5 Amazing Meals You'll Forego the Restaurant For on Your Next Business Trip!
kbroda17
Posts: 6 Member
Heading off on a business trip next week but dreading the amount of restaurant food you're bound to eat? Even when you order the standard meal at business lunches, salad with grilled chicken with dressing on the side, you know you don't want to eat every meal at a restaurant if you can help it. Not only can a seemingly healthy restaurant meal derail your diet, but bland chicken salads do get a little boring. Well I know the feeling, I've been there. Many times. Which is why I want to share with you my meal solutions that keep me on track every time I leave the comfort of my own kitchen for a hotel. Now rather than give you some generic solutions on "how to eat healthy", I am going to give you the exact meals I often eat while travelling for work. These meals have not only allowed me to keep a handle on my general healthy diet, but have also allowed me to easily stick to a competition meal plan during prep season. They’re healthy, delicious, and only require a fridge and microwave!
I travel a lot for work and pleasure. Aside from fitness, adventure travel is my other passion, so it makes sense that even my full-time job also includes regular travel! Sometimes by car, other times by plane. So yes, I've encountered all the difficulties of trying to prepare my food in advance for either a long car ride or airport security. My work schedule is sometimes out of my hands, meaning I've had the pleasure of travelling while being on a competition diet in preparation for my next fitness contest. But where there's a will there's a way! When I was out of town for 10 days for work, I ate 80% of my meals in my hotel room, using just a microwave and fridge to prepare it! Diet (and budget) kept on point. Eating regular, healthy food while on the road is easier than you may think, especially once you're armed with my top 5 healthy meal ideas! Prepare yourselves, this post may just change your life :P
Now I’ve been gifted before with a hotel that contained a full kitchen in each room and a full gym! I thought I had hit the jackpot! Until it closed the following month and reopened as an apartment building (now the kitchens and full gm make sense…). Meaning we can assume most hotels will NOT be equipped with a full kitchen. So I've created these meals which are easy on space for your small hotel fridge and don't require a freezer. They're also meant for single or dual-servings and any leftover ingredients can easily be re-used for another meal (i.e. egg whites for supper and breakfast). Also who wants to waste food?
Before we jump in, there are a few things you will want to prepare before your trip to make staying on your diet plan that much easier. First, try and choose a hotel that:
-has a microwave
-has a fridge
-is nearby grocery store
*If a hotel doesn't have a fridge/microwave in the rooms automatically, most will put them in for a small charge or they may even store food for you behind the front counter. You can also use your ice-bucket as a mini, temporary fridge.
If a fridge or microwave are NOT at all possible, stay tuned for my next post titled, "5 healthy meals you can create on the road (literally)!” (Just click the little, "Like" button on my Facebook page to be notified when the post becomes live!)
Second, pack these few (very small) items:
-plastic fork, spoon, knife and a spare Tupperware container (will act as a plate or bowl).
*Now most hotels are very helpful and will provide you with anything you don't have (cutlery, dishes, etc.). But it never hurts to be prepared, especially since these items are lightweight and take up virtually no room
-salt and pepper- if you're a salt n' pepper freak like me you'll want to bring these along. I put my in little Tupperware containers. Another solution is asking the hotel for your seasonings!
-other ingredients you can't live without (I.e. I bring a bit of peanut butter wherever I go, along with a small baggie of oats, and some assorted nuts. This saves me from always buying these items when I travel)
-For competitors- pack a mini food scale (it's smaller than the size of a smartphone)
Finally, onto the travel-friendly meal ideas that will keep you happy and healthy!
The Meals:
1. Steamed veggies with quinoa salad and cooked chicken.
Purchase: Frozen (or pre-cut) vegetables full pre-cooked chicken (rotisserie), some type of grain salad from the deli section
How to: Cook the veggies in your microwave (in your Tupperware or a borrowed bowl) and serve with the hot, cooked chicken, and deli salad.
Last tips: Relish in the beauty of the meal you just "cooked" with a microwave!
