Fourth of July weekend, I had a full schedule of outdoor events to attend.

On the actual 4th I went to a pool party at a downtown roof-deck pool Saturday and Sunday I went to a music fest with a dear friend who was in town for the weekend. I knew I was going to have a few drinks throughout the day, and that I would need to snack and eat right to keep my energy up.

I got up really early Friday morning and whipped together some high-protein cookies to snack on as well as a giant broccoli collard green salad. I filled the salad with lentils, millet, radishes, fresh parsley, onions and garlic; hardy ingredients I knew wouldn’t wilt over the next few days and that could hold up in my backpack for a few hours without being refrigerated.

On the way into the festival, I had to explain to the security people that I stick to a clean diet and have food sensitivities, so I brought my own food. They kind of made fun of me, which happens often in security lines, and then they let me pass through without issue.

A couple hours into the festival I got hungry so I busted out my salad and fork, then dug in. There I was in the middle of a crowd full of kids dancing around to electronic music, eating my broccoli salad. Everyone in my group was dying laughing. The people I didn’t know very well asked me a bunch of questions about my plant-based diet, my food smuggling, the whole thing.

Most people were shocked I was able to bring food in. I get this reaction all the time at airports too. It’s been longer than I can remember since I traveled or went to a festival or outdoor event without my own food.

Now, it’s true some of the larger festivals don’t let you bring in outside food. I even had to toss out a banana at Lollaplooza one year. However, I’ve found that for the most part it’s incredibly easy to travel with provisions. All you have to do is say that you’re on a strict diet and they really don’t question you any more.

Packing a filling salad that can hold up will save you tons of money and will help you stick to your healthy eating habits even on the road.

We all know how gross you feel after you’ve been eating really well then totally blow it because you got so hungry you had to eat the first thing in sight.

I try to always take trail mix and to load my traveling salads with filling grains and beans. I also make sure to put them in a container I won’t be sad if I have to toss at the gate or along the journey.

I didn’t have to toss anything this time around, and was so glad I planned ahead and packed food for both the festival and the pool party since neither event had much food. There was none at the pool, and the festival only had one booth of fried items, and the only “vegetable” they were serving was french fries.

Many of the people in my group snacked on the cookies when they needed a little boost, and some even ate salad. I spent zero dollars on food and was able to devote my most my caloric intake to having a couple light beers or glasses of wine.

I rounded out the weekend feeling like I didn’t totally undo my healthy lifestyle, which we all know can often be the case after an American holiday or vacation. Take an extra hour to prep a bit, you won’t regret it later.

Broccoli and Collard Green Salad to go

Yield: 6-8 servings salad

2 heads broccoli cut into florets (about 2 ½- 3 cups)
About 3 cups collard greens cut into ribbons
2 cups radishes, cubed
1 1/2 cups cooked lentils (cooked in vegetable stock)
1 1/2 cups cooked millet or quinoa
(cooked in vegetable stock)
1/2 cup fresh parsley, loosely chopped
1/3 cup yellow onions sauteed with 3 cloves garlic

Hot Hungarian Paprika Dressing
5 ounces extra virgin olive oil
2 ounces fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon Eros Pista Hot Hungarian Paprika Paste
(available online)
Black pepper to taste (about ½ teaspoon)

1. Prep all veggies and toss ingredients in a large
salad bowl.
2. Shake dressing in a shaker or jar until full emulsified.
Pour over salad and toss well.
3. Pack salad in individual 8- 32 ounces containers
and store in the refrigerator or a cooler until ready
to transport.

Kat Barry, a St. Joseph, Michigan native, is owner of Kat’s Hot Cakes vegan catering, and co author of “The New Chicago Diner Cookbook: Meat Free Recipes from America’s Veggie Diner.” She also develops recipes for eHow.com, where you can find over 30 of her vegan instructional cooking videos. She is also a certified yoga instructor. Kat currently resides in Chicago, and in her free time she enjoys practicing yoga, sampling local spirits, listening to live music, and getting outdoors. Follow @katshotcakes on twitter. Kat can be reached via email at: kat@katshotcakes.com.