A Dietitian’s Tips for Healthy Traveling

Want tips for healthy traveling? Use this advice from a registered dietitian nutritionist for a healthy next trip.

Looking for tips for healthy traveling? As a registered dietitian nutritionist, I bring you my best strategies so that you can travel healthy and in style! 

From your first sip of coffee to your last bite of dessert, I’ve got you covered with these nutritionist tips to feel great and see the world in style. 

9 tips for healthy travel

It’s no secret that I love to travel. Luckily, I’ve created a system that I use to stay fit and healthy while I explore the globe.

I’ve collected top tips from other nutritionists, too, to give you a variety of travel hacks and healthy snacks to choose from. When it comes to eating healthy on the road, I’ve got you covered.

So take your pick! From this seasoned advice to my seasoned chickpeas, there’s something for everyone to keep your healthy-eating efforts on track while you’re busy jet setting. 

When you’re away, don’t forget your essential travel items and healthy car snacks. Then you can eat like a nutritionist when you return home to keep that healthy journey going strong! 

1. Walk a Lot

One mile of walking burns between about 70 and 100 calories, depending on your weight and gender—so logging miles can make a big impact during a healthy holiday.

On a trip to Italy, I walked over 221 miles—burning over 18,000 calories, or about 5 pounds—and 458 flights of stairs!

My highest-mileage day was a 12.8-mile one in Milan, and I climbed 44 flights of stairs on a daytrip to Bellagio in the Lake Como area of Lombardy, Italy.

To make the walking easier, I packed several pairs of comfy footwear, including my Vionic shoes. It’s important to pack the right gear when traveling.

2. Stay hydrated

I always carry a water bottle in my purse and drink several glasses at meals. Drinking water before meals can even help with weight loss. And overall, it helps you stay healthy and hydrated.

3. Sample local produce

While filling up on veggies can help with weight loss and weight maintenance, I didn’t need an excuse to try a porcini salad in Milan; romanesco with leek oil in Ghent; or a delicious eggplant, mushroom, and cabbage dish in Berlin. 

Wherever you are, embrace healthy traveling and try the local fruits and vegetables.

4. Visit supermarkets

Upon arrival at each destination, I stock up on plenty of travel snacks. This typically includes local fruit, yogurt, almond or peanut butter, and muesli for breakfast.

If you’re traveling abroad, eating meals at the right time will help you get over jet lag and get used to the local time zone. You can also stock up on meal staples, such as olive oil and salad.

5. Stock the fridge

Ask the hotel staff to empty out the mini bar before you arrive. Then you’ll have space to stash a supply of healthy food.

Buy fixings for a healthy sandwich: Choose whole-grain sandwich thins, lean deli meat, guacamole, spinach, and tomato.

6. Pack healthy snacks

I carry fruit-and-nut protein bars, portioned bags of pistachios and almonds, and other snacks for long stretches in between meals.

Also prepare single portions of nuts, fruit, veggies, trail mix, granola bars, nut butter, and hummus to keep you fueled—and away from the impulse Pringles potato chips buy. These also make great road-trip snacks.

While I often find nutritious street food when traveling—including chestnuts from a vendor in Milan and figs from a market in Amsterdam—being prepared helps me avoid making a beeline for not-as-healthy offerings (ahem, Belgian waffles) when hungry.

7. Pick up some probiotics

You know those times you’ve eaten dinner at home, boarded a plane to take an overnight flight, then eaten breakfast in a foreign locale? Perhaps your tummy has felt a little off those first few days.

Or perhaps (on some future date!), you’re simply traveling to a new state or new country—and eating new cuisines and foods that don’t exactly sit right with you.

After all, you want to get all you can out of your vacation, and having a daily probiotic habit can help you accomplish that.

Look for a probiotic that offers digestive health support. I suggest choosing one that doesn’t require refrigeration. This makes them the perfect travel companion!

8. Research dining options

Look at menus ahead of time so you’re not caught off guard and influenced by what your colleagues order. Have a healthy dish or two in mind.

If planning a glass of wine or dessert, make sure to allot an appropriate amount of calories. Or instead of dessert, cap off your meal with a cup of soothing tea or decaf coffee.

9. Share treats

I wanted to try stracciatella gelato in Bergamo; tiramisu in Milan, Florence, and Rome; Belgian frites, waffles, and chocolates in Brussels; and stroopwafels in Amsterdam.

So I saved calories by sharing these treats with my travel companions.

Final thoughts

When it comes to healthy traveling, there are many ways that you can enjoy yourself while being healthy. For starters, add in exercise to your trip and stock up on healthy foods.

Sources

• How Many Calories Do You Burn Walking Per Mile?, VeryWell Fit

I’d love to hear from you! What are your tips for healthy traveling?