Summer is in full swing in British Columbia, not that it was an extremely cold winter this year, but nothing beats Vancouver in the summer, it is quite stunning. Summer often includes travel with family, kids, solo. Any way you choose to travel, healthy travel and maintaining a whole foods diet can be a challenge, and eating while travelling can cost a pretty penny!
Recently, I have travelled to Los Angeles for additional learning, I am training with Kute Blackson, enrolled in his first ever, Coach Apprentice Program, to be a Certified Transformational Life Coach. While the training and learning is phenomenal, hotel dining for three meals a day can be difficult on my gut and to maintain high energy levels for the long seminar days.
I started looking for some healthy travel food in addition to the normal: nuts, seeds, dried fruits.
I have stumbled across some great snacks, which are travel friendly and even came up with what I thought to be a super creative idea. When I shared my new “brilliant” idea, some people thought my idea was a bit crazy. It really is about thinking outside the box. Let me know what you think!
1. Overnight Oats
I purchased sandwich ziplock bags, and filled 6 of them with 1/2 a cup of rolled oats each. I chopped one organic date for each bag. I put in one scoop of Chocolate Dream Protein Powder (carried at Brio) in each bag. Feel free to add shredded coconut, or chopped dark chocolate, a nut/seed butter, or chopped almonds. The combinations are endless.
I also brought with me a small snap lid glass container, and each night poured the contents of one bag into the container. If a container is forgotten, not to worry, often coffee cups are provided with the coffee machine, these will work nicely as well! I heated up hot water with the coffee maker, and poured 1 cup over the oats. Snapped on the lid, and in the morning I had overnight oats for breakfast! If a bit more was required for the morning, check for a local store and look for individual yogurt cups that can be kept in the hotel refrigerator. A healthy breakfast that is low in sugar, contains protein and complex carbs, will keep you satisfied and an energizing way to begining the day. Breakfast in the room will save quite a bit of money and time, and likely hold off hunger until mid-morning snacks or even lunch time.
2. Protein Shakes – Take Your Magic Bullet on Vacation
Ok this is the mixed reaction idea. I think it was brilliant! haa. Protein Shakes: On my second trip to LA, for module 2, I didn’t feel like overnight oats again. So I decided to pack my Magic Bullet and a single cup into my suit case. I decided I would do protein shakes for breakfast. My daily protein shake includes: 1/2 a banana; 1/2 a cup of frozen blackberries; 1 tsp Giddy Yoyo Spirulina (now carried at Brio!); 1 scoop Dream Protein Powder; and water.
3. Travel Smoothies
I was thinking to myself, I can’t take berries or banana’s across the border, I won’t have time to shop prior to the module. All I need is berries that are pureed, this is essential what I am doing. Ah-Ha! Organic Baby Food in the individual squeeze packs! Baby food is essentially puree’s, and it’s airtight, won’t spoil, this is perfect. If it’s healthy enough for our babies, it’s healthy enough for me!
So my travel smoothie included: 1/2 a packaged of Love Child – Organic Pear/Blackberry/Banana puree (the other half saved for a second smoothie); 1 scoop Chocolate Dream Protein Powder; 1 individual package of Amazing Grass Raw Greens (I purchased 5 individual single serving portions at Whole Foods); water; some of the days I added some almond nut butter for a bit more energy.
Voila! Mixed it up in my bullet, and I had a smoothie in the morning along side Granola King granola and Almond Milk (the individual portion tetra pack), which I stored in the hotel refrigerator.
4. Granola
I aim to make my own granola, however, when travelling, if I need to purchase one, I like Granola King because it is baked and they put fun quotes in each bag! They can be found at Farmers Markets, IGA, Choices, Whole Foods. Many other stores as well!
This breakfast idea was great. It really did keep me energized and saved me quite a bit of time and money! The travelling bullet and baby food smoothie was a success!! The taste of the smoothie wasn’t super fantastic, but it was good. It definitely did the trick.
