Tuesday’s Tip: Travel With Food

I’m currently in Chicago, touring a couple of museums and tagging along to one of Ted’s productions. Travel can be fun, but one part about being on the road that isn’t so great is the food. Airport food is usually horrible, and then they serve you cheap, sugar-laden snacks once you’re in the air. And once you’re at your destination, finding decent food can be a crapshoot. Is there a restaurant in the hotel lobby? What does it serve? Where’s the nearest store, and what do they sell? Is there a Whole Foods? How about a small natural foods store? You never really know what you’re going to find. And, unless you’re following a strict schedule, you never truly know when you’ll get your next meal. Hunger can set in, which is followed by the grumps (at least in my case). What are you supposed to do?

I make a point to travel with healthy, portable snacks. I pack a baggie with raw almonds, I buy trail mix if I know I’ll be walking a lot, and occasionally I’ll even bring fruit (like satsuma tangerines) if I’m going somewhere that I know bringing produce to won’t be an issue. Sometimes I even bring my own caffeine in the form of Guayakí tea bags, removed from their cardboard box and placed in a baggie for packing. I put it all in a bag I’m checking, and once I’m there I have a little arsenal of healthy, organic snacks to keep my blood sugar up in between meals (or even to replace a meal, if need be).

Doing this does take a little bit of planning ahead, but it’s not that big of a deal. Just buy some of this stuff a day or two before you travel, and make a point to get it all ready at least the day before. Dealing with your traveling snacks while trying to get packed and make it to the airport is more stress than I need, so I just deal with the snacks ahead of time. The minimal trouble is always worth it once I arrive. Try this once, and you’ll see what a difference a little good-quality fuel makes on the road.