Years ago, I would have never even begun to think about trying to eat healthy on vacations. They’re vacations! Why on earth did I want to limit myself to a strict meal plan (or the dreaded word, “diet”), while enjoying my time away with my loved ones? Over time though, I began to learn more about how healthy eating truly affects the entirety of those trips, and how I have made significant changes up until now and ongoing so that I can feel my best if I’m just laying on the beach or conquering the next best mountain on foot. How do you eat while you travel? Do you realize that it adjusts how you feel overall? Let’s discuss the best options to choose for healthy eating while traveling when your options are limited.
Staying Nourished While on the Go
I used to hate healthy eating. Like literally, loathe it. I ate fried chicken tenders before softball games and indulged in Dairy Queen to refuel after. Sure, most teenagers will do this. It’s fun, it tastes awesome, and we’re able to bond over delicious cheese-covered food with our family and friends. But some days while I soak in my homemade smoothies, I think back and wonder how much better I could have performed if I’d only known how to fuel my body properly?
Although this is just something that most of us learn over time, I’d like to point out that Gen Z is doing a much better job at this than us Millennials. It seems that everyday I notice more and more teens opting for healthy snacks or smoothies and green juice over milkshakes and burgers. Of course, there is more available knowledge out there with the internet at their fingertips, so I am pleased to say that those such as my 17 year old sister are one of them who are learning what’s best to put on their plates early in the game of life.
She even makes “nice cream!” Check out the recipe below if you’re wanting a frozen, healthy treat after a long morning run. (She runs 7 miles EVERY MORNING….gulp.)
Unfortunately for us ladies in our 30s and 40s, we are now just learning about all the benefits of eating healthy and maintaining a well-balanced diet. Of course we learned some things along the way through health class and other methods, but I’ve found much more valuable information on my own, not to mention that finding the right meal plan that works for you is the absolute hardest part!
These days, I don’t try to force myself into making things I’m just kind of “meh” about. My husband has a different meal plan than me now, and it took me a long time to be okay with that. For years I would fight it and feel inadequate about not cooking for us both, but today, I embrace that we have different diets, because we are in fact different people. And that is okayyyy my friend.
Something I also noticed yesterday even is that I really love eating big breakfasts and lunches, then snack or just have a small dinner in the late afternoon or early evening. He’s the total opposite. He likes to have big dinners and if I didn’t heat something up for him for breakfast, he probably wouldn’t have it at all!
Fortunately though, we’ve managed to find some meals that work best for us both on the weekends, but when we’re traveling, those diets that we’re used to can be hard to balance.
Finding Healthy Food Options While Traveling
It all depends what the trip we’re going on entails. Will there be an REI for dehydrated options? Or will we have to suffer and choose from the limited options that are at the nearest Wal-Mart? (That’s what we had to do during our Kauai trip, before finding Pitch-A-Tent on Google!)
Sometimes we look for Whole Foods, or out west there’s a similar store named Natural Grocers (found this gem in Saint George, Utah before hitting up Angels Landing in Zion!) I just read that Sprouts Farmers Markets have also opened up in some areas.
Speaking of which, farmers markets are a great place to stop for fresh fruits and veggies during your trips, with an added bonus of them typically being a TON less expensive than your regular grocery store! Three cheers for supporting small businesses! <3 (Psst, like this one!)
When we’re on the trails, I pack completely different. I have however adopted a few dehydrated meals to keep in the pantry at home when I’m feeling hungry but not up to cooking a whole meal.
My favorite healthy eating while traveling go-to’s are:
- Strawberries & Granola by Peak Refuel
- Chicken & Rice by Mountain House
- Chicken Alfredo Pasta by Peak Refuel
I now purchase two 6-packs every other week of the granola to take with me to work. That and my Quantum Energy Squares fill me up for a few hours until I need to recharge with some sourdough toast or a Nuun electrolytes/caffeine tablet.
It’s also pretty great that Mountain House offers canned options, which means that you can buy those meals in bulk instead of individual bags! Yay for savings! So I always keep a serving of the chicken and rice on me when I’m at work or running errands since all I need is hot water to make it ready to eat!
Healthy Eating at Airports
But what about airports?? Ah yes, the dreaded airport cafeteria food…
No lie, that’s what most of it used to remind me of. Blah looking options, meh tasting meals, and just okay “healthy” juices. BUT NOW?! Guyzzzzzz.
They have SO many options to choose from! At least in most of your larger airports. My two favorite to travel through is Pittsburgh and Phoenix. I love both of these locations and their airports have provided the best experiences for setup, and the most options for healthy food choices.
We have run into a few of them however that have very limited choices. Especially when your girl is craving a quesadilla and that bad boy is the entire way across 4 different gates. *Sad face* (Side note: the hubs and I have now decided that we will no longer waste time and be stressed about where to eat when we’re facing layovers or long wait times at our gates. We have made a pact to utilize the options that are in that gate to the best of our ability so that we don’t stress on getting back in time or unnecessarily arguing over which restaurant has shorter wait lines).
A lot of times they’ll have these new little scan stations where you can pickup some mixed nuts, cheese wheels, beef sticks or other protein-packed quick snacks. In our most recent trip, the only place at the gate that looked acceptable was a burger joint, where I opted for 2 plain patties instead of the whole burger with fries. I was full, satisfied, and not regretting my soon-to-be bikini bod. Win, win!
If you’re into finding out more options for healthy eating while traveling to eat better and feel better, or have questions about how we have managed to snag permits for Angels Landing, Rim to Rim, Bright Angel, Napali Coast, and *most recently*! Mt. Whitney?! Eek! Check out future or previous posts that dive into detail about feeling your best during travel and what you can do to grab permits early on to escape the dreaded “You didn’t get it” email. Boo to that!
Thanks for reading today, happy healthy living while you travel to beautiful places friends! 🙂 Byeeeeeee!
Thanks for reading today’s article on healthy eating while traveling!😊
We hope you found some helpful tips healthy eating while traveling. Whether you’re hiking, exploring new cities, or just relaxing on the beach, eating well can make all the difference in how you feel and enjoy your trip.
What did you think? We’d love to hear your thoughts or any travel food tips you swear by! Let us know in the comments below – we’re always excited to learn from your experiences.
Stay healthy, happy travels, and we’ll catch you next time! 🌟
