Heading off on a work trip or vacation? Don’t forget food for the plane! With these vegan snacks, sandwiches, salads, and sides, you’ll be the envy of everyone subsisting on tiny pretzel packs until the plane touches down.
There’s nothing quite like the joy of travel. It’s one of my all-time favorite things. I love sampling vegan food in other towns, states, and countries.
And while sunny beaches and fast-paced cities can be a thrill, first you have to contend with the airport.
Some large airports offer a wealth of vegan riches. At others, the plant-based options include such highlights as potato chips and a banana. Womp, womp.
When you’re traveling by air, you never know what hiccups may happen along the way. So I pack for flights as if I’m going on a long adventure, even if it’s supposed to be a quick jaunt.
I’d rather be over prepared with snacks I can eat at my destination than ravenous and stuck in a middle seat with a grumbling stomach.
If you’d also like to avoid hangry feelings on your next airplane ride, check out this round-up of vegan snacks, sandwiches, and salads for your next trip.
Don’t miss the FAQ at the bottom of this post, which covers some of the most common concerns about taking food on a plane.
In this post:
Vegan airplane snack ideas
Oftentimes, flight attendants hand out packets of pretzels or Biscoff cookies, both of which are vegan. Pad out those snacks with some of these easy treats stowed in your carry-on.
- Popcorn
- Dried fruit
- Bananas
- Apples
- Grapes
- Potato chips
- Sunflower or pumpkin seeds
- Tortilla chips
- Vegan jerky
- Vegan pickle roll ups
- Kale chips
- Crackers
- Roasted chickpeas
- Noodle cups & oatmeal cups (Most airplanes have hot water available)
- Hard non-dairy cheese slices (Soft cheeses could be confiscated, because they’re a paste. See the FAQ below for more details.)
Vegan sandwiches & wraps
When you’re making a sandwich for the trip, of course you could do something super simple like store-bought vegan deli slices on wheat with mustard and pickles. Field Roast, Herbivorous Butcher, and Tofurky make some tasty vegan deli slices.
Here are some more sandwich and wrap ideas.
Vegan tuna salad
Vegan chickpea tuna salad is made with chickpeas, vegan mayo, and pickles.
Serve it with a bag of potato chips, and it feels like an old school lunch from the 80’s.
Vegan egg salad sandwich
Go with vegan egg salad, featuring tofu and black salt. This sandwich takes 5 minutes to make.
So even if you put off packing until the last possible minute, you still have time to make this sandwich, and catch your flight.
Curried tofu salad
Speaking of tofu salad, if you like a spicier mix, make curried tofu salad.
It can be put on a sandwich, served with a salad, or eaten right out of the bowl.
Vegetable sandwich
This flavorful vegetable sandwich isn’t just for hikes and picnic baskets alone! It also works well for travel days with its spicy sweet jalapeño cashew cheese spread and loads of vegetables.
Double hummus wraps
It wouldn’t be a vegan travel line-up without hummus wraps. This double hummus wrap includes both traditional chickpea and black bean hummus.
It has rice for staying power, and turnip pickles for a delicious, salty crunch.
Bagel sandwich with hummus & vegetables
This inviting bagel sandwich takes only minutes to make.
It’s packed with a generous spread of hummus for protein, crunchy cucumber, red bell pepper, and onion.
Vegan chicken salad
Vegan chicken salad sandwiches are quick & easy to make. Plus, they’re super filling & delicious.
Serve with potato chips on the side.
Tortilla pinwheels
Tortilla pinwheels are made with buffalo hummus and veggies. Then they’re rolled up tight in a tortilla.
Feel free to replace the hummus with the spread of your choice, like vegan cream cheese.
Vegan salads
These hearty salads can be a meal on their own.
Remember: If you’re packing a salad in your carry-on, bring a fork with you. Flatware may not be available on the plane, unless your flight includes dinner service.
Israeli couscous salad
This Israeli couscous salad is packed with lots of flavor and some of my favorite ingredients – cucumbers, artichoke hearts, and olives. So much briny goodness!
It can work as a meal on its own or a side dish to a sandwich.
Bowtie pasta salad
Bowtie pasta salad is delicious hot or cold. It’s filled with vegetables, roasted chickpeas, and chewy farfalle pasta.
