Tomorrow I’m jetting off to America. First stop – home. I’m looking forward to spending some quality time with my loved ones and enjoying the warm weather. After two weeks of roaming the corn fields of Iowa, I’ll then be spending a week visiting my sister in New York City. She always shows me the best time. Only time will tell what kind of crazy adventures we’ll find ourselves in.
With a little preparation, any excursion, whether it’s packing up the car for a road trip or hopping on a plane for a journey halfway around the world, can be executed with nutritious flair. Keep safe and stress-free during your travels with these helpful tips.
Healthy travel can be tough, but it doesn’t have to be. The easiest way to maintain good health while in transit is to bring your own food. This will save you time, money and most likely- indigestion. I like to take along some of my favorite healthy snacks which are easy to fit in a carry-on or in my purse: salads, homemade sandwiches on a hearty whole grain bread, fresh fruit & veggies, nuts & seeds, high quality meal replacement bars (see recipe below) and granola.
Here are some healthy food travel tips, plus a recipe for delicious whole-food bars:
- Stay hydrated. Pack your favorite glass or BPA free bottle in your carry on bag and fill it at the airport. This way you save money and you aren’t drinking unhealthy water or contributing to landfill waste. If you’re really stuck, purchase bottled water upon entering the appropriate gate. Above all else, staying hydrated during air travel is key to cutting down on fatigue and helps fight off the munchies!
- Take your vitamins and eat your veggies. If you’re running around and not able to eat balanced meals on your travel day, be sure to pack water soluble vitamin packets. In addition, there are many powdered veggie drinks that you can down and get your recommended servings of veggies a day to keep your immune system top notch.
- Stay away from caffeine and sugar. Drinking caffeinated beverages on or before a flight will keep you from relaxing on the plane. In addition, both caffeine and sugar mess with your insulin levels and can cause you to overeat. Not a good combination when you’re on vacation.
- Pack snacks. Stock up on healthy bars, nuts and even healthy sandwiches. Pack your carry-on with healthy goodies so you aren’t spending money at the terminal on expensive convenience food and you are sure to have something on hand when hunger strikes.
These bars are not only filled with natural plant-based protein, they are also magically delicious. I’ll definitely be slipping a few of these into my purse before leaving the house.
Raw Hemp Protein Bars
Vegan & Raw
Makes 3 large bars or 6 smaller portions
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
- 1/2 cup coconut flakes
- 1/4 cup hemp hearts
- 1/2 cup fresh medjool dates, pitted
- 3 Tbsp. coconut oil, melted
- 2 Tbsp. maple syrup
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup rolled oats
- 2 Tbsp. raw cacao powder (optional)
- 2 Tbsp. chia seeds
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
Directions:
- In a food processor or blender pulse the pumpkin seeds, coconut flakes and hemp hearts quickly. Do not over-process, we want it crunchy. Place the mixture in a bowl and set aside.
- Add wet ingredients (dates, coconut oil, maple syrup and vanilla) to the food processor or high speed blender and blend to combine.
- Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients. Add oats, cacao powder, chia seeds and cinnamon and stir until well combined.
- Spread the batter evenly into a baking dish, make sure it becomes quite compact. Place in the fridge for about 30 minutes.
- Cut into bars. Wrap them in paper and store in an air-tight container. Will keep for about a week in the fridge. They also freeze very well. Enjoy!
I will continue to post regularly while I’m away. If you haven’t done so already, be sure to LIKE my page on Facebook and follow me on Twitter to keep up to date on my whereabouts and what I’m up to. Hope you all have a lovely week. Take care.
