How To Eat Healthy While Traveling?

Traveling can make it harder to eat healthy because we naturally tend to choose convenient and easy options. Additionally – we are in the vacation mindset and just want to indulge and enjoy ourselves .

And while trying new foods and relaxing a bit with your diet is OK, your healthy eating habits don’t have to be completely thrown out the window.

Focusing on foods that make you feel your best is especially helpful when you’re traveling, because if you feel well, you’ll enjoy your vacation so much more!

Here are some tips that will help you stick to healthier eating habits while still enjoying your trip.

Bonus – Here is my favorite Travel Snack Recipe! you can prepare it ahead of time and enjoy – guilt-free on your next trip!

By knowing when you’re going to travel and what might be available there and along the way, you can plan healthy options or take them with you. For example, you can make packed lunches at home to avoid packaged/processed meals and take healthy snacks such as fruits, nuts and raw veg to avoid crisps and chocolate bars.

Use the internet to research healthy options where you’re going rather than stumbling into the nearest fast food restaurant in your hotel or meeting venue. By preparing, you can take control of what you eat and when.

2. Stay hydrated.

Drinking water not only replenishes the fluids in your body, it keeps your skin hydrated, reduces junk-food cravings and helps fend off that bloated feeling from fluid retention. If you use a refillable bottle, you’ll reap all these benefits while also helping the environment.

3. Pack your own high-protein high-fiber snacks.

If you’re heading out on a long road trip, pack a cooler where you can store hard-boiled eggs, hummus, guacamole, yogurt and fresh veggies. Eating balanced snacks and avoiding fast-food restaurants on the road can help reduce your cravings and junk food intake. This will help keep your blood sugar in check and your waistline under control. When traveling by plane, train or ship, check the TSA website to learn which foods you’re allowed to carry on. Bring extra, if possible, so you can avoid vending machines and other temptations at your hotel.

4. Make Use of Intermittent Fasting

If intermittent fasting is part of your diet, then try to plan your fast around your travel time. This will keep you on the path toward  success and remove the worries of food for road trips from the equation – at least for a time, depending on how long you’re going to be traveling.

5. Airports

Preparing meals and snacks for travel is essential especially when flying and having to relay of airport food. If you haven’t prepared anything to eat along your journey and find yourself looking for a healthy option in the departure lounge, aim for the following:

• A big bottle of water
• Lean, protein including hard-boiled eggs and unprocessed meats
• A salad
• Oatmeal/porridge — even if it’s not breakfast time
• Smoothies
• Yogurt.

6. Walk everywhere

Strolling through museums, a new city or on the beach is a chance to explore while burning up calories. If a destination is within a mile, walk. Make sure you bring comfortable, supportive shoes and a first-aid kit for any blisters.

7. Don’t stress—just get back on track.

It’s important to figure out where to cut yourself some slack and where to practice discipline. If you end up falling off track and gaining a few pounds during a week of vacation – -do not panic.  When you get home, be diligent about getting back to eating well. Plenty of vegetables, along with healthy carbohydrates and protein in appropriate portion sizes. Your body will get back to its normal in no time.

Ideas for healthy, portable snacks

• Fresh fruit (apples, bananas, tangerine and oranges are easy to carry along).
• Nuts and seeds (almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, etc.) or homemade trail mix.
• Grass fed, no sugar added beef or turkey sticks
• Freeze-Dried fruit, like strawberries, coconut, apples, apricots.
• Celery or sliced apples spread with almond butter (rub lemon juice on apples to prevent browning).
• Sliced veggies (baby carrots, cauliflower florets, bell peppers and snap peas are easy to eat).
• Single-serving containers of almond butter, hummus or guacamole for dipping.
• Homemade Protein bars, shakes or packets of protein-powder you can mix into water or milk.
• Hard-boiled eggs.
• Plain, low-fat yogurt with granola or fruit.

Bottom Line

Whether you go by plane, train or car, you don’t have to let bad food choices bust your healthy eating. The key is to plan ahead, stay disciplined and pick foods that are easily available, easily prepared and packed with protein fiber and nutrients!