Hey gang! Since getting off the Colorado River, life has been full speed ahead! I’ve gone from Flagstaff to Las Vegas to Grand Junction to Moab to Boulder to Denver to Anaheim and next week it’s off to San Francisco and Big Sur then back to Colorado…oh…and after that I’m headed to Austin before driving back to Portland and Seattle and then flying up to Alaska. Phew!

That means all of my eating has been done on the road. I’m either eating in grocery stores, eating out of the cooler in my car, or grabbing eggs and bacon at a cute local diner. It’s fun, but it isn’t easy. I have multiple times found myself in the middle of nowhereland hungry enough to eat my arm…and there is literally NOTHING that fits the bill! Even in airports and cities, it can feel like you’re in a food desert. When I landed in Anaheim, I asked where the nearest grocery store was, and the shuttle driver kindly pointed me towards the nearest 7-11…yikes!

Long story short, I wanted to give you guys a couple quick tips on how to pack food for when you’re on the move! With an arsenal of go to items, you can whip up healthy delicious meals in a pinch

Stock up on good quality protein!

 Some of my favorites are organic beef jerky from Natural Grocers or Sprouts (any gluten free variety), Applegate Farms sliced deli meats (I LOVE roast beef), canned wild caught salmon, kipper snacks, sardines canned in olive oil or water (skip the soybean oil) and hard boiled eggs. Any good meal starts with protein, so stock up on these items that travel super well.

Slice up some veggies!

 The vegetables I find that travel the best are cucumbers, carrots, celery, bell peppers, broccoli, cauliflower and radishes. I always keep a pairing knife handy so I can slice up a whole bunch of fresh produce and toss it in a Ziploc bag. This way I always have something healthy to munch on.

Don’t forget your fat!

I LOVE avocados, so those are a no brainer. They are great travel companions and if they are on sale I will buy a bunch of them (I could easily eat two a day). Shredded or flaked coconut is also awesome, along with coconut butter in single serving packets. You can find canned olives or olive bars at any grocery store, so go crazy with kalamatas, garlic stuffed olives, etc. For cooking I usually bring coconut oil, which is solid below 70 degrees so it won’t spill.

Stay hydrated!

I think the absolute BEST thing you can do while traveling is to STAY HYDRATED! I get bored with water (who doesn’t) so I usually reach for iced unsweetened green tea, sparkling water like Pellegrino or Perrier and try to curb my coffee intake to two per day. On airplanes, I’ll drink either water or cans of club soda.

Have the right tools!

A couple things that I keep handy in my car and my duffel bag are a spork, a pairing knife (like this one), a cloth napkin (messes do happen), sandwich and gallon size ziplocks, a water bottle, and a coffee mug. This way I can slice vegetables, bag them up, eat fish right out of the can, spill stuff, not have to buy bottled water and make instant coffee if need be. You gotta have the right tools for the job

Hope that was helpful for you guys! I mastered the art of making omelets in the microwave this morning and I’m looking forward to a cheap lunch of sliced veggies and tuna salad. I’ll keep you posted on all the great food I run into at the Natural Foods Expo West!