What do I take when I travel? How difficult is it to eat on the road and still be healthy and still avoid getting zapped?
I’m heading to Palm Springs, CA for a 3 day biz/nutrition event with a nice twist! JJ Virgin, nutrition and fitness expert extraordinaire and author of the New York Times # 1 best-selling book The Virgin Diet is hosting a 2 day mastermind with integrative doctors and nutritionists.
Even if I am going to an event run by an expert in food sensitivities – and JJ certainly fits that bill (her book discusses 7 common food sensitivities that are holding us hostage) – I’m still wary of hotel kitchens.
Why? Well, when I get zapped it’s bad! I got zapped last Sunday with organic spices from the health store. I should have known better and not purchased spices that didn’t say gluten-free on the label. Anyway, I used rosemary and garlic on some roast chicken. And boy, did it do a number on me! It affected my sleep, I had stomach cramps, I was drained on Monday, and Tuesday was brain-fog day. On Wednesday I had a really bad headache. I had to really dig deep to do all the prep-work for JJ’s event.
So I’m not taking any chances these 3 days. Here is the healthy food that I have with me:
- A few packets of bison grass fed jerky. I bought these packets from US Wellness Meats
- Four pemmican bars/sticks. These are THE energy bars of the 21st century and have a divine melt-in-the-mouth-like-chocolate texture. The ingredients…wait for it… beef fat, grass-fed jerky, sea salt and a hint of cranberry. They were used by Native Americans, the early traders in the USA and even the Boers in South Africa. They are also from US Wellness Meats
- I need something green, so I have kale chips. I would have made my own but ran out of time so bought some gluten-free bags.
- More green and some minerals, so I have a few bags of roasted seaweed snacks
- Apples. I always have apples with me!
- A bag of prunes for the fiber. Flying dries me and blocks me up!
- I’m also drinking extra water today. I found a nice Brita water bottle that is BPA-free and has a built in filter. Very cool!
- I have enough boiled eggs for 2 a day – a good protein for the start of each day! To keep me focused and clear.
- I need something red. I have home-made sun dried tomatoes. I got SO many tomatoes in my CSA box this week and my friend Donna came around with even more, so I had to do something with them and drying them was perfect. I did them in the oven and will share the recipe and pictures later.
- A few cans of sardines. I love my sardines and always travel with them
- Soaked roasted pumpkin seeds. I also always travel with something like this.
- And finally a bag of Go Raw Ginger Snaps – not too sweet and with a nice hint of ginger
What do you think? Crazy or well-prepared? I’d love to hear if you have food sensitivities and what you take when you travel.
Great ideas, Trudy!! Hardboiled eggs are one of my favorites. I’ve eaten them for “dinner” at the hotel when the kitchen’s been closed and many times for breakfast when you are in a rush to get to the conference center. I love bringing sardines too, but when I was in Australia, security at the airport took them saying they were liquids! Ugh! Thanks for sharing this insight into your travels and healthy diet.
Julie
Great to get your take on this too. One thing about eggs and other perishables – if you’re going somewhere hot like Palm Springs take them in your carry-on or else they’ll get too hot and will spoil! Too bad about the sardines when you went to Australia! It’s a good reminder to have them packed rather than in your carry-on.
Trudy
Trudy, I love your list of foods to carry! I carry pistachios (roasted in the shell) around in my work bag. They’re great for a quick break, but the shelling part keeps me from overeating. I don’t travel much anymore, but usually rely on nuts, eggs, and foil pouches of tuna (generally not often due to mercury). Your suggestions sound wonderful for travel and even a hectic day where there’s no time (or place) to eat.
Thank you for the informative newsletter, as always!
