On the list of travel priorities, eating well most likely falls far below remembering your passport and getting to the gate on time. Plus, airport terminals are ripe with temptations—from glossy gossip magazines to sweet and salty snacks.
Even when you’re traveling for business, it’s easy to slip into a vacation-mode mentality. As soon as our feet hit the moving walkways, we drop our usual healthy eating habits. Boredom, travel anxiety, and a mean case of hangry hits hard and we end up making not-so informed food decisions.
Thankfully, there are lots of healthy travel tools you can wield next time you fly. Here’s your airport cheat sheet so that you can stay energized, healthy, and alert throughout your trip.
Fill your belly with a balanced and healthy meal before you leave the house. The day before you leave, plan and prepare a meal or two that you can eat quickly on your travel-day.
If you’re leaving in the morning, prep a breakfast that’s packed with protein, complex carbs, and produce. I love whipping up a batch of this Sweet Potato & Brussels Sprouts Hash with Bacon. It’s super filling, comes together in 25 minutes, and my whole family loves it. For a faster option, mix up a bowl of high-protein overnight oats.
Heading out in the afternoon or evening? Toss a sliced chicken breast in a salad kit for a fast and filling meal. Grab a pack of brown rice sushi. Or roll up some chicken, hummus, and veggies in a low-carb wrap.
“Healthy airport food” sounds like a contradiction. Fast food, cafes, packaged snacks, and premade veggie-less sandwiches might be all you’ve seen while traveling. But you can find some healthy options even in the airport if you know where to look.
If you do decide to brave the airport food court, opt for these healthier meals and snacks:
Skip the soups and smoothies—liquids won’t be allowed through security. But there are plenty of healthy, travel-friendly options you can bring with you to the airport.
Even if you can’t pack food for half the day, bringing one or two options can help tide you over while in the airport.
Here are seven no-mess snacks that’ll fit in that carry-on:
Skip the GI upset and sugar crashes. You don’t need that on top of the travel stress. Try out these healthy airport hacks next time you’re headed out of state!
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