Traveling can be a stumbling block when it comes to whole food plant based (WFPB) eating. If you aren't prepared when you leave the house, whether it be for a short trip or a long road trip, the chances of staying on track aren't very good. When I'm hungry... that's it.. I need to eat. If I'm not prepared I will settle for poor choices. I may even be able to technically keep the choices in the plant based category but it will most likely be junk. I find when I am within the area I live I at least know where I can find some okay options but once I am out of my space it gets trickier. Here are 7 quick tips to help you stay on track...
1. The best thing I can do is have food with me. I have heard the remark when I suggest this that "It takes too much time to have to pack all of that every time I leave the house". Yes, it does take time. So does stopping somewhere to eat. Consider the time packing the same time you would have been spending grabbing an unhealthy meal elsewhere. I have 2 coolers. One is small enough to carry like a lunch box and the other is a standard tailgate style cooler. Which one I pack and bring is determined by how far and how long I'm going to be gone. In the cooler I can put fruits like apples or bananas, veggies like cucumber slices, celery, carrots etc.., almond butter sandwiches. It varies every time and you can be as creative with it as you want.
2. When we are traveling and staying in a hotel my best option is to find a grocery store for meals. (I always try to pick a hotel that has a refrigerator and microwave in the room. The info is usually on their website where they show the rooms. If not you can always call.) Whole Foods is the nicer (and priciest) option. Their salad bar is usually phenomenal and always filled with organic whole food choices. They also have really good plant based soups. If Whole Foods isn't available or you don't want get involved in a $20 salad and soup then any chain grocery (Trader Joes preferably) will usually do. Every store has a produce section, raw nuts, healthy breads, almond butter etc.. Canned organic beans are always available and the single serve brown rice or quinoa microwave packs are awesome. Pick up some avocado and you got easy bean and rice bowls with avocado.
3. If you don't have a Nutri Bullet (link HERE) it's a great investment to get one. My Nutri Bullet comes with me on every trip. It is small enough to easily pack and easy to clean. I bring my smoothie additives also...Green Vibrance(link HERE), spirulina powder, Maca powder etc. Then once I've gone to the store and bought some fresh greens, veggies and fruit, I have everything I need for smoothies throughout my trip.
4. Another great investment is a good old fashioned Thermos. I'm pretty sure there are some fancier versions out there now that do the same job for twice the price and half the durability but I personally like a Thermos. I use mine for fresh pressed juices. It keeps it cold and if you fill it to the top so there is hardly any air in the container it will keep those live enzymes alive for up to 24 hours. It's not the same as straight out of the juicer but hey we're on the road so it's still a pretty good deal. I also use it to put green smoothies in. Same idea...fill it to the top! This can also be an idea for around town if you know you are going to be out all day, to bring to work, to take on a hike, to the beach..whatever. You get it. Here's a picture of the one I use. I think it fits about 40 ounces, so it's a nice amount..
5. So OBVIOUSLY when you travel you are going to want to eat out. For this all you need to know is http://www.happycow.net/ It's like "Veggie Yelp". Yelp is good but sometimes it's a bit sloppy and will send you places it considers to be plant based because they have a baked potato on their menu. Happy Cow will direct you to restaurants and cafes that are high quality legitimate plant based eating. Check em out!!
6. Water! Water! Water! Drinking enough water is challenging enough but when you are traveling it can be almost impossible sometimes. Keep a gallon or two in the car for road trips. It'll save you from sugary truck stop/gas station drinks. It'll also save you a few bucks. When you get to the hotel it's the same story. I recently stayed in a hotel that had vending machines on every floor (as usual) but no water in any of them. Besides, at a buck a small bottle and as much water as I drink, even if the machines did have water it wouldn't be a realistic option. The room had a bigger bottle (which still wouldn't have been enough) for I think $9....Take that $9 and buy 9 gallons of water at the store and bring it to your room. You'll be glad you did. I always run more than usual when I travel because it's a great way to see the cities I'm visiting so the more water I have the better. I carry my water bottle everywhere with me and just fill up whenever I can..
7. Lastly..Always! Always! Always bring some food with you whenever you leave the house.(Sound the same as #1? It is. It's important.) Even if you think you are only going to be gone an hour. Eating plant based is very satisfying but in my experience you need to eat VERY often. I like that aspect of it since I love to eat. But it was a challenge at first to plan accordingly and remember to bring enough food with me wherever I went. If you've read my blog, I'm sure you have read over and over that this a new way of eating and it takes thought and care. I write that repeatedly because it's the truth. I like that aspect of it though. There isn't much thought, care, self respect or self discipline behind junk food and fast food. Once you've experienced the better quality of life that goes along with WFPB nutrition, all that trash really stops ever being an option. It takes some time to get crafty about all this but there is ALWAYS a healthy way. The WFPB options are usually just not visible from the freeway and don't have bright signs and convenient drive-thrus... Yet.
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