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How to Travel and Eat Healthy Even with Food Sensitivities

Are you traveling for the holidays this year? If so, how do you prepare?

Are you packing your suitcase, toiletries, and maybe gifts? You probably get your house ready for you to be gone – maybe set the thermostat, take care of plants, make arrangements for your pets, etc. But are you also preparing in other ways, such as in how you’re going to stick to your healthy diet?

Do you often just rely on eating whatever you can find on the road? How’s that working out for you?

Whether you’re traveling by car or plane, maybe if you’re like me, you need to pack some snacks or a lunch because you have food allergies or sensitivities, maybe you have restrictions due to digestive issues or autoimmune issues, or maybe you’re trying to eat as healthy as possible.  Plus, you know you may need to stop when there’s no restaurant that has anything you can eat. Or even if you stop at a convenience store, often there’s not much to grab there. So what can you do?

Here are ideas that have helped me and clients:

When driving to our destination, I always make up a small lunchbox with food I can eat because I’ve had problems finding anything in the past. Now sometimes I’m able to pick up something at a restaurant on the road, but many times I can’t or either I’m hungry before my family is. So if I bring something, I can eat anytime I need to and then they can stop wherever without worrying about what I can eat.

I have a small insulated lunchbox that fits under my seat in my car. I can pack 2 – 3 freezer packs and fit enough food for a light breakfast and lunch. Now I don’t like using plastic containers much, but I do make exceptions for traveling especially If I’m packing something cold, and the food is not heated up anyway. And if I need to toss the plastic container, it’s inexpensive so I can. But other times I use glass containers such as Glasslock and reuse it at a hotel or family member’s house.  

What foods do I actually pack?

Breakfast – 3 turkey meatballs or turkey sausage links, leftover roasted veggies or a sweet potato cubed, and ¼-1/2 avocado. If I’m eating nuts, I’ll add those and sometimes a few blueberries.

Lunch – small salad with leftover diced chicken, carrots, other veggies, some diced, avocado and berries. And here’s the secret for using salad dressing when traveling. Pour a little in the bottom of your container. Then before eating, shake it and then all your salad will be covered in your dressing. If you put the dressing on top, your salad will be soggy by the time you’re ready to eat it.

Snacks – travel packs of almond or sunflower butter, small bag of seeds or nuts such as macadamia or pumpkin seeds, a whole apple already washed, maybe a couple of mini gluten-free muffins I made and were frozen ( they’ll thaw on the trip), or gluten-free and healthy protein bars I’ve made or bought. I like Aloha bars. Or a trail mix in a snack size baggie of cassava or plantain chips, nuts, and carob/cacao nibs. I also love Archer’s turkey sticks (like jerky), and Paleo Valley has beef and turkey sticks, too. And I’ll also pack some of my vitamins or supplements.

And don’t forget several napkins and a disposable fork, spoon, and knife plus salt and pepper packs.

Then I stash that under my seat. And I know I’ll be able to eat healthy for my travel day which will keep the sugar cravings and hangry monster away.

If we are flying, I’ll pack nut butter or some blueberries in a Ziploc baggie or even a few turkey sausages or a couple of turkey sticks. I have also brought a sandwich made with gluten-free bread and a protein bar. I simply stick this in my backpack or purse.

What food do I bring to eat at our final destination if driving?

If we are staying with family or I will have a kitchen in an air B and B and we have room, then I’ll pack an ice chest with things like:

Salad

Precut veggies

Leftover grilled chicken, meatballs, roasted veggies

Fruit – apples, grapes, and berries

Hard boiled eggs

2 avocados

But most locations have grocery stores so you can even pick up food there, of course. Today most stores have healthier food options. You just have to look and make those healthier choices. Stores like Walmart, Whole Foods, Trader Joe, Fresh Market, Publix, and many local groceries are selling healthier options.

