Hangry In Houston
Traveling is “food for the Soul” (unknown)....
They say that traveling is “Food for the Soul.” I firmly believe that. What that quote doesn’t mention is that the food you find while traveling can be Soul-robbing. Think gas station convenience store… nothing but prepackaged, processed, gunk. Ok, well there is sometimes the bruised banana at the register. I don’t want to come across as judgemental but folks, seriously, eating on the road (and in the air) can be tough.
Case in point… I recently flew to Texas to visit my 99 and 101 year old grandparents! (I LOVE to brag about them as they are THE BEST!) Before I got to my flight, I had to train 2 clients, teach a class, walk the dogs, pack and then head to the airport. No problem, except I forgot to eat.
If you’ve ever been to the San Diego Airport you know that the only thing to eat, outside of the security gates, is bagels. No thank you. Not that bagels are inherently bad, they just do not sit well with me. I also want to add that this particular bagel chain tried to be “healthy.” They experimented with gluten-free bagels and bagel thins, but obviously they were not best-sellers as they are no longer on the menu :(
Hmmm….what to do?
I get inside the security gates and the options aren’t much better - a burger joint, some Mexican food, lots of bars, some very expensive grab and go salads, lots of chips and candy and snacks - UGH! Nothing is what I want. What I want is something wholesome and fresh that will satisfy my appetite and not leave me with that “I can’t believe I just ate that” regret. So, I think to myself, “I will get the Tapas box on United.” Having traveled quite a bit on United, I’ve learned that this is a pretty healthy option. This box comes with hummus, gluten-free crackers, almonds, olives, spreadable cheese, dark chocolate covered almonds. No fresh fruits or veggies, but it’s a reasonable option. I leave out the cheese (I’m lactose intolerant - the other passengers will thank me :).... Satisfied with my food choice, I board the plane.
I have now gone 5 hours without eating. I am not happy. (READ - “HANGRY”)
Once the plane levels out and the flight attendant passes by with the drink/food cart, I lean over to hand her my credit card for my overpriced appetizer box. She has none. Not since before COVID. I’m stunned (and starving!). They have stopped offering them. Instead, she offers me the option of a miniscule bag of pretzels or a very sweet, caramel filled German cookie of sorts. I decline both, as I know my gut would not be happy with either. And so I brood a bit, rummage through my backpack for something to nibble on, and end up chewing on a breath mint and a stale piece of chewing gum for the next two and half hours.
I know I am not alone. It is HARD to eat well on the go. Ironically, I know better. I know that in order to eat well and feel well while traveling all it takes is a little advanced planning. (As I’ve said before, I don’t always practice what I preach but in my defense, I’d gotten out of practice staying home with COVID).
I will say that I am not going to beat myself up (if you’ve learned anything from me, it’s that this never works.) Instead, this incident has just strengthened my resolve to do better. With a very busy weekly work schedule that requires a lot of car travel and crazy hours AND having traveled over a quarter of a million miles flown in the past twenty years with my three daughters, I have A LOT of tips and tricks for healthy eating on the go.
Won’t you join me for tonight’s cooking class where I will share 3 delicious, portable dishes and snacks that you can take anywhere. I will also share my top 10 favorite travel snacks to keep energy and mood in check.
Let your mantra for this week be,“I will slow down and give myself the gift of good food”