Vegan @ an all-inclusive resort

Before my changed food habits and when the kids were still babies or just a few years, I used to love these all-inclusive resorts. Swimming pool, beach, kids playground and especially very diverse food choice. The 'I don't like what we eat today' was definitely not part of these holidays.

As the kids got older, as I changed my food habits and I started to take pleasure in making food for the family, the holidays were more in campings or little houses.

Our rhythm, local markets, excellent local whole foods, great contacts with locals, great nature around... I loved it.

There has been just one time that I got a chance to get on holiday to Turkey, seeing the sun during winter season in Belgium. It was in an all-inclusive resort, I wasn't that long vegan yet, now I managed to eat very well. During one week the food has been just a bit monotone. Now what I realised was, that besides the sun and the beach, there was not much that attracted or connected with me at these places and so for me it would be the last time.

When then in 2018, just before the summer holidays, I would have a few days off just with my soul mate, we decided we wanted sun and beach. To get some insurance on the sun, we decided to fly just an hour or two, since Belgium is not guaranteed a place with sun and the warmth that goes with it.

Since it was just a few days, and not the complete week, our choices of destinations in holiday season were limited. Only Bulgaria would accept a few days, it is all-inclusive and so off we went. (by the time we had to leave, the weather in Belgium turned out to be great as well, now of course we couldn't know in advance...)

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So how did I spend these days in an all-inclusive resort as being a vegan?

In general, this is true for everywhere I go, be creative and have the courage to ask. Without asking, I'll have a NO in anyway.

In these all-inclusive resorts, they quite often work based on buffets, be creative with those.
If it is 'a la carte', then it's about courage to ask and talk.

Of course in such a place, don't expect vegan lasagne, vegan mac & cheese, vegan tiramisu, vegan cheesecake... since yes, the disappointment will be huge. My lifestyle consists mainly of fruits in the morning, fruits at noon and salads in the evening which makes it probably easier. I did however ask or created some other vegan dishes as well. Let it inspire you!

On the plane, please ask for vegan, or what is in their language, vegetarian non dairy and no eggs. I've been surprised lately on what I received. Even once received a vegan brownie. On this flight we had a vegan couscous.

At the hotel here are the dishes.

I always start the day with a glass of water.

Morning 1

Morning 2

At least half an hour later I eat some melon. Of fruits and vegetables I always eat as much as I want from it. So it is not because I only show one dish of melons, that I only eat one. I just don't take pictures of identically the same plate. The amount is what feels right for you. With what I've discovered so far, I can personally not overeat on raw whole food fruits and vegetables.

Morning 2

They had also some dried fruits like raisins, dates, figs... some grains and unfortunately no choice of nuts however. Nevertheless, now I found the taste not special and focused on the fruits which most of the time at the sunny places are awesome.

Noon 1

Noon 2

Dessert 2

At noon, peaches and bananas. I personally don't mix more than 2 fruits together and at least leave a break of 1/2 hour before and 1/2 hour after it before eating anything else. For melons, I eat them alone without any other fruit, since they contain too much water.

Afternoon 1

Afternoon 2

Evening 1

Evening 2

Evening 2

In the evening, salads with all kinds of vegetables that I liked the most and still keeping a variety in it. Also, using some spices in order to change tastes. The only disadvantage of a daily similar salad bar, is that towards the end, I only take those I liked the most after having tested them all. For me the reason it gets monotone.

What else to try?

Evening 1

For all cooked vegetables ask how they were prepared, quite often it's steamed or in olive oil, so all good. Now there might be some prepared in butter or even with some meat that looks on first sight not visible, careful for that.

Afternoon 2

Afternoon 2

Found some roasted vegetables in olive oil, bread without milk and eggs and made a vegan sandwich.

Evening 2 (pizza crust)

Evening 2 (pizza vegetables)

Evening 2

They were making some fresh pizzas for the buffet, I had a talk with the chef, asked what was in the crust and in his tomato sauce. All vegan, so asked if he could just make one with just the tomato sauce, he said; 'no problem, come back in 10 minutes'. I grabbed vegetables from the buffet to set on the pizza. rucola, tomatoes, onions, olives, peppers... and for those liking more cooked vegetables, could use the roasted vegetables as well, I didn't.

Morning 3

Noon 3

It is also an ideal occasion to test how, fruit, raw vegetables, cooked vegetables, bread, pizza crust... behaves on my body. It's great to do some tests of what works best for yourself since it is all at your disposition.

Evening 3

Evening 3

So, yes, it is definitely possible to eat vegan in an all-inclusive resort without taking anything with me from home. If I don't expect too much, I will never be disappointed. For me personally, a week would really be the maximum, since they don't change a lot of vegetables. Well, all vegetables are there, I get used to them and take only those that I prefer, so it starts to feel monotone after a few days.

Like I started this post, I really enjoyed the time with my soul mate under the sun at the beach. Now holidays in these all-inclusive resorts, they're not my thing anymore, I really felt like a complete disconnection with everything that is happening there.

My conclusion, be yourself, be vegan everywhere!

#peace #goodfood #nature #fruitsandvegetables #wholefood #freedom #beyourself #beveganeverywhere