So before we met, I was a vegetarian well into my transition to a full vegan lifestyle. In a past life, I ran a small deli/catering business. Troy, on the other hand, was once the primary cook for his family and an avid gardener. He was also a confirmed omnivore… but with an appreciation for healthy vegetarian alternatives and was willing to try anything new.

So when we became a permanent couple, we compromised a bit. We eat vegetarian almost always now, but do vegan whenever possible. It can definitely be harder on the road, like sometimes I can’t find find my preferred coconut creamer at the tiny rural grocer and settle for half-n-half. Free-range eggs and sometimes cheese will find their way into our tiny fridge. Or when I’m supporting Troy on one of his long, intensive hikes, he may need extra protein so fish is sometimes the best option for him. It’s an evolution and a balancing act, but health, flavor and ethical concerns are always being discussed as we try to make more sustainable food choices.

And sometimes it’s just plain fun to experiment with jack fruit or banana peels, and just the right mix of spices and smoke, to make a faux-pulled-pork sandwich that would please the most ardent meat-eater.

Of course, if we’re visiting friends who are hosting us on our travels, we don’t make demands. Beggars can’t always be choosers, and we love our friends and what they do do to help us on our journey.

Regarding the special constraints we encounter on the road and in our tiny home, we’ve had to adapt all of our recipes to work with a more limited pantry, less water and cooking fuel, and very tiny fridge. This can sometimes be frustrating… or alternately illuminating, like finding a food-hack that saves time and resources… but ends up tasting just as good.

Again, this is all evolving. We’ve only been at this vanlife, road adventure, hike-across-the-country thing for two years now (and Covid kinda got in the way this past year). So obviously, we’re still learning. Feel free to follow along with us and see how it goes from here.

~ Karen