2. Lemon Herb Haddock with fresh baguette and steamed veggies
Purchase: Frozen (or pre-cut) vegetables, frozen marinated fish filets (such as these from Highliner: http://highliner.com/hl-build/#!en/product/15), demi-baguette of your choice
How to: Thaw the fish during the day in your bathroom sink (or another appropriate place). Place fish and veggies in a bowl and steam together in the microwave. Serve with your fresh bread.
Last tips: Skip the bread if you want a lower carb meal. Oh and the marinade from the fish give the veggies a nice flavour
3. Kale salad with grilled chicken and poppyseed dressing.
Purchase: Bagged salad of your choosing (I prefer this one: https://www.eatsmart.net/product/sweet-kale-vegetable-salad-kit/ ), pre-cooked chicken or turkey strips (find in the deli section)
How to: Open bag of salad, either eat out of the bag or toss into a bowl. Add chicken and dressing.
Last tips: Yes I know, it’s another chicken salad….but it is delicious! And you can easily swap out the chicken for tuna (think, pull-tab cans of tuna). You can also skip the dressing and just add Greek yogurt (which is great for breakfast as well).
4. Veggie burger topped with Greek yogurt and served with a side salad
Purchase: Veggie patties of your choice, Greek yogurt, bagged salad, bun from the bulk section of the bakery
How to: Arrange veggies from the bagged salad on your bun and toss the rest of the salad on your plate (or eat out of the bag). Heat up the veggie burger on a napkin in the microwave. Slide burger onto prepared bun, top with Greek yogurt and eat up!
Last Tips: Forego the bun to cut the carbs and just stock up on more salad. To make it really fun, pick up a container of guacamole and add to your burger creation!
5. (Breakfast!) Overnight oats with egg whites and mixed berries
Purchase: Individual container of oats or a box of oat packets found in most grocery stores and cafes, such as: (http://www.quakeroats.com/products/hot-cereals/instant-oatmeal/original.aspx) or buy a bag of oats to eliminate the additional sugar, but you may be stuck hauling them back home), small carton of egg whites, bag of frozen berries (store them in your fridge so they become "thawed" berries. This way they will have a nice berry sauce when you add them to your meal).
How to: The night before pour water into your oats and throw in some frozen berries and any other delicious ingredients you may have lying around; put into the fridge. Go to bed, wake up. Pour egg whites into a container and microwave for a few minutes until cooked; add more frozen berries. Give your overnight oats a stir and enjoy with your side of egg whites and berries.
Last Tips: I love sweet egg whites (why I add the berries to them). Feel free to have the egg whites on their own. You can also cook the oats and egg whites together in the microwave for a high protein version of oatmeal.
There you have it folks, my top 5 meals that keep me on my diet track while traveling. With these suggestions in hand, what creative, hotel meals can you create?
I travel a lot for work and pleasure. Aside from fitness, adventure travel is my other passion, so it makes sense that even my full-time job also includes regular travel! Sometimes by car, other times by plane. So yes, I've encountered all the difficulties of trying to prepare my food in advance for either a long car ride or airport security. My work schedule is sometimes out of my hands, meaning I've had the pleasure of travelling while being on a competition diet in preparation for my next fitness contest. But where there's a will there's a way! When I was out of town for 10 days for work, I ate 80% of my meals in my hotel room, using just a microwave and fridge to prepare it! Diet (and budget) kept on point. Eating regular, healthy food while on the road is easier than you may think, especially once you're armed with my top 5 healthy meal ideas! Prepare yourselves, this post may just change your life :P
Now I’ve been gifted before with a hotel that contained a full kitchen in each room and a full gym! I thought I had hit the jackpot! Until it closed the following month and reopened as an apartment building (now the kitchens and full gm make sense…). Meaning we can assume most hotels will NOT be equipped with a full kitchen. So I've created these meals which are easy on space for your small hotel fridge and don't require a freezer. They're also meant for single or dual-servings and any leftover ingredients can easily be re-used for another meal (i.e. egg whites for supper and breakfast). Also who wants to waste food?
