Since a bunch of you guys are likely traveling to see family and friends for the holiday this coming weekend, I thought a post about what I ate during my full days of travel to Mexico and back might be interesting and perhaps helpful to you. Maybe they will even inspire some of your food choices!
Traveling to Mexico
I packed my breakfast, which was a brown rice wrap with almond butter and banana slices inside. I love bringing food from home because it’s typically pretty healthy (quality ingredients + reasonable portion size) and it’s a budget-friendly option! If you’re looking for some travel-friendly meal and snack ideas, check out this post.
When I arrived at the airport, I ordered an iced decaf soy latte from Starbucks. I definitely didn’t need coffee (I mean, it’s decaf after all), but I like to treat myself a little when I am traveling. The only reason I chose soy milk over regular milk is because I like how creamy and sweet it makes my iced latte.Ā Starbucks uses vanilla-flavored soy milk, so I don’t need to add any sugar to it.
I also stopped at Starbucks because I wanted to buy a healthy snack for later, and it’s my go-to place for healthy food when I am traveling. I can almost always find fresh fruit or veggies there! I ended up buying a cup of fresh fruit salad to take with me on the plane.
In the middle of my 4-hour flight to Dallas (where I had a layover), I started to get really hungry. I had already eaten my fruit cup, but we still had a good 2 hours until we landed, so I bought a snack on board.
American didn’t have a ton of food optionsāālet alone healthy food optionsāāso I picked the best of the bunch, which was a bag of mixed nuts with dried cranberries and honey roasted sesame sticks. The package included 4 servings for a total of more than 600 calories. My pregnancy hunger definitely took over, and I housed the entire bag in about 20 minutes. Hey, I got some healthy fats in my diet, right?
When I landed in Dallas, I bought a healthy hummus snack with grilled chicken, pita slices, and raw veggies to hold me over until I got to Esperanza.
When I arrived at Esperanza, I basically ate my face off: I had a snack when I arrived in my hotel room, ate a crapton of chips and guacamoleĀ during the tequila tasting, and then sat down to a 4-course meal, which is probably more than I would normally eat, but, being pregnant and traveling East to West (when you add a few more hours to your day), I wasn’t worried about the extra calories.
Traveling home to Boston
On the way back to Boston, I started my day with a big ol’ breakfast, complete with freshly pressed green juiceāĀ¦
A fruit plate with banana bread on the sideāĀ¦
And buckwheat vegan pancakes with fresh berries and agave syrup. I figured once I left Esperanza, my healthy food choices would be limited, so I loaded up on nutrients and satisfying foods.
It was almost lunchtime when I headed to the airport, so I grabbed a salad from Carl’s Jr., which ended up being a lot better than I expected since it had a decent amount of vegetables and a good-size portion of grilled chicken. Usually salads from fast food places are so wussyāāyou basically get a container of iceberg lettuce with one tomato and two slices of cucumberāābut this one was substantial. It held me over until I landed in Chicago almost 4 hours later. The chicken had a light seasoning on it and there was plenty of shredded cheese, so I nixed the salad dressing all together.
Oh, yea, I also enjoyed a couple of macaronsĀ on the plane that the nice folks from Esperanza sent me home with.
In Chicago, I was thirsty and hungry, so yogurt sounded really appetizing to me. I bought a yogurt parfait with fresh berries and granola. I figured the combination of protein and fat from the yogurt and fiber from the berries and granola would keep me full until I landed in Boston. And, of course, it was delicious.
Before I boarded the plane, I bought a bag of Raisinets, which are one of my go-to sweets when I travel. The whole bag has less than 200 calories and get you a little fiber, iron, and calcium in your diet. Ok, they’re not the healthiest, but they’re better than most candy bars and chocolate treats out there!
So there’s what I ate during my long days of travel. Some of it was healthy, some of it wasn’t-so-healthy, but I did my best to balance the āgoodāĀ and the ābad.āĀ I hope my choices inspire you to choose a healthy mix of nutritious and fun foods when you travel!
Questions of the Day
When you travel, are your food choices mostly healthy? Not-so-healthy? A mix of both?
What’s your go-to meal or snack when you’re on the road?
P.S. Be sure to enter my giveaway to win a whole bunch of beauty products from CVS! I will pick a winner on Monday!
92 Comments
I always try to travel with food in bar form (usually a kind bar because I’m addicted) because they arent ruined if they’re smushed and if I dont eat it on the way there Its still good on the way back. They are also pretty satisfying.
I hate to be “that reader” but I just wanted to throw it out there cold chicken (or any other cold meat) isn’t always the best option for pregnant women due to the risk of listeria and the same goes for salads (both fruit and vege). Obviously it’s up to the individual as to what they’re comfortable eating but dining out while pregnant can suck!
@K: I’ve never heard that cold chicken is dangerous because it has been thoroughly cooked. Deli meats though, yes, there is a risk of listeria.
@K: I agree! I am also surprised how much you eat..I ate about the same when pregnant, but ate loads during breast feeding..
What can I say, I like to eat! I’m pregnant and that’s what my body wants/needs, so I’m not worried about it.
I would say it’s a little mix of both healthy and unhealthy, but more healthy. I definitely try to pack plenty of my own snacks so I won’t have to buy food somewhere else, where most likely the healthy options will be limited (if they are any healthy options).But while on vacation I definitely believe you should treat yourself without overdoing it!
Where is your bag from??? (The black, white, and mint). I love it!!
Thanks! It’s from a Fitness magazine event a few years ago.
I’m impressed with your self control. And everything actually looked pretty tasty! Are there any items you had to say no to because of being pregnant – things you normally would have gotten?
Just sandwiches with deli meat!
Tina, I just want to say I’m really impressed with your attitude towards your pregnancy, thank you for showing that you can be healthy, not so healthy and active while you’re carrying your baby carrot š
Peanut M&M’s are my go to travel treat. Similar to the raisinets theory….peanuts are protein. =)
I always like to get an egg sandwich before boarding my flight when i travel early. Usually holds me over for 4-5 hours.
I HATE buying overpriced turkey wrap sandwiches that have been sitting in a refridgerator case for a long time. YUCK! But I end up doing that sometimes when options are limited. O’hare is a great place for a layover because there are so many food options.
I was actually just talking to my boyfriend about this today — I ALWAYS travel with snacks, even if it’s just a 45 minute flight. I’m almost always hungry, and the thought of not having a snack (and having to spend $$$ on not so great airport food) sends me into a mild panic. š Usually KIND bars, Luna bars, or Clif-Z bars (for kiddos, but they’re delish) plus fruit are my go-to snacks. I agree with you about Starbucks being a great option though — I usually treat myself to a coffee/latte too.
Thinking a little ahead is key..lots of good fresh food options! Well done bet you feel the better for it!