Flying, road trips, work trips…we travel these days more than ever before & for many of us…it throws a hitch in our normal eating patterns. And if you’re on a Whole30, well…it just got that much harder.So here are my favorite travel foods, tips and some mindset mantras that I use to keep me on the right track while traveling! I’ve also attached Whole30’s PDF on eating while traveling!
MY FAVE TRAVEL FOODS
- Apples & Cuties (because they don’t squish like most other fruits)
- Dried Mangoes (no sugar added!)
- Packs of Nut Butters – I use on my apples! (Mess free and super convenient!)
- Home-made Trail Mix (to avoid added crappy oils)
- The New Primal Sea Salt Beef Thins (use code BODIESBYHEATHER)
- Chomps Meat Sticks – Original are my favorite
- Lara & RX Bars
- Purse Avocados & hard-boiled eggs – (It’s a thing…I swear, and if not…I made it one!)
- Veggie Sticks w/Tessemae’s Sauce Dip Cups
- Pickle & Olive Packs – With the popularity of Keto – I see this pretty often now
TRAVEL FOOD TIPS
1. Protein – is usually the hardest food to find while traveling – so make that a priority!
2. Special Treats – I have special Whole30 compliant “treat” foods that I reserve for traveling and helps me fill that travel ritual feeling of splurging a little on food or having foods that I look forward to – You know…that happy soul food feeling 😉 These travel treats used to be Little Debbies & potato chips.
- For example: Beef thins & almond RX Nut Butter are things I ONLY eat while traveling or Back-packing, and I look forward to them so much!
3. Food Smuggling – It isn’t just for Grandma’s anymore! Don’t be scared to keep things in your purse like hard-boiled eggs, packets of salt, mustard, avocados, and cutlery. All of the cool kids are doing it. I PROMISE!
MINDEST MANTRAS
1. How do I want to Feel? – I continuously remind myself what is important to me if I feel tempted to “Just Eat the Things” and it usually sounds something like this in my head:
“It will taste good in the moment – and everyone else is doing it….however…I don’t want to feel crappy! I don’t want that one moment to dictate how I feel for the day! I want to feel good so that I have the energy to tackle that mountain or show up strong at that work meeting. I also don’t want to feel bloated or constipated…because I bought that bikini and I want to rock it or because I won’t want to move and well….vacations or trips spent laying around because of my food choices don’t really sound like much fun. “
And you know what?…I NEVER regret saying “NO” – I sometimes regret saying “YES.” – I’m here to LIVE and when I’m not eating clean…I just don’t feel good. When I watch everyone around me wallowing in the “I can’t move, I ate too much” or taking EXTRA long trips to the bathroom…I do NOT feel like I’m the one who’s missing out.
2. It Isn’t a Party if it Happens Everyday – I say this a ton! To me it means…if I’m ALWAYS doing it…then it isn’t really special anymore. And I use it to counter my thoughts of: Well just this once, or how about just for this occasion – you know…because it’s a special occasion. Here’s the thing…while traveling used to be rare – it isn’t so much anymore for me and while I do enjoy travel food adventures – It Isn’t special it I’m doing it EVERY time I travel. At that point….I’m really just justifying an unhealthy habit.
TRAIL MIX RECIPE
I go to Trader Joes – and buy:
- Several varieties of raw nuts (some salted if no added oil)
- I buy their dried cherries (no sugar added)
- Unsweetened Coconut Flakes or Dang – lightly salted baked coconut chips (Kroger)
I mix it all up in a huge container & have trail mix to share! If I’m feeling ambitious, I bake it in an egg white mixture to get it a lil crunchy – but let’s be honest – that hardly ever happens…lol.