Before we jump in, there are a few things you will want to prepare before your trip to make staying on your diet plan that much easier. First, try and choose a hotel that:
-has a microwave
-has a fridge
-is nearby grocery store
*If a hotel doesn't have a fridge/microwave in the rooms automatically, most will put them in for a small charge or they may even store food for you behind the front counter. You can also use your ice-bucket as a mini, temporary fridge.
If a fridge or microwave are NOT at all possible, stay tuned for my next post titled, "5 healthy meals you can create on the road (literally)!” (Just click the little, "Like" button on my Facebook page to be notified when the post becomes live!)
Second, pack these few (very small) items:
-plastic fork, spoon, knife and a spare Tupperware container (will act as a plate or bowl).
*Now most hotels are very helpful and will provide you with anything you don't have (cutlery, dishes, etc.). But it never hurts to be prepared, especially since these items are lightweight and take up virtually no room
-salt and pepper- if you're a salt n' pepper freak like me you'll want to bring these along. I put my in little Tupperware containers. Another solution is asking the hotel for your seasonings!
-other ingredients you can't live without (I.e. I bring a bit of peanut butter wherever I go, along with a small baggie of oats, and some assorted nuts. This saves me from always buying these items when I travel)
-For competitors- pack a mini food scale (it's smaller than the size of a smartphone)
Finally, onto the travel-friendly meal ideas that will keep you happy and healthy!
The Meals:
1. Steamed veggies with quinoa salad and cooked chicken.
Purchase: Frozen (or pre-cut) vegetables full pre-cooked chicken (rotisserie), some type of grain salad from the deli section
How to: Cook the veggies in your microwave (in your Tupperware or a borrowed bowl) and serve with the hot, cooked chicken, and deli salad.
Last tips: Relish in the beauty of the meal you just "cooked" with a microwave!
2. Lemon Herb Haddock with fresh baguette and steamed veggies
Purchase: Frozen (or pre-cut) vegetables, frozen marinated fish filets (such as these from Highliner: http://highliner.com/hl-build/#!en/product/15), demi-baguette of your choice
How to: Thaw the fish during the day in your bathroom sink (or another appropriate place). Place fish and veggies in a bowl and steam together in the microwave. Serve with your fresh bread.
Last tips: Skip the bread if you want a lower carb meal. Oh and the marinade from the fish give the veggies a nice flavour
3. Kale salad with grilled chicken and poppyseed dressing.
Purchase: Bagged salad of your choosing (I prefer this one: https://www.eatsmart.net/product/sweet-kale-vegetable-salad-kit/ ), pre-cooked chicken or turkey strips (find in the deli section)
How to: Open bag of salad, either eat out of the bag or toss into a bowl. Add chicken and dressing.
Last tips: Yes I know, it’s another chicken salad….but it is delicious! And you can easily swap out the chicken for tuna (think, pull-tab cans of tuna). You can also skip the dressing and just add Greek yogurt (which is great for breakfast as well).
4. Veggie burger topped with Greek yogurt and served with a side salad
Purchase: Veggie patties of your choice, Greek yogurt, bagged salad, bun from the bulk section of the bakery
How to: Arrange veggies from the bagged salad on your bun and toss the rest of the salad on your plate (or eat out of the bag). Heat up the veggie burger on a napkin in the microwave. Slide burger onto prepared bun, top with Greek yogurt and eat up!
Last Tips: Forego the bun to cut the carbs and just stock up on more salad. To make it really fun, pick up a container of guacamole and add to your burger creation!
5. (Breakfast!) Overnight oats with egg whites and mixed berries
Purchase: Individual container of oats or a box of oat packets found in most grocery stores and cafes, such as: (http://www.quakeroats.com/products/hot-cereals/instant-oatmeal/original.aspx) or buy a bag of oats to eliminate the additional sugar, but you may be stuck hauling them back home), small carton of egg whites, bag of frozen berries (store them in your fridge so they become "thawed" berries. This way they will have a nice berry sauce when you add them to your meal).
