Meal Prep Strategies For The Traveling Worker

Meal prepping when travelling for work can be a challenge, but with a little planning, it can be a simple and efficient way to ensure you have healthy and delicious meals ready to go. The key is to keep things simple and prepare meals and snacks that don't require cooking or reheating. Think about what you can eat with your hands that won't make a mess, like cut-up veggies and hummus, fruit, sandwiches, wraps, protein bars, and baked goods. If you're travelling by car, train or plane, a cooler bag or insulated lunch box is essential to keep your food fresh and cool. And don't forget to stay hydrated – always pack a water bottle! With a bit of preparation, you can make sure you're eating well and staying healthy, even when you're on the move.

Plan ahead

Planning ahead is the most important component of meal prep. Here are some tips to help you plan ahead:

Start with a Game Plan

Decide what meals you will prepare in advance. Will you prepare just dinners, or lunches and breakfasts too? Compile simple recipes with overlapping ingredients and create a shopping list for the ingredients you need. Check your pantry for staples that might be running low.

Plan Your Time Well

Planning out which days you can cook specific meals and how long ahead of your travels you can start the process will help prevent last-minute overwhelm. If you have time on the weekend, try to get it all done in one day or schedule a few things over 2-3 days.

Plan for Your Family

If you are going to meal prep so your family can eat while you are away, consider each family member's needs. For example, a child with dietary restrictions, an elderly parent who can't eat spicy food, or a spouse who needs packed lunches for work. Preparing separate meals for each family member and labelling those foods can help prevent problems while you are away.

Plan to Keep Perishables Cold

If you are travelling with perishables, pack them in a fully insulated bag with ice packs for your immediate travel needs. Ensure that wherever you are staying has a refrigerator that you can use to keep your perishable food cold.

Plan to Minimise Meals Out

Meal prepping when you travel is a great way to save money and avoid unnecessary calories. Bring your insulated bag and pack your meals to go every day. That way, you can have picnics and eat out without actually having to eat out.

Prepare snacks

Preparing snacks is a crucial aspect of meal prep when you travel for work. It ensures you have easy-to-reach and nutritious food options, and it can also be more cost-effective and healthier than buying snacks. Here are some tips to help you prepare snacks when travelling for work:

Choose Simple, Portable Snacks

Opt for snacks that are easy to eat on the go and don't require refrigeration. Think about snacks that can be eaten with your hands and won't make a mess. Some examples include:

• Cut-up veggies like carrots, celery, or cucumber
• Fruits like apples, bananas, grapes, or grapefruit
• Dry snacks like crackers, pretzels, or nuts
• Protein bars or granola bars
• Baked goods like muffins or bread

Prepare and Package Snacks in Advance

Before your trip, prepare and package your snacks in individual portions. This will make it convenient to grab and go. Use small containers or Ziploc bags to store your snacks. This method ensures your snacks are mess-free and ready to eat when you're on the move.

Keep Perishable Snacks Chilled

If you're taking perishable snacks like hummus, yogurt, or cheese, use a cooler or an insulated bag to keep them chilled. This is especially important if you're travelling for long periods or in hot weather. Make sure your cooler is large enough to accommodate your snacks and drinks.

Don't Forget About Hydration

Staying hydrated is essential when travelling. Bring a reusable water bottle that you can refill, especially if you're travelling by plane or car. This will help you avoid buying expensive bottled water and reduce plastic waste.

Plan for Variety

When packing snacks, consider including a variety of options to cater to different tastes and nutritional needs. Pack a mix of sweet and savoury items, and don't forget to include some treats as well. This will help you stay excited about your snack options and ensure you're getting a range of nutrients.

Preparing snacks when travelling for work doesn't have to be complicated. By choosing simple, portable snacks, packaging them in advance, and keeping perishable items chilled, you'll have nutritious and delicious options on hand to fuel your travels.

Keep perishable foods cool

Keeping perishable foods cool while travelling for work is essential to prevent food from spoiling and to avoid foodborne illnesses. Here are some tips to keep your food cool and fresh:

Choose the Right Cooler

Select a cooler that suits your travel needs. If you're travelling by car, a rigid, hard-sided cooler made of plastic or fibreglass is ideal as it can keep food cold even in the sun and wind. Soft-sided coolers are more suitable for outdoor adventures like hiking or paddling trips. Ensure your cooler is airtight and large enough to accommodate your food and beverages.

