Eating healthy while traveling ... ideas for on the road...

thekacks
thekacks Posts: 146 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I travel out of town 2 or 3 weekends a month to trade shows (Bridal, beauty, home shows) and it seems like 9 out of 10 places that we stop to eat have absolutely ZERO decent food choices. I work with two other women that are semi health conscious, but when the only options around are fast food, they have no problem eating it and don't seem to understand that I CAN'T. I have been making up some pre-portioned baggies of pretzels, carrot sticks & pb, caramel rice cake minis, oranges, and last weekend I made up some egg salad and took some arnold's whole wheat thins to eat that on... but it is super super hard to sit there and eat that when they are going into restaurants and stuff. We will leave a show around 5pm on Sunday and drive 10-12 hours straight thru back home and they hit up rest areas with Roy Rogers, Arbys, Quiznos... UGH!!!! They do at least try to swing into a Subway if we see one, but sometimes they just aren't around:(

Let me add too that if we do go into a nice restaurant, the portion sizes are RIDICULOUS... and I'm all for boxing half of it up, but when you are staying in a hotel and don't have a fridge or microwave around to use... it makes you feel like you are wasting so much money by not eating it all. I've even started asking (even if it's not on the menu) whether half size portions are possible... and have yet to find a place that will do it.

I live in Ohio but I travel from Wisconsin to Maine... this weekend I'll be in Boston... maybe with people from all over the place on here... some people with have ideas from regional chain restaurants or something:) Other snack/meal ideas that hold up well and don't need heat/fridge? I stick the egg salad in the little ice bin and change out the ice each morning/night to keep it cold. It's a pain, but it works. I take instant oatmeal packets and run water thru the coffee pot in the rooms to make that in the mornings... that's what I've come up with so far.

Replies

  • Richie2shoes
    Richie2shoes Posts: 411 Member
    How about a DC operated cooler that you can travel with? It'll give you more room to pack healthy options without having to worry about ice or cold packs. You can just hit the grocery store in whichever town you're visiting.
  • thekacks
    thekacks Posts: 146 Member
    Unfortunately that would take up car space that we just don't have on the trips. Imagine 3 women packed into a compact rental car with all our baggage and all our product boxes/ fold down tables/ booth poles stretching from the trunk with one of the back seats folded down all the way up to the front! We have some leg room on the way home, but on our way out, I can't pack much more than one of those small insulated lunchbags for cold stuff and the other stuff I stuff into my regular bag with my clothes lol. Right now I'm using one of my sons' spiderman fabric lunch bags... cuz I'm cool like that! :)
  • capnlizard
    capnlizard Posts: 73 Member
    When given nothing but fast food options, I try to hit Panera Bread as often as possible. Their menu has some good choices, and their entire menu board has calorie counts listed (like a half Thai Chopped Chicken Salad with black bean soup clocks in around 450 calories, although it is still kind of salty). Another option is Fresh City....there are some in the Metrowest area outside of Boston, so there could be a few locations in the city as well. The other thing that you can do, if you have a smart phone, is to simply try pulling up the nutritional info for the menu of the restaurants that you are at. You can plan your nutrition that way (that's what I do...makes it easier to avoid the "OMG" moment that sometimes happens when I log stuff I have ALREADY eaten at a chain restaurant, lol!)

    Good luck!
  • bpotts44
    bpotts44 Posts: 1,066 Member
    6 in subway ham or turkey with double meat is a great high protein way to eat on the road. This is what I do whenever I travel.
  • cmccorma
    cmccorma Posts: 203 Member
    There has to be something! Salads, get dressing on the side and ask for less cheese, bacon, etc. Or a grilled chicken sandwich, even take off the top bun, with fruit or side salad instead of the fries. As for wasting money, it's that or wasting calories! Your choice! You CAN make good decisions!
  • JUDDDing
    JUDDDing Posts: 1,367 Member
    Let me add too that if we do go into a nice restaurant, the portion sizes are RIDICULOUS... and I'm all for boxing half of it up, but when you are staying in a hotel and don't have a fridge or microwave around to use... it makes you feel like you are wasting so much money by not eating it all.

    Just get over this...

    It costs the same whether or not you stick it in your mouth.
  • lessertess
    lessertess Posts: 855 Member
    Most restaurants, even fast food have some healthier choices.

    For fast food restaurants,
    *get the kids meal if you're just concerned about controlling calories but there are some other options.
    *You can get a grilled chicken sandwich and remove the bread.
    *packaged salad (avoid the cream based dressing and go with italian or some other vinaigrette)

    I like Wendy's for the baked potato and their chili has good fiber and protien and not many calories. Most fast food offer some salad options now and you can get a vinaigrette dressing or some lemon to put on it.

    For restaurants:
    *Avoid the bread and
    *Avoid anything fried or smothered in cheese
    *order a small steak or grilled chicken or fish
    *steamed veggies
    *salad (ask them to remove cheese/bacon/croutons and get a vinaigrette style dressing)
    *broth based soups

    It's not as hard as you would think. You just have to avoid temptation. If my companions are ok with it, I ask the server to not even bring bread to the table because once it's in front of me I find it hard to resist.
  • tekwriter
    tekwriter Posts: 923 Member
    fresh fruit will travel fairly well. I would also go online anc check out all the restaurants you are talking about and see what they have on their menu that will fit your plan calorie wise. I know there are a couple of places that have points for WW that cover tons of restaurants. You can find a formula to convert points into calories. If you are prepared ahead and have a list of foods you can eat you may feel more in control.
  • thekacks
    thekacks Posts: 146 Member
    Let me add too that if we do go into a nice restaurant, the portion sizes are RIDICULOUS... and I'm all for boxing half of it up, but when you are staying in a hotel and don't have a fridge or microwave around to use... it makes you feel like you are wasting so much money by not eating it all.

