I travel a lot. Like, a lot a lot. We live overseas currently and so road trips and airplane travel are a frequent part of our lives.

(Real quick, if you are more of a video-person, you can watch the YouTube video on this topic HERE)

Even when we are living state-side, roadtrips and flights to visit family fill our calendar year, and so as a personal trainer and nutrition coach who super-values her own health and progress, I have learned a few tricks along the way and would love to share them with you!

Now let’s face it - if your life involves hopping on and off planes, trains, and automobiles, meal planning can feel like trying to win an Olympic medal in juggling. Even harder when it’s work that’s causing all the travel. I find that for my clients looking to make a change, Time, Convenience and Other People are often dictating their nutrition choices, especially when travelling.

“Oh I can’t start now, I have two weekend trips coming up.”

“I can’t meet my goals currently because I’m going on a cruise in a month…maybe afterwards I’ll hit the ground running.”

“My schedule at work is packed right now…it’ll have to wait until after these conferences.”

Sound familiar? Luckily, eating well while on the move doesn’t require a miracle or a private chef. The secret sauce? It’s called grocery stores, and they’re everywhere. Seriously. You don’t need to find a magical health food shop in the middle of nowhere to keep your nutrition on track, nor do you have to meal prep like an IG influencer and ship yourself your meals in dry ice. You just need to stick to the trusty formula I created for every-day nutrition, and you’ll be good to go. What is that formula you ask? Don’t worry, I got you.

Protein + (Produce ÷ Fiber) + Enjoyment = Success.

Now believe you me, math was not my best subject. What I do know is in the order of operations you have to solve whats in parenthesis before you add it to the first item. So in this case, we start with protein.

Of course we do. Everything in fitness-nutrition starts with protein.

Then, we move onto produce… but before you choose your produce you must consider fiber. Obviously there is fiber found in produce which makes these two pair naturally well together.

However:

Some produce is lower in fiber, like melon, grapes or bananas…so we might want to add another source to ensure we actually meet the 25-35 gram per day recommendation.
You might want to add in more fiber in addition to the fiber naturally found in the produce because you are a fiber-warrior like me.
You might naturally want to add more carbohydrates to your meal combo, in which case I still want you to be choosing higher-fiber options like whole-grains over white or foods with fiber added to them.

So, once we have all that important and boring stuff covered, we meed to make sure we add in enjoyment. You see, the reality is, if you don’t enjoy what you’re eating, you won’t be successful in your goals.

Just how if you ignore quality protein, you will struggle to be successful.

If you ignore fruits, vegetables and fiber, you will struggle to be successful.

Enjoyment is just as important.

Now this article is by no meals the oracle of on-the-go foods, but I have gathered some of my personal favorites over the years that always keep me on track in a pinch, in every aspect of my formula. And while they are simple, somehow they never bore me. Probably because there is some variety built into the options.

Anyway, lets get to it shall we?

Protein (Because You’re Not Running on Airplane Peanuts)

We all know that flimsy snack pack you get on flights isn’t going to cut it, so let's get real. Protein is the anchor to keep you full, focused and progressing towards your goals.

We all know the power of protein by now.

Right?…

Here are my favorite on-the-go protein options.

I am a huge fan of those flavored tuna and salmon packs. They come in so many flavors, are actually delicious on their own, and are shelf-stable. I always have these dispersed in my bags so I can throw on top of a salad I’m ordering at a restaurant, add to my salad-in-a-bag (more on that in a bit), or even just stick my fork in there at the end of a day to get those extra protein grams in. You could do the same with canned chicken if that floats your boat.

Speaking of things that float boats, almost every grocery store also sells seasoned tofu in the produce section near the Vegan products, which is a great option for vegans, vegetarians, or any normal person that recognizes that tofu is a healthy, delicious and sustainable complete protein. Just be careful after a full day of this in your bag as I wouldn’t consider it shelf-stable!

Personally, I’m all about the salmon. Get those big packs and you’ve got 31 grams of protein AND Omega 3s. Nutritional POWERHOUSE baby. BOOM. For the tuna packs, I recommend doubling up since most of them contain only 14-18g protein, which is half of the average per-meal recommendation of 30-40 grams per meal.

The string cheese and fair life speak for themselves - aim for the low-fat string cheese so you can get around 6 grams of protein for only 50ish calories. Unfortunately the shakes won’t make it through airplane security but like I said…grocery stores. When you land you can always stock up - or pack some in your check-in luggage if you’re that committed.

Produce ÷ Fiber (Keeping Your Digestion … and health… in Check)

You know those times when you realize it’s been a few days since you found a quality toilet and your body’s internal clock is out of whack? Yeah, that's where produce and fiber swoop in like your digestive superheroes. Keep these things in your regular rotation and you might be able to avoid some of that feeling of ICK.

