Nutrition 411: Phil LeClair's Daily Meal Scenario Greatest Hits!

There is no doubt that business travel, vacations and road trips create unfavorable conditions to eat right. While seemingly under the mercy of “it was the only place around” (which sadly is always a fast food establishment), with a little preparation and ingenuity, you can adapt to any scenario. I use the following eating strategy whenever hitting the road for work or with the family:

1. Always pack Nutrition Bars and Meal Replacement Shake packets in your backpack or briefcase. They are a lifesaver during times when healthy food options are slim to none. Meal Replacement Shakes require mixing with water, but this is easily remedied by investing in a 20 ounce or so shaker bottle (screw-top version to prevent leaking). It too fits quite easily in a carry-on. As a general rule of thumb, take at least 2 Nutrition Bars and 1 Meal Replacement packet for each day of travel. This can keep you covered for up to 10-12 hours if healthy food meals become sporadic, scarce or non-existent.

2. At any restaurant, first scan the menu for a dish that contains a high-quality, lean protein source. This ensures that carbohydrates are part of the meal and not the meal. Whenever in doubt, you can never go wrong with a salad, chicken breast and dressing on the side. Also, do not be shy to request a reasonable change or addition to a dish on the menu. Restaurants do this all the time for patrons, so there is no need to feel like you are being a bother.

3. When the opportunity arises to get a good meal…do it! For example, when laid over during a long-flight, if the terminal has decent options, eat while you have the chance. If you are not hungry, get the meal to go. With airlines not offering meals any longer (which is no great nutritional loss), there is no problem with taking food on board. When doing so, look around at fellow passengers. Their expressions say they wished they did the same!

4. Seek out the nearest grocery store. Even in the most improbable of locations, a supermarket or grocerette is usually closer than you think (the hotel manager, concierge or a taxi driver can help you find one). Stocking up on basic foodstuffs and water eases the burden of where and what to eat Hotel and motel rooms often offer courtesy refrigerators (if not, you can request one) and microwaves. I typically eat a couple of meals from grocery items and bank my eating out for dinner at a nice restaurant. It is not only great to be able to eat well throughout the day, but a bonus for my company as well. $20.00 worth of groceries –which serves multiple meals—can be the equivalent of only one restaurant meal when staying in a large city or resort setting.

5. Got water? Carry a bottle of water with you at all times (even if it means getting occasionally screwed into paying $3.00 for a bottle that usually cost $0.99!). It is easy to relate dehydration to sweating and exercise, but travel is also a big contributor of fluid loss. Not drinking enough water combined with increased intakes of caffeinated beverages and alcohol, plus the dry air of airplanes and hotel rooms all factor into dehydration. Water also helps to regulate waste and cleanse the body of the increased negative stuff we tend to breath and come in contact with while on the road.

Click on TLN Greatest Meal Scenarios file at TLN Group to see complete article examples of How to Eat Well when time and location are not on your side!