When we are traveling, it can be very difficult to get good fresh and organic food. I don't know about you, but this often forces me to eat something I don't want and/or like. I mean really, if it was luscious it might be worth it, but most often the choices are not that tasty. In addition, it is not easy to cart around fresh food for any length of time. For all these reasons, some of the suggestions below might not be exactly what you would choose if home, but they will be far better than the choices that await you far and away! The important thing is to fuel and satisfy your self with as little effort as possible, and be prepared in the areas that matter most. Here are some of my "pack and go" travel tips:
Travel Bag
Keep a little travel cooler stocked with utensils and napkins. The freezer pack should be in the freezer and always ready to grab at a moments notice. If I make a juice or green smoothie I always pour some in a container that can easily go with me the same or next day. Be ready.
Many foods don’t need to be kept cool. If you take it from the fridge then eat it within 4 hours you are good to go, unless it was sitting in a hot car for an extended time. Usually within an hour or two the food is the perfect temperature to be enjoyed. You can do this with leftover Kitcheree, soups, green smoothies and all sorts of foods. If some of your choices, like smoothies are good from the freezer, then freeze them first and enjoy when it. Keep it simple!
Oils, Vinegar and Salt
One of the items restaurants never have, is good oils or high quality fats. This is where they skimp. If you were in the worst restaurant on Earth, you could probably eat fairly decent if you have some good EVO with you, and/or another good fat like coconut oil, Barlean's Flax Oil, or raw butter. Have the restaurant steam some veggies, rice or whatever, and you will be ready with a good oil/fat to use as a condiment.
Be prepared and always carry a small leak proof bottle of EVO packed away in your travel bag/cooler. Include a small leak proof bottle of apple cider vinegar and some sea salt. Then you will always be ready to make your own dressings. You can purchase 1 to 3 oz leak proof containers at the Container Store. I recommend the large mouth so they are easier to clean. These little containers are so handy and valuable. I also use them to store my Sacred Clay and Spirulina when traveling.
The Night Before
If you have leftovers from dinner, package them that night in a container that you can take with you the next day. Have your little cooler ready if needed and out the door you go. When planning dinner think about making a little extra for the next day. If you eat fish or make any type of protein, make a little extra. The next day you can put a great salad in a container with the protein you made the night before.
Spirulina, Blue Green Algae or Barlean’s Greens.
Put Spirulina, or any green powders in a travel bottle. Barlean's Greens are my favorite. The reason is that they mix instantly with water and always taste great. They provide such a nice pick up and keep my tummy so alkaline. I like to use a recycled bottle of clear class from a drink I purchased. Typical water bottles that you cannot see through are hard to clean because of that. I suggest you use them only for water. A thermos works well too. I often put the powder in the bottle and then fill it with water when I am ready to drink it. Either way you prepare it, keep it simple, and keep it cool. To preserve the EFA's don’t let it stay warm or get hot for long a period of time .
Oatmeal
Oats are the best travel food. They don’t need refrigeration, they are light and don’t need to be cooked first. They mix well with hot water. You can usually get a cup of hot water at any convenience store, restaurant, airplane, train, or bring a thermos. Put oats in the hot water and let sit for a few minutes while they expand. Stir often. Be careful not to put too much in at once as the mixture will get very thick. Bring some raisins and then the oatmeal is naturally sweetened.
You can also put dry oats on top of a cup of yogurt (homemade preferably). Add some raisins or chopped apple, and you have a natural healthy, tasty and filling meal.
Fresh Fruit
Fruit is good fast food, especially bananas. They are already in a package as is an orange. Apples are great travel foods too.
Nuts, Seed & Dried Fruits
Not much to say here, except raw nuts and seeds will do the trick of nourishing you when you need food. They contain great fats, protein and carbs. Don’t store them in your car for too long as they will become rancid.
Sandwich
What ever happened to the sandwich? I grew up with a sandwich in my lunch everyday. Probably not the best combining, but I did just fine as a kid on them, and so did my grandparents. Fill two slices of hearty sprouted grain bread (or gluten free) with high quality nut butter, raw honey or fruit spread, or enjoy raw cheese, tomatoes and veggies. If you don’t want it to get soggy, package the ingredients separate and then assemble them when ready to eat. Tomatoes, cucumbers and grated carrots work well for a juicy sandwich. Try Vegenaise for a healthy spread. Wilderness Family Naturals makes an olive oil based mayonnaise, which is yummy. If you must have mayo, you can also make your own. Cultured Veggies go great on a sandwich. Simple!
Wraps – Sea Weed and Other Wraps
Seaweed Nori wraps are great for travel. That said, they would definitely get soggy after filling if they are sitting for a while. But soggy is not always bad. They may be messier, but easier to chew. Fill them with nuts, nut butters, hard-boiled eggs, seed cheese, dairy cheese, avocado, sliced veggies, sprouts, etc.. Go for them at home too. You can do the same with other large tortilla wraps. Sea veggies of any kind are great to travel, Dulce especially. They are light, need no refrigeration and provide minerals and natural salts.
Eggs
If you are an egg eater, eggs make a great travel food. Hard or soft boil them and take them with you. Soft boiled is much healthier (better to keep the yolk as raw as possible), but, if you must, hard-boil them. They keep all day without being refrigerated. In a pinch I have purchased some olive oil potato chips and enjoyed my hard-boiled eggs with them. Love it! It is only on rare occasions and better than a Big Mac with a long layover at an airport. Make sure good salt is around and/or pack your own.
Sardines
If you are eating fish, sardines are the healthiest with the least amount of mercury exposure. Yea, they stick up the place, but work for travel. I like making a piece of toast, then layering the sardines (packed in water) and topping it all with Cultured Veggies. Once I did this at an airport. I had one piece of bread with me, a can of sardines and a little cup of cultured veggies. Yes, people stared, but not that much. I tried to stay far away because of the smell. I rinsed the can in the ladies room and then threw it away. I only did it once.
Potatoes
Bake a russet, yam or sweet potato the night before. The next day it can be enjoyed cold or at room temperature. Keep it whole so it is not messy. Put salsa or cultured veggies on top of a russet, or have your favorite oil and salt ready. Sweet potatoes and yams are great to enjoy whole the next day. They are somehow sweeter and quite good cold.
Have a blast!