How to Eat Well While Traveling
Traveling season is here, and no matter if you’re taking a well-deserved solo vacation, a romantic getaway, friend vacation, family vacation, and every trip in between, you’ll need some snacks to keep you energized for all your activities.
Traveling tends to be a time when people fall off the wagon in terms of self-care and eating well. Luckily, there are convenient foods to take with you to keep your nutrition on point.
Certified Nutritional Health Counselor Sara Siskind has some tips that will keep you feeling good while traveling this summer:
1. The go-to snack is pistachios.
They are full of the winning combination of protein, fiber, and heart-healthy fats that keep your energy up and hunger satiated. Because there is no need for refrigeration, pistachios are great for transporting. Setton Farms makes convenient 100 calorie snack packs that are perfect for on the go eating and portion control.
There’s also Pistachio + Blueberry Cranberry Chewy Bites, which are the perfect bite-size bar. You get a punch of nutrients and a great taste that leaves you feeling energized. They combine nutrient dense pistachios with antioxidant-rich dried fruits that satisfy your sweet tooth without compromising your waistline!
2. Fresh fruits with their own skin are a convenient and nutritious travel snack.
Some of my favorites are bananas, apples, oranges, avocados, grapefruits, and grapes. These fruits keep your immunity strong and provide fiber, which is needed to keep your digestive system working well. Not only is fruit healthy, but also an easy way to hydrate your body.
3. Don’t let dining out sabotage your health goals.
There are many healthy options on the menu, these days, but it’s up to you to make the choice when ordering. You can always check the restaurant’s menu and prices at Restaurant Meal Prices so you’d know what to have when you arrive. A few tips I recommend regardless of what you are ordering: dressing and sauce on the side, ask for broiled, steamed or grilled, skip the bread, rice or pasta and ask for extra veggies or a side salad.
4. Drink more water.
This sounds simple enough, yet most of us are not doing it. Many times, our body mistakes hunger for dehydration. By the time we feel thirsty, our body is already depleted of water. When traveling, our body clock is usually off. Water keeps us balanced, energized, and helps to flush out our system. Carry an environmentally friendly reusable water bottle and fill it up at restaurants to save money while traveling.
5. It is ok to indulge in special local treats while traveling, however, remember the 80/20 rule.
Most of the time, aim to fuel our body with nutrient-dense, whole foods that make us feel good. 20% of the time allow for splurges. Whether it be ice cream from a local creamier for dessert, or a craft beer from a brewery- it doesn’t have to be an all or nothing deal. Choose one thing a day you want to feast on. Eat it, savor it and move on.
6. Pay attention to the timing of your meals.
It is important to eat frequently and in smaller amounts as this will keep your body burning calories throughout the day. Spacing out meals this way will signal the brain that the food supply is plentiful and cause your body to use the fuel up quickly. When you skip meals or wait more than 4 hours between them, your body holds on to the calories thinking the food is in limited supply. This also applies to healthy foods that can also turn into fat if not eaten at the right times.
