Thursday, December 20, 2012

Healthy Foods for Travel

One of the biggest challenges while traveling is finding healthy food to eat.  At home I insist on an organic diet packed with fresh vegetables and lots of organic greens.  It's super hard to find organic food on the go.  It's likely you'll encounter GMOs, pesticides, herbicides and other chemicals and undesirable ingredients.  A great strategy is to make sure you have some healthy snacks with you so you don't get overly hungry and eat something you'd rather not, and be sure to load up on antioxidants so that when you do encounter that stuff, your body will have extra ammo to deal with it.  If you are heading out for the holidays, having healthy food on hand will save you money, you'll feel better, and you might avoid meltdowns from little ones.

Here are some great foods for travel:

Navitas Naturals CACAO GOJI SUPERFOOD Power Snacks.  Made with goji berries, cacao, maca, and chia seeds, these little square bites taste good and will provide energy and sustenance on the go.  They are completely organic, vegan, and portable.  Perfect for on the plane or in the car, and great for kids because they are sweet.  But not too sweet!  They're also sustainably sourced and like everything from Navitas, the best of the best.  This is one company I trust for quality and everything I've ever had by them has been excellent.

Two more Navitas picks for travel:  Wheatgrass powder and Coconut Water Powder--yes you read that right.  When we travel it's common to become dehydrated, especially on the plane.  Coconut is packed with electrolytes and will get you hydrated in a hurry, just add a tablespoon to water.  It's freeze dried, isn't that genius?  Coconut water is one of my favorite things on earth and to be able to have it in my backpack is amazing to me.  Often when you eat in restaurants and on the go, you consume a lot more salt than you would at home.  Coconut water is also great for getting rid of that puffiness your body can get from too much salt.  It can also be used at home in smoothies or juice--perfect for post holiday excess. 

Wheatgrass is a super quick way to get chlorophyll in your system.  Sometimes it's hard (or impossible) to find organic greens on the go.  With Navitas Naturals Wheat Grass, you can have greens with you at all times.  Just a tiny little bit-1/4 tsp is equal to a shot that you'd get a the co-op.  It weighs next to nothing and can easily go into your luggage.  Wheat grass is detoxifying, energizing, and packed with nutrients.  If you are someone that is used to having green drinks every day at home, this is perfect.  Navitas has a huge selection of superfoods that are ideal for travel.  It's condensed nutrition that you're after and they have all sorts of things that fit the bill, and if you're ambitious enough to make your own energy bars and whatnot, they have premium ingredients. 

If you're not a fan of straight wheat grass (though the freeze dried is much more mild than getting it fresh), another great option are Green Vibrance packets which contain organic greens, herbs and probiotics.  Both options are wonderful back up for being away from your juicer and while I don't think they are the same in nutrition value (some might argue they are even better) as fresh green juice, I feel it's crucial to have a daily dose of greens.  I like the taste and they are available for subscribe and save prices on Amazon and discounted at Vitacost. 

Organic Almonds and other nuts and seeds.  Trader Joes makes this very easy with their affordable nuts and dried fruit, you can make your own trail mix or buy theirs that come in little individual packets.  If you don't have access to TJs, just make your own trailmix.  My favorite nuts are Macadamias and Walnuts.  Your local co-op is also a great source for trail mixes and nuts and seeds in bulk.  




Organic Apples and Lemons.  I'd say bananas too, which are nature's ultimate power bar, but they get smashed so easily.  Apples are fairly portable and make for a refreshing and teeth and breath freshening snack on the go.  Lemons are detoxifying and are wonderful to have on hand to squeeze into hot water or on salads. 
 

Justin's Nut ButterBe warned, this stuff is ridiculously addictive, however the individual packets make self control a little easier. Eat it right out of the packet or with celery sticks or crackers.  


Water Bottle.  Staying hydrated is key, and having your own bottle with you will make that easier.  I love Camelbak's Groove water bottle with the built in charcoal filters.  This allows you to get water from any tap without the yucky taste that often comes with that.  You save money and help the earth by not contributing to the ghastly amount of water bottles floating around in the ocean and landfills.  This bottle does not get the real nasties out, the ones that can make you sick, but if you are going to a destination with questionable water, they make a bottle for that too, the All Clear

Oat Meal.  This is easy.  There are so many good organic hot cereals on the market that come in little packets that you can just throw in your suitcase and prepare right in the hotel room or even on the plane.  They're satisfying, stick to your ribs, and are kid friendly.  I like the Trader Joes instant cinnamon oatmeal, its organic, kid friendly, and tastes great.   


Kale Chips.  While they can get a little smashed, they are delicious and full of good nutrition.  Alive & Radiant's kale chips seem to hold up well because it's the whole leaf that is dehydrated, so they stay in one piece a little better.  The Dijon is sooo good and doesn't leave you with garlic breath (important when you're on the go and interacting with lots of people!).  They're a little too good, I could live on these things.  If you want a sweet kale chip, their Chokalet Kale Chips are fabulous and will definitely hold up great for traveling. 


Tea.  I always bring my own teas, a variety, because I don't want the non-organic teas and coffee found in hotel rooms.  Yogi teas are among my favorite and this year I discovered the new Energy teas which are wonderfully aromatic and delicious.  It really is like aromatherapy, there is just something so soothing about a hot cup of tea.  Not all of their teas are certified organic, but use organic ingredients.  The Vanilla Spice is great for this time of year.