Whether you’re hitting the open road, flying the skies for business, or driving kids from soccer practice to music lessons, eating healthy can be challenging when you’re on the move. It can be especially hard for those of us who have had our food allergies tested. That said, if you don’t know which foods you’re allergic to, we highly recommend getting tested because your “healthy” food could be interfering with your wellness efforts.
In this article, we’ll share some healthy ideas that are gluten-free and allergen-friendly while being appealing. The idea is to keep your hunger at bay so that when faced with unhealthy options, you aren’t so hungry that your willpower breaks down. Let’s face it, whether traveling across state lines or zipping down the main drag in your hometown, healthy options are pretty scarce.
If eating healthy only happened when everything was perfect, it wouldn’t happen for anybody. Life is messy. It’s full of travel and activities. Don’t wait until you’re home to eat healthy, because that might be when you have no go left. Check out these easy portable ideas for eating on the move.
11 Healthy and Portable Ideas For Eating on the Road
1 – A Sea of Nutrients: Seaweed
Dried seaweed is a great travel snack that fills your craving for something savory. Seaweed is full of nutrients, including Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and calcium. Plus, here’s one the vegans will love- B12. There are very few plant-based sources of B12. Seaweed is also one of the best sources of iodine, which is so good for your thyroid and other glands; it’s great for breast health. Look for a brand with few ingredients and sea salt like this one.
2 – Beet the Unhealthy Chips: Beet Chips
Beet chips with sea salt are the perfect crunchy snack. Many people don’t like beets, but beets are misunderstood. They have so many exceptional properties that everyone should love them. They are packed with Vitamin C and have lots of fiber to help fill you up. Make sure the ones you get are not fried in any oil. Get the gluten-free ones, and you will stay healthy with this gluten-free, vegan snack. Trust us; they are delicious. Give beets a chance!
3 – Health Beef: Beef Jerky
The key is to find snacks that fill you up; beef jerky is excellent for that purpose. It’s easy and portable. In fact, it’s so portable it’s hard to believe how filling it is. Plus, it has lots of great protein. You want to find organic, grass-fed beef to avoid the hormones and toxins that come with many farmed meats.
4 – Go Nuts! Raw Nuts
We love to be nutty! Nuts are portable snacks full of protein, fiber, and omega-3s. You want to avoid the nuts roasted in vegetable oils which are inflammatory and carcinogenic. Nuts should be very anti-inflammatory, but the oil they are cooked in can change all that. Get raw nuts to avoid inflammatory oils. Macadamia nuts and almonds with sea salt are good anti-inflammatory choices. Try this recipe at home for glazed nuts.
5 – Happy Trails with Granola and Trail Mix
You can make your own. Check out the Goji berry granola Doc made with his daughter in the quick tip below. You can also buy your own in the bulk section of many grocery stores. Avoid the prepackaged versions that have too much sugar and not enough fiber.
6 – Energy Balls Keep You Rolling
So easy to make on your own with organic ingredients like nut butter, seeds, dates, and honey. These will keep you going until your next stop. If you don’t have time to make your own, grab some Figgy Pops and feel good about the ingredients. (Don’t overdo them, as they are high in fruit sugar).
7 – Set the Bar High
Granola bars can be unhealthy by adding sugar and empty calories to your diet, so watch for bars with healthy ingredients. Watch out for ones that contain sugar, high fructose corn syrup, palm oil, and the questionable ingredient “natural flavor.” Don’t worry; there are some healthy swaps for this portable snack. The Primal Kitchen Bars are gluten-free, dairy-free, and soy-free. This brand has collagen, which is excellent for tendons and ligaments. RX Bars are great if you don’t have an egg allergy. They have limited ingredients, and “no B.S.” Larabars are also a great limited ingredient option. They make avoiding your food allergies simple.
8 – Plan Ahead
Making healthy snacks is easy when you plan ahead. You can store them in your freezer and take out what you’ll need for the day. Prepackage your smoothie ingredients to make life easy. Try these healthy grain-free zucchini muffins or make this chocolate cherry bites recipe. You can slice up this banana bread recipe, too. There are many options when you plan.
9 – Grabbing Food Doesn’t Have to Mean a Restaurant
So, we don’t always plan ahead, but that doesn’t mean you have to throw your health out the window. How long have you waited in line at the drive-thru or the table of a sit-down restaurant only to get an unhealthy, soggy meal? It doesn’t have to be that way. You don’t have to give up your health when traveling or on the go. A grocery store is a great place to stop for eats if you know what you’re looking for. Many grocery stores are upping their salad bar and deli game. Shop the salad bar or grab some hummus with veggies. Many grocery stores have a picnic table or bench outside. It’s such an easy change – you just have to commit to a new habit.
10 – Stay Hydrated
Sometimes you think you’re hungry, but you’re actually thirsty. Stay hydrated! We recommend investing in a reusable glass bottle to avoid the plastics contaminating your water. Kombucha is an excellent choice to replenish your gut flora when you are on the move.
11 – Healthy Gas Station Food?
In a pinch, we’ve all had to grab gas station food. Make a point to seek out healthy options, so you don’t just grab a bag of potato chips. The food at gas stations is varied, so try to stop at a larger gas station so it has more options. Go in with an open mind for health.
Some good finds we rely on are:
- Oh Snap! pickles
- Local, grass-fed beef jerky
- Chomps grass-fed beef sticks (Italian if you can’t have black pepper)
- Nuts (dry roasted, no oil)
- Hummus and Veggies
- Coconut Water
- Bai Energy Drink
- Zevias
- Bubblrs
- Hard Boiled Eggs
Healthy Eating on the Go is Possible!
Make room in your busy life for eating healthy. It is possible, and you deserve it. What ideas have you found to make eating healthy on the road easier? Leave them in the comments.