How to: The night before pour water into your oats and throw in some frozen berries and any other delicious ingredients you may have lying around; put into the fridge. Go to bed, wake up. Pour egg whites into a container and microwave for a few minutes until cooked; add more frozen berries. Give your overnight oats a stir and enjoy with your side of egg whites and berries.
Last Tips: I love sweet egg whites (why I add the berries to them). Feel free to have the egg whites on their own. You can also cook the oats and egg whites together in the microwave for a high protein version of oatmeal.
There you have it folks, my top 5 meals that keep me on my diet track while traveling. With these suggestions in hand, what creative, hotel meals can you create?
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Replies
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tl;dr
This isn't a copy and paste job without giving credit, is it? Is there a Cliff Notes version?
Just going by your thread title, a couple of days eating restaurant food isn't really that big a deal. You can make smart choices and not do much damage. And if you have a mini fridge and microwave, you can eat as if you are at home if you want.
As an fyi, not many people are going to read something this long on a forum. Were you meaning to post this on your blog?6 -
Heading off on a business trip next week but dreading the amount of restaurant food you're bound to eat? Even when you order the standard meal at business lunches, salad with grilled chicken with dressing on the side, you know you don't want to eat every meal at a restaurant if you can help it. Not only can a seemingly healthy restaurant meal derail your diet, but bland chicken salads do get a little boring.
I dont go on business trips - but from first sentence this is a false premise for me - No I dont dread eating restaraunt food - it is one of the pleasures of being on holiday or going out when home, for that matter.
and No the standard meal I order when I am in a restaruant is not grilled chicken with salad on the side either - yes I try to make sensible choices but I do order a meal I will enjoy and if that is higher calories than usual, so be it - evens out with other days or meals that are less calories.
It doesnt derail my diet - eating some higher calorie meals, within sensible limits, IS part of my diet.
Hotel rooms in Australia do nearly always come with a little bar fridge as standard - drinks dont keep cold or fresh in our climate without a fridge - if I am staying for a while, say, a few days, I do make some meals in my room - usually breakfast.
partly because I am too scroogey to buy them all and bringing a few weetbix from home in ziplock bag is cheap and easy. I often buy some yogurts and fruit from local store for snacks too.
4 -
tl;dr
This isn't a copy and paste job without giving credit, is it? Is there a Cliff Notes version?
Just going by your thread title, a couple of days eating restaurant food isn't really that big a deal. You can make smart choices and not do much damage. And if you have a mini fridge and microwave, you can eat as if you are at home if you want.
As an fyi, not many people are going to read something this long on a forum. Were you meaning to post this on your blog?
It's an ad for her Facebook page. It would be better in a blog.6 -
tl;dr
This isn't a copy and paste job without giving credit, is it? Is there a Cliff Notes version?
Just going by your thread title, a couple of days eating restaurant food isn't really that big a deal. You can make smart choices and not do much damage. And if you have a mini fridge and microwave, you can eat as if you are at home if you want.
As an fyi, not many people are going to read something this long on a forum. Were you meaning to post this on your blog?
It's an ad for her Facebook page. It would be better in a blog.
Oh, well that's a bit rude and not allowed. I'm glad I didn't read it! 2 -
tl;dr
This isn't a copy and paste job without giving credit, is it? Is there a Cliff Notes version?
Just going by your thread title, a couple of days eating restaurant food isn't really that big a deal. You can make smart choices and not do much damage. And if you have a mini fridge and microwave, you can eat as if you are at home if you want.
As an fyi, not many people are going to read something this long on a forum. Were you meaning to post this on your blog?
I was trying to post on my blog! Made the wrong clicks, sorry!0 -
tl;dr
This isn't a copy and paste job without giving credit, is it? Is there a Cliff Notes version?
