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Best UK Vegan Snacks for Long Journeys

Who doesn’t need a snack during a long journey? Travelling as a vegan can feel difficult, and you might worry that you won’t find anything to eat – whether you’re going by car, train, or plane.

Luckily, with just a tiny bit of planning, you can enjoy something much more exciting than a pack of plain crisps from the service station.

Keep reading for a handy list of some of our favourite sweet and savoury vegan snacks for long journeys.

Savoury

Carrot sticks and humous – great for kids and grown-ups and just fun to eat! Available in a range of supermarkets and high street stores, or easy to pack yourself.

To add variety, try other raw vegetables like celery, different coloured peppers, sugar snap peas, mini sweetcorn or button mushrooms.

In a similar vein, falafel and houmous is easy and tasty – here’s an easy option from Tesco.

Nuts and seeds are a great mess-free snack, but do remember fellow travellers who may have allergies.  These Thai sweet chilli nuts are scrumptious!

Most supermarkets have packs of mixed seeds and nuts in the fresh fruit and veg aisle.

Crisps are always a great standby option and many are accidentally vegan, including prawn cocktail Skips and Wasabi and Ginger Sensations.

Lots of the supermarket ‘budget’ lines include vegan crisps, like these salt and vinegar twirls from Waitrose, or Bacon Rashers from Tesco.

Pringles are another fun option, especially if you’re sharing.

Twiglets are also delicious – if you like Marmite!

Good vegan sandwiches are getting easier to find in most supermarkets, so try to shop in advance, or find a service station with a mini-supermarket.  We have a wide range of suggestions in our ‘On the Go’ category.

Sweet

We know it’s a bit obvious, but fruit is tasty and portable! If you are feeling very prepared you can chop it in advance. If you feeling lazy, buy it ready chopped from the supermarket – usually near the sandwiches.

Breakfast bars are another good option and very widely available – try Alpen Jaffa Cake Bars for a treat!

Biscuits may be a bit less healthy, but they’re so easy and comforting! Check out our favourites below.

Easy to find, accidentally vegan sweets include Starburst, Jelly Tots, Drumstick Choos, and Skittles. Yum.

 

Don’t go without snacks next time you’re on a long journey – there are tons of great options once you know where to look.

What’s your favourite vegan snack for long trips? Tell us in the comments.

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How to Make a Vegan Full English Breakfast (Mix and Match)

Did you think going vegan meant no more delicious full English breakfasts? You’re wrong! Many aspects of a traditional fry-up are ‘accidentally vegan’, and it’s pretty easy to substitute anything that isn’t.

Want some inspiration for your next breakfast? Keep reading for a list of delicious components to mix and match, as well as cooking and shopping tips.

Don’t blame us if this post makes you hungry.

Vegan Sausages

Linda McCartney sausages are a popular choice available in most supermarkets. If you fancy something different, look out for tofu sausages at health food stores – we love these tofu herb sausages from Taifun.

Classic veggie sausages are another easy option, and they often go down well with kids.

If you fancy making your own vegan sausages, the Granose mix below is a popular choice.

Vegan Bacon

While vegan bacon hasn’t hit the mainstream yet, there are still some great options available in the UK.

Our favourite is the ‘Streaky Rashers’ pack from Sgaia Foods. Super tasty and realistic.

You can also get VBites bacon rashers via Ocado, online supermarkets and some independent stores.

Tofurkey make their own Smoky Maple Bacon from tempeh and this is also sold on Ocado – although we’re not keen on the texture.

Falafel

Don’t fancy sausages but still want something substantial? Falafel is a great choice, and it’s full of protein and fibre.

Warm shop-bought falafel in the oven before adding to your breakfast, use a packet mix, or make your own from scratch.

Tofu Scramble

Tofu scramble is really easy to make, even if you’ve never used tofu before.

Grab a block of extra firm tofu and crumble into a bowl.

Heat oil in a frying pan, add tofu, throw in plenty of herbs and spices, and cook for 5 – 10 minutes.

We like to add salt, pepper, garlic, mustard powder, chilli powder, onion powder, and mixed herbs.

Adding turmeric will give your scramble a nice yellow colour, and it’s easy to throw in extra vegetables if you like – we used mushroom and spinach in the picture below.

Spinach/Greens

Make your breakfast feel extra healthy with some greens!

Here are some suggestions:

  • Raw baby spinach
  • Sautéed spinach with lemon and garlic
  • Watercress
  • Rocket
  • Sautéed kale

Grilled/Roasted Tomato

Halve tomatoes and pop under the grill until soft for a quick and easy option.

For something a little fancier, trying roasting on-the-vine tomatoes in the oven.

