip. The open road is exciting and full of adventure, but it’s not always easy to find healthy, satisfying options when you’re miles away from your kitchen. I’ll share some of my own road trip experiences along with plenty of ideas to help you stay plant-fueled on your next journey.

We’ll cover the simple gear that makes all the difference, including the trusty cooler I swear by, plus my favorite road-ready foods that won’t leave you hangry at mile 287. I’ll also share creative ways to pull together plant-based meals no matter if you’re driving in the big city or are in the middle of nowhere.

I’ll also touch on why packing a little flexibility and grace for yourself is super important.

Buckle up—let’s hit the road! 

• Get all my tips (plus the full list I mentioned) for a smooth plant-based road trip in this blog post.
• Check out my free masterclass about successful and sustainable weight loss on a plant-based diet.
• Start a free trial to Meal Plan Club
• Drop It Club: Plant-Powered Weight Loss

Transcript (auto-generated, may have errors) 

Hey there, this is Molly from the Clean Food Dirty Girl podcast and thank you for listening to this episode. Today I’m talking all about road trips and how to eat a plant-based diet while on the road.

I’ve covered traveling and eating a whole food plant-based diet before, but never specifically road tripping. Partly because I don’t go on a lot of them—I live on an island and most of my traveling is outside the country. But this summer I took a mainland trip, most of which was a road trip.

In our Drop It Club, our plant-powered weight loss community, lots of people were also heading out on road trips and wondered how to make it work. The good news is: road tripping is actually easier than plane, bus, or train travel, simply because you have the luxury of packing a cooler. That cooler changes everything.

So today I’m sharing tips on accommodations, useful equipment to bring, and food ideas. I wrote a blog post with photos, a detailed equipment list, and a big grocery list you can copy, and we’ll link that in the show notes.

We started in Portland, rented a car, and road-tripped throughout Oregon. Later, we drove from Las Vegas through Southern Utah, Northern Arizona, and back. Altogether it was about 21 days of living out of the car—think parking lot lunches and motel dinners.

In the U.S., especially outside big cities, plant-based options are limited. Sure, Portland has vegan food galore. But once you’re on highways or in rural areas, you’re mostly left with french fries and a sad salad. So, I give myself some wiggle room when I travel. I stick to vegan food, but I allow some oil and packaged foods here and there.

That’s important for me—travel is about new experiences, not recreating home routines. The key is to focus on what you do most of the time, not every single day. Three or four weeks of flexible eating won’t undo a year’s worth of healthy habits.

I encourage people to find balance: support yourself with healthful food, but also enjoy the trip. That applies not just to vacations, but also to any situation where you’re out of your normal rhythm—work trips, family emergencies, conferences. The goal is always: make the best realistic choice for you.

On my trip, I tried a few fun vegan restaurants—for example, Toasty in Bend, Oregon, where I had an epic Crunch Wrap. But most of the time I kept things simple, eating from the car or motel.

When picking accommodations, three things are game-changers:

• A small fridge
• A microwave
• A way to heat water (like an electric kettle)

Call ahead to check—they aren’t always standard. If you end up with none of the above, a solid cooler is essential. On my trip, I used both a Yeti and a Canyon cooler—both excellent. On the second leg, I also had an insulated cooler blanket, which helped ice last much longer. Huge money saver when you’re not eating out all the time.

Other handy tools: small cutting board, sharp knife, Dr. Bronner’s soap, sponge, dish towels, reusable utensil set, can opener, bowls, containers, Ziploc bags, paper towels. Even something like a strainer can come in handy.

Now let’s talk groceries. I bought items in waves throughout the trip—produce like avocados, cherry tomatoes, spinach, arugula, lettuce, cucumbers, peppers, onions, bananas, plums, grapes, melons, citrus, kiwis, cherries. Hearty, road-trip-friendly fruits and veggies.

Pantry items included rolled oats, walnuts, spice mixes, plant milk (shelf-stable), corn tortillas, hummus, canned beans, rice cakes, nut butters, sauerkraut, dolmas, crackers, baked tofu, and microwave rice and beans. Nothing fancy, but enough variety to avoid boredom.

Meals looked like this:

• Breakfasts: Overnight oats (made in a metal bowl or even a to-go mug), topped with fruit and nuts. Sometimes granola with plant milk.
• Lunches/Dinners: Tortillas with beans, veggies, lime juice. Rice-and-bean bowls with veggies. Cold bean tacos when no heat was available. Hummus and veggie sandwiches. Rice cakes with sweet or savory toppings. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for hikes.
• Snacks: Fresh fruit, carrot sticks, melon chunks in Ziploc bags, dark chocolate, local sauerkraut, baked tofu.

Farmers’ markets were fantastic for finding fresh, local foods like tortillas, berries, and cherries. Fruit was the best travel snack—bananas, plums, melons, berries.

Some extra things I tried: dolmas (great variety, blotted to reduce oil), local sauerkraut, Oregon-made chocolate, travel tamales, and packaged microwave beans. Even cold beans right from the can worked fine—lime juice and salsa make everything better!

Throughout, I prepped food in the mornings—slicing veggies, portioning tofu—so meals during the day were quick and easy. That little habit made a big difference.

Overall, the trip proved you can absolutely stick to plant-based eating on the road with a little planning. I felt great the whole month, saved a ton of money, and spared myself the stress of hunting down restaurants. That balance of familiar meals, fun vegan treats, and a sense of freedom made it the best of both worlds.

I owe a lot of this mindset to my mom—growing up, she always packed the cooler and home-prepped meals for road trips. It’s second nature to me now, and in adulthood, I see just how smart and practical it is.

I hope this gives you ideas for your next road trip, whether a day trip or a weeks-long journey. Check out the blog post for photos and detailed lists. And may your next road trip be fueled with plants.