
As many of you know, I travel a lot. On a personal level, it's how I find balance and how I'm able to lead my crazy busy, constantly working lifestyle without going insane. (I love that Iāve created a life and a company where Iām able to work remotely some of the time and offer this same benefit to my team members!). That said, I have certain strategies I implement when Iām leaving home because even when I travel I follow my own PFC guidelines.
āHow am I supposed to eat while traveling?ā is a common question we get from folks. āHow do I eat PFC when Iām not at home?ā āWhat kinds of foods do I take with me to the airport, and keep at the hotel?ā We already published a blog post on eating PFC on road tripsĀ and at restaurants, so Iām going to take it a step further and talk about what I do when Iām flying and staying at a hotel.
My two keys to success for eating PFC while traveling are planning ahead and packing snacks. Letās take a look at what I bring with me from each category of PFC. Side note: I only pack a carry on when I travel and Iāve never had a problem getting any of these items through security! :)
P: Protein can be tricky. Many protein sources require refrigeration, so when I fly I like to bring packets ofĀ salmon (orĀ white albacore packed in water or olive oil) and I rely on dried beef andĀ chicken strips. Each stick is an ounce which is the perfect protein portion for a snack, and if itās meal-time, I can have two of these with my fat and carb sources and call it balanced. Trader Joeās has a wildĀ salmon jerky that I also like to get when I want to switch it up (itās on the spendy side though).
F: Fats are pretty portable for the most part. I stock up on nuts, seeds, and I might toss an avocado or two into my bag (do not slice them up ahead of timeāyou can bring disposable silverware for slicing or find some at the airport). Nuts and seeds are great because they don't take up much space, and you only need a couple tablespoons for a serving. If you donāt have an allergy, peanut butter and almond butter are also convenient fat sources, and my little secret is that these contain a little bit of plant protein, so if you're snacking and realizing you're lacking a protein source, I'd choose nut butter over heavy cream or an avocado. (I donāt normally count plant protein sources as my P because animal protein sources support metabolism most ā this is a little insiderās secret in case youāre in a bind.) Justinās almond and peanut butter packets are great for travel because theyāre packaged in individual serving sizes. Canned olives also work for a readily available fat; I put them in a tiny travel container. I like coconut oil and olive oil too, and find that it travels well in little shampoo and conditioner containers. Coconut oil is my favorite to travel with because itās so versatile ā not only can I scoop or pour out a couple tablespoons and count it as my healthy fat, but I can use it as a hair moisturizer, face cream, makeup remover and lotion, too!
C: Carbs are an easy one! Many fresh fruits like bananas, apples and oranges, come pre-packaged in their own portable container and grapes and berries travel okay too, as long as you don't squish āem :). My first choice would definitely be to stick with the fresh stuff, but if you just donāt have space for it, dried fruit is a good option as it doesnāt take up as much room or require as much care to prevent bruising. A serving size ends up being about a quarter cup, which can be easily squeezed into your carry-on next to your socks! I look for unsweetened varieties like Whole Foods' or Trader Joe's dried mango slices.
Let the fun begin! Play the mix and match game: Pick one from each of the 3 categories and youāre set!
Something I like to do ahead of time is make my own trail mix by combining whatever nuts and seeds I have on hand with some dried fruit and my Enjoy LifeĀ chocolate chips. I might pre-slice an apple and put it in a container with protein nut butter (almond or peanut butter with a scoop of our natural protein powderĀ mixed in) for a PFC balanced snack. Also good to know is that most cooked foods will be good for a few hours without spoiling, so you can always take snacks that youād typically refrigerate with you to the airport (dinner leftovers, guacamole, lunch meat with cream cheese spread rolled up in lettuce or make a mini smoothie (youāll have to drink this before going through security, though!).
Bonus tip: While IĀ don't typically recommend bars,Ā Lara Bars are one of my favorite traveling companionsāa portable and easy way to get fat and carbs in!