travel tips: healthy {real} food to fuel your flight

Travel season is upon us, and I do not know about you guys but I am itching to get away!  And can I take a minute here to admit that I secretly love airports + airplanes?  I swear it is in my future to be employed on an airplane (pilot?).  I find them very inspiring, and airports are very purposeful – everyone has a plan and purpose for why they are there and for some reason that makes this heart of mine oh so happy. Okay, back on point. I hear a lot of my clients (especially those who travel for work) get frustrated with the available food options, especially while flying, when doing the best they can to eat whole, nourishing foods.  Well I have a solution (or 12) for you!

It is no secret that I am a snack queen (my friends + family give me a hard time, until they want some of what I got :)).  I usually have some sort of food item in my purse from each food group, and maybe a few straggler nuts from 2105 floating somewhere at the bottom.  (This trait must have been passed down to my 20 month old, I definitely found raisins tucked in his shirt pocket when I picked him up from school the other day.  Way to go, Ro-Ro!!).

Most “healthy” snack options are loaded with cheap vegetable oils that I try to avoid when + where I can (read more about why here).  Good quality, real food/snacks are hard to come by in airports, and if you can find them, they will usually cost you all of your vacation spending money.  I’ve got massages to get, people!  Here are a few of my favorite foods to travel with – some are ol’ tried and true ideas, some may be new to you!  All of these tips are airport-compliant, but would also work well on a road trip….

• Fresh fruit (if traveling domestic) – we bring bananas and apples for my lil’ monkey man (does anyone else use whole apples more as an activity for their toddler than a snack?!), but anything will work!  Pack softer fruits in an airtight glass storage container to protect them from getting smashed.

• Dried organic dates or figs.  These are great for a sweet tooth, and provide a huge energy push when combined with..

• Raw nuts/seeds, such as almonds, walnuts, pecans, macadamia nuts + sunflower or pumpkin seeds.  Check the label to make sure you are getting plain almonds (or whatever) without added oils.  Single serving nut butters are my jam, too!  Ideally, choose an option without added sugar.

• Hard boiled eggs (sorry, neighbor).  Great protein snack!  {+ please eat the yolk people!}  Pair with these…

• Single serving olive oil packets.  Game.  Changer.  Great to also keep in your purse for a healthy salad dressing when options are less than appealing…

• Or these single serving coconut oil packets for a good shot of fat (contains lauric acid, a Medium-Chain Triglyceride (MCT), which is used by our body as energy vs. stored fat)

• Staying on the healthy fat chain, throw in an avocado.  Ripe is best (so you can slice through it with a plastic knife).  Eat it from the half shell with a spoon!  (not weird, I promise :))

• Organic, full-fat string cheese.  This one is also for the little one.  But won’t it be out of the fridge?  Yes.  In my opinion, it is totally fine to eat within a few hours, as long as you don’t mind it being a bit, er, warmer?  We don’t 🙂

• Real food bars.  Fortunately, the industry is booming with real food options being packaged in the form of bars for easy transportation and consumption.  A few of my faves are Rx bars, Thunderbird bars, and KIND fruit bars (100% fruit, and fruit only).  Rx bars are simple ingredients and higher in fat + protein (made with egg whites), which will result in more sustained energy.  I am loving these lately!

• I may lose some of ya’ll with this one, but canned SARDINES.  What??  Yes!  Again, sorry, window seat.  But what a way to get a super nutrient dense snack (or part of a snack-y meal!).  High in omega-3’s and good source of protein for a low amount of calories, sardines (preferably packed in water) are a winner in my book. Another favorite of tiny traveler!

• Plantain chips.  You guys, these are my BFF lately.  Terra is a brand that you can find at Whole Foods, and they are made with JUST plantains, coconut oil, and sea salt.  Salty crunch for the win!  I dare you to try to eat just one serving.

• And for the little ones- squeezies!  We typically like to make our own (once in the bluest of moons- but also not possible for air travel) and put them in recycled squeeze packs, but these are just as good.

• Bring an empty water bottle you can refill time and time again and drink it up!  This will help prevent swelling that occurs with elevation changes and sitting still for so long. This will also force you to get out of your chair and use the restroom, which is necessary to keep that blood flowing!

As far as other helpful travel tips- use the airport terminals to walk walk walk.  If you have your luggage and are traveling alone, be grateful for the extra weight to make your walk more efficient.  I like to find the trains and walk the walking path along from terminal to terminal.  It can be fun to walk around in an airport just for fun (people watching, anyone?).  Traveling with an infant or toddler?  Strap that baby to you and find some stairs to climb!  Work those muscles and wake up your glutes before you forget about them for the next few hours on your flight.  You may also find me doing sumo squats in a corner.  No shame with this game!

I hope you will remember these yummy, wholesome snack ideas next time you travel!  We are headed to sunny Florida soon to visit family, and I hope to post pics of these snacks in action!  Follow me on instagram or facebook to see the scoop :).

What are some of your favorite travel tips?