Jetting off for Christmas?

Healthy Travel Snacks

by Jean-Claude Vacassin

As a conscientious parent, you always bring healthy snacks for the kids when travelling. But what about you? Do you pack enough raw veggies for yourself as well, or do you rely on airport offerings—or worse, dodgy airplane meals—to keep yourself fortified for the flight? There’s no need to take a break from healthy food just because you’re going on holiday. Here’s a quick guide from our friends at W10 Performance on how to eat well on the go.

Before you leave

Be prepared and take a packed lunch. If you have a morning flight, try to eat breakfast at home. If it’s a super-early take-off, resist the urge to grab a muffin and latte at an airport kiosk—make something the night before and pack it in your hand luggage.

The same goes for evening flights: eat dinner before you leave if possible, otherwise take plane snacks (listed below) and maybe Google the airport’s restaurants prior to travelling so you’re not rushing around clueless and grabbing crisps and dime bars from WH Smith.

Mid-flight meals

During your flight, instead of munching on the high-calorie and relatively low-nutrient food they serve, try these snacks that you can take with you and that won’t spoil during the flight:

1. Cucumber sticks in a ziplock. Perfect food to hydrate you during the flight.
2. Fruit, such as apples, in small pieces. Fruit is easy to digest while also aiding the hydration process.
3. A bit of good-quality dark chocolate for a little caffeine lift instead of reaching for coffee.
4. A good-quality protein bar. Quest do very nutritious ones.
5. On short flights, wrap chunky slices of hard goat cheese in some turkey (M&S do a good, thin turkey breast slice). Wrap again in a leaf of little gem lettuce for added crunch.
6. Kale salad: This is the best lunch recipe to take with you as the kale doesn’t wilt and turn soggy like other salads would. Nor will the dressing explode all over your luggage!

Super kale salad

Take enough raw chopped kale as desired

Place into a bowl and massage for one minute with olive oil (this stops the tough, rank chewiness)

Add any other hard veggies such as peppers, cucumber, tomatoes and carrots

Sprinkle with a small handful of pumpkin seeds or pine nuts (toasted for extra yumminess)

Add in some optional unsweetened cranberries

Toss the whole lot and season with a squeeze of lemon and dash of salt

If it’s a short flight, add some protein such as grilled chicken or turkey, and some avocado (don’t bother on a long-haul as it will turn bad very quickly).

Simple mid-flight food dos and don’ts

1. Drink plenty of water.
2. Bring a sachet of electrolytes to add to water during long-haul flights (even Dioralyte will do, and it’s always available at Boots in the airport).
3. Snack on cucumber to stay hydrated.
4. Chew your food even more than usual as it can be harder to digest while flying.
5. Avoid coffee, tea and alcohol (sorry!).
6. Don’t eat too many nuts, especially salty ones.
7. Don’t eat the fast-food options on board, such as microwaved cheeseburgers and egg muffins.

Happy travels!

About the author:
Jean-Claude Vacassin is a Personal Trainer and Health & Performance Coach based in West London.  Through his renowned gym W10 Performance (www.w10performance.com) in Ladbroke Grove, he and his team of leading coaches are changing the way women’s fitness is done.