Today and tomorrow are travelling days – I’m going home and can’t wait!
However, eating well while you’re on vacation is super important. I am not strict or regimented about my eating while I am away at all, but I don’t want to just eat junk because then I feel like…well, junk.
So I figured I would do a ‘travel edition’ for today’s What I Ate Wednesday (hosted by Jenn over at Peas and Crayons!) to show you what essential items I take with me on vacay to keep my hunger satiated in a healthy way (in between all those mudslides and fried plantains I’ll be indulging in…!).
It’s also really helpful that we’re staying at a friend’s apartment – when you are cooking your own food you definitely have more control over eating healthily. So here’s what’s in my luggage:
Breakfasts and Snacks:
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My protein powder! I just take the scoop and I portion out 10-12 scoops of protein powder in a big sandwich bag. That way I have plenty to keep me going! I stir this into smoothies for snacks and into breakfasts like oatmeal or cereal.
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I also, of course, take my Magic Bullet. This is my best friend, as I can whip up a quick protein smoothie when I feel the need for something nutritious. Smoothies are a fab way to get in a whole host of fruits or veg (if you’re having a green monster!) and a wicked dose of protein. When I’m home I always crave smoothies too – whenever it’s hot outside I like something refreshing and light like that!
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Stevia is the best for sweetening naturally while being totally lightweight and easy to carry around. NuNaturals is my favourite – I always take a few of these away with me in a sandwich bag.
Lunches:
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I won’t actually take these this time because I know what food is available in the supermarkets back home and I know they have these, but if you’re going somewhere unfamiliar consider packing some of your favourite gluten-free or whole-grain wraps or pita breads. It’s super easy to stop by a local market for some fresh veg and stuff these for a quick lunch on the go or on the beach.
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Oh yes, and because of packing food to take out with you for the day, I always bring a stash of sandwich bags. They’re good for everything, not just food! I keep my phone and camera in them when I go to the beach to keep sand and water away ;).
Airport and flying food:
For days I’m actually travelling, I stock up pretty well because the flights are full-day affairs and airport food is NOT the healthiest.
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I freeze a couple of protein muffins the night before so that when I put them in my bag the day of travelling they’ll defrost and be thawed by the time I get to eating them.
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I always have a couple of regular and protein LUNA bars too, and a LARABAR or two :).
I brush up on what IS healthy and available in airports. Starbucks are usually safe bets because they are everywhere (interesting fact: no Starbucks in the Cayman Islands! But in all the various airports we connect through en route, there are plenty, trust me!).
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I go for Starbucks’ oatmeal and ask the barista to make them with soy milk (one of these days Starbucks will get almond milk!). Delicious!
Au Bon Pain are in some airports and have great soups and snacks.
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Subway are in some airports and I can usually rely on a Veggie Delite sandwich to keep me full without lacking nutrition.
I hope some of these travelling tips help you out when you next have a trip. Do you have any advice for me on eating healthily while travelling and being away?
And does anyone else find that they’re hungrier when they’re flying? I’m always starving – I read that flying can knock your leptin hormone off a bit, and that’s the hormone that tells you whether or not you’re full. This hormone can also be affected by lack of sleep, and typically I have early morning flights, so that’s a double whammy on my leptin levels!
QUESTIONS:
- Do you find you’re hungrier when travelling? Or less hungry than usual (it can go that way too)?
- Do you have any tips to share on eating healthy while away or in airports?
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i love these tips. i need to be better about packing snacks along when i fly. i always find myself wishing i had healthier options. and i agree 100% about eating healthy (well…healthy enough) to not feel like crap. a little indulgence is fantastic, but feeling gross is not worth it in my book. enjoy your trip!!!!!
Thank you Sara! I have to remind myself to be prepared otherwise I get a bit stuck. The protein powder is a definite help! And researching airport options before I fly is also one of my best friends! 🙂
I take protein powder in a ziploc bag and stevia always too!
Safe travels to you, I know you are so excited to go home!
Happy Wednesday! ❤
Thanks Katie! Haha sometimes I wonder what our protein powder in the Ziploc would look like to Customs, but ah well, it works!
Have a safe trip!! Enjoy some fun treats while on vacation too!!
Thanks so much – I really don’t think indulging will be an issue for me haha. I’ll certainly photograph any fun treats to share!
Love this post!! Great idea to write about how to keep healthy while traveling, it can be so hard sometimes!
Thank you Caroline! Yes, it’s been an issue in the past so I like to try and be prepared now; I’ve learned from experience! haha
I’m def hungrier if I’m bored while travelling (i.e. waiting at the airport, etc) but since I don’t have access to my normal snacks, I think I actually end up eating less. When I’m tired, I def eat way more
It could definitely be boredome related too – I can see that!
Traveling is always tricky, figuring out what to eat and how much of it. Planning is key! Great tips… and it all looks really tasty, too! Yes- I’m always hungry when flying… I think part of it is boredom snacking, but the leptin theory is interesting, I never head that before.
I’ve been super interested in leptin for a while – a good book to read about hormones in general, if you’re interested, is The Hormone Diet by naturopath Natasha Turner.
I love planning out and packing snacks like this for travelling. It’s actually fun to me haha! Have a great trip =)
Haha I know it is but I also like to leave a certain amount of choices up to sampling the destination’s delicacies! This one was a bit more planned as I’m just going home, but for sure if I go somewhere exotic and foreign I love to sample the different dishes and foods on offer there!
Oh for sureeee, there’s nothing like authentic food made my people who know what they’re doing!