5 Ways to Eat Well on a Business Trip

November 12, 2013

If you travel for work, you know that one of the most trying aspects of being on the road is finding halfway healthy food. During the fall and winter, when defenses are down and cold and flu run rampant, it’s even more important to eat well.

veggies

(Photo Credit: Martin Cathrae/Flickr)

Fortunately, it’s pretty easy to up your nutrition game while you’re traveling. The most important thing is to plan ahead, so that you’re never stuck without a plan for healthy eating.

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1. Bring food whenever you can.

OK, you’re not going to be able to bring your farmer’s market haul through security at the airport, but whenever you’re traveling by train, bus, or car, you can bring healthy food from home. Again, planning is key. Pack lunch and breakfast the night before you leave, and you won’t be stuck with a gummy egg sandwich and no veggies.

2. Scope out the airport ahead of time.

Murphy’s Law of Airport Eating states that the place with the fresh fruit and bottled water will be at the opposite end of the airport as your gate. Look at the airport map ahead of time, and you’ll know where to go for healthy eats when you’re through check-in.

3. Pick a hotel with a kitchenette.

This tip comes to us from Claire Murdough at Lifehacker, who writes:

“Buying your own food is great. Cooking your own food is even better. Air BnB as well as other apartment renting services can set you up with all the amenities of home and are usually less expensive than even the cheapest hotel. The added bonus of staying somewhere with easy access to a kitchen is your ability to make meals where you lodge. That can save you hundreds on a trip.”

4. Buy decent containers.

Anyone who’s ever opened her handbag only to have a shower of loose tea and instant oatmeal pour out knows how important this is. Invest in good plasticware with lids that actually seal, and a refillable water bottle. Your luggage will thank us.

5. Don’t wait until you’re hungry.

Grocery shopping rules apply here: don’t put yourself in a position where you’ll be staving when it’s time to select a snack at a convenience store. You’ll wind up with three packages of chips in unnatural hues and nothing that will satisfy either your hunger or your nutritional requirements.

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