Oats, apples, and eggs
Healthy eating while traveling is HARD! Especially as a vegetarian and especially when you have to eat most meals at restaurants. I have never been a huge fan of eating out because I like my plate to be full of vegetables with a little bit of fat, protein, and grains-the exact opposite of most restaurant meals. In South America we stayed at hostels with kitchens and I was able to make up great salads and stirfrys just to my liking.
Since arriving in Asia I haven’t so much as opened a fridge door (on the bright side, I haven’t washed many dishes either) and so I am having to figure out some restaurant strategies and how to “self-cater” in countries where “grocery stores” are nutritionally worse than American quicky marts.
In Nepal I learned to rely on bananas, apples, or muesli for a quick meal or snack. In restaurants I could always get oatmeal (made without sugar) and/or eggs (I just started eating them poached and am now a big fan, it tastes like a cross between hardboiled and fried).
Tibet/China-new county, new staples. Apples and bananas seem readily available, as do eggs in restaurants, but I can’t find muesli or even plain oats. I did find puffed wheat and when mixed with raw, unsalted peanuts (also cheap and everywhere) and banana it makes a very good snack/meal. Tofu is also commonplace in restaurants and although sometimes on the oily side it is very good.
I have found some yummy things along the way and had some delicious restaurant meals but I am really looking forward to grocery shopping and cooking! It won’t be long now, only another month or so and I will be at my sister’s house in Portland.