The Traveler’s Guide to a Healthy Lifestyle

Due to the frequency at which Mike and I travel, it has been very important for me to embrace our mobility as a lifestyle rather than treating each trip/location change as a vacation. By that I mean- I can’t splurge the majority of the time we are on the road, because then I would be splurging more than 50% of the time. Rather, I have been able to embrace the importance of making healthful decisions on a daily basis no matter where in the world we are or what our circumstances might be. In doing so, I have developed a number of strategies for optimizing a healthy diet despite our “here today, there tomorrow” lifestyle. One of those strategies is being wise with what groceries I keep in the house to come home to after being away for any length of time. Whether we have been on the road for one week or one month, I have found it imperative to keep a few staples at the house that can tide us over until we make it to the grocery store to purchase fresh items. Let me walk you through what these staples often include:

Perishable items to keep in the fridge during trips of shorter duration (these items stay fresh longer than most refrigerated foods):

  • Eggs

  • Almond Milk (I prefer unsweetened vanilla)

  • Greek Yogurt

  • Cottage Cheese

  • Babybel Cheese

  • Shredded Cheese (we prefer the low-fat Mexican blend)

  • Apples

Frozen items to keep on-hand at all times:

  • Fish (I like salmon and tilapia)

  • Ground Turkey

  • Chicken Breast

  • Veggies- look for zero sodium (we always keep broccoli and green beans)

  • Riced Cauliflower

  • Mashed Cauliflower

  • Zucchini Lentil Pasta

  • Whole Wheat Waffles (we like Kodiak Cakes)

Dry items:

  • Old Fashioned Oats

  • Brown Rice

  • Quinoa

  • Whole Wheat Pasta (or Banza Pasta)

  • Peanut Butter

  • Almonds

  • Popcorn

  • Low-Sodium Black Beans (canned)

  • Low-Sodium Chickpeas (canned)

  • Dark Chocolate

Spices/Seasonings/Etc.

  • Olive Oil

  • Pesto

  • Minced Garlic

  • Hot Sauce

  • Balsamic Vinegar

  • Salad Dressing (olive oil-based)

  • Marinara Sauce

This is not an exhaustive list, but hopefully enough to get you started. The main difference between this list and a standard grocery shopping list is the lack of fresh product. Thus the importance of keeping a few no-sodium vegetables in the freezer at all times! If you’re a smoothie person, frozen fruit is a great item to keep ahold of as well. Having such an extensive store of healthy foods to welcome you home prevents a) eating out every meal until you make it to the store and b) reliance on less-nutritious frozen items. I have found this strategy to be a lifesaver; I hope you do as well! 😊


Madison Wright