For the first few years months of traveling for work, I ate out for essentially every meal of every day. Part of the allure was that I was being somewhere new and wanting to explore. Another part of it was that I just love good food. There are a lot of good chefs out there. Healthy eating was not a top priority at the time – traveling and exploring was.

My digestive system and pant waistbands, however, were not always thrilled with my choices. While I still love to eat out on occasion when I’m traveling, I’ve definitely cut way, way back. I realized that I just don’t physically feel good when I’m eating out that much. In my experience, you’re much better off on work trips with the food mentality that it’s work, not vacation. I can’t tell you the number of business travelers who are eating oatmeal for breakfast or a salad for dinner. They get it; it’s not a fun hotel stay, it’s a work hotel stay.

Over the years, I’ve honed in my preparation for travel. I’ve also improved how I eat and drink once on the road. I’ve found there are several key factors that affect how I nutritionally treat my body on the road. So without getting too bogged down, let’s dive into the list.

1. Bring healthy snacks and food with you, wherever you go

I’ve learned that without preparation, some days can turn into a food nightmare/tornado. There are days where I get stuck in a lab, or meetings, or traveling, and I don’t get the chance to eat a real meal. I know some women who can go all day and ‘forget to eat.’ That is a foreign concept to me. My body never ‘forgets’ about food, nor does my brain. After 6+ hours, it’s most of what consumes my thoughts.

In order not to starve and turn into a raging (bleep), I always keep snacks in my laptop bag. If I’m running low, I make a note to buy more the next time I’m at the store. There have been a few unfortunate times where I found myself wanting a laptop bag ‘meal’ with no options. The starvation stings, and reminds me why I’d rather have too much food in my laptop bag, than not enough.

My favorite things to pack are foods that are fairly crush-proof, like nuts and some bars. Trader Joe’s Everything but the Bagel seasoned nut blend has been a recent favorite. I also love roasted salted pistachios or almonds. If you’re a meat eater, jerky is another good one to have in there (or TJ’s fruit jerky). Sometimes I’ll grab an apple from home or the hotel (never anything mushy) and throw it in my bag. You’d be surprised at how satisfied you can feel after a snack-based meal.

2. Plan your healthy eating/meals ahead of time, as best you can

It’s amazing to me how much better I feel when I regularly eat and get sufficient nutrients at those times. I perform better on the job, and that’s kind of the point of being on the road. If I know I’ll be in meetings all day, I’ll have a breakfast to ensure I can last 4-6 hours.

I also usually try to have a game plan in place for dinner. That way, I don’t need to think about what I’m going to eat when I’m ravenous later. If I don’t plan, it sets me up for failure. I end up going for the easiest, fastest food available, usually something that makes me feel physically ill afterward. If I have a plan for my meals – even a rough plan – I’m much more likely to end the day on a good note.

3. Try to cook food for yourself

During 2020 when I was traveling for work, I much preferred booking hotels that had a full kitchen. They come with essentially all of the utensils and storage containers you would need to prep and cook a meal. They even usually have wine bottle openers, if that’s your jam.

My preferred hotel brand is Marriott, so for me that usually means Residence Inns or TownePlace Suites. They are both great options, and present in essentially all major – and a lot of minor – cities. The TownePlace Suites tend to be a little bit newer, with slightly nicer rooms, and Residence Inns have a comfortable vibe and a better breakfast buffet. They both have solid kitchen options and can be pretty affordable. If you book an AirBnB instead, try to go for a full apartment or kitchen access room. Even if you just buy a ready meal and salad, it’s still going to be much healthier option than anything you’d get from a restaurant. It’s also a lot cheaper.

Personally, I’ve never worked for a company that gave out a daily per diem, it’s always been reimbursement based. Regardless of the way your company covers food, your money goes further if you buy groceries. I usually only go ‘real’ grocery shopping if I’ll be on the road for 2+ nights. Generally, I can get all of the groceries I need for the week for under $65 at Trader Joe’s. That’s generally within most companies’ daily food expenditure limit. Boone for me? I often get to go home with some extra snacks 😀

Your own cost will depend on your dietary preferences and consumption, of course. But, you can keep costs low and know exactly what you’re eating if you buy groceries. If your company DOES give you cash per diem, you can then bank the extra money. Hello, free bottle of wine for the week or extra money for something fun. Or you could just be responsible and save the money. Whatever floats your boat.

