Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Air"fare"- What to eat when you are traveling



Eating on the go is something that I’ve started to consider my specialty.  I’m on the run for 12 hrs and I’ve mastered what my body needs for a day full of subway riding, NYC tourist dodging, dancing, rehearsing and teaching!  So what do you do when you are off your normal routine or traveling away from home when you can’t carry a full artillery of energizing munchies?
Here are some guidelines for keeping your body healthy, energized and running at full speed while you are away. 
  • Pack a stainless steel water bottle.  You can fill it up as soon as you get through airport security and won’t have to waste a ton of money on overpriced (not to mention environmentally harming) bottled water.  Keep it full and on you at all times to stay hydrated and to help flush potential pathogens quickly from your system.  Hydrate!  Hydrate!  Hydrate!
  • While we’re talking H2O, be careful if you are traveling to a country where the water isn’t as filtered as we’re used to.  Residents in that country are used to it but our bodies don’t always find it “agreeable”.  If this is the case, purchase bottled water for drinking and teeth brushing and make sure that it is sealed.  You can try to limit your water intake and eat more fresh fruit to hydrate instead.
  •  Pack raw nuts and dried fruits in your carry-on.  I always throw in a few protein bars (although I’m not a huge advocate) in case I find myself starving on the plane or in between meals. 
  • Make a grocery store run as soon as you get to your destination.  I always stock up on things that don’t need refrigerated like baby carrots, natural nut butters, raw nuts, natural trail mixes, bananas, apples, oranges, etc.
  • By now you know that I’m not a fan of processed food but canned tuna and instant oatmeal packets (with some fresh food added) are good in a pinch.
  • If you have access to a mini fridge, stock up on leafy green lettuce, humus (I use this as a dip and dressing on my salads when traveling), mushrooms, yogurt, hard boiled eggs-most grocery stores sell them, cheese for a protein punch and 100% whole wheat pita.  It’s amazing how many different meals this combination will get you.  You just have to be creative!  
  • Always pack a spill proof bowl with a lid, a Ziploc bag or two and a set of utensils.   I promise they will come in handy for all your mixing and concocting!
  • This isn’t necessarily a health tip but I always pack a wine opener!  It’s the one item I end up always having to buy when I’m away.  I’m on vacation.  I like to indulge!

Of course this isn’t the end all to eating while traveling.  I’ve just found that it works pretty well for me.  What are some of your go-to’s when you are away from home?

3 comments:

  1. I speak from experience when I say to make sure your wine opener is not in your carry-on bag. I've had mine confiscated on more than one occasion.

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  2. My partner taught me that a banana will ripen in about an hour if you put it in brown paper bag! And if you seperate the bananas it will take them longer to ripen in case you're worried about being able to eat them all before they go bad!
    Also, my best friend taught me that when traveling to a foreign country where, like you say in another post, our bodies become exposed to bacteria that we're not used to dealing with, probiotics are your key to maintaining a happy tummy.
    And FYI, most people don't get sick from drinking the water, rather, it's this foreign bacteria (especially on fruits and veggies)that is the number one... errr.. number two... cause of tummy terror. :)

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