Sesame kale
If you want to make sure you eat your greens while traveling the friendly skies, this sesame kale is the way to do it.
Because it’s steamed first, the kale softens and shrinks. You get a whole lot of kale with every bite.
Pasta salad
Vegan pasta salad is made with toothsome noodles & crunchy veggies. Then it’s tossed in an eggless mayo dressing.
For an extra bump of protein, add diced vegan deli meat & strips of non-dairy cheese.
Protein-packed sides
These filling, protein-packed sides are super satiating. They make a hearty addition to your meal.
Marinated lentils
This marinated lentils recipe offers another good, substantive option that can be served with a salad or eaten on its own.
It’s fairly easy at airports to find a vegan-friendly side salad, but finding something protein-dense can be more elusive. By bringing along marinated lentils, you’ll stay full until you land.
Lemon rosemary tofu
Baked tofu with lemon & rosemary is delicious, even when served cold. It’s substantive and filling. Plus, it pairs well with any side dish.
FAQ
According to the Transportation Security Administration, every passenger is allowed one quart-sized bag of liquids, gels, creams, or pastes in their carry-on. The containers cannot exceed 3.4 ounces (100 milliliters). The 3-1-1 rule includes any foods that qualify as liquids.
With your packed meal, you don’t want to break the liquid rule by going over 3.4 ounces. However, while you can’t bring a jar of vegan mayo on a trip, you can put a slathering on your sandwich without a problem.
Remember that foods that resemble pastes follow the same liquid guideline. So big packages of guacamole, hummus, or vegan cream cheese are a no go, unless they’re slathered on a sandwich.
Also, leave the bottled water at home. Instead, bring an empty reusable water bottle in your carry-on. While you can’t bring a filled water bottle through security, once you’ve been screened, you can add to it from a water fountain on the other side.
Just like packing a lunch for work or school, you’ll want to use common sense for keeping foods cold & within safety standards.
Using an insulated lunch bag is an obvious first step. According to the TSA guidelines, an ice pack can go through the TSA checkpoint as long as it is frozen solid during screening.
If the pack has started to melt, is slushy, or has left behind liquid at the bottom of the container, it will have to meet the 3-1-1 liquid requirements, or else it won’t be permitted.
To keep things cold, freeze your ice packs well ahead of time. Don’t put them into your insulated container until you are heading out the door. Adding a frozen element, like frozen grapes, can also help to keep things cool.
If you forget to pack food for a trip, many airports do offer vegan options, including quick snacks like nuts, pretzels, and potato chips, as well as vegan fast food options.
You may luck out with bean tacos at Qdoba, a falafel rice bowl at Garbanzo, a hummus bagel at Einstein Bros. or a fruit smoothie at Jamba. Even some airport restaurants have dishes like vegetarian burritos (hold the cheese and sour cream) and stir-fried vegetables.
Tip: If you happen to be flying through the Denver International Airport, check out my Denver Airport vegan guide.
I sure do! Keep your mini fridge well stocked using tips from this post, “How to eat vegan while traveling.”
Return flights can be a little trickier for packing, since you don’t always have access to a kitchen at your destination. In those instances, I like to grab an extra meal at my final restaurant stop. Or visit a natural grocery store to get a vegan to-go item.
Content and photos updated November 9, 2024. Originally published February 19, 2018.
Donald
Um… You can’t get through security with food. You have the option to buy once through security only.
Cadry
Good news, Donald! You 100% CAN get through security with food – as long as it doesn’t break any of the liquid/paste rules, as I mentioned in this post. Here’s more information on the specifics around food on the TSA website. https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/food
Cap'n Dave
It depends on what that food is and how much. I checked with the TSA and they were perfectly fine with some things and said no-go on others.
Cap'n Dave
This November will be the first time I’ve flown commercially since 9-11. I’ll be heading up to Sea-Tac from San Francisco – not a long trip, but of course, you have to show up X amount of time before the flight, and the departure may be delayed, and then de-planing (and the drive to my folks in Olympia), so what should only be a 2½-hour adventure is likely to take closer to 5 or more.
I’ll definitely be heeding your advice here! I’m thinking a TLT (tempeh, lettuce, and tomato) with my “N’egg Salad” and a bag of chips, but my question to you is concerning unprepared food that can be brought along.