4. Fruits and veggies first

I’ve learned that while traveling, you can make all the plans you want, but sometimes things still don’t go your way. Sticking to any particular diet or dietary pattern can be really tough. One of the biggest helpers for me while I’m on the road is prioritizing produce over anything else. The way for me to feel my best is to focus on getting fruits or vegetables at every meal. Flying on planes is taxing to your system; it’s dehydrating, you’re exposed to higher levels of radiation, and you’re pressurized in the cabin, meaning your body actually gets less oxygen while you’re up there. The best way to mitigate those effects is to pump yourself full of water, vitamins, and nutrients for the duration of the trip.

5. Minimize drinking alcohol

I know, I know. This will not be a popular bullet point, but hear me out. Booze on your flight or after your flight is extra dehydrating and taxing on the body. Alcohol disrupts your sleep, so you’re getting less REM sleep. This may already be the case anyway, when you’re sleeping in a foreign place. Alcohol also increases anxiety, which can be heightened because you’re outside of your typical routine. Further, it impacts our ability to make decisions¹. That’s a pretty critical function when you’re a woman solo on the road.

I’m not saying you need to forego every cocktail forever, just try to keep it to a minimum, ok? I’ve actually given up drinking completely on work trips. I used to get EVERY free cocktail on flights and at hotels. I’d sneak a cheap bottle of wine onto my TJ’s receipt. But, the longer I traveled, the more I saw how much drinking was affecting my ability to be impactful and make critical decisions. It’s been part of my self care during the pandemic, especially while I’m traveling. When you do decide to drink, make sure it’s a conscious decision.

6. Hydrate!

It’s such a simple concept, but hydrating is something I, too, am guilty of not prioritizing. It’s especially hard on days where I’m stuck in a lab for 8 hours straight. Or in a manufacturing suite covered in, what we in the biz call a Bunny Suit. It takes 30 minutes to get in and at least 30 minutes to get out. The last thing you want to do is spend an hour ungowning and gowning just to go pee.

One of my goals for 2021 is to prioritize drinking more water and less caffeine, especially while traveling. Hydrating is one of the healthiest decisions you can make on the road. It’s really important to hydrate when you can to ensure you’re rectifying the dehydration that travel wreaks. Get a water bottle you can bring with you, or buy a case of seltzer. Find something you like that makes it easy to hydrate. Habits are easier to keep if you find a way to make it your own and enjoyable.

7. Find your version of a healthy ‘road routine’

The way I tend to eat on the road is similar to the way I eat at home. I prioritize produce, then protein, and finally carbs/fat. That being said, how I get those nutrients is definitely different on the road than at home. I find that keeping my routine consistent everywhere I go, it’s much easier to stick to eating a healthy diet. That means staying in a hotel with a kitchen, going shopping on day 1, etc.

Even if you choose to completely forgo my recommendation of getting a hotel room in which you can cook – I get it, not everyone likes to cook – pick 2-3 restaurants which you rotate through each time you travel. This will allow you to get familiar with the menus and make it easier to decide what you want. Some people eat at Chipotle or TGI Friday’s all the time when they’re on the road. That’s totally fine. As long as you pick something that aligns with the way you want to eat all the time, it doesn’t matter what your road routine looks like.

Ultimately,

Decision fatigue is real. Being on the road, you’re already primed to make more decisions than you would in your normal routine. Reduce the amount of decisions you need to make, and you reduce the risk of choosing based on comfort and excessive hunger. It’s a lot easier to eat in a healthy way if you don’t have to test yourself 3 meals a day, 7 days a week.

I like buy myself some kind of treat that I can nibble on throughout the week. It’s a way to remind myself that, within reason, I should enjoy being on the road. It’s important to continue to remind yourself though that it is work. You should treat your eating habits as if you were at home. I definitely know it’s easier said than done, but you can train your brain for it. You’ll feel a lot more settled and happy in how you live on the road, quickly, and are less likely to burn out.

Traveling for work can absolutely be a healthy experience, it’s all in how you frame it. It definitely requires some forethought and planning, but it’s very much doable and can make things feel a lot less hectic. I hope you found these tips helpful. Please reach out if you have anything that YOU like to do to eat healthy while traveling for work!