Traveling is more fun when you feel your best - but staying healthy on the road isn’t always easy.
Whether you’re heading abroad for summer vacation or traveling stateside for a work trip, being on the move is an experience like no other. Exposed to new ideas, sights, cultures, sounds, foods - that’s exactly what makes the experience so refreshing and memorable. Unfortunately, experiencing something new or different isn’t always comfortable for our bodies - jet lag, digestive issues, breakouts, and more.
Why feeling good while traveling matters
I want you to be able to make the most of your travel experience, so you can enjoy all you are doing and feel good doing it too! After many trips both locally and globally over the years, I’ve found a few key strategies that have helped me. These healthy travel tips have supported my body in feeling good and energized, and I want to share them with you so you can travel well without compromising on your health goals.
Do you struggle with eating healthy while traveling?
Without access to a kitchen or reliable transportation to get to a grocery store, it can be difficult to lean on your usual healthy dishes for a meal.
It’s not that you don’t want to make healthy choices to feel good while traveling, but access to healthy and nourishing options are often lacking. Whether traveling for work or pleasure, quickly grabbing a bite to eat from the airport grab-and-go or opting for the hotel restaurant, are often the easier options. Not only do these options not always have the most nutritious menu offerings, but they often seem to be overpriced and less satisfying that the usual choices from home.
After years of traveling for both pleasure and a corporate job that required monthly trips, I made an active effort to find healthy travel snacks and nourishing options while on-the-go. Whether packing extra snacks ahead of time or using a few tricks to make the most of the restaurants I visited, I am able to nourish my body and feel good while traveling.
If you read my previous post about the high-protein snack brands I discovered at Expo West, you may have noticed the emphasis on limited, high-quality ingredients which make up each product. Whether choosing dishes out or grabbing a snack to-go, I choose based on what I can pronounce, with minimal ingredients in each product. With intentional food choices, traveling can become even more enjoyable.
Don’t miss my healthy foodie guides at the bottom of this blog, so you can discover healthy & delicious restaurants at select destinations around the globe.
Top 5 healthy eating travel tips for eating well on the go
Pack nutrient-dense snacks
Choose nourishing restaurant meals
Indulge mindfully
Stock groceries or visit local markets
Prioritize hydration
1) Pack nutrient-dense snacks
As a former girl scout, it seems to be drilled into me to always be prepared, you never know where your adventure might take you. Whether you are traveling miles away from home or have a lot of errands to run, packing a nutrient-dense snack is going to ensure you and your fellow travelers can be well-fed and energized.
When looking for what snacks to pack, here are the questions I keep in mind:
Is it a balanced option that combines multiple macronutrients (carbohydrates, protein, healthy fat, fiber)?
Are the ingredients simple, recognizable, and made from whole foods?
Is it easily perishable or will it last?
Will I enjoy it or want to eat it when I am hungry?
The best healthy travel snacks (non-refrigerated)
an apple + unsalted, unsweetened peanut butter
a banana + a handful of unsalted mixed nuts
LARABARs (they even have a mini version for kids!)
rice cakes with avocado
an orange with a mini Chomps stick
grapes with raw cashews
My go-to healthy travel snacks (refrigerated)
hard boiled eggs
carrots & celery with hummus
rotisserie chicken
pre-prepared chia pudding
2) Choose extra nourishment at every meal
Most of us can agree that one of the joys of traveling is experiencing the delicious cuisine offered at your new destination. Whether a change in flavors or a change in ingredients, trying new restaurants while traveling is a great way to expand your palate, try something new, and bring home a few new ideas for how you could cook creatively in the kitchen.
Since I want you to make the most of your time traveling, it’s important that you don’t stray away from all of your routines at home. If you are used to eating lots of veggies and fiber at home, the best thing you can do for your body is to stick to that routine. Eating well while traveling doesn’t have to be complicated.
Easy ways to eat more vegetables at restaurants
Add a side salad (hold the cheese & croutons, and opt for olive oil & vinegar as your dressing)
Swap the usual sides for two veggie offerings (remember restaurants know how to flavor all sorts of veggies well)
Order a nourishing bowl or salad as your main dish, and get a side of the more indulgent dish you are eyeing (like a hearty pizza or pasta dish)
Request for your dish to be cooked in olive oil (you may be surprised how accommodating many restaurants are)
If you are at a build-your-own option, add in 2 - 3 extra veggies (spinach, peppers, and tomato work well in a soup, salad, pizza, or sandwich)
3) Indulge mindfully
Whether you are traveling for vacation or for work, you are bound to see a delicious dessert platter or decadent and hearty meal at a local restaurant that you just have to try. An important part of living a healthy life is remembering that balance and sustainability are instrumental to supporting your health.
While I encourage you to find your own balance, I have discovered that the rule of 80/20 works really well for me. 80% of the time, I stick to what I know provides me with the nutrients I need to thrive. 20% of the time, I indulge in something that may not have much nutritional value, but it provides connection over a shared meal or a joyful experience to the taste buds.
Living a healthy life is not about a diet or restriction, but it is about having the freedom to make the decisions that best support you so you can flourish.
How to indulge mindfully while traveling
If ordering a fried dish, opt for the side dishes to be fresh.
If planning to order dessert, opt for a veggie-packed main dish.
If ordering carbohydrate-rich side items, choose a lean protein to pair it with.
If indulging in a big meal in the evening, ensure your plates are balanced and full of veggies earlier in the day.
The key is simply giving your body what it needs to stay resilient and well while traveling. It is not about restriction, but freedom to feel good while making good choices that support your overall goals.
