A resounding number of you, for the most part, do very well following your therapeutic diets. But obstacles to compliance ensue when you have to travel for business or vacation.
Indeed, when traveling you are off your regular schedule because you’re not at home. It may be that you don’t know where your next meal will be coming from or what it may consist of. This is most common among those of you traveling for work.
On vacation—or before you leave—do a little prep and take a look at the hotel’s menu offerings as well as the local restaurants you plan to visit. When it comes air travel, that alone can be challenging enough. Best to control the controllables of what and where you can eat so you don’t go hungry unnecessarily. You can call ahead to the airline to request a special diet meal (i.e., gluten-free). You can even eat at the airport before boarding your flight by checking out all the eatery options online first for the most appropriate food and cuisine for you.
Traveling for work can be a greater challenge because the circumstances may not be ideal. For example, if you’re a musician or performer on tour going from place to place, especially across time zones, it can really throw a wrench into your best laid plans. Or maybe the nature of your work demands that you’re ready at the drop of a hat to travel if the boss demands it. Do your best with the time you have before travel to scope out the offerings on what to eat at your destination. Whether it’s a hotel menu or local restaurant options, or local grocery stores if you’re planning to stay in an Airbnb or motel with an efficiency kitchenette, you can still make smart choices.
If your business travel is mainly by car (say you’re a regional manager of sorts having to travel to many sites daily over the course of a week), you can pack a cooler of food to take with you. This may be the best option as you can prepare the food you’ll be toting along—or purchase the appropriate prepared food that you can pack into your cooler.
A little planning can go a long way in helping you maintain your therapeutic diet, even when traveling.
To your health!
Leyla Muedin, MS, RD, CDN
