In the past 3 years, I have been fortunate enough to travel all around the world and to live in several different countries. Travelling is such an enriching life experience but it also comes with its own sets of challenges. Finding the right foods to nourish my body appropriately can quickly become one of them for me.

Indeed, as a holistic nutritionist, I am very particular with what I choose to eat and this doesn’t change once I am travelling… However, there are a few tips and tricks that I have gathered over time to make sure I still manage to feed my body with good foods while I am away from “home”. In today’s post, I share some of those with you. Here is : How to Keep Healthy Eating Habits While Travelling.

Before, I give you the quick run-down on how you can keep your healthy eating habits even while travelling, I want you to keep in mind that it’s important to be a little more flexible with your eating habits while you are away from home. You may not have access to the same type of foods as the ones you are used to. So keep an open mind and don’t sweat it too much if you are unable to eat exactly how you would want to. Remember, it’s all temporary ;).

So enough with the bla bla bla’s, let’s jump into this one, shall we?

Enjoying one of my favourite: Fresh coconut meat in Cartagena, Colombia. Photo credit: www.dmainternacional.com

How to Keep Healthy Eating Habits While Travelling…

1. Favour fresh fruits & vegetables

Many tropical destinations have a plethora of fresh fruits. Why not take advantage of it? Photo Credit: www.dmainternacional.com

This may sound very evident, but it truly can make a big difference in how you will feel throughout the day while you travel. Exploring the local fruits and vegetables available to you during your trip can be so much fun and as a bonus, fresh fruits and vegetables will give you a lot of energy.

Some of my favourites, often sold on the street, are: fresh coconuts, avocados, mangos, pineapple, cherry tomatoes, and root vegetables or fresh herbs.

2. Avoid battered or fried foods

This one may not be always that easy. Indeed, almost every country and every culture has some form of fried dish… And usually, these are the desserts or other comfort foods. So you may very well get tempted by these churros or battered fishes… But, I strongly advise you to simply skip them and opt for other delicacies that will satisfy you just as much, without hurting your tummy or body. Remember that the oil used for frying is not of the best quality and frying foods usually destroy a lot of its nutrients.

So, here are some healthy swaps you can make:

• Churros ? –> Try fresh freshly cut fruits or grilled nuts/seeds, often sold in the streets
• Battered chicken or fish? –> Opt for the grilled versions instead. They are just as tasty
• Fried chips ? –> Have some baked chips instead with guacamole for example.

These are just some of the ways that you may avoid these foods. But again, don’t become too obsessed either. One time won’t kill you either. Just choose to feed your body with nourishing foods most of the time ;).

3. Stay well hydrated

This is very important, carry some water with you at all times! Especially if you are travelling to some hot climate countries, this will really help you with not confusing thirst for hunger and it will help you avoid some serious dehydration or heat strokes.

One of my favourite ways to stay hydrated while travelling? Some fresh coconut water, whenever it is available :p.

4. Study the menu!

In my happy place: surrounded with delicious & nutritious foods while visiting La Condensa in Mexico City! – Photo Credit: www.dmainternacional.com

My friends and family always hate me when we go out to eat because I am always the one that will ask a gazillion questions about what each dish is really made of … Now mind you that can be a little more complicated when you travel to a foreign country and you do not speak the language! However, it is not impossible. Do the best you can with the few words that you do know. I avoided a lot of culinary catastrophes by simply asking what the meal contained. More often than not, it also allows me to learn more about the cooking of that particular country (a bonus for me).

When substitutions are possible, I will ask for some, if not, I simply try to find the “cleaner” options on the menu: think fresh salads, grilled proteins and avoid greasy sauces or sugary desserts- better yet skip the desserts for improved digestion!

5. Avoid Sugar!

You’d be surprised at how many foods, even outside of North America, are loaded with sugars, whether hidden or not. Recently, we were travelling and exploring Colombia and we had to always make sure we asked for fresh juices with NO SUGAR as they automatically would add some, if you do not mention it.

Do yourself a favour: ask for “no sugar” whenever possible, and also ALWAYS inquire if there is sugar in the drink or food because chances are there will be some in there :p…

There are ways to still enjoy a sweet treat without the added sugars- like this Acai Bowl ;). Photo credit: www.dmainternacional.com

6. Try some spices!

And by spices I mean, hot and spicy! In fact, “warm” spices such as cayenne, chilli peppers, black peppers, ginger, cinnamon, … will help increase your stomach acid, which will help kill any pathogens still present in your food. Warm spices also have the beneficial effect of improving your digestion.  And if you do sweat when eating spicy foods (whether hot or not), remember that sweating is another great way to expel toxins out of your body ;).

Mexican cuisine is full of flavours and spices – it was such a joy to discover authentic dishes while visiting Mexico this year! Photo Credit: www.dmainternacional.com

And there you have it, folks. What are your favourite ways to keep up with your healthy eating habits while travelling? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.

Sarah.