Have you tried Trail Truffles yet?
 
They are a relatively new product that I came across at a recent plant-based conference in SoCal. Since I had never heard of them, I thought maybe you hadn’t either, so I figured I better let you know!
 
So, here’s the deal: Trail Truffles are little bits of vegan goodness made with a creamy nut butter center inside a cacao and date “chocolate” shell. They are designed for active folks who need portable, non-messy trail foods but don’t want to give up things like chocolatey goodness while they are on the go.
 
If this sounds like you, then you should definitely try these non-melting, tasty truffles that come in a convenient zipper pouch for easy travel.

Here are a just a few things to love about these vegan energy bites:
 
Vegan
Non-GMO
Organic Ingredients
Gluten Free
No Refined Sugars
Soy Free
Low-Glycemic Ingredients
 
At the time of this writing, there are four flavors available: Mint Crème, Chocolate Hazelnut, Peanut Butter Cup, and Coconut Macadamia. I tried all four and found all of them perfectly palatable, although I did like the Chocolate Hazelnut and Peanut Butter Cup best. I don’t know if it was just the packages that I purchased, but I found that the Chocolate Hazelnut and Peanut Butter Cup were moister, while the Mint Crème and Coconut Macadamia were a bit more on the dry side.

The folks behind Trail Truffles note that the shelf life is about one year but recommend consuming open packages within about a week to enjoy the full freshness. I tested this out and agree. Once you have opened the package, I recommend eating them within a week or so for the freshest, most flavorful treat.
 
While there is a lot to love about these tasty truffles, it should be noted that all of the currently available flavors contain nuts, so this particular snack is not appropriate for folks with nut allergies. This is also not the right choice for energy on the trail if you are sensitive to the theobromine in cacao.
 
Trail Truffles were created as an indulgent but healthy fuel for hiking, camping, backpacking, and other activities that require quick energy, but the convenience of these little energy bites also makes them a good option for busy people who need convenient, vegan, gluten free snacks, or for anyone with an interest in healthy eating who still craves sweets or chocolate at times.

Trail Truffles were created in Draper, Utah, which is where they are currently made. They are available in a few dozen stores across the country, but the easiest way to get your hands on this vegan trail food is to order from the Trail Truffles website or from Amazon.
 
They are slightly less expensive on Amazon, plus, if you are an Amazon Prime member, you get free shipping. So, that’s how I will be getting my future orders.

For our friends at the FTC: I purchased this product and did not receive compensation for this review. There are affiliate links in this post, which help you easily find the product to buy online while also helping to pay for things like website hosting to keep the Cheap Vegan Chick blog online as a resource.

When my wife and I were planning our six-day Puerto Rico trip in January, we were determined to travel with just carry-on luggage. Now, for those of you who haven’t met us, this is no problem at all for her and a bit of a challenge for me. V doesn’t wear makeup, throws her hair up in a quick bun every day, can do pretty much anything in a single pair of shoes, and has definitely learned to pack well after years in the military. I, on the other hand, need space for my flatiron, makeup bag, hair accessories, a couple of extra outfit options, and vegan snacks for the plane and layover.
 
Since moving back to Southern California, we have mostly been doing road trips, which means that we have been able to pretty much load up anything we think we might need and haul it along with us. So I have gotten a bit spoiled when it comes to how many pairs of shoes I can bring or toting along our blender to make breakfast smoothies.
 
After a couple of years of this, going back to plane travel and deciding to just bring carry-on luggage was a bit of a switch for us. But I was totally up for the challenge, since I love to organize, downsize and find space-saving solutions.

One thing I knew for sure was that I had to find makeup brushes with shorter handles. This was an easy way to save space without losing the product’s function and to be able to take along a smaller makeup bag. I first started my search by specifically looking for travel makeup brushes. There are plenty of options out there, but most of them are not vegan or cruelty free, and many of them are not quality brushes.
 
At first, I thought maybe I didn’t need great brushes, since this was just for short-term use while traveling. But then I started thinking about how we take way more pictures while traveling and that I would be seeing old friends and meeting new people. For some folks, this is not an issue, but for those of us who do wear makeup regularly, it would be nice for it to be just as easy to apply and to look just as flattering when on the road.
 
