{"id":2226,"date":"2025-02-18T08:01:31","date_gmt":"2025-02-17T21:01:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/the-travelers-guide-to-meal-prep.html"},"modified":"2025-02-18T08:01:32","modified_gmt":"2025-02-17T21:01:32","slug":"the-travelers-guide-to-meal-prep","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/the-travelers-guide-to-meal-prep.html","title":{"rendered":"The Traveler’s Guide to Meal Prep"},"content":{"rendered":"

The last time I flew the friendly skies, the in-flight snacks were about as far from healthy as they could be. Shortly after take-off, the flight attendant handed me a box containing a puff pastry stuffed\u00a0with cheese and tomato sauce, and a bright pink, raspberry-flavored cake. A few hours later, he returned with paper cups filled with chocolate ice cream. I kid you not\u2026 ice cream has replaced peanuts on some airplanes. When I was younger, I might have thought this was the coolest airline ever. But as\u00a0a person who now tries to steer clear of sugar and processed foods, I was woefully out of my comfort zone \u2014 and I was hungry.<\/p>\n

How had I neglected to follow the\u00a0advice I so often give to others, and left home without bringing anything healthy to eat with me? I resolved then and there to never again get stuck in an airport or on a plane\u00a0without a sandwich, or at least a few protein-rich snacks in my bag.<\/p>\n

Road trips pose a similar problem. It can be just as challenging to find a healthy meal near a highway stop. Heck, even the supposedly healthy options at fast food restaurants\u00a0can have as many calories as the burgers and fries.<\/p>\n

When people\u00a0travel, they\u00a0put a lot of thought into what to pack in their\u00a0suitcases but hardly any about what they\u2019ll eat. The next time you travel or hit the road,\u00a0don\u2019t forget to pack some healthy snacks. Those especially\u00a0dedicated to meal prep might even\u00a0prepare a\u00a0few balanced meals, and carry them in an insulated bag.\u00a0TSA allows most foods to pass through security (read their rules here). Liquids, like peanut butter or salad dressing, need to be in containers and weigh less than three ounces. For road trips, foods that can be eaten with your hands and won\u2019t make a mess in the car are best. Get more ideas for great road trip snacks here.<\/p>\n

Check out these great ideas for travel meal prep to fuel your next adventure.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Plan ahead for the whole family<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Now THIS is how to pack for a family road trip! @wholefoodnanny fed her family three meals and plenty of snacks during a 25-hour drive across the country, and bragged that they never had to stop for fast food. Purchasing healthy, prepared snacks and whole fruit gave her extra time to make homemade Energy Balls and Ranch Dressing. This kind of prep takes a bit of planning, but the effort pays off!<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Choose foods to mix and match<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"How<\/p>\n

Meals on the road are notorious diet-wreckers, bur not for @meowmeix. Her simple meal prep covered all of the bases to help keep her on track with her nutrition plan. She packed breakfast, snacks, lean protein, and cut vegetables that she could munch as snacks or mix together for a meal. She brought unsweetened instant oatmeal, sliced cucumbers, baked sweet potatoes, shredded chicken, bell peppers, baby carrots, a whole lot of mixed nuts (we hope she was sharing!), and travel packets of Beachbody Performance Recover to refuel after her workouts.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Keep perishable foods\u00a0cool<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"How<\/p>\n

@chris.roccio_fit said, \u201cTraveling doesn\u2019t have to mess with your meal-prep game. You just gotta have the right tools for the job.\u201d For Chris, one of those tools is his extra-large insulated lunch bag. He packed it with an impressive array of meals, snacks, and Beachbody Performance supplements for his trip to Beachbody Coach Summit. He included a few balanced meals of chicken, veggies, and carbs, plus lots of extra protein in the form of hard-boiled eggs and tins of wild-caught sardines.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Stick to finger foods<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"How<\/p>\n

Bring snacks that you can eat with your hands that won\u2019t make a mess in your car or drip onto you lap. Cue these\u00a0baked chickpeas from @meowmeix. Click the link to see how she makes them, or try our recipe for Spicy Baked Chickpeas.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

It\u2019s OK to keep things simple<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"How<\/p>\n

You don\u2019t need to be a meal-prep pro to avoid the mystery meal served on the plane. Keep things simple\u00a0like @estellearcher did. She\u2019s ready to fly with grapes, salsa and hummus, blue corn chips, and a sandwich. We like her perfectly-sized container to keep her sammy from getting squished.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

If all else fails, take protein!<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"How<\/p>\n

An in-flight snack\u00a0can be as easy as this chicken and cucumber combo from\u00a0@allisonliveswell. She\u2019s got protein and fiber (and a good book) to keep her satisfied until she lands.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Snack packs to the rescue\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"How<\/p>\n

Travel can be stressful. Packing travel snacks doesn\u2019t have to be. When you\u2019ve got a dozen last-minute priorities to take care of before you catch an Uber to the airport, slicing vegetables and hard-boiling eggs aren\u2019t on the list. Skip the time in the kitchen and stash a selection of pre-packaged healthy snacks like jerky, freeze-dried fruit, and packets of almond butter into your carry-on like @jessicabootsy.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t forget to hydrate<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"How<\/p>\n

Airplanes have lower humidity levels than the Sahara Desert, and you wouldn\u2019t travel there without water, would you? Avoid the sticker shock of the bottled water for sale past the TSA checkpoint by bringing an empty canteen and filling it at a drinking fountain at the departure gate. Extra points if you follow @the_smallseed\u2019s lead and add fresh herbs or slices of fruit to flavor your beverage container.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Just add water<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"How<\/p>\n

If tea is your, uh, cup of tea, make sure to stash\u00a0a few sachets for your trip. Many hotels have coffee machines in the room that can also heat water for your cuppa. (Photo by @yogitea)<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"How<\/p>\n

\t