Healthy Eating While Traveling

I have lived with Celiac Disease for four years now. This presents quite a challenge for me when it comes to parties, family events, and social gatherings, but I’ve learned to adapt.

Traveling, though, is still a tricky one to navigate. I am very limited with where I can stop for a meal since most fast food restaurants do not provide gluten free options. I learned early on that this is a blessing in disguise. This inconvenience has actually caused me to eat healthier when I travel.

For those of you who are trying to be healthy intentionally, here are some things I’ve learned.

Do Research and Organize

The first thing I do when I am planning a trip is I use an app to see what my restaurant options are in the city I’ll be going to.

HealthyOut is an app that lets you search for restaurants using nutrition preferences like low carb, paleo, vegan, glucose control, and high protein among others. Then you can search for dishes by calorie count, ingredients, and location. For each dish you select you can see the nutrition data, the calorie breakdown, and the number of points for Weight Watchers.

I like to have a list of restaurant options with me if I’m traveling with other people—then I can ask them which option sounds best to them. Friends and family tend to be very accommodating with my dietary needs when I explain how eating healthy impacts me.

Plan for an Emergency

Things can always come up spur of the moment—the restaurant closed early or your car broke down on the side of the road. Make sure you plan for these situations and pack plenty of food with you.

If it’s a road trip, bring a cooler and pack it full of nutrient-dense food that will sustain you. Traveling by plane? Here’s a list of foods you can and can’t bring with you. If you have the option, pick a hotel with a fridge and a microwave and plan to prepare some of your own meals.

Make Wise Choices

Remember that high protein meals will keep you fuller longer throughout the day. Some snack options include nuts, seeds, dried fruit, veggies, and peanut butter.

If you have access to a breakfast buffet, add protein by putting peanut butter on toast, for example. For an easy lunch, put together a European style meal of fruit, meats, and cheeses.

Don’t forget our MySmartBars and MySmart Protein Shake bases and optimizers—perfect for on-the-go. Bring food with you that you might not be able to find in a new city. (I have a favorite lactose-free yogurt I like to pack with me.)

Stay Determined – Stay Healthy!

It’s hard to stay healthy when friends or co-workers want to go out for dessert or drinks. Make realistic goals for such situations. Allow one evening to be your night off and limit yourself to one high-calorie item. If you’re spending the rest of the trip making healthy choices, it’s ok to allow yourself a cheat night.

With a little preparation, you can make your trip memorable AND healthy. Bon Voyage!

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

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