5. Munk Pack Oatmeal in Individual Squeeze Packs
(click on product name above for more information)
A third breakfast and/or snack-on-the-go idea was also brought to our attention from a dear patient. Apparently these are found at Costco. Our patient was generous enough to let Kyra and I try some, and it really was good! oatmeal which is gluten free, non-gmo and sold in individual squeeze packs. Several flavours are available and it is low in sugar.
6. Nud Fud Raw, Organic, Vegan Energy Snacks
(click on product name above for more information)
I liked the green energy flavor which includes dehydrated banana, sesame seeds and spirulina. I found these at Urban Fare, I’m sure they can be found online as well. I realize these may be a bit pricey, however for one person, for a 5 day trip, I found one package was enough, and worth the cost!
7. Raw Crew – Superfood, Vegan Flaxcrisps
(click on product name above for more information)
These were delicious. I often struggle with raw vegan snacks as they contain nuts, legumes, lentils that I am allergic to, however, the products I purchased from Nud Fud and Raw Crew were totally Neetu friendly and so tasty! It’s difficult to find snacks that are gluten free, and when they are they are extremely high in carbs, and made with tapioca starch, corn starch, potato starch etc. However, these raw vegan treats are whole foods. Made with dehydrated flax seeds so not only are they satisfying as a crunchy salty treat, they are low in carbs, and no filler starchy carbs to bind the crisps together. I was really impressed! If only I had the time to make these myself. But in some cases, time is money, when a product is worth it, I will pick it up. Again, one package was enough as part of my snacks, for my 5 day hotel stay. I also found these at Urban Fare, and again, I’m sure they can be purchased online!
8. Okanagan Rawsome Apple Crisps – Raw, Sprouted, Gluten Free, Vegan Snack
(click on product name above for more information)
These are awesome. I believe they are found at Save-On; Whole Foods, possibly Choices. And most definitely online! Again a whole foods cracker and snack that doesn’t zap my energy and cause my blood sugar to fluctuate, and affect my mood. Eating these whole food snacks, kept my blood sugar stable, my energy was extremely high! (68 hours of in-seminar time over 4 days is no joke!!). They have many other flavours, and I was excited to report that the Apple Crisps are not only delicious, they were Neetu allergy friendly. Scores all around!
9. Barney Butter Almond Butter
(click on product name above for more information)
With the Okanagan Rawseome Apple Crisps, I paired them with Barney Butter Almond nut butter. These come in single serving individual packages which resemble ‘ketchup packs’. I found the individual packs at Urban Fare; I believe Save-On carries them as well (same company).
10. 80% Cacao Dark Chocolate Bar
I also took along a 80% Cacao Dark Chocolate bar and would have a square if I needed a sweet treat.
Snack Bags
I make a little snack mix in small sandwich ziplock bags. I also would add a dried organic date to each bag. Each morning before the seminar began, I grabbed a pre-prepared bag from my suit case and threw it into my back pack.
This was how I not only survived, but THRIVED, with Kute and his epic long days and 4 day seminar. To some, the cost might be a factor, however, I feel that health is an investment. And I will always look at ways to balance. Just doing a quick calculation and a rough estimate of savings. I did not purchase one coffee or tea during the drip. My individual 
hotel room also provided coffee and tea, I also brought tea bags with me. Savings of 4 dollars per day per 4 days = $16 dollars. I did not purchase any bottled water bottles. I took along my Kleen Kanteen bottle and the seminar room offered a filtered water station. Savings of say 7 dollars per day per 4 days = $28. Did not need to purchase breakfast from the hotel restaurant. Average 20 dollars per meal per 4 days = $80. No snacks were purchased, no chips, no chocolate bars, no Odwalla smoothies, no coconut water – nothing.
Rough low estimate of savings incurred = $16 + $28 + $80 = $124 over 4 days. Pretty substantial! And I ate whole foods, gluten free :)
These are just some examples of thinking outside the box; whole foods eating always requires thought and planning, at all times, ESPECIALLY while travelling. It really is a dedication and a true mantra way of living. If we fail to plan, we plan to fail. Hopefully these tips will help with whole foods living while on your summer travels and while at home!
In health, Dr. Neetu
