We’re headed to California today!!! Pinch me. Pinch me.
In honor of the trip, I thought I would share with you all some tips on eating healthy while traveling so nobody has to fall off track! Selfishly, I’m writing this post for myself too. With all the trips and travel this fall and I hate the feeling I get from eating unusual airport food, and getting thrown off my meal pattern. Just ick.
I’m doing it different this time. Pinky promise… and details below.
The number one trick to successful healthy travel eating and healthy eating in general:
wait for it…
PREPARATION!
Here’s my short list of my favorite travel snacks and ways to prep ahead to nip those travel eating woes in the tush:
- Homemade granola bars, trail mix, or energy bites to get some healthy nuts and dried fruits into my diet. OR I love a KIND bars if I’m in a hurry!
- Clementines, apples, bananas, grapes, carrots and celery are all great fresh produce that travels well.
- Bring single serve natural peanut butter and hummus packs to pair fruits/veggies for extra nutrients, flavor, and staying power!
- If you have leftovers of any of these foods, they are great to store in your hotel room and eat during the course of your trip!
- Pack individual oatmeal packets for a quick and easy breakfast that can be prepped right in the hotel room. Love doing this for race mornings!!
- I also like making quinoa & chickpea salad, edamame salad, tuna salad (or just cans of tuna with easy open handle), or chicken salad and packing it in Tupperware with a plastic fork.
- It’s an instant healthy meal while you’re waiting for your flight to board and can safely stay at room temperature for a couple hours.
- Cold pressed juices are convenient ways to get in some fruits and veggies while traveling! Many airports have juice bars or drinks that you can grab and go to feel energized! I’ve been obsessed with Suja Juice lately!
- Don’t forget to hydrate, either! Bring a big water bottle or Nalgene-type bottle with you to fill up at the airport after you go through security. It’ll be nice to have that with you for the rest of your trip too!
- Remember to pack the hand-sani. Ew germs and Ebola.
Question: How do you eat healthy while traveling? Okay, go!
Hi I’m Kristina LaRue, registered dietitian and millennial mom of two active and hungry boys. Here on Love & Zest, you’ll find (mostly) healthy recipes to fuel the whole family and real life stories of modern motherhood. I’m all about veggie-filled breakfast meal prep recipes, healthier sweets, and easy weeknight dinners made in the Instant Pot or sheet pan.
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These are awesome tips! I am going to be traveling so much over the next two months. I will definitely be packing some of the things you suggested to eat in the car and on the plane. Thanks!
Thanks Beth!! Have fun in your travels.
Whenever I travel I ALWAYS bring food with me, ALWAYS – because the only food I trust is what I make because I know, EXACTLY what is in it! 🙂 However when I was in San Jose, there was a sushi restaurant so I ordered a whole bunch to go and ate some deliciousness while in the air – I am sure everyone was jealous as they ate their pretzels! LOL!
Have fun on your trip! I usually pack my snacks before a flight, and KIND bars always make an appearance!
Thanks Lisa!! We are planning on making a stop in LA too 🙂
Lucky girl! 😉 Have fun!
I always stock up on bars, single serve nut butters, and I love making my own “instant” quinoa flake, oatmeal, or buckwheat cereal packs with protein powder, cocoa, etc.!
you know, I’ve never tried quinoa flakes..need to do that soon. I’m so intrigued by your cereal packs– those sound so good!
These are great tips/suggestions! 😀 I don’t know why I’ve never done the oatmeal pack thing! (I’m super jealous of the California part. *-* It’s so cold here!)
Thanks Farrah! I’m very glad to be in Cali too 🙂
My husband makes fun of me for always having a million snacks for a flight and for using hand sanitzer very generously, haha. I’ve been obsessed with Suja Juices too lately, if you haven’t tried their seasonal pumpkin one– you must try it asap.! Have so much fun in Cali 🙂
That sounds amazing!!! I’m on the lookout for Pumpkin!!