Eat Healthy on the Road

How to eat healthy while traveling? 8 real-life tips that can help

It’s OK to splurge on vacation. But maintaining balance is a good idea

Hannah Six

Contributing Writer

Updated Dec. 12, 2022

Published May 27, 2021

Hitting the road for the holidays?

If you’re trying to eat healthy, dining away from home can derail even the best of intentions. Whether you find yourself famished at the airport or are tempted by fast food joints along the interstate, the challenges are there. What are hungry people – with one eye on their health – to do?

Well, to begin with, keep your perspective, said Paige Macauley, North Carolina director of dietetics at CoreLife Novant Health.

“Nutrition doesn’t have to be perfect to be successful. Most of us aren’t going to lose weight while traveling,” she conceded. But we can at least try to keep things balanced.

Macauley also encourages clients to change their outlook, from “I have to eat healthily” to “I get to eat healthily.”

“Focusing on foods that make you feel your best can be a driving factor in developing that mindset,” she says. “This is especially helpful when you’re traveling, because if you feel well, you’ll enjoy your vacation so much more.”

To that end, Macauley offered the following tips for eating well on the road:

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1. Look for healthier options that are popping up in unexpected places.

“Convenience foods are quick and easy, they’re cheap and they taste good,” Macauley says, “so we tend to forget about more nutritious options when we travel.” But even convenience stores and airports are starting to offer a wider range of healthy snacks, like yogurt with granola, cheese plates and salads.

2. Stick with regular mealtimes, and fill your plate wisely.

To offset temptation, Macauley encourages clients to be mindful of portion sizes, avoid heavy sauces and maintain a normal eating schedule, especially when faced with extensive buffets. “Cruise ships have a lot of opportunities for indulgence,” she says, “but they usually offer healthier options, too, like lean proteins, fruits, vegetables and whole grains.”

3. Bring plenty of high-fiber, high-protein snacks.

If you’re heading out on a long road trip, pack a cooler where you can store hard-boiled eggs, yogurt and fresh produce. Eating balanced snacks and avoiding fast-food restaurants on the road can help reduce your sodium intake, similar to cooking at home. “When we bring food we have the most control,” Macauley said. “This can keep your blood pressure in check and your heart healthy.” If you’re unable to pack your own snacks, look for 5% or less daily value in sodium when reviewing the food labels. This indicates a food is a low source of sodium. When traveling by plane, train or ship, check the TSA website or contact your cruise line to learn which foods you’re allowed to carry on. Bring extra, if possible, so you can avoid vending machines and other temptations at your hotel.

4. Stay hydrated.

Drinking water not only replenishes the fluids in your body, it keeps your skin hydrated, reduces junk-food cravings and helps fend off that bloated feeling from fluid retention. If you use a refillable bottle, you’ll reap all these benefits while also helping the environment.

5. Eat mindfully and savor your food.

“One of the best things people can do for themselves is to take time to eat, to sit down and enjoy meals rather than skipping them or eating on the go,” Macauley said. Slowing down and eating mindfully allows you to fully enjoy new dishes and local flavors. “I also encourage folks to consider what they need to feel satisfied,” Macauley says. “Do you really need the whole banana split? Or would one scoop of ice cream be enough?”

6. Choose a special treat once a day, and otherwise opt for healthy foods.

Eating out often feels like a special treat, but when we’re traveling, it becomes an everyday occasion. That means, instead of indulging at every meal, consider eating fiber- and nutrient-rich vegetables and lean proteins at mealtime, and enjoying a special indulgence, like a mouthwatering dessert, once a day.

7. Harness technology to help you find healthy options.

There’s an app for everything — including finding restaurants that serve healthy food. Food Tripping, Happy Cow (HappyCow.net) and Vegan Finder (vegan-finder.com) can help you find fast-food alternatives and restaurants with plant-based options. You can also use filters on sites like Yelp, Door Dash and Grub Hub to find nutritious meals on the road.

8. Fend off jet-lag and travel fatigue by eating foods associated with better sleep.

Reach for foods that contain tryptophan, magnesium, melatonin and other nutrients that may help improve your sleep:

• Poultry, fatty fish like salmon or tuna, and dairy products.
• Almonds, cashews and other nuts.
• Oatmeal, bran flakes, whole grain crackers and other relatively unprocessed carbs.
• Tart Montmorency cherries or tart-cherry juice without added sugar.
• Bananas and kiwis.

Limiting processed or sugary foods and cutting back on caffeine and alcohol can also help ensure you rest easy and wake refreshed.

If you do go a little overboard…

Try to go easy on yourself. Success, according to Macauley, is all about creating a sense of balance instead of having an all-or- nothing attitude.

“We don’t need to say ‘I can never again have cake on my birthday, or indulge when I travel,’” she said. “A birthday is just one day, and a vacation lasts maybe a week or two. So, just proceed at a reasonable pace and get back to your normal healthy routine as soon as possible.”

Ideas for healthy, portable snacks

• Celery or sliced apples spread with peanut butter (rub lemon juice on apples to prevent browning).
• Fresh fruit (bananas, grapes, strawberries and oranges are easy to carry along).
• Sliced veggies (baby carrots, cauliflower florets, bell peppers and snap peas are easy to eat).
• Single-serving containers of almond butter, hummus or guacamole for dipping.
• Dried fruit, like raisins, cranberries, bananas, apples, apricots.
• Nuts and seeds (almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, etc.) or homemade trail mix.
• Protein bars, shakes or packets of protein-powder you can mix into water or milk.
• Hard-boiled eggs.
• Plain, low-fat yogurt with granola or fruit.
• Individually-wrapped, low-fat string cheese, cheese sticks or mini-rounds.
• Individual portions of sugar-free applesauce.
• Single-serving envelopes of tuna packed in water.
• Low-sodium turkey jerky or smoked salmon.
• Popcorn (air-popped or a low-fat, low sodium variety containing as few ingredients as possible).