Written by Emily Greffenius. Reviewed by Meghan Farrell, CPT, BSN

If you travel a lot – whether for work or for pleasure – you know how much traveling can upend your routine. On top of that, there’s so much that’s out of your control when you’re on the go. But there are still some things you can control and some steps you can take to try and keep yourself on track as much as possible. Let’s dive in.

Why Is It Important to Be Conscious of Your Nutrition While Traveling?

Traveling can throw off everything about your routines. Whether it be the actual travel day or while you’re on your trip, staying in a hotel or Airbnb, what you have access to could be drastically different from what you have at home. 

If you’re used to cooking all your meals, you’ll likely find yourself in a situation where most of your food options are already prepared. Or if you always have the same thing for breakfast or lunch, you might find yourself without those specific options. And, if you depend on those routines to keep your nutrition on track, you’ll likely have to pay closer attention to your meals and your food choices.

This is especially important if you have certain health and fitness goals. Whether it be to lose some body fat or gain some muscle, your health and fitness goals are fueled by your nutrition. If you’re traveling all the time, that can really impact how consistently you can meet your nutrition goals, and therefore your fitness goals. But keeping a keener eye on your nutrition while you’re traveling can make a big difference.

6 Nutrition Tips for When You Travel

Let’s dive into some of the best tips that can help you stay on track with your nutrition when you travel.

1. Portable, Nourishing Snacks

Overall, it’s difficult to have control over your food while traveling, and it can also be hard to control exactly when you’ll have the chance to eat. Packing your own snacks can help you on both fronts – you’ll always have something on hand that’s satisfying and nutritious, and snacks can help you take the edge off your hunger if you find yourself going a long time between meals – or not knowing the next time you’re going to eat.

When you’re thinking about snacks to pack, try to choose options that are small, portable, and focus on protein and fiber. That combination will help you feel satisfied while keeping you energized at the same time.

Here are some great snack options to keep in mind when packing for your next trip:

• Chomps, or other pre-packaged jerky
• Protein bars
• Nuts or nut butter (a lot of nut butter companies make portable little packets!)
• Fruit – whole, or dried and unsweetened
• Whole grain crackers
• Popcorn (a whole grain!)
• String cheese

2. Stay Hydrated

Staying hydrated is always an important part of a well-rounded nutrition and health plan, and dehydration is more common while traveling. Not only is basic hydration important, but drinking water can help you maintain your energy levels and aid in proper digestion.

It can also be a good idea to stick to water as you focus on your hydration while traveling. Water will most directly provide the benefits of hydration, and, if you’re sticking to water, there are fewer opportunities to ingest other high-calorie beverages. If you’re really trying to hone in on your nutrition while traveling, try to limit caffeinated, alcoholic, or sweetened beverages, and choose water instead.

A lot of water-rich foods can also support a healthy diet, like watermelon, cucumber, tomatoes, and other fresh fruits and vegetables!

It can also be a good idea to bring a reusable water bottle on your trip so you always have some water handy!

3. Start Your Day with a Nutritious Breakfast

Starting the day with a nutritious breakfast is not only a great way to set yourself up for a successful and nutritious day, but it’s probably one of the meals while traveling that you’ll have the most control over. A lot of common, nutritious breakfast foods – like hard-boiled eggs, oatmeal, fresh fruit, and unsweetened yogurt – are pretty easy to keep stocked in your hotel room. 

Eating a breakfast packed with protein and fiber can also help keep you fueled from the moment you wake up, especially if you have a busy day or strenuous activities on your schedule. It can also have a psychological benefit; sometimes, if you eat a healthy and nutritious breakfast that makes you feel good, you may be more likely to make additional nutritious choices throughout the day.

4. Prioritize Protein

Protein is the powerhouse for helping you feel full and satisfied between your meals. It’s also extra important if you have any fitness goals around building muscle. Most people tend not to eat enough protein even when they’re following all of their regular routines, let alone when they’re traveling, so it can be even more important to pay conscious attention to it during snack times and meals.

When you’re choosing what to eat, think about protein first and try to build the rest of your snack or meal around that component. For example, if you’re at a restaurant, pick a dish with a main source of protein, like fish or chicken. Then try to build the rest of your meal around that with fresh fruits, veggies, and whole grains (always check the list of sides! You can usually find a great, simple veggie).

Eating enough protein will help you keep your appetite regulated throughout your trip!

5. Keep Balance in Mind When Ordering Meals

While it may be important to prioritize protein when it comes to your snacks and meals, you also want to make sure that they’re generally balanced. Start with your protein, and then make other choices for fiber-rich carbohydrates and vegetables to round it out. Eating a variety can help you get numerous nutrients and feel more satisfied.

When eating out, it can make a difference to pay attention to how a meal is prepared. Look for grilled, steamed, or baked options as opposed to fried dishes. The amount of unhealthy fats in fried dishes tend to be way higher, so opting for other preparation options can help keep your meal more balanced overall.

6. Plan Ahead

This is probably the biggest and most overarching tip – to help keep your nutrition on track while you’re traveling, plan ahead. In every form, planning ahead can help you reach for healthy and nutritious food rather than unhealthy foods out of convenience. Planning ahead can look like:

• Making a trip to the grocery store before you leave on your trip to prepare some healthy snacks to bring with you
• Researching the area you’ll be traveling in to identify grocery stores you might have at your disposal or healthier dining options
• Stocking your hotel room with healthier snack and meal options
• Reaching out to your hotel or Airbnb to ask if your accommodations have any cooking facilities

Get the Support You Need – No Matter Where You Are

Planning a trip, whether for work or for pleasure, can already be overwhelming. You have to book the train or plane or rent the car, you have to find a place to stay, you have to plan out the things that you want to do while you’re there, or if it’s a work trip, you might be stressing about the meetings you’ll be sitting in all day. Trying to think about how you’ll keep your nutrition on track might just seem like one more thing.

Working with an online fitness and nutrition coach could be the exact support that you need to both enjoy your trip and keep your nutrition on track to meet your goals.If you want to learn more about working with an online coach, read the comprehensive guide. And if you think online coaching is for you, head to the inquiry form so that we can connect one-on-one.