Tips for the Healthy Traveler

I’m happy to see the major airports are getting better at offering healthier snack options for travelers. But it’s still so much smarter to plan ahead and bring your own healthy snacks, especially if it will be a long trip or you have connections. And, let’s face it, who hasn’t experienced unexpected delays or cancellations? You can never be too prepared!

It’s often that I started off well, I may have eaten before leaving or perhaps even brought something on board, only to find the smaller airport for the connection had nothing to offer but sugary soft drinks and chips or candy. There is also that time we found ourselves in the small airport at 4 am waiting for our connection and nothing was open even if there were healthy options available. By the way, those seemingly healthy trail mixes can really do you in if you don’t consider the serving sizes. It’s very easy to eat an entire bag and consume an entire day’s worth of calories, with too much sodium, sugar and carbs.

In this article I am sharing from my experience. Here are a few of my favorite snacks to bring along when I travel. I even pack some extra in my checked luggage so we have some healthy snacks and treats on our trip (and for the journey home). Have you noticed the selections in most hotel mini-bars, most are overly salted, sugary and very, very expensive!

• Cut up veggies and fruit can be prepared in advance and stored in sealed bags or containers. Carrots, celery and broccoli are very portable as are grapes, strawberries and even apple slices, with a little fresh lemon.
• Hard-boiled eggs are a little messier if you don’t peel them in advance but they are a good, portable and healthy source of protein and healthy fats and will help you stay full longer.
• High-fiber crackers like Wasa, GG or GF options like Ella’s flats are all good choices and hold up well if you buy (or bring) a sandwich and swap out the bread.
• Individual servings of hummus can be eaten with cut up veggies or with the crackers
• Single-serving packets of nut or seed butters are another good protein option to eat with the veggies, fruit or crackers.
• Individually wrapped single-servings of cheeses are good choices for shorter trips.
• Single servings or pre-portioned raw, unsalted nut mixes like almonds and walnut or pistachios are also a good source of energy-boosting protein and healthy fats.
• Healthy bars like RX Bars, Lara Bars or Kind Bars offer few but natural ingredients for a sweet treat with some protein too.
• Some protein powders come in sample sizes which you may be able to (carefully) add to a water bottle during your travel or on vacation. I sometimes pre-measure and pack my powders and pack them in my luggage.
• Plain or no-sugar-added Greek or non-dairy yogurts may be purchased in the airport and carried on board. I always bring some Stevia with me to add sweetness without having to use the harmful artificial sweeteners which are usually available.

Always remember to travel with water. You can’t take it with you through security in the airport so I always buy mine at the newsstand or kiosk in the airport. Another good option is to travel with a BPA-free water bottle and fill it up after you clear security. That way you can ask the flight attendant to fill ‘er up rather than drinking the tiny cups they give you on the flight. (And, it’s also a nice way to stay environmentally conscious, avoiding more plastic waste).

Safe Travels!

Yours In Good Health,

Wholey Fit Nutrition, LLC
www.wholeyfitnutrition.com
info@wholeyfitnutrition.com