Just going by your thread title, a couple of days eating restaurant food isn't really that big a deal. You can make smart choices and not do much damage. And if you have a mini fridge and microwave, you can eat as if you are at home if you want.
As an fyi, not many people are going to read something this long on a forum. Were you meaning to post this on your blog?
It's an ad for her Facebook page. It would be better in a blog.
And nope, not an ad for my Facebook page...don't have one and was no reference to one in the post. Meant to be on my blog and misplaced. My apologies!0 -
tl;dr
This isn't a copy and paste job without giving credit, is it? Is there a Cliff Notes version?
Just going by your thread title, a couple of days eating restaurant food isn't really that big a deal. You can make smart choices and not do much damage. And if you have a mini fridge and microwave, you can eat as if you are at home if you want.
As an fyi, not many people are going to read something this long on a forum. Were you meaning to post this on your blog?
It's an ad for her Facebook page. It would be better in a blog.
And nope, not an ad for my Facebook page...don't have one and was no reference to one in the post. Meant to be on my blog and misplaced. My apologies!
Moving the post there now!1 -
tl;dr
This isn't a copy and paste job without giving credit, is it? Is there a Cliff Notes version?
Just going by your thread title, a couple of days eating restaurant food isn't really that big a deal. You can make smart choices and not do much damage. And if you have a mini fridge and microwave, you can eat as if you are at home if you want.
As an fyi, not many people are going to read something this long on a forum. Were you meaning to post this on your blog?
It's an ad for her Facebook page. It would be better in a blog.
And nope, not an ad for my Facebook page...don't have one and was no reference to one in the post. Meant to be on my blog and misplaced. My apologies!
This is taken from your original post:(Just click the little, "Like" button on my Facebook page to be notified when the post becomes live!)
So you do have a Facebook page or you plagiarized it from a Facebook page. A search of the title of this post shows a Facebook page about travel and fitness with the name Karen and that page posted this exact same thing word for word.6 -
Guys, put down your pitchforks - the OP is clearly new to MFP (6 posts) and is probably just learning how it works.
If you search and find the FB page you're describing, it's the same person (look at the picture!) so your accusations of plagiarism are totally unfair and unfounded. She doesn't link to her page (but you've just advertised that for her by your comment), so even though it's a long post (and sure, would probably be better in blog format), she's not breaking any rules.
Finally, the content here is really interesting and novel (IMO). Maybe you don't travel regularly and so eating out on holidays is exciting and a treat, but for those of us who travel SUPER frequently (like, 5 days a fortnight) it's great to have some inspiration for hotel-cooking. Save money, reduce calories, win-win.
Why so defensive and precious? Maybe just get over it?6 -
superficialgloworm wrote: »Guys, put down your pitchforks - the OP is clearly new to MFP (6 posts) and is probably just learning how it works.
If you search and find the FB page you're describing, it's the same person (look at the picture!) so your accusations of plagiarism are totally unfair and unfounded. She doesn't link to her page (but you've just advertised that for her by your comment), so even though it's a long post (and sure, would probably be better in blog format), she's not breaking any rules.
Finally, the content here is really interesting and novel (IMO). Maybe you don't travel regularly and so eating out on holidays is exciting and a treat, but for those of us who travel SUPER frequently (like, 5 days a fortnight) it's great to have some inspiration for hotel-cooking. Save money, reduce calories, win-win.
Why so defensive and precious? Maybe just get over it?
Then why does she say she doesn't have a FB page?tl;dr
This isn't a copy and paste job without giving credit, is it? Is there a Cliff Notes version?
Just going by your thread title, a couple of days eating restaurant food isn't really that big a deal. You can make smart choices and not do much damage. And if you have a mini fridge and microwave, you can eat as if you are at home if you want.
As an fyi, not many people are going to read something this long on a forum. Were you meaning to post this on your blog?
It's an ad for her Facebook page. It would be better in a blog.
