My husband, the kids and I are off to Europe today for 3 weeks!  It is always exciting to go to on vacation to someplace fabulous, but it takes a lot of advance planning to make sure everything goes smoothly.  One area where I am am happy to put in the extra effort is packing snacks and essentials to keep us healthy while we’re away.  While I was getting organized this weekend, I thought you might like to see some of my go-to travel-friendly food items since I know many of you are taking trips soon, too.

 

STAYING HEALTHY 

Our immune systems are compromised when we travel.  Stress, interruption of a normal sleep patterns, and not following our normal diet can all have an affect on our immunity.  When you pair that with airplanes, public restrooms, and tourist attractions, it’s not a bad idea to give yourself a little boost. Keeping all of our vitamins and minerals at appropriate levels will help combat all of the different forces we have working against us when traveling.  Here are some of the things I pack in my suitcase:

 

High Doses of Vitamin C and Antioxidants

Starting even before you leave for your trip, make sure that you are getting plenty of Vitamin C and antioxidants.  If you are worried about not having access to high quality sources of fresh, organic produce while you’re away,  there are plenty of options out there in capsule form to fizzy powders.  Another great source of antioxidants that travels super well are dried goji berries- and they even come chocolate-covered — YAY!

 

Green Powders

Staying in hotels usually means giving up my morning ritual of fresh-pressed green juices or using my Vitamix to blend a superfood smoothie.  A great alternative to getting all of the nutrients while traveling is a greens powder that you can mix with water.  Whole Foods makes an entire array of these and I have even seen them in smaller, individual packets for travel.  I don’t use these when I’m home since I think fresh is best, but they’re a great option for travel.  Amazing Grass and Nutiva are two favorite brands.

 

Zinc Tablets

It is such a BUMMER when someone gets sick on a vacation!!  When a cold/flu virus enters your body, the virus attaches to receptors in your respiratory system and starts replicating.  If you have increased levels of zinc in your body, the zinc will actually compete for those receptor sites, allowing fewer or none of the virus to attach and spread.   Increasing your daily zinc intake with a supplement will help you combat any of those viruses you come across throughout your travels.

 

Probiotics

It is definitely not a bad idea to fortify your gut when traveling.  Adventuring through different cities, states, and countries can often lead to digestion issues and upset stomachs.  Loading up on healthy bacteria can help your body fight off any kind of foreign bacteria.  Furthermore, 80% of your immune system is in your gut, so making sure your good bacteria outnumbers the bad helps keep your immune system strong.  Look for probiotics that do not require refrigeration.

 

Protein Powder

When we travel, we are more than likely not going to be able to find free-range chicken and grass-fed beef on our dinner menus, so getting high quality sources of protein may be tricky.  Because of this, I tend to eat veggie-heavy when traveling, and need to make sure I am getting enough protein.  Similar to the greens powder, these powders pack serious amounts of protein, and should be available at most grocery stores.

 

H2O!

We all know this is one that we can’t bring from home due to airport regulations, but I couldn’t omit water as a travel essential because it is so important to stay hydrated when traveling.  Traveling is extremely dehydrating, especially plane rides, so make sure that once you get through those security gates, you drink up.  The rule of thumb is to drink 8 ounces per hour on board.  Staying hydrated throughout your trip will allow you to have more energy, boosts your mood, and can even help you control your appetite!

 

 

PACKING SNACKS

Along with the healthful essentials mentioned above, I like to pack some tasty, nutritious snacks when we travel, especially if we will be staying in multiple hotels and out all day seeing the sights.   Here are some of my favorite food items that travel well, and that you can enjoy anytime whether it be at the airport or at your destination.   Snacks come in very handy when hunger strikes in the middle of a 3-hour Medieval Castle tour!  All of these things saved me on our last long trip in Europe.

Trail Mix

Dried fruits and nuts travel beautifully and are such a tasty treat full of fiber, good fats and protein — all of which stave off hunger pangs and keep blood sugar stable.  I pack a crazy amount of trail mix in large bag and then transfer some to a small bag to carry around every day.

 

Nut Butters

Nut butters are a great source of protein and come in so many different varieties.  Whole Foods carries individual pouches of Justin’s almond and peanut butters, or bring a jar of your favorite.  Bananas, brown rice cakes and spelt pretzel sticks are all great dippers!

 

Dehydrated Fruits and Veggies

If you have a dehydrator, now is the time to pull it out and dust it off!  This is a great way to take perishables like fruits and veggies last through the long haul with you.  Apple, beet, and zucchini chips are great, and I recently dehydrated mango slices that turned out fabulous.  Of course, you can easily find many unsweetened and unsulphured options at Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods, as well as other natural food stores and farmers markets.

 

Dark Chocolate

Carrying a square or two of dark chocolate in my purse has definitely stopped me from staring down a hot fudge sundae at 11pm.  Cocoa has so many health benefits (including antioxidants and minerals) and is a great alternative to have around when that pesky sweet tooth comes along.  Look for chocolate with at least 70% cacao, otherwise you’ll be eating too much sugar.  And keep it wrapped well in case you are in a hot climate.  You don’t want chocolate melting on the inside of your brand new purse!

 

Popcorn

Homemade popcorn is very healthful compared to most other “snack foods,” and is something that can be made at home in advance (check out this post) or Whole Foods sells individual bags.  Perfect for the salt-lovers like me!

 

Bars

Granola bars, protein bars, energy bars, oh my!  Whichever type of bar you prefer, these are my ultimate go-to when traveling.  These bars can be loaded with nuts, seeds, oats, and dried fruits, which are all very filling and healthful, provided you read your labels and look for those made without tons of sugar and gross protein isolates.  There are a lot of great store-bought options like Elemental Bars, Kind Bars, Rise Bars and Pure Organic bars.  But if you prefer to make your own, check out my favorite granola bar recipe here, or a newer recipe for homemade Larabars!  I actually made a batch of my homemade granola bars two weeks ago and froze them, so I didn’t have to do them at the last minute when I was scrambling to get everything else done.

 

Homemade Chips

Avoid the cheetos/fritos/doritos disaster and bring a better quality chip!  I like the brand Food Should Taste Good, which makes a non-GMO, gluten-free tortilla chip in loads of delicious flavors.  And we also like pita chips and rice cakes (not technically chips, but satisfies the need for something crunchy.) Or if you’re up for it, try making these homemade tortilla chips-either plain or cinnamon sugar!

Be sure to follow me on Instagram and Facebook to keep up with all of my adventures.  For those of you traveling this summer, have fun and be safe!