Prepare Your Cooler

Before packing food, pre-chill your cooler by placing it in the coolest part of your house, ideally in an air-conditioned room, for several hours or overnight. If using ice, consider using large blocks of ice instead of ice cubes as they last longer. You can make ice blocks by freezing water in clean, empty milk or water jugs. Additionally, frozen gel packs or ice packs wrapped in towels can help keep the cooler cold.

Pack Perishable Foods

Start with cold or frozen food items. Place juices, meats, and even milk in the cooler in a frozen state to act as additional cold sources. Keep meat and poultry separate from raw foods, either in a separate cooler or leak-proof containers. Ensure that foods like cooked chicken, salads, and sandwiches are stored in the cooler at 40°F (4°C) or colder.

Optimise Packing

A full cooler stays colder longer, so pack your cooler efficiently. Use watertight containers to prevent food from coming into contact with melting ice water. If your cooler is only partially filled, add more ice or fill the remaining space with non-perishable food items.

During Travel

If travelling by car, keep the cooler inside the passenger compartment where it's air-conditioned, not in the trunk. Cover the cooler with a heavy bath towel for extra insulation. Limit the number of times you open the cooler, and open and close the lid quickly to minimise temperature changes.

By following these steps, you can effectively keep perishable foods cool while travelling for work, ensuring your meals and snacks remain fresh and safe to consume.

Choose simple meals

Choosing simple meals is a great way to ensure that meal prep for work travel is manageable. Here are some tips to help you with this:

Opt for No-Cook Meals

No-cook meals are a great option when travelling for work. They are easy to prepare, last well in a cooler, are mess-free, tasty, and filling. Examples of no-cook meals include peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, salads with a small amount of dressing, wraps, and fruit. These meals can also be easily adapted to suit different dietary needs, such as gluten-free or vegan options.

Keep it Basic

You don't need to be a meal-prep pro to manage meals while travelling for work. Keeping it simple can be just as effective. For example, packing foods like grapes, salsa and hummus, blue corn chips, and a sandwich can provide a variety of tasty and healthy options. This approach ensures you have a mix of fresh produce, protein, and carbohydrates to fuel your work trips.

Prepare Snacks

Preparing snacks is an essential part of meal prep for work travel. Having healthy snacks on hand will give you easy-to-reach and eat options throughout your travels. Some examples of travel-friendly snacks include cut-up veggies and hummus, homemade granola bars, fruit, dry snacks like pretzels or cookies, single packs of peanut butter or hummus, and protein bars. Preparing these snacks beforehand and packing them in Ziploc bags or containers ensures they are ready to go and mess-free.

Plan Your Meals

Planning your meals is crucial to successful meal prep when travelling for work. Consider the duration of your trip and the type of transportation you will be using. For example, if you are taking a long road trip, focus on packing non-perishable, protein-dense foods like granola, nuts, and beef jerky. On the other hand, if you are travelling by plane, prepare no-cook meals that are solid and mess-free, like sandwiches or wraps. Planning your meals ahead of time ensures you have nutritious and tasty options throughout your work travels.

Stay hydrated

Staying hydrated while travelling for work is essential, as dehydration can cause fatigue, muscle cramps, headaches, and constipation. It can also interfere with your short-term memory, attention, and mood.

• Drink lots of water before your trip, especially if you are unsure about the water availability at your destination.
• Coconut water is a great way to boost your hydration as it contains natural electrolytes and potassium. You can usually find it at the airport and in stores at your destination.
• If you are travelling to a warm climate, try to avoid the sun during the hottest parts of the day. If you do go out, bring plenty of water and limit your time outdoors.
• Eat water-rich fruits and vegetables such as berries, pineapple, watermelon, oranges, peaches, cucumbers, celery, lettuce, zucchini, and bell peppers.
• Bring a refillable water bottle with you. Many airports have water stations where you can refill your bottle, and this will also save you money and cut back on plastic waste.
• Toss a refillable water bottle into your carry-on bag. You can ask the flight attendant to refill it for you during the flight.
• Bring along electrolyte powder packs, such as Pedialyte, to help keep you hydrated. Alternating water with electrolyte-filled fluids is important as too much water without electrolytes can dilute mineral levels in your body.
• Take advantage of in-flight beverage services. Flavoured seltzer, herbal tea, and milk are good alternatives to plain water.
• Avoid alcohol, as it increases urine production and leads to additional fluid loss.
• Pack lip balm, saline nasal spray, and travel-size hand cream, as the low humidity in planes can dry out your skin. If you usually wear contact lenses, consider wearing glasses on the plane to avoid dry eyes.

Remember, the Aerospace Medical Association recommends drinking roughly 8 ounces of water per hour during a flight.

Frequently asked questions