How to Travel and Stay on Your Plan

Today I want to share some tips that I use when traveling. Traveling can be a challenge to even the best dieter but with a few tips and some planning you can easily stay on your plan.

1. Ask Questions
Find out what appliances you will have access to at your destination. You can usually find this information on a hotels website, but if you are like me just call and ask it’s easier. Some questions to ask are, will there be a refrigerator and/or coffee pot in my room? Will I have access to a microwave? Are ice machines available? Knowing what you will have to work with when you get to your destinations will make planning your meals a lot easier.

2. Buy a Cooler
If you don’t already own one that is  When I travel for more than a day I prefer to pack all my food in one large cooler and bring my smaller lunch bag with me for day trips. This makes keeping your food cold easier if you are staying someplace that doesn’t have refrigerators, or you can’t fit all your food and water in those tiny refrigerators. Since you will most likely be using ice to keep stuff cold you will need to drain the melted ice, another advantage to having a cooler. You may even want to consider investing in an electric cooler, these are great if you don’t want to deal with ice or ice packs.

3. Get Shopping
Buy disposable silverware, Tupperware containers in assorted sizes, and plastic storage bags, again assorted sizes. Empty travel size shampoo bottles work great for packing salad dressings and oils. This is a good start, as you get better at packing your meals you will find things that will make the process easier for you.

4. Plan,Plan,Plan
The most important thing is to figure out how much food/meals you need to take with you. An easy way to do this is to make a chart, here’s an example:
DAY 1 DAY 2 DAY 3 TOTALS
MEAL 1    X X X   3
SNACK     X X X   3
MEAL 2    X X       2
SNACK     X X X   3
MEAL 3                  0 
SNACK     X X X   3

Note: I always take one extra meal with me…just in case.

5. Pack
Cook and portion out you meals (based on your meal plan) into your Tupperware containers or storage bags and label them. Simple right? Here are a few tips for packing.
• Using plastic bags, such as Ziploc instead of Tupperware will save a ton of space.
• Make sure you label each meal and snack (ex. Meal 1/Day 1). You don’t want to run out of food.
• If you are packing salads, do not add dressing or protein until you get there. If you don’t your salad will become one big soggy mess.
I hope this article helps you stay on track this summer while traveling. When you plan ahead and take your meals with you, you have “no excuses” for poor food choices that often lead to regret and disappointment.

Smile and Live Well!
Jamie Lynn