This will be a trip for Thanksgiving, and I’m the only vegan in my family. There’s a market nearby my parents’ home that has SOME items I’ll be needing, as well as a Trader Joe’s, but that’s about it. Do you think that bringing something like a frozen Tofurky Holiday Roast, for example (sealed in original packaging, of course), would get through TSA screening?
Cadry
Yes, it seems like there’s no such thing as a short trip anymore, especially around the holidays. You won’t have any problem at all bringing on a Tofurky roast. The only things to worry about are liquids, pastes, and gels. A holiday roast isn’t any of those things, so you’ll be fine. Safe travels, Cap’n Dave!
Shell
There are so many great ideas in this post! We like to use Pack-its to keep school lunches cold and I’ve always wondered if I could bring one on a plane. It sounds like as long as it is frozen I would be ok. When we travel as a family, we always manage to get pulled aside for one reason or another, so it wouldn’t be anything new if they stopped me for my Pack-it.
Cadry
Aw, that’s too bad that you always get pulled aside for one reason or another. It adds an extra layer of travel stress trying to do everything right & quickly as you head through the line. I can only imagine how much more stressful that must be with two kids! I recently got the TSA pre-check, so that I can go through the expedited line and don’t have to remove shoes or liquids from my bag. It’s so much faster & a lot less stressful!
Sarah De la Cruz
These are such great ideas Cadry! We tend to eat on the go often, even if we’re not traveling by plane, so these tips and recipes will come in handy!!! Especially with a kiddo with allergies, it is key for us to pack our own safe foods!
Cadry
Thanks, Sarah! I can only imagine how important it is to always be prepared with the combination of kids plus food allergies.
Katherine Emerson
Those are ALL great ideas BUT what about keeping the food safe? You can’t pack all this stuff in a bag and leave it for hours on end, until you have boarded and decide to eat. What are you using to keep the food at a safe temperature (below 40 °F)?? Food should be stored below 40 °F and consumed within two hours. Are you packing the food in ice packs or how are you transporting it and storing it until you eat it?? Thank you.
(I posted this question earlier and it seems to have disappeared but I think this is an important consderation and something many of us would be concerned about and love to learn about for these food items) 🙂
Sarah
I love all these tips and great sandwich ideas! I’ve got some long plane rides coming up in the next couple of months so I will keep these ideas close by when I’m preparing for the trips. Thanks!
Cadry
That’s great, Sarah! Safe travels!
Katherine D Emerson
All these ideas are awesome BUT what about keeping the food cold until you eat it? You haven’t mentioned food safety as regards keeping the foods at safe temperatures. Do you pack all your ingredients and foods in with ice packs or how to keep them cold? This is an important consideration. Thank you.
Cadry
Hi Katherine,
I’ve added a section on how to keep foods cold for a plane at the end of this post. I hope it’s helpful!
Katherine D Emerson
That’s awesome additional information!! Thanks so much 🙂
Mel | avirtualvegan.com
Good timing as I’m flying to the conference next week. I have to arrive at my local airport at 2.30am and nothing opens until 5am when my first flight leaves. I wont even be able to get a coffee. I will be bringing snacks though as no-one wants a hangry me on the plane. I have ordered a vegan meal but who knows what it will be!!!
Cadry
Yikes! That really is the crack of dawn. From your Instagram Stories, it looked like the airline did a fair job of keeping you well fed at least!
Barb
Great tips! I have 3 trips coming up in the next 2 months (NYC, Houston, and France/Switzerland) so I might be utilizing some of these ideas for sure 🙂
Cadry
Oh, my goodness! Lucky you! Those sound like some amazing adventures. I can’t wait to read all about them on your blog.
Jasmin / VeeatCookBake
So many great ideas. Thank you for this. I didn’t know we can bring homemade good food onto plane. That would be perfect. We will fly often from US to Germany. Thank you. Thank you
Cadry
I’m so glad this post was helpful! You’ll be much happier on a long haul flight like one from the US to Germany with some good, homemade food in your carry-on. Safe travels!
Mary Ellen | VNutrition
This is so awesome Cadry! I didn’t think about foods that resemble pastes follow the same liquid guidelines! Good to know!
I love all of your suggestions, I never thought to made sandwich ahead of time – totally doing that next time!
Cadry
Thanks, Mary Ellen! For a mode of transportation that basically involves being a passenger, flying always takes a lot out of me! It’s good to prepared with plenty of fuel for the day.
