Being away from home doesn't mean you need to sacrifice your healthy lifestyle! In this post, we'll explore 8 ways to make your on-the-go eating a success!
Recently, I was part of a 30-day challenge where I made a strict commitment to healthy eating, including no cheats. I discovered the biggest challenge was being away from my home and kitchen. Prep became really vital to my success, and I learned to both streamline and make it simple.
It was sometimes hard, but half the battle was the mental challenge of getting a game plan together. The satisfaction from knowing I was fueling my body with healthy food made it so worth the extra effort!
#1 – Stay Hydrated
This seems like such a simple place to begin, but it’s easy to let slip without even realizing it. When we think of healthy eating, we often forget this also includes what we consume through drinking. It’s difficult to resist food cravings and tempting options when your body is even a little bit dehydrated. Sipping a yummy drink is fun and helps put cravings in jail and identify true hunger.
My favourite products to make this really fun are any of the True Lemon drink packs. The unsweetened, crystallized citrus juice is great to add to sparkling water, and the sweetened packs are so easy to throw into a purse to add to a water bottle. When soda and sweetened tea options are all around you, beat the craving by being prepared!
If you have a bit more prep time, our Mango Madness, Niagara Peach, and Sweet Watermelon oolong tea are a great option to make up iced! Many more of our teas are great iced, so be sure to check out our full selection.
#2 – Keep Veggie Centered When Possible
When on the go, it’s usually easy to find acceptable protein options but neglect those good veggies. Salads are readily available at even most fast food restaurants. A little prep work at home can leave you with a week’s worth of washed and cut veggies. Try to keep a large container in your fridge of carrot sticks, cucumber slices, trimmed radishes, snap peas, celery sticks, bell peppers, or jicama strips. I also like to buy plastic containers of pre-washed greens for a quick emergency salad. If an unexpected trip comes up, it takes 2 minutes to throw these in a baggie, and off you go!
#3 – Fast Protein Options
Grilling marinated chicken breast or pork loin is one of my favourite things to do in the summer. Typically, I grill a bunch and keep a large container in my fridge. These are then so easy to slice or shred and stuff in a wrap or top a salad. Canned chicken breast, tuna, and salmon also make super easy options for ‘need-it-now’ meals. Look for the kind with pull tabs or in pouches for on-the-go. Another awesome option is these single-serve collagen packs. These are so easy to stir into a cup of coffee or other beverage. Not to mention, they make a great protein addition when nothing else is available.
#4 – Snacky Proteins
Sneak protein in between meals, too! I definitely have my favourite go-to’s for more of an in-between-meals protein-centered option. Make this easy by having cheese sticks, homemade protein bars or balls, or nuts available. Our protein bars are an awesome fast option! Yogurt with some peanut butter or peanut flour mixed in, apple slices, and bananas make other great options. Also check out our Rawnata snack bags.
#5 – Healthy Sweets
Fruit is usually available, but when you are looking for an option that is more dessert-like, I love a good Lily’s chocolate bar or Smart Cake. Peanut butter cups (milk or dark chocolate) are a classic favourite that totally demolishes any craving for a Reese’s cup. Remember, we also have individual Sweet Blend and Gentle Sweet packs that are great for sweetening beverages, oatmeal, yogurt, or other things you may have access to while traveling. Also check out Smart Sweet gummies for a fun treat!
#6 – Don’t Forget the Healthy Fats!
I found this one an easy thing to forget when away from home. Some of my favourite easy things for traveling were green or black olives in a small container, a whole avocado, hemp seeds (the toasted, seasoned varieties are awesome!) hard-boiled eggs (also great protein), or a small container of olive oil. I have really fallen in love with the infused varieties often available at specialty stores. Imagine sage and mild mushroom drizzled over your salad, or butter-flavoured on your eggs! It makes something simple taste gourmet in a hurry! Again, nuts are another great option here.
#7 – Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Substitutes at Restaurants
I used to shy away from doing this, afraid of being a nuisance or inconvenience. However, food sensitivities and restrictions are so common these days. I soon discovered almost every waiter was more than happy to oblige my requests. It’s so, so easy to ask for double veggies instead of rice or noodles; to hold the bread, chips, or croutons; or to simply put a main dish option over a salad.
#8 – Move!
If lying on a beach relaxing is your idea of a great vacation, by all means do so! However, exploring the area not only provides amazing experiences, it also makes your body happy by some good exercise! If on the road, even a quick 5-10 minute walk around a rest area has such a rejuvenating effect.
And that’s it! I’d love to hear your comments if you’ve found something particularly helpful with healthy eating when on the go!
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