Now if we are staying at a hotel without a kitchen for a couple of nights like we’ve done for weddings, I will pack a small ice chest if they have a mini refrigerator and microwave. I will bring just a few of the foods noted above. Plus, I can usually find a store to pick up a few things if needed.

If going to a wedding and reception or even a holiday dinner, I always eat a small snack before going and include a small protein plus fat and fiber and complex carbs. This might be ½ apple with 1 tablespoon nut butter, hard-boiled egg and ½ avocado, berries and coconut yogurt, or few turkey rolls and nuts, etc. It’s a mini-meal and will help me not be so hungry.

And I realize I’ll just have to make do with whatever is served for the reception food or rehearsal dinner food. If I can eat a snack before the actual event, I’ll be okay even if there’s nothing to eat.

One recent wedding we went to I was only able to eat the veggies because the only meat was breaded fried chicken or shellfish. Many of you can eat that, but I’m gluten-free so couldn’t eat the chicken. Plus, I have a severe shellfish allergy so couldn’t do that either. But I could eat the green beans and the apples. And they had a charcuterie board so I picked up a few raw vegetables and fruit. If you can eat cheese, then that’s also an option.

This is key. I always remind myself while the food is an important part of social events like weddings, holidays, and vacations, the most important part is the people and my relationship with them – not the food. It’s simply a mindset change.

Have I ever had a pity party due to not having a lot to choose from? Have I even had a melt down with my hubby mainly because of this? Absolutely. I’m only human.

But usually that’s when I haven’t prepared so I didn’t have enough food in my room that I could eat as a snack prior to the event. So preparation is the key whether at home or when traveling for eating healthy the rest of your life. And mindset. Remind yourself of the reasons why you are sticking to your goals. Allow yourself a treat but just a small bite or two. You don’t have to eat the entire cake, right?

Supplements to help:

There is another thing I do to help with digestive issues or headaches just in case I eat something I am sensitive to – supplements. Now check with your own health practitioner first because this is not medical advice. This is just what I personally do. I always carry activated charcoal and digestive enzymes with me when traveling. The enzymes helps with digestion of protein, carbs, and fats. The activated charcoal helps if I have accidentally eaten something I shouldn’t or in case I’ve accidentally gotten “glutenized” (eaten gluten unintentionally) at a restaurant.

How do I know? If I have bloating or pain after eating and don’t know why or experience a bad headache, often for me it’s due to a food reaction. The activated charcoal will absorb anything within two hours of eating. So don’t take the activated charcoal two hours before or after medications. And be sure to talk to your doctor about these products before you take them.

Ginger and peppermint tablets or lozenges or even ginger or peppermint tea can help calm an upset tummy as well. So I usually pack these, too. Or just pick them up at a local store.

I hope this information was helpful for you so you’ll be prepared when traveling this year. Just plan and prepare so you can enjoy your time traveling and with family or friends. Plus, you’ll be able to stick closely to your healthy eating, whether you have food sensitivities like I do or just because you want to stay consistent with your goals.  

And if you realize your health is the best investment you can make and want to begin 2025 making goals and sticking to them with guided support from me, reach out please. I’ve got a special savings going on now for private health coaching. I’d love the opportunity to work with you and help you realize your God-given potential and help you feel better and achieve those goals. I do free consults so you can click here to schedule that.

And next week I will continue with this topic in part 2 of Traveling During the Holiday.


I am a National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach who works with women who have brain fog, fatigue, joint pains, weight issues, autoimmune, hormonal, and digestive issues. Since I’m not only a health and wellness coach, but have also been on a similar journey to you, I understand what you are going through. I’ve had digestive issues of IBS and SIBO and have had fatigue, pain, weight, and mood issues. But I’ve used nutritional and lifestyle modifications to help both myself and clients. I’ve been in the medical field for over 30 years and have been helping clients with holistic wellness for over 20 years. I love helping people take small steps towards better overall health – physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. Contact me here to set up a free strategy session to see how we can work together. — Leah Cheshire, NBC-HWC