Susan
I’ve done a lot of long trips, often with no vegan options on the plane. I pack a tonne of assorted snack bars and jerkies, nuts, noodle and oat cups (most planes will have hot water you can use to fill them), as well as a sandwich or pastry and some fruit or veggies, but I have to make sure I eat them before the plane lands.
Cadry
What great ideas, Susan! I’m going to add those noodle & oat cups to the list. Very smart!
Don
Wow, these are fantastic ideas for my lunches in the truck I drive daily in KC for our food bank. Great thing is that I don’t have to worry about security or special rules! I make my own rules in my truck 🙂
Thank you.
Cadry
Oh, that’s terrific, Don! I hadn’t thought about that angle. I’m glad this round-up will be useful for you!
Amy Katz from Veggies Save The Day
I always try to be prepared since like you said, some airports have very few vegan options. LGB (Long Beach, CA) has a nice salad bar. I like the options you provided.
Cadry
That’s great that LGB has a nice salad bar. I always really appreciate it when there are some vegan options in airports, since you’re sometimes stuck there for longer than you’d planned. Plus, it’s not as if you can easily leave and go elsewhere for options.
Nicole Dawson
So many great ideas Cadry. I always carry vegan snacks (like jerky and bars) but never think about making food to bring with.
Cadry
Thanks, Nicole! It’s always good to be prepared. 😀
WendyHT
Great post!! Thank you. I wonder if the airlines would accept hummus spread on celery sticks? I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in early May 2017 and use only diet and exercise to manage my blood glucose levels. Fall was suddenly a challenge, because in addition to bread and corn being off limits, lentils and root veggies also caused my blood glucose to spike WAY up. Celery and cucumber have become my bread substitute. My “go to” lunch is homemade black bean hummus with c/c/c (raw carrot, 3″ cucumber, 1 stick celery), as my blood glucose levels are always within a good range when I’ve had that. So, when I spend a day travelling locally to teach my harp students and singing students, I just keep these items on hand, with a few almonds and apple slices for a snack on the return drive. But I’d like to be a bit more adventurous! Ditto for when I travel across Canada to teach Educational and Specialized Kinesiology classes! So, I’ll be checking out some of your recipes from this post – even if I have to put the on celery and cucumber ;-)). Yours in Gratitude
Cadry
That’s a great question, Wendy! It seems like it would be fine, but I imagine it would depend on the TSA agent if they’d allow hummus on celery to pass through. I had friends who took a vegan cheesecake slice through security in Chicago, and I was worried it wouldn’t pass since cheesecake is basically a paste. However, they got it through without a problem. And I flew out of LAX once with pasta lightly covered in spaghetti sauce in a thermos, and they did let me through with it. Although, spaghetti sauce is recommended against, and they did give it a thorough look over. But then I had a different friend who was forced to throw away Miyoko’s vegan cheese. So I guess if you brought along some other things as well, you could take your chances on the celery with hummus. It’s too bad that we have to worry about these things! I’m glad you’re finding ways of managing your type 2 diabetes. I hope you continue to find options that work for you!
Melissa
I have read that if it’s on say a sandwhich, as a spread, that it’s not an issue, but if you have it separate, it has to be 3.4 oz or less (or you can be smart and have several 3.4 oz bottles of it, but that does cut in to your liquids allowance.
James Permana
Thank you for this! I can’t tell you how many times my meal is messed up on long flights – particularly when the operating airline isn’t the airline with my profile/food requests. The last time I packed 4 bags of nut/fruit mix just in case. Thankfully, I only ended up using one. I am only consoled by the fact that nearly no one likes their airline food regardless of dietary needs.
Cadry
I’m so glad it’s useful, James! That’s a good point that no one is excited about airplane meals – regardless of diet. As often as you travel, I hope this round-up will come in handy for many trips to come!
Becky Striepe
Ooh this is handy! I have a certain very exciting trip coming up in less than two WEEKS! Usually I just pack a bag of cashews and some kind of dried fruit, but this time I’m going to try to get it together to pack a to-go salad or sandwich situation, too!
Cadry
Yes, I am SO EXCITED!! That’s definitely what got the ball rolling on this post. I’m glad you’ll be well fed by the time we see each other! 😀