So I challenged Myself to stay on track with nutritious eating while traveling. Between work and personal travel this year I find Myself needing more discipline than ever to keep progress in check.
After many, many months of tinkering with methods, I’ve found two “must do’s” that have become the bedrock for eating mindfully while traveling.
- Pack food whether it’s a road trip of flight
- Seek out groceries upon arrival (store or delivery)
The benefits I found of doing Both are:
- Save money
- Keep energy levels high
- Finding joy in learning more about local foods (even grocery stores can be culturally enlightening!)
- Stay on track with nutrition plan
- Gets us moving and leaves more time for other activities!
The first in the series is focused on how to stay on track with your eating plan while traveling by plane.
Bring your own food on flight?!?!?!
Did you know TSA has a list of foods you can bring through Security! It is wonderful to know even TSA wants us to eat nutritiously while traveling :)>.
A few things to keep in mind:
- Know what you can pack in your carry-on and checked baggage before arriving at the airport by reviewing “What can I bring” article on the TSA website.
- Before I packed the above food box I reviewed each page
- I then made a list of items I enjoy eating AND in their approved categories
- This list became my go to planning grid before I flew
| Item | TSA Approved? | Breakfast, Snack, Lunch, or Dinner Bento? |
| Blueberries | Yes | Breakfast |
| Cherry Tomatoes | Yes | Snack |
| Pretzel sticks and PB | Yes | Lunch |
| Bottle Water | No | —- |
Epic Failure and Recovery LOL!
Be gentle with yourself and family, as this will take time to flourish. On a recent trip to NYC, I encouraged my Son and Neice to pack snacks for the plane. Not only to save money but also to support healthier choices. Then came an epic fail… 🤦🏾♀️ after they began packing their snacks I did not go back and check them before we arrived in the airport. After going through TSA I realized their backpacks were taking longer than normal. The TSA Agent asked who was the adult with them, and pulled us all to the side. As he pulled the contents of their packs out, we realized they both packed apple juice bottles in the bag. Oh My….
The juices were confiscated, the kiddos educated and we kept going on our way. Bravo TSA for a great job keeping us safe. I’ve now nicknamed those two the “juice bandits” 😂.
In closing, I truly enjoy sharing my journey to health so folks know it’s truly never over. As you move and swag through life you have to find what works for you and keeps you on path. I simply hope these posts help others (and a chuckle) find theirs.
In peace,
J