Whether you’re traveling for work or vacation, the best trips have the best food. Don’t let traveling sacrifice your healthy choices. Eating healthy while traveling is possible!
It can be easy to push off meals or indulge in the best food in town because you’re somewhere new. However, the side effects of these meals can often leave you feeling dissatisfied and groggy. This is no way to enjoy a trip! Let’s find some balance so we get the indulgence without the downsides.
Tips for Eating Healthy While Traveling
Stick to your regular meal schedule.
It is important to stay on schedule with breakfast, lunch, and dinner even if you have meetings or tours of museums all day. If you’re only there for a few days, I would suggest sticking to your home-time schedule. If you’re going a few time zones away and you’re there for a week or more, it will benefit you to get on the local meal times. Either way, plan ahead to avoid skipping meals altogether – even if this means packing almonds or trail mix as a snack. Ideally we are not absolutely ravenous when we sit down for our next meal.
Enjoy the local food.
McDonald’s may seem like a comfort food or a treat when you are traveling, especially if you don’t eat it at home. However, your options for food are a new adventure when you travel. Try foods that are out of your comfort zone such as new vegetables or fruits that you have never heard before. Your favorite more-familiar chain restaurants will always be waiting at home. Now is a great time to expand your tastebuds and inspire your home cooking for years to come. (We went to Peru on our honeymoon and now I can’t stop looking up ways to use quinoa.)
Drink water.
Staying hydrated can help with many issues someone might experience while traveling. With all the new activities, hydrating your body may be one of the last things on your mind. However, drinking water can help you feel more full and energized for all the things you have lined up. I suggest a recyclable water bottle to travel with you. (Note: bottles with straws tend to help you drink more water than bottles with screw on tops. Try something like this Hydroflask!)
Check if your eyes are bigger than your stomach.
With delicious food surrounding you, caving in to temptation seems like the only option. However, foods high in sugar and fat may lead to digestive problems later in the trip. Foods high in sodium may leave you feeling bloated and lethargic. Let’s balance the foods your body wants AND the ones it needs. Order your favorite option on the menu but pair it with a vegetable side dish or try splitting the item with a travel companion. Really focus on enjoying your meal without overeating! Think of it as a conscious indulgence.
Enjoy your travel experience, just don’t let your body suffer for it! Most importantly, listen to your body and what it wants as your body truly knows what it needs to help you to take on the day.
In Good Health,
