Meal Planning Tips for Travelers

“Always in movement?” “Don’t have time to plan meals?” Then try these meal planning travel tips!

The “On-The-Go” mentality seems to run our lives today. We seem to be in a hurry from the moment we get up when we get home from work. Even then, it doesn’t slow down. When we relax, it’s time to go to bed. So the cycle continues.

I lived with this “on the go” mentality for years. I know how hard it is to travel a lot and feel that rush every day. I would go to work and spend a total of 4 hours a day on the road. It is not a way of living. Before I knew it, I was feeling tired, irritable, and cranky. Of course, the traffic didn’t help the situation. But also, not having the proper nutrition or calories for the day contributed to my stress.

As a result, I had to take charge and come up with a plan!

There are a few questions to ask yourself before you start planning meals “on the go.” These questions, along with my meal planning travel tips, are outlined below.

Depending on your answers, you can design a meal plan that works best for you and your lifestyle. Remember, meal planning is supposed to be a benefit, not a hassle. The sooner you start down the path of meal planning, the sooner you can lead a healthier life.

Travel Tips for Meal Planning

1) How often are you “on the go” or traveling each week?

Based on the number of days you travel or are “on the go” each week, you’ll need to decide how often you’ll shop for groceries. Will you be shopping for groceries daily, weekly, or monthly? What will work best for you? Based on this, you will know exactly how much food to buy in a given week to avoid wasting food.

2) What kinds of meals will be easy to pack on a plane, eat while driving, or not spoil until you reach your destination?

I’m not condoning eating while driving, but hey, you know the truth. The only foods I eat while driving are quick snacks. I usually ate baby carrots or cut veggies/fruits and put them in a sandwich bag. The ones that worked well are: cucumbers, bell peppers, baby carrots, cherry tomatoes, apples, oranges, and bananas. If I needed “larger” snacks, I’d slice up a muffin, have hard-boiled eggs, bagels. If your food is already cut, then it’s easier to eat it instead of going through your bag while driving!

If you plan to take them on the plane, it’s easier to put them in your bag and they won’t create a big mess.

3) What kind of food will not spoil until I arrive at my destination?

This is a very important question. If you travel a lot, you don’t want to transport food that will spoil quickly, especially during the hot summer months. If necessary, you can always buy a cooler. Otherwise, plan on non-perishable foods. Canned foods are great. I would take canned tuna to work and mix it with my rice. I avoided the mayonnaise. Canned soups are also wonderful, as are canned fruits. I would also have the Top Ramen soups. The deli meat sandwiches worked too. I never had a problem with them breaking down on a 2 hour drive.

4) When do I prepare my meals?

The best time to prepare travel food is the night before. That way, when you’re ready to go, all you have to do is grab and go!

5) What are the benefits?

There are a lot of benefits to planning your meals. In addition to saving time, the benefits of meal planning far outweigh the initial investment you make. You will really notice a difference in how you feel. Speaking for myself, when I’m running across town and haven’t eaten properly, I just don’t feel like myself. Who wants to feel constantly exhausted?

6) I travel by plane, I can bring snacks, but what about meals?

If you’re traveling by plane, sandwiches are the way to go. Especially if you won’t be arriving at your destination soon. If it’s not a long trip, take some snacks with you. When you arrive at your destination, you’re bound to eat out a lot, unless you have the luxury of staying with friends or family. Otherwise, make healthy choices. Go to restaurants that have healthier food options. Eat salads with protein like chicken, steak, etc.

No one has to eat at greasy fast food places!

7) I travel by car, I can bring snacks, but what about meals?

Otherwise, if the shift isn’t long and you have access to a microwave at your destination, you can transport leftovers from dinner in a cooler and then heat up your meals.

8) Sounds great, but I don’t know where to start!

Exploring some organization tips for your kitchen will get you going. It’s a time investment, initially, but it’s worth it in the end. Here are some of my travel tips for planning meals. If you’re interested in learning additional methods and getting back on track with eating right, mealplan4me.com has some additional meal planning tips and ideas. My meal planning travel tips for those of you “on the go” should get you started on the organizing process. Aside from having wonderfully balanced meals at home, “on-the-go” meal plans don’t have to include fast foods!

Take the extra time and you will notice the difference!