So my quest for the perfect, vegan, cruelty-free travel makeup brushes continued and, after a bit of trial and error, I totally scored. In fact, I got so lucky in finding the perfect brushes at a great price that I’m not using them just for travel; these have become part of my everyday makeup brushes…because that is how much I love them.
 
That, of course, is why I simply had to share them with you!

Okay, so this vegan product review is for the seven-piece I Love Bamboo Petite Pro Bamboo Brush Set by SHANY Cosmetics. These are not billed as travel makeup brushes, but the longest brush is 5 ½ inches in length and they come with a handy carrying case, so they were the perfect size to fit in my carry-on luggage without taking up any unnecessary room.
 
The handles are bamboo and the brushes are synthetic, which makes them a good choice for folks looking for cruelty-free makeup brushes. Unlike some synthetic brushes that have a plastic or nylon feel, these mini bamboo makeup brushes are incredibly soft and feel and look like high-quality brushes that are far more expensive.
 
Something else I really liked about this set is that is comes with exactly the brushes I need and use every day without any extras or lacking anything.

Here is what you get:
 
1. Powder Brush
2. Buffer Bronzer Brush
3. Rounded Foundation Brush
4. Eyeshadow Brush
5. Contouring Eyeshadow Brush
6. Rounded Concealer Brush
7. Brow Brush
 
Now…those are the official names given in the little information sheet that comes with the set, but I use them just a little differently, which shows their versatility and how this is just an all-around awesome set of brushes. For example, I use the rounded concealer brush for applying gel eyeliner and I use the rounded foundation brush for contouring.
 
I tested the brushes out a few times before our trip so that I could make sure I liked them and that I would be able to do my makeup just with this set (without needing to supplement with other brushes). This is when I realized that I actually liked them better than my everyday brushes – which I love and were more expensive.
 
They fit easily in my carry-on and performed perfectly on our trip. I have now been using them for about four months, and they are holding up great and are easy to clean. Since I travel often, I’m actually considering getting a second set so that I can keep one at home and one in my travel bag.

I seriously love these brushes, and I think that you will too.

I have not seen these in any brick-and-mortar stores, but you can purchase them on the SHANY Cosmetics website or on Amazon, which is where I purchased mine.
 
On amazon, it says that the set comes with a bag for brush storage, but I received the carrying case you see in the pictures that is made from a vegan leather material with a magnetic closure.
 
If you order them on Amazon, there may be more than one product option on the purchase page. Make sure you choose the one that says “SHANY 7 Piece Petite Pro Bamboo Brush Set with Carrying Case, I Love Bamboo” to get the cruelty-free, travel-size brushes that are reviewed here.
 
When I purchased them, they were listed at $12.99 and, since I have an Amazon Prime membership, shipping was free. If you do not have an Amazon Prime membership, you can get a 30-Day Free Trial that includes free, two-day shipping with no minimum order, as well as other perks, like the ability to borrow Kindle books and watch thousands of TV shows and movies. Get your free trial by clicking this link:

If you buy these, please let us know what you think of them in the comments below!
 
If you know of other vegan makeup brushes we should try, please let us know about those too!
 
Side note: Folks who might be on the fence about whether they want synthetic brushes or brushes made from animal hair should consider that synthetic brushes are easier to clean and are less likely to harbor bacteria when compared to animal hair brushes. And, of course, animal hair brushes are not vegan.

This post contains affiliate links for this bamboo travel makeup brush set on Amazon. The price is the same whether you purchase them through the link or go directly to Amazon. If you choose to purchase them through the link, a very small commission helps pay to keep the Cheap Vegan Chick site up and running. 

On our latest road trip, my wife and I drove to Ukiah, California to visit two of our dearest friends who were here from the Netherlands. On our way back to SoCal, we took a couple of days to make some stops at fun spots, including Mendocino, Guerneville, the Rosie the Riveter Museum in Richmond (of course), and the Winchester Mystery House.

As my long-time fellow vegans will know, there was a time when dining out while on road trips often meant settling for a salad or, if you were feeling particularly indulgent, a salad and french fries. We have always had grocery stores as an option for grabbing some fresh produce and making our own meals, but sometimes it is nice to sit down in a restaurant and eat a hot meal when you are on the road.

Fortunately, this has changed quite a bit and vegan travel is much easier these days. Plus, this latest road trip was mostly in Northern California, so I knew we would not have too much trouble finding vegan menu options for me.