And nope, not an ad for my Facebook page...don't have one and was no reference to one in the post. Meant to be on my blog and misplaced. My apologies!
5 -
People post badly camouflaged advertisements and attempts to get customers on here all the time, Which is against forum rules. No harm in asking if that is the case.
Keeping people trying to promote themselves and their business out of the forum is important, I get bombarded by suspect info all over the Internet from people trying to sell me something. You can promote yourself in a million other places, including your mfp profile. The last thing we need here is people asking fake questions to do market research and then posting articles to drive people to their FB page to convert them into customers.6 -
People post badly camouflaged advertisements and attempts to get customers on here all the time, Which is against forum rules. No harm in asking if that is the case.
Keeping people trying to promote themselves and their business out of the forum is important, I get bombarded by suspect info all over the Internet from people trying to sell me something. You can promote yourself in a million other places, including your mfp profile. The last thing we need here is people asking fake questions to do market research and then posting articles to drive people to their FB page to convert them into customers.
I liked reading what she had to say. Just because it doesn't apply to you doesn't give you the right to attack anyone that posts. If you don't like it you don't have to enter the thread. Jeez people on this forum are SUCH bullies.0 -
mariameats wrote: »People post badly camouflaged advertisements and attempts to get customers on here all the time, Which is against forum rules. No harm in asking if that is the case.
Keeping people trying to promote themselves and their business out of the forum is important, I get bombarded by suspect info all over the Internet from people trying to sell me something. You can promote yourself in a million other places, including your mfp profile. The last thing we need here is people asking fake questions to do market research and then posting articles to drive people to their FB page to convert them into customers.
I liked reading what she had to say. Just because it doesn't apply to you doesn't give you the right to attack anyone that posts. If you don't like it you don't have to enter the thread. Jeez people on this forum are SUCH bullies.
People misuse the word bully far too often these days. Smh :noway:6 -
mariameats wrote: »People post badly camouflaged advertisements and attempts to get customers on here all the time, Which is against forum rules. No harm in asking if that is the case.
Keeping people trying to promote themselves and their business out of the forum is important, I get bombarded by suspect info all over the Internet from people trying to sell me something. You can promote yourself in a million other places, including your mfp profile. The last thing we need here is people asking fake questions to do market research and then posting articles to drive people to their FB page to convert them into customers.
I liked reading what she had to say. Just because it doesn't apply to you doesn't give you the right to attack anyone that posts. If you don't like it you don't have to enter the thread. Jeez people on this forum are SUCH bullies.
Could you point out where I "attacked" the OP please?1 -
mariameats wrote: »People post badly camouflaged advertisements and attempts to get customers on here all the time, Which is against forum rules. No harm in asking if that is the case.
Keeping people trying to promote themselves and their business out of the forum is important, I get bombarded by suspect info all over the Internet from people trying to sell me something. You can promote yourself in a million other places, including your mfp profile. The last thing we need here is people asking fake questions to do market research and then posting articles to drive people to their FB page to convert them into customers.
I liked reading what she had to say. Just because it doesn't apply to you doesn't give you the right to attack anyone that posts. If you don't like it you don't have to enter the thread. Jeez people on this forum are SUCH bullies.
Bullies?
Wut?2 -
Chef_Barbell wrote: »mariameats wrote: »People post badly camouflaged advertisements and attempts to get customers on here all the time, Which is against forum rules. No harm in asking if that is the case.
Keeping people trying to promote themselves and their business out of the forum is important, I get bombarded by suspect info all over the Internet from people trying to sell me something. You can promote yourself in a million other places, including your mfp profile. The last thing we need here is people asking fake questions to do market research and then posting articles to drive people to their FB page to convert them into customers.
I liked reading what she had to say. Just because it doesn't apply to you doesn't give you the right to attack anyone that posts. If you don't like it you don't have to enter the thread. Jeez people on this forum are SUCH bullies.
People misuse the word bully far too often these days. Smh :noway:
I kind of like it. Rough Rider on!
2
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