One time I had an 8 hour layover at an airport. I spent $60 on food and drinks. Crazy right?…Never doing that again! Not only is airport food expensive, it’s also usually processed, unhealthy foods. Here’s some tips to keep you full and energized during your travels.
Plan ahead. You know you’re traveling. You know how long you’ll be in airports, on the plane, etc. so plane accordingly. If you have to leave for the airport at 6 am, your flight is not until 12:00 pm and you won’t land until 7:00 pm, you’re going to end up spending a lot of money on unhealthy food. Not only will you need breakfast, lunch and dinner..but waiting around the airport (if you’re anything like me), you tend to get bored and want a snack or two. So plan ahead! Make something to have for breakfast on the ride to the airport, pack a lunch to eat in the airport, pack a snack or two and maybe even pack a salad to have on the plane so you don’t eat the first (probably unhealthy) thing you see when you get off the plane for dinner.
Here’s what I pack when I travel:
Snacks!
When we’re bored we tend to want to munch on something so make sure you pack some healthy snacks. I brought a “homemade trail mix” made up of raw cacao nibs, dried goji berries and almonds. This is my go to snack because it kicks your chocolate and sweet craving with the cacao and goji berries while the almonds make it a little dense to fill your belly! You can even add a little sea salt to kick that salt craving as well.
Of course I brought some of my raw cacao truffles (one of Kimberly’s recipes). These are my other go to snack. They are so rich that you only need one bite size ball to satisfy any cravings. They are a mix of fruits, nuts and cacao making them delicious and dense!
I also brought along an Almond Coconut Perfect Bar. If you are in a bind for time and can’t make your own snacks this is a good alternative (although the Almond Coconut is the only vegan option, they have other flavors as well). I only snack on a couple bites of this at a time. It is a protein bar so it is very dense. I’ll eat maybe a third of the whole bar and save the rest for another snacking moment.
Breakfast!
If you’re traveling during breakfast time it can be tempting to grab a bagel with cream cheese, a muffin or a bacon, egg and cheese which may leave you feeling tired and bloated. Instead, with a little planning, you can have a healthy and easy on-the-go breakfast.
The night before, make a Glowing Green Smoothie (another one of Kimberly’s recipes). It is filled with greens and fruits. You get plenty of fiber from this which can help hold you over until lunch. This is easy to drink on the go and it is sweet and very satisfying.
If you are still hungry, bring along a packet of oatmeal. The kind I prefer is Mixed Berry with Chia and Flax Seeds from Trader Joe’s. You can easily stop anywhere in the airport and ask for a cup of hot water and simply pour your packet in it. (If you’re reallyyy hungry you can even top your oatmeal off with your trail mix).
Lunch and Dinner!
Pack a salad. Simple, easy. Throw together some greens, add some fresh veggies on top with some dressing on the side. It’s easy to pack, doesn’t need to be warmed up and it’s filling. For my last trip I threw together some kale and spinach that I had in my fridge, topped it off with some quinoa, grilled portobello mushroom, tomato and sprouts (which all would be bad by the time I got back anyway so why not use them, right?). I added a blend of cashews, pine nuts, nutritional yeast, and more (that I had leftover from my yucca fries..it’s kind of like Parmesan cheese) for a crunch. I had raw vegan caeser dressing already made and put that in a small container on the side. You can pack the salad in a take out container so it can easily be tossed it when you’re done (or wash it and save it for next time).
When it comes to drinks (which cannot be brought past the security check point) you can get a cup of cold (or even hot) water anywhere they’re selling food in the airport. You can even add lemon or bring your own tea bags.
All of this took up one small pocket in my backpack so it’s easy to pack as well. There are so many better options than a bagel from Dunkin’ Donuts or a $10 bag of chips! You just need to do a little planning and prep!