Paleo On The Go (And other travel friendly eating tips)

I was surprised at how I was able to keep the paleo going over the weekend away. I had no idea what my eating situations were going to be, so I was pleasantly surprised. I know not all of you are looking to eat paleo, but because eating paleo could be synonymous with eating clean in many situations I think these tips could give some of you a few ideas of how to make eating out a little easier.


Breakfast: 
I personally think breakfast is the hardest meal when you are traveling or on the go. We had some continental breakfast options, so I was able to get some eggs. I also had some almonds and turkey jerky that I had brought with me in case I needed them.
Sometimes bringing your own goods is the only way to know you are going to be prepared. You CAN bring nuts, fruit, and jerky in your suitcase with you. Other non-paleo options...oatmeal packets, protein bars, pre-made healthy muffins. Avoid having to go to the convenience store. Look around for restaurants or locations that serve healthy breakfast options.
Stop in at Starbucks, Denny's or even Mcdonalds for some oatmeal. Just promise to skip over the hotcakes...
We went to a nearby Whole Foods one morning for breakfast and it was SO GOOD.

 

I ended up with some eggs, fruit, grilled zucchini, and some pulled chicken with a little Teriyaki sauce. It was tasty.  

Lunch: 

Lunch and dinner could probably be one and the same as far as do's and don'ts, but I'll split them up for the purpose of showing food you can choose vs. food that has been ordered for you. It just so happens that for both lunches in San Diego we had Mexican food. In eating out, I am a believer that you can find something just about anywhere you go. You simply have to be willing to stick to your plan. 

Lunch #1 was at Chipotle. I had never been there before and it was SO delicious. I ordered the chicken salad, with no beans and no rice. I added in grilled vegetables, and told them to load on the fresh salsa. Salsa is an AWESOME option when it comes to adding flavor without calories. I topped it off with some guacamole. YUM. This was perfectly paleo.

 Lunch #2 was at some hole in the wall mexican restaurant. You know, the kind where everything is doused in cheese and basted in lard. A definite caloric disaster in the making. Things to avoid in these scenarios...the chip basket, excess cheese, tortillas, and depending on the rest of your diet...rice and beans. Most restaurants cook their beans and tortillas with lard. If you are eating paleo the rice, beans, and tortillas aren't an option anyways, so it doesn't matter. I avoided the chips and salsa, and ordered another chicken salad. The salad came in a tostada shell which I left alone. I ordered my salad without beans and cheese. It came with lettuce, grilled chicken, veggies, salsa, fresh avocado slices, and tomatoes. It was tasty!
When ordering out I'd suggest you skip the bread baskets. Pick options that have a good amount of protein and lower amounts of carbs. Ask how meals are prepared if you are watching certain ingredients and don't be afraid to make special requests. Also, feel free to oder a combo of sides to make up your meal.

Today my mom and I went to one of my favorite places, Pita Jungle, for lunch. I ordered a side of grilled chicken and a side of grilled veggies. It was AWESOME.

Dinner: For both dinner options we had food pre ordered for us. Sometimes this is life. Not being in control of what you are ordering doesn't have to mean you go buckwild and ruin your good eating streak.
For our first meal we had bruchetta with artichoke dip, a green salad with chicken and veggies, a few different choices of pizza, and cake. I bypassed the bruchetta, loaded up on the salad, took a small piece of bbq chicken pizza, and bypassed the cake. I actually just ate the chicken off the pizza and didn't eat the rest of it. Nobody took note of what I was or wasn't eating. It is just a matter of sticking to what you are trying to accomplish.
Our second dinner was a dinner roll, a small dinner salad, chicken, green beans, potatoes, and wedding cake. I didn't take a roll, ate my salad, ate my chicken and green beans and passed on the potatoes and cake. I was perfectly fine, and once again, nobody took notice of what I did and didn't eat. Now, in some scenarios you may not have options that coincide with your health eating plan. In these situations, just do the best you can. Don't overdo it on the bread baskets or desserts. If you know your main course is something that doesn't align with your usual diet, don't make matters worse by caving completely into your appetizer and dessert.

Do the best you can, and you will be glad you did!

Do you have a hard time eating on vacation? Which meals seem to be the most difficult for you? How do you get by when you have food ordered for you?