It can be difficult to find healthy foods to eat when you travel. This is especially hard because many times you don’t have access to refrigeration or a kitchen to cook in. Foods offered in the airport or along the highway are usually convenient but don’t fit the category of “health foods”.
When my husband and I moved to Arizona from North Carolina, we drove out in a U-Haul. We only ate out one time over the 2.5 day trip and the rest of the time we had crackers, cheese, fruit and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
I’m not suggesting you be this extreme! But you might wonder how you can eat a health promoting diet when you’re traveling. Here are some suggestions on healthy eating while away from home. These suggestions are usually easier on the budget than eating out too!
Plan Ahead!
Planning ahead is imperative in having healthy options available to you. This might mean bringing a cooler on a car trip, or bringing a lunch box when you travel by air.
Think about how many hours you are going need food. Plan on a snack every three hours and try to keep a variety of options. Obviously, if you’re driving alone, your choices become more limited. Plan on a few crumbs escaping, and keep a napkin and trash bag handy. Here are some suggestions of healthy snacks for a car trip:
- Fruit
- Sandwiches (lunch meat or PB and jelly)
- Trail mix
- Water
- Crackers and Hummus
- Baby carrots
- Pre-washed and pre-cut fresh vegetables
It can be hard to find snacks to take on an airplane due to space limitations and lack of refrigeration. Here are some of the things that we bring on the airplane:
- Trail mix (dried fruit and nuts)
- Kashi granola bars
- Fig newtons
- Fruit
- Juice box
- PB and Jelly sandwich (usually gets smooshed!)
- Water
- Dried fruit bars
Make Smart Choices When You Eat Out
When you are on vacation, you are more likely to eat out than when you’re at home. So make the most of your choices when you go out. Be sure to pick a restaurant that is going to give you healthy choices. Focus on getting enough fruits and/or vegetables at the meal.
One of my favorite places to eat is a grocery store. If you find a good one, they will often have a salad bar and then you can pick up some fresh fruits and veggies to snack on later in the day.
I think the hardest thing about traveling is getting in as many fruits and vegetables and whole grains as I get at home. By bringing snacks such as dried fruit and nuts with you and visiting a grocery store every once in a while, you can still eat healthy even though you’re not at home.
Safe and Healthy Travels!
– Julie
