By Niveditha Kalyanaraman
December 7th, 2023
Image Credit: Unsplash
Making food choices that support your goals is hard enough when you’re home and can control what and when you eat. But eating healthy when you’re traveling is even more challenging. The type of trip you’re going on matters, too. If it’s a once-in-a-lifetime vacation to a culinary destination, you might understandably be more lax with your nutrition. But if work travel is a regular part of your life, or you are really focused on your fitness goals, you’ll want to find ways to stay on track. Here are 8 tips to eat healthy while traveling.
Image Credit: Shutterstock
One of the biggest challenges of eating healthy while traveling is not always having control over when you eat. Hunger in between meals can lead to overeating when it’s actually time for food. To prevent this “hangry” feeling, pack snacks like whole or dried fruit, nuts and trail mix, pretzels or crackers with hummus or nut butter, or protein/granola bars.
Image Credit: Unsplash
If you’re taking a road trip, bring a cooler full of healthy meal options as an alternative to fast food at rest stops. This way, you can bring lunches such as sandwiches or wraps, cheese, yogurt, or fresh fruits and vegetables.
Image Credit: Unsplash
Protein keeps you satisfied, so it’s a must for warding off hunger while traveling. Getting your fill of protein will help you find nutritional balance, even when you’re reaching for that extra cocktail or dessert.
Image Credit: Unsplash
Traveling usually involves eating out more frequently than you normally do. It’s still possible to eat healthy when dining out, though, as long as you know what to order. Check out the menu at any restaurants you plan on visiting during your trip to plan out meals in advance.
Image Credit: Unsplash
By simply eating mindfully instead of going on autopilot when your meal arrives, you’re practicing a skill that’ll have a big impact on your goals. This strategy allows you to enjoy cocktails or restaurant meals that you’ve been looking forward to, while balancing that out with nutritious options the rest of the time.
Image Credit: Unsplash
No matter how carefully you plan your travel eating strategy, there’s always a chance you’ll end up at an airport or rest stop with only fast-food restaurants. You can still have healthy doses of them by skipping extras, like fries, soft drinks etc.
Image Credit: Unsplash
Whether you have a full kitchen in your Airbnb or a mini-fridge in your hotel room, take advantage of the opportunity to stock it with healthy foods. Stopping at a grocery store will give you more choices—often at lower prices—than restaurants or airport shops.
Image Credit: Unsplash
You’ll have the best chance of making it through airport security if you carry your food in pre-portioned, labeled, and sealed packaging.
Image Credit: Unsplash