Healthy Foods to Pack for Travel in Your Suitcase

On vacation, people eat all they can and forget about fat and calories while indulging themselves. Although there's nothing wrong with giving yourself a treat once in a while, your vacation shouldn't give you license to give up your healthy lifestyle. If you'd like to maintain a healthier way of eating while traveling (and still make it through TSA), pack food and a healthy travel snack survival kit in your suitcase to help you avoid all those unhealthy snacks at theme parks, hotel restaurants and other vacation spots.

When you're on a long road trip or while you're in your room watching television at the end of the day, you may start to crave a crunchy snack. Forget about fat-filled potato chips from the gas station and bring along your own crunch. Pack individual bags of pretzels for a fat-free treat or pop popcorn kernels in a brown paper bag in the hotel room's microwave. Shake on some commercial powdered ranch dressing and you'll have ranch popcorn in your room.

Fruits and veggies are among the healthiest snacks and most of them are high in antioxidants and virtually fat-free. Not all fresh produce travel well at room temperature, but some varieties are ideal for vacation food. Add a bag of apples to your suitcase for a juicy snack that will last all week without spoiling. Keep individual pouches of carrots and hummus. Pack pears when they're still green and crunchy like apples, but be sure to eat them before they turn yellow and soft. Dried fruit is also a great solution if you’re worried about fresh fruit going bad, and it will easily survive airport security in a carry-on bag or backpack.

Buy individual packets of peanut butter and whole grain crackers to make crunchy peanut butter sandwiches. Instant oatmeal will make an easy breakfast if you have access to hot water. Jerky will give you a nice bit of protein with very little fat, and it packs well for very long periods of time. Individually packaged boiled eggs can serve as a quick airport snack. Finish with a nice snack of homemade trail mix made of healthy nuts such as almonds, dried cranberries, raisins and sunflower seeds. Don’t forget to pack protein bars and granola bars to keep you satiated in-flight and between meals.

Tip

Grocery stores like Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s offer a variety of wellness items and healthy food options that make great snacks to add to your packing list.

One of the healthiest travel tips you can follow during your vacation, as well as when you get home, is to drink enough clean and healthy water every day. You may not be sure of the taste or quality of water on the road, and bottled water can be very expensive, so pack the means to make your own in your suitcase. Use a commercial water filter to produce clean and tasty water, and filter the water into water bottles or insulated travel mugs. You don't need a large pitcher to filter your water on the road; the individual sized versions do the exact same job.