Avocado

Sliced avocado is a tasty addition to any breakfast, and it’s also a great source of healthy fats.

If you’re not keen on plain avocado, try mashing together with salt, pepper, chilli, lime and coriander, then spreading on toast.

Mushrooms

Mushrooms are an essential part of any full breakfast.

Slice regular mushrooms and fry in oil, roast large flat mushrooms, or sautée whole button mushrooms.

If you’re keen to up your vitamin intake, look out for mushrooms which are specially-grown to be high in vitamin D.

Hash Browns

The vast majority of frozen hash browns sold in supermarkets are vegan-friendly – yay!

Chips

Chips are another easy, versatile option. Almost all frozen chips are vegan-friendly, and it’s easy to make your own using oil and potatoes.

Baked beans

Baked beans are another classic staple – we like Branston Beans for their rich tomato sauce.

Alternatively, get fancy and make your own beans in tomato sauce from scratch.

Going vegan doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a full English breakfast.

Let us know how you make your vegan breakfasts in the comments below!

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How to Run a Successful Vegan Tasting Event at Work (+ Free Sample Menu)

Want to promote veganism from your office?

You can!

Organising a vegan tasting event is a fun way to teach your coworkers more about veganism, raise awareness, and reduce misconceptions like ‘vegan food tastes weird,” or, “vegans only eat vegetables.”

Setting up a vegan tasting event is really easy, even if you’ve never done anything similar before. We’ve listed exactly what you’ll need to do in simple steps, with plenty of examples along the way.

Ready to put on your first ever event and show everyone how easy it is to be vegan?

Let’s do this.

Choose the Right Time and Location

Choosing the right time and place will make or break how well-attended your event is. If your workplace runs specific ‘wellness’ weeks, this is a great time to schedule your taster session – you’ll be able to advertise it as part of the whole event.

When choosing a location, look for somewhere that:

  • Is easy to get to
  • Has room for plenty of people
  • Isn’t hidden away
  • Has any equipment you need (running water, microwave, fridge, tables, etc)

A kitchen in a busy office, a meeting room that lots of people walk past, or a table in your office can all be good options – just make sure people will know you’re there.

Tell People About Your Vegan Tasting Event

Most people will be up for free food, so low turnout is often down to people not knowing about your tasting session.

Here’s how to make sure everyone knows what’s going on:

  • Send out an email a few days before, plus a reminder on the day
  • Put flyers/posters around the office
  • Ask for your tasting session to be included in the staff newsletter
  • Talk to people about your event
  • Add your tasting session to group event calendars

If you can, try and get a rough idea of how many people are going to come – this will help you to buy the right amount of food.

Pick the Right Products

You’re trying to promote veganism, so make sure you pick the tastiest products available. Try to choose products you’re fairly sure will go down well, based on what you know about your coworkers.

In a workplace where most people don’t know much about veganism, try to pick foods that taste very similar to the non-vegan versions. If your coworkers are more interested/knowledgable about veganism, you can afford to be more adventurous.

Sweet treats and cakes are usually a safe option, while vegan cheese, milk and meat alternatives can be a little more hit and miss.

Having a good range is key to any successful vegan tasting event.

Check out our sample tasting menu below to get some ideas on what to offer, and how to serve it.

Sample Vegan Tasting Event Menu

Get inspired with our sample vegan tasting event menu – and don’t be afraid to add your own favourite foods.

Cafe Soy Iced Latte in plastic shot glasses.

cafe soy iced latte

Vegan cereal with different types plant milk in paper cups

chocolate shreddies

Tesco Mini Vegetarian Sausage Rolls

tesco mini vegetarian sausage rolls

Cubes of vegan cheese on cocktail sticks

tesco free from wensleydale with cranberries

Sainsbury’s Free From Garlic and Herb Spread on broken crackers

sainsbury's free from garlic and herb spread

Chilli with vegan mince in paper cups

granose soya mince

Mini vegan chocolate cake squares (using Betty Crocker Mix and egg replacer)

betty crocker devil's food cake mix

 

 

 

 

Vegan chewy sweets in bowls

refreshers choos

Be sure to hold onto the packaging for everything you offer so that attendees can check the ingredients and avoid allergens.

Give Out Information

So, someone’s tried your tasters, is interested, and wants to learn more.

What do you do?

You give them loads of helpful information, of course.

Lots of vegan organisations provide free leaflets and information packs.

Here are links to a few of the most popular:

  • The Vegan Society (get leaflets sent to you, or print your own)
  • PETA
  • Viva!
  • GoVegan
  • Animal Aid

We’d recommend picking positive leaflets with helpful information and recipes, and avoiding anything that’s too graphic or upsetting – this might put people off attending your session.