    Just get over this...

    It costs the same whether or not you stick it in your mouth.

    VERY good point... just a hard pill to swallow I guess... I've always been one to HATE waste. Not just food/money... just anything still good that gets thrown away:(
  • Richie2shoes
    Richie2shoes Posts: 411 Member
    Let me add too that if we do go into a nice restaurant, the portion sizes are RIDICULOUS... and I'm all for boxing half of it up, but when you are staying in a hotel and don't have a fridge or microwave around to use... it makes you feel like you are wasting so much money by not eating it all.

    Just get over this...

    It costs the same whether or not you stick it in your mouth.

    Given your options, I'd have to agree with this. You could try asking for lunch size portion or substitute a portion for extra vegetables.
  • Jeffersz
    Jeffersz Posts: 36
    I feel your pain... I often travel on business with two or three others at times, and find it difficult to end up somewhere I'd "prefer" due to the minority vote. What I really needed to do is learn to better manage the options, and make better food choices for me regardless of where we went. This helped greatly:

    http://healthytowork.org/pdf_files/Toolkit_Healthy_Eating_while_Traveling.pdf

    While not perfect, it's a decent starting place and has some really great advice. It's worked for me, as I've actually gone from gaining weight on a 5 day trip, to losing weight instead.

    Good luck!
  • elothen
    elothen Posts: 155 Member
    Let me add too that if we do go into a nice restaurant, the portion sizes are RIDICULOUS... and I'm all for boxing half of it up, but when you are staying in a hotel and don't have a fridge or microwave around to use... it makes you feel like you are wasting so much money by not eating it all.

    Just get over this...

    It costs the same whether or not you stick it in your mouth.

    VERY good point... just a hard pill to swallow I guess... I've always been one to HATE waste. Not just food/money... just anything still good that gets thrown away:(

    I'm right there with you. I HATE wasting food, just ask my kids (lol). Think of cost another way though. Eating it all will be more costly on your body than just throwing it away.

    Another option may be to start splitting meals with someone, ideally someone who'll order on the healthy side. My wife and I split meals almost every time we go out. If it comes with 2 sides then we each pick one and I pick a healthy one. Even if it doesn't end up being the healthiest main course you can still cut down how much of it you eat that way.

    Also do your research ahead of time on the common fast food places so when you hit them you know what you can order to stick within your budget.
  • koshkasmum
    koshkasmum Posts: 276 Member
    I used to travel a lot for work and had the same problems.

    Some of my tricks included going to a supermarket rather than a restaurant and buying things like a packaged salad or veggie snacks, a couple of slices of deli turkey, fresh fruit, cherry tomatoes, pre-peedled boiled eggs, chiken breast in the ready meals area, etc.

    I also became a big P.I.T.A to servers and restaurant kitchens alike. I figure if I am paying for it I should be able to get it how I want it. I refuse to eat in a restaurant with the words "no substitutions" on the menu.

    If an item is on the anywhere on the menu you should be able to get it. For example, in my hotel restaurant I used to request - and get - one poached egg with one slice of whole wheat toast and a side of fresh fruit. At a chain restaurant I ordered and got a steak salad without cheese and with no dressing - oil and vinegar on the side, and a slice of toast without the usual slather of garlic butter. My favorite hot chicken caesar can be had with "only one tablespoon of dressing - it its too heavy I will not be able to eat it and will have to send it back -, grilled chicken - not pan fried, and no oil on the bread."

    I got good at saying "no cheese and hold the mayo" at fast food restaurants (a grilled chicken sandwich without them is a pretty good bet most places.. Try ordering off the senior's menu, portion sizes are usually more reasonable.

    When eating out remember: You are paying for it, you should be able to get it the way you want it!
  • bdeezy3396
    bdeezy3396 Posts: 89 Member
    For the hotel stays I always look for hotels that have kitchenettes and refigerators in them. This way I am able to pick things up at the grocery store and make my own meals instead of eating out all the time.
  • liz60625
    liz60625 Posts: 17 Member
    i travel a lot too and here are my ways to cope (and make sure the food is accessible)

    gas stations: they always have cheese sticks and unsweetened ice tea. i need my cheese & caffeine. :) fat free fig newtons are good. eggs are sometimes an option too.

    breakfast or lunch options: protein plate from starbucks is great and some of the new plates they have (chicken, hummus,etc). i also like stuffing my purse with cliff bars b/c they have good protein. you can also buy kind bars at any starbucks. mostly i just try to eat a protein bar for lunch if anything, and then i feel better when i have to make a choice at a restaurant. panera is straightforward because they post their calories, and i've noticed that corner bakery and pret a manger do too.

    dinner out: it's hard. so i mostly cut myself some slack and i have a calorie goal when i travel (1600 instead of 1200). i always try to order seafood, shrimp or fish, when i travel because it's a decent bet as long as they don't douse it in butter. or i get any meat that has an ounce amount listed on the menu so i know how much i ate and i ask for it plain. i do like salads too. i also try to pick the dinner place myself, which usually people are open to that :)
  • akern1987
    akern1987 Posts: 288 Member
    I'm not sure of the availability of this franchise, but if you ever see a Wawa, try there.

    They have made to order sandwiches, soups, and a refridgerated section that has tons of healthy snacks, salads, wraps, things like fruit, boiled eggs, cottage cheese, string cheese, greek yougurt and it's cheap!

    Good Luck!

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