Travel Lightly

Tomorrow afternoon I’m heading to Chicago for the weekend. Whenever I travel someplace that is more than an hour away, whether by car, train, or plane, I always make sure to take snacks with me. And I recommend you do the same. You never know when you’ll get hungry or what kind of food options you’ll have in the airport or at a rest stop. Here are my recommendations for how to eat healthy on the road:

• • Bring snacks:
    • Fruit and nuts. Apples are my go-to fruit choice when I travel because they’re not messy and they have a lot of fiber, which keeps me full. Other good fruits on the go are bananas, pears, and clementines. Be sure to portion out nuts into resealable bags, otherwise you may take in too many calories.
    • Trailmix. This combo of dried fruit and nuts will keep you full, but again be sure to portion it out.
    • Healthy bars. There are a lot of bars on the market, so be sure to choose ones made with whole grains, nuts, and dried fruit. Personally I love some of the Kashi Crunchy bars, Lara Bars, and KIND bars to name a few.
    • High-protein individually wrapped snacks. Hummus, part-skim string cheese, and low-fat Greek yogurts are all good choices for shorter trips (or if you can pack them in a cooler even better). I like to pair the hummus or cheese with baby carrots.
  • Choose wisely in the food court. Most airports and rest-stops have coffee chains like Starbucks where you can get a latte with skim milk, which will provide you with calcium and protein. If there’s a sandwich vendor, opt for whole wheat bread with turkey or look for a small fruit and yogurt parfait made with low-fat yogurt. When choosing a salad, be careful with the add-ins and salad dressings, which can rack up the calories.

• Hydrate. Traveling, especially by plane, can lead to dehydration, so be sure to drink plenty of water.

What do you eat when you’re on the road or in the air?