And guess what? Every grocery store's got them. These are my personal faves, keeping it simple (but there’s more in the “Enjoyment” section…get excited.)

Oh, salad kits… it’s like a salad fairy just put all the ingredients together for you. All you have to do is open the bag and pretend you put in the effort. Pair with a chosen protein from the list above for a meal that’s actually fresh and satisfying, and never boring considering the variety of flavors. You can literally toss everything together right in the bag - just make sure you brought a fork.

Obviously fruit is a no-brainer…so why don’t I see more people snacking on apples or pears while traveling?! Seriously the ease and nutritional punch of fruit is unbeatable.

And like I said, when you just want to have that extra fiber on hand, I love these high-fiber tortillas. Roll your protein and/or salad into one of these bad boys, and you’ve got yourself a portable, fiber-rich meal. I pretty much always have these in my suitcase…not lying…

Pro tip: you can also make yourself a breakfast burrito using these wraps and the items at the hotel breakfast buffet. Don’t tell them I told you…actually, do. And send them this article ;)

enjoyment (essentially, snacks and caffeine…cuz yum)

Let’s be honest… all this nutrition talk is great but like I said, we need to enjoy what we’re eating.

Your snack choices might include Oreos, Doritos and donuts…hey, no judgement. I eat those things too and avoiding them is definitely not something I recommend, practice or teach my clients.

Instead, I encourage you to crowd out your diet with all the protein-fiber-healhy-nutritious things first, and sprinkle the rest in as desired.

So for the sake of this article, I’m not going to include the chips, cookies and gummies we also usually have on hand…but I will cover some snacks and drinks that are delicious and nutritious and keep us all going just a little longer.

Well not the kids. They aren’t fortunate enough to have been allowed unlimited access to caffeine yet. That’s ok - the rest of their lives awaits…

Roasted edamame is crunchy, salty, and full of protein and fiber… these will help you know you’ve made a responsible, healthy choice, even if you’re eating them straight from the bag in an airport terminal.

Skinny pop popcorn (white cheddar or you’re not cool…). For those moments when you just need something to munch on, Skinny Pop delivers without turning your “snack” into a 1,000-calorie pitfall. Pop away!

Oh, and send them my way for a sponsorship while you’re at it. I’m not getting paid for this recommendation. ;)

Low-cal coffees and diet Coke…when you’re jet-lagged or caffeine-deprived, sometimes only a cold can of energy will do. My husband and I keep a lunchbox full of these on ice on long road trips and we pop these babies like no one’s business. 400mg per day of caffeine is the recommended limit, but I personally give myself a pass on long travel days.

Also hey, don’t come at me if you’re in the Pepsi-cult. Personally, I have no preference between diet Coke and Diet Pepsi. I will take both over Coke Zero though…

Obviously fruit also fits into this category, but let me give some love to these Kellog’s strawberry bars (spondership?…no?…). 12 grams of protein and 9 grams of fiber for only around 200 calories, and they taste GOOD! Now hopefully at this point you know that 12 grams of protein is not much, but for an on-the-go, shelf-stable snack that even the kids enjoy, these are a staple. Just please don’t pay attention to that label that says “meal bars”…these are not a meal.

Putting it all together (in case you didn’t figure it out already)

My favorite thing about this my-favorite-things list is that everything on it works individually or as a combo.

It’s so easy to create meals on the go with the salad kits and choice of protein, and the fruit, snacks and drinks truly give you options for complete meals with variety.

Don’t Forget: Grocery Stores Are Your Best Travel Buddy

Remember, no matter where you find yourself - whether it's the far reaches of some foreign land or your cousin’s house in the suburbs - you’re never far from a grocery store that has exactly what you need. This doesn’t mean that you can’t or shouldn’t eat out or hit up the fast food joints though…in fact, it’s still super possible to stay on track when you make that choice as well. Just stick to the simple formula of Protein + (Produce ÷ Fiber) + Enjoyment = Success most of the time, and you’ll stay on track without having to lug around a suitcase full of meal-prepped containers like some kind of health-obsessed nomad.

The goal here is to help you regain control over your nutrition and results, not leaving it in the hands of convenience, time or other people.

You don’t need to be perfect; you just need to be prepared (and maybe a little clever). The next time you’re staring at your travel-packed calendar, you’ll know exactly what to grab to fuel your journey without sacrificing flavor or fun.

So bon voyage, happy snacking, and may your travels be fueled with the right balance of protein, fiber, and a dash of caffeine!

Safe travels,