Organise Activities

Want to provoke discussion with fun activities?

Try making up an ‘Is It Vegan?” quiz to encourage interaction.

Here are a few ideas to get you started:

  • Marmite (vegan)
  • Honey (non-vegan)
  • Oreos (vegan)
  • Naan bread (usually not vegan)
  • Bourbon biscuits (vegan)

Browse our big UK vegan product database for more ideas.

Try keeping a scoreboard or offering prizes to encourage as many people as possible to get involved.

Have you ever organised a vegan tasting event at work?

Let us know how it went and share your tips in the comments.

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Don’t forget to join our mailing list below for a monthly round up of all the new vegan products available in the UK.

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Vegan Pizza Express Menu 2016

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Pizza Express is a great choice if you’re looking for vegan options. As well as serving a totally vegan pizza, they allow you to create your own with a range of toppings – all of their bases are dairy free.

Several other dishes are vegan, or can be made vegan, with a few simple alterations. Check out the wide range of choices below.

Intros

Olives Marinate

Marinated green pitted olives with garlic cloves and pink peppercorns

Roasted Tomatoes

Slow-roasted tomatoes marinated in garlic and oregano

Starters

Dough Balls (ask for garlic oil in place of garlic butter)

A PizzaExpress classic served with garlic butter

Sides

Mixed Salad (ask for this without dressing)

Seasonal mixed leaves, tomatoes and cucumber with our house dressing

Mains

Leggera Superfood Salad (ask for this without cheese or dressing)

Our Leggera salad is high in nutrients but low in calories. Baby spinach and seasonal mixed leaves, Tenderstem broccoli, beetroot, light mozzarella, avocado, pine kernels, red onions, cucumber, lentils and fresh basil, finished with our light house dressing.

Bosco (ask for this without cheese or dressing)

Warm garlic chestnut mushrooms, light mozzarella, avocado, roasted tomatoes, spinach, rocket, balsamic syrup, honey & mustard dressing and dough sticks

Pianta Pizza

Spinach, chestnut mushrooms, pine kernels, artichoke, tomato, chilli flakes and garlic oil finished with rocket and extra virgin olive oil and fresh parsley. No cheese

Giardiniera Pizza (ask for this without cheese or pesto)

Artichoke, mushrooms, red peppers, tomatoes, red onions, black olives, pesto, tomato, mozzarella and garlic oil

Personalized Pizza

Pizza Express say, “If you are unable to find one of your favourite recipes, please just ask; if we have the ingredients we will happily make it for you.”

Dessert

Leggera Sorbet (Raspberry)

Two scoops of dairy-free raspberry sorbet, served with a chocolate straw and fresh mint.

Piccolo (kids) Menu

Starter

Baked Dough Balls with Side Salad (ask for this with oil and balsamic syrup)

Baked dough balls with your choice of Garlic Butter or Olive Oil and Balsamic Syrup. Served with a fresh salad of red pepper, santos tomato and cucumber.

Pizza

Create your own – pick your own toppings and ask for no cheese.

Dessert

Piccolo Sundae (ask for without the cone)

Choose one scoop of dairy-free raspberry sorbet and finish with chocolate or fruit sauce. All topped with a baby cone.

Drink

Cawston Press Kid’s Blend

Apple & Pear or Apple & Mango (with no added sugar)

As well as offering a completely vegan pizza, Pizza Express give you the option of taking in your own vegan cheese, which they will add to a pizza of your choice.

Here’s what they say:

All of our pizzas are made by hand so and can be ordered without the toppings that otherwise make them unsuitable for vegans.

Our pizza bases are completely free of animal and dairy products. Our famous passata sauce is made from tomatoes, salt, pepper, fresh basil and oregano.

Introduced in spring 2014 is our first ever dairy free, vegan friendly pizza, the Pianta; fresh and earthy in flavour, combining spinach, chestnut mushrooms, pine kernels and artichokes, on a spicy Arrabbiata base.

Unfortunately we don’t have a vegan cheese but you can ask for any of our other pizzas to be made without cheese.

You are also welcome to bring in your own vegan cheese to top your pizza, provided that it is in a sealed pack, in date and the date is clearly visible on the pack. Our pizzaiolos can either return to you the rest of the pack or dispose of it. It cannot be brought in/kept at the restaurant for repeat use.

Pizza Express also offer several gluten free options, see here for info. To see the full allergen menu, click here.

Update 2017: Pizza Express now offer vegan cheese which can be added to any pizza, and a dedicated vegan pizza, the vegan Giardiniera.