The first of my favorite vegan road trip meals was at Veggie Grill in San Jose. My wife has eaten at this vegan chain restaurant in Thousand Oaks, but this was my first time. We were so excited about all of the options that we ordered a bit much -- the cashier even asked if our order was just for the two of us. I'm thinking maybe she has never been on a road trip where salads and french fries are your main sustenance!

My omnivore wife got the Santa Fe Crispy Chickin' (the top photo) and reported that if we were at a non-vegan restaurant and someone told her this was chicken, she would not question it. So that might be a good thing to keep in mind if you have an omnivore partner or are looking for a restaurant that will satisfy a mixed group of vegans and omnivores.

We both love corn more than we should, so got a little too excited about the Chargrilled Street Corn on the seasonal menu. The cashier suggested that we could order just one and break it in half to split it. My wife and I exchanged a look that both of us totally understood -- "I love you, but I'm not sharing my street corn with you."

We ordered two.

We also got the buffalo wings. Okay, I have to say -- I have never had buffalo wings, vegan or otherwise. So I could not tell you how these rate compared to non-vegan buffalo wings you may have eaten before adopting a plant-based diet. However, I can say that my wife eats non-vegan buffalo wings fairly regularly when she goes out to eat with the other Marines, and she reported that the sauce was very similar and that these were a great non-meat option. As a first time partaker, I would definitely order these again.

The Tempura Green Bean Stack wasn't bad, but it definitely wasn't our favorite dish, so we saved some calories there and took most of that dish home as leftovers.

I went for the Koreatown Tacos for my entree and was not disappointed. Totally de-lish. 

I can't believe I had to drive all the way to San Jose to try Veggie Grill when there is one so much closer to home in Thousand Oaks. But now that I've tried several things off the menu, I am hooked. I can't wait to start going to the Thousand Oaks Veggie Grill to try other dishes.

For one thing, it is just so nice to be able to walk in a restaurant and order anything I see on the menu. That is something that I took for granted while living in the Pacific Northwest and that I miss very much now that we are back in SoCal.

Next up is Jyunkang Vegetarian Restaurant at City of 10,000 Buddhas in Ukiah. As you can see in the picture below, I ordered vegetables with cashews, which is kind of my go-to meal at Asian restaurants. I also wanted to try something new, so I got the satay sticks, which came with a delish sipping sauce. V got the spring rolls and loved them.

The restaurant is open for lunch most days and offers an all-vegan menu. Visitors are welcome to come to this Buddhist community just for the restaurant, but if you are in the area and decide to stop by, I recommend also checking out the murals, the temple with walls lined with Buddha statues and the bookstore.

They also make their own vegan, non-alcoholic wine (like the zinfandel pictured below). You can pick up one bottle for $8.00 or a box of four bottles for $25.00. You know I love a good deal, so we opted for the four bottles. We haven't tried it yet, but some new friends we made on the trip have had it before and gave it a good review.

Okay, here is my big tip for vegan road trip food...

If you like to have junk food to munch on while you are driving, it is -- of course -- best to stock up before you head out on your journey.

For example, I stocked up on Jerquee from Vitacost to make sure I had some back-up snack options to help me fit in more protein and avoid fast food restaurants.

However, if you find yourself on a vegan road trip in an area that is not so vegan friendly and you run out of snacks, you may have a hard time finding a Whole Foods or Trader Joe's to replenish your stockpile.

While you can find plenty of healthy, plant-based options at a conventional grocery store, they are not likely to have vegan varieties of the good, old-fashioned junk food you want for a road trip. So when you want something a bit more sinful than a banana, head to the nearest HomeGoods, T.J. Maxx, Ross Dress for Less or Marshall's.

I know that it sounds strange to go to one of these stores better known for discount clothing and great bargains on kitchenware, but I have found gluten-free and vegan snacks at these stores that I have never before heard of or seen. Of course, they also often have well-known brands (I've even found Vega there), but I say go for the stuff you have never seen or heard of before to stick with the spirit of adventure on your road trip.

Some examples of vegan junk food I have found at these discount retailers include lentil chips, quinoa chips, macaroons, gluten-free cookies, hard candies, chocolate-coconut bars, and Mrs. May's awesome, nut-based snacks.

What are your favorite tips for vegan road trips? I will be on the road again soon and would love to hear them!