How to eat healthy while traveling

Jan 08 2016

Staying healthy while on the road can be challenging, to say the least. Not only do you find yourself in unfamiliar surroundings, but time constraints and the constant temptation to eat out can lead to some less-than-ideal dietary choices.

The good news is that with a little bit of planning, it’s often easy to eat healthy while traveling! Here are a few simple guidelines that will help you stay happy, healthy, and fit while on the road.

1. Pack Snacks

Always pack a few small baggies of snacks before going on a trip. Dried fruits, nuts, carrots, celery, granola bars, and beef jerky are all simple, non-perishable foods that hold up well over the course of a long day of travel. Leave the tuna sandwich at home and your travel mates will thank you for it!

2. Stay hydrated

Water is one of the most important (and yet easily overlooked) aspects to staying healthy. Drinking at least 8 glasses of water a day will keep you feeling at your best, and a good container is extremely helpful in reaching that goal. The Vapur Element bottle is one of my favorite travel bottles because it’s lightweight, compact, and extremely durable.

3. Buy Groceries

On the day of your arrival, go to a grocery store or convenience shop and buy a handful of staple items that will last the duration of your trip. Most importantly, make sure to buy the ingredients needed for breakfast. Starting each day with a healthy meal will keep you energized and help you to resist the temptation of stopping for fast food later in the day.

4. Avoid Fast Food

Fast food can be tempting, especially when you have a busy schedule or find yourself in a foreign country where everything looks a little daunting — except that oh-so-familiar McDonalds!

Try to resist the temptation and opt for a healthier alternative. Remind yourself that giving in to convenience and comfort might mean that you miss out on experiencing the local cuisine!

5. Try the local cuisine

To that point, don’t miss the opportunity to try one of the local specials! Research ahead of time the types of dishes you may want to try in a particular place. If you’re in a foreign country where you face language barriers, trying loading a few pictures on your phone of items that you know you’d like, and show them to your server at the restaurant.

From left to right: Korean BBQ; Pad Thai; Balinese; Thali; Sashimi

6. Plan your meals

It’s likely that you already have a basic itinerary of what you’ll be doing each day, so why not add your meal plans to the schedule? Think about what and where you’d like to eat each day. Perhaps you’ll plan to have breakfast in your room each morning, bring a snack with you during the day, and make reservations at a nearby healthy restaurant in the evening.