Great to see you commenting here Kamran and you’re very welcome! good snack choices except the tuna in foil – the other thing to be concerned about is the aluminum from the foil
This is something I need to do better on… I do find myself more drained when I travel because most of the time I’m flying and they’ve made it such a hassle to take stuff on the plane that I just zone it out. But I’m realizing that I really do need to make it a priority – it’s so hard to get good food in airports and hotels and such (free continental breakfast means nothing but loads of carbs that my body doesn’t like!). They let you bring the eggs and all this on the plane?
Tracy, yes, I take all this on the plane. No problems! and well worth it! I’m heading out to the Chicago Integrative Medicine for Mental Health conference next weekend and will be stocking up shortly
I think your travel food list is great and could be a product all on its own! Thanks for sharing. I was not familiar with the protein bars.
I like the way you’re thinking Sue – “Trudy’s stay healthy, calm and sharp travel pack”!
I assume you’re referring to the pemmican when you say protein bars…
This is AWESOME!!!! I can totally relate to the travel ZAP! I have to bookmark this page so I can plan and buy for my upcoming trips!
Lol! glad someone else can relate to the travel ZAP!
Trudy, I’m reading this with amusement because my parents always carried their own breakfast with them starting back years ago. They always were trend setters! Enjoy your trip.
Yes we are strict on our imports in Australia Julie.
Great pack of food to take with you Trudy – although as a vegetarian there’s a few I would do without but I do loved my boiled eggs too!
You’ve got to take what works for you Heidi!
And yes, en route to Australia I have to eat all my snacks or toss them at the airport when we arrive! I understand but it’s frustrating!
With the food allergies that my family has to manage we always have to prepare before-hand and pack safe and healthy snacks. I always travel with fresh fruit and allergy-free granola (gluten-free and free of the top 8 food allergens). We always shop once we reach our destinations because, as you mentioned, you can’t always trust the hotel kitchen to provide safe food.
I’m so glad to hear you are able to make this work for you and your family!
Great tips here and really important, especially for those who have food sensitivities. You can’t always count on having what you need available when you travel. Best to bring it yourself and be certain of getting a decent meal.
Absolutely!
Trudy, Good for you to be so well prepared and to offer these solutions for folks who must watch what they eat in every way.
Recently completing the Whole30 Plan with my daughter has me rethinking how to eat on the road as well.
Good thinking Mitch! A friend just spent 5 days in South America and says he now needs a sugar detox. Sorry, that’s no excuse!
I take almonds for a snack when I travel. TSA always looks funny when they scope my carry on and they see them.
They do? that’s weird but then I was once stopped because I was carrying whey protein powder in a baggie! it’s white powder! Now, I have the product label with me.
Great healthy travel tips… I hadn’t thought of kale chips for travel. When I make them, none ever get saved because I gobble them up so fast!! Like Bill, I also usually travel with almonds.
Love, Katherine
Katherine C. H. E.
Author, Be True Rich
I hear you on the kale chips! they are great for travel, especially the home-made version!
I totally relate to what you’re saying about eating while traveling! Carrying my own food snakes that may become my meal, makes me feel safer for sure. I bring nuts and peanuts, amino acid proteins powder that mixes super easily with water, dried or fresh peas, in or out of a pod, and an orange or other fruit if I feel like it and can be messy. I’m allergic to egg yolks now, but i used to bring hard boiled eggs, so good and easy for travel.
Hi Kimberly
Yay, a kindred spirit! I’m sure you mean shakes and not snakes!? ha ha
Trudy
Sounds like you are FODMAP sensitive. Go low FODMAP diet and your life will change. Check out Monash University FODMAP app for most up to date info.
Thank Trudy. Such great ideas. It is so hard traveling with family while on a special diet. I had never heard of pemmican and will definitely try it. Grateful for you : )
http://blog.grasslandbeef.com/bid/40499/Pemmican
Heidi
Good for you and thanks for sharing the link to more information – let us know what you think
Thanks for sharing this information, Trudy! I am always looking for travel food ideas that support diet sensitivities. Hard boiled eggs are one of my go to foods, too!
Good stuff