AKA how to eat healthy when you're not at home.
By Jessica Jones, MS, RD, SELF
(Photo: Courtesy of Jessica Jones)
Hi, I'm Jessica Jones, a Registered Dietitian. Eating healthy is one thing. But I know that eating healthy while traveling can be a different story.
Between long flights, layovers, and restless hotel nights, it can be hard get into a healthy swing of things when you're away from home.
I figured the best way to capture how to keep it clean when traveling was to see what Registered Dietitians eat on the road.
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Enter FNCE. FNCE stands for the Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo, and it's *the* event of the year for dietitians. Picture 11,000 nutrition nerds in one place (Nashville, TN this year) for four days. This yearly shindig is a chance to be around people who get your type of quirky. At FNCE, waking up for 8:00 A.M. presentation on The Gut-Liver Axis in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease isn't a chore. It's fun.
These were my go-to meals during the nutrition conference this month.
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1. A green smoothie.Happy hour for me is 7 A.M. at the smoothie bar. Seriously. Anyone who knows me knows that green smoothies give me life, so when I arrive to my destination I always try to locate a cafe with fresh smoothies on the menu.Travel Tip: If you can, get smoothies that include a healthy source of protein—like tofu, soy milk, Greek yogurt, nuts, protein powder, or nut butter. And if you’re making your smoothie, keep it balanced by always including two cups of vegetables for every one cup of fruit.Photo: Courtesy of Jessica Jones
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2. A salad made with kale, brown rice, black beans, and tomato.A cold salad is the perfect meal to buy at a cafe or supermarket and store in the hotel fridge. Since this no-fuss kale salad was purchased cold, all I had to do was pop the top and it was ready-to-go.Travel Tip: Try to get salads that are hearty (meaning they include some sort of grain and protein). This will ensure that you will get full off this one dish and stave of your inner hangry for as long as possible.And since I was surrounded by a bunch of my awesome peers, here’s a peek at what other dietitians ate while at the nutrition conference, plus their top tips for healthy eating when traveling.Photo: Courtesy of Jessica Jones
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3. A bagel topped with goat cheese, smoked salmon, and veggies.“Breakfast in Nashville was one of my favorite classic breakfasts: an everything bagel with a thin layer of goat cheese, topped with smoked salmon, capers, lettuce, and onion.” — Jessica DeGore, a Philadelphia-based RD, LDNJessica DeGore’s Travel Tip: “I try to incorporate healthy choices into experiencing the local cuisine. I think it’s important to enjoy all types of food while traveling to a new area. I try to be mindful of portions and split my indulgences with my travel companion.”Photo: Courtesy of Jessica DeGore via Jessica Jones
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4. A whole grain bagel with peanut butter and a banana.“I kept breakfast simple by enjoying a delicious combination of healthy fats, protein, and carbs with this mini whole grain bagel topped with all natural peanut butter and half of a banana. This is a travel staple for me, it’s easy to pack and requires no refrigeration!” — Abigail Joy Dougherty, RDN, LDN, a nutrition consultant from Florida and business owner of The Soul of HealthAbigail Joy Dougherty’s Travel Tip: “I always travel with a pack or two of instant oatmeal and either peanut butter or almond butter to make a winning combo of healthy fat, protein, and carbs.”Photo: Courtesy of Abigail Joy Dougherty via Jessica Jones
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5. A Cobb salad.“I chose the Cobb salad because it [included greens and vegetables], plus the chicken, egg, and cheese added protein. I wanted to have some typical southern fare too, so I also ordered cornbread and sweet tea. I shared the cornbread with my friends at the table, so I still got to taste regional cuisine without overdoing it.” — Abby Langer RD, a Toronto-based registered dietitianAbby Langer’s Travel Tip: “I’ve been traveling a lot, and my number one eat-healthy tip is to stock your hotel room fridge right away with foods like cheese strings, yogurt, fruit, and even a vegetable tray. Single-serve hummus, dates, and almonds as well as CLIF bars are amazing to bring with you to meetings and conference sessions. Find the closest grocery store and hit that right after you check in.”Courtesy of Abby Langer RD via Jessica Jones
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6. A potato frittata (plus melon and protein smoothies).“I hosted an early morning breakfast for dietitians this day. We served a towering frittata that included potato, and to make it extra filling, paired it with three kinds of melon. [We also served] three protein-packed smoothies (one green, one berry, and one made with dates to taste like Snickers). — Carlene Thomas, a DC area-based RDN, LD and owner of Healthfully Ever AfterCarlene Thomas’ Travel Tip: “I never skip a meal because I know it means I’m not at my best a few hours later. I also always bring snacks and take the time to look up a few highly rated food stops around where I’m traveling.” Carlene recommends getting comfortable asking the waiter for menu swaps, like veggies, fruit, or whatever you need to balance out your meal.Photo: Courtesy of Carlene Thomas via Jessica Jones
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7. Rolled oats.“Breakfast was at Crema in Nashville [and included] organic rolled oats, crunchy raw hazelnuts and almonds, pepitas, coconut shreds, a mix of coconut, and almond milk topped with berries and apple.” — Amy K. Fischer, MS, RD, CDN, NYC-based dietitian of The Green Fisch.Amy K. Fischer’s Travel Tip: “I keep it healthy when traveling by packing on-the-go meals—like a veggie-filled salad—and snacks. Some of my favorite healthy snacks include veggies with hummus, seaweed snacks, tigernuts, and a raw/unsalted nut and seed mix that I’ll throw together if I’m craving something salty. I’ll also try to pack easy-to-eat fruits like fiber-rich raspberries (when in season).”Photo: Courtesy of Amy K. Fischer via Jessica Jones
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8. Veggie kabobs.“Party appetizers can often be packed with fat, sugar, and salt so I was thrilled to see these delicious and beautiful rainbow-colored roasted vegetable skewers at the Food & Nutrition Magazine party at FNCE. You can easily make them at home; simply roast colorful vegetables and then thread pieces onto a skewer for a perfect finger-friendly appetizer.” — Jackie Topol, MS, RD, CSO, CDN, NYC-based dietitian and culinary nutritionist at New York-Presbyterian/Weill CornellJackie Topol’s Travel Tip: “When traveling, I research vegetarian-friendly and farm-to-table restaurants in advance because they always have healthy options. I also take a few nutritious snacks with me (nuts are usually my go-to).”Photo: Courtesy of Jackie Topol via Jessica Jones
For more tips and tricks for nutritious living from Jessica, check out her website, Food Heaven Made Easy.
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