Picture this: You’re walking into the airport around 5 a.m., operating on 30 minutes of sleep and a small coffee from the hotel, preparing to board your early morning flight. You finally get to your gate after slogging through the TSA line and collapse onto the chairs. Suddenly, you realize you’re so hungry you could eat an entire plane, and your eyes start to wander to the duty-free shop with its colorful array of junk food…
Airports, and traveling in general, can bring a mixed bag of emotions. While travel can be very exciting, it can also be stressful, and let’s be honest, stress does not help with sticking to your diet.
And it’s not just anecdotal. “Stress eating” is a documented scientific phenomenon. According to Harvard Medical School, researchers have linked weight gain to high amounts of stress, and while our industry is already stressful enough, travel can only exacerbate this feeling.
While travel can help your mental state, the International Association For Medical Assistance To Travellers says that the loss of familiar support systems, disrupted daily routines, language barriers, culture shock and unexpected situations can all increase your stress while traveling.
High amounts of stress cause your adrenal glands to release cortisol, increasing your appetite and ramping up your motivation to eat. And numerous studies show that this increased appetite also affects your food preferences, with physical or emotional distress increasing your desire to intake food high in fat and sugar. Knowing this, it’s pretty easy to see why airport shops are packed full of junk food, which is not great for those trying to maintain their healthy diet while traveling.
To help, we’ve compiled some helpful recipes for easy-to-make, healthy snacks that you can take on-the-go to save you time, money and calories while traveling.
Cherry Oat Energy Balls
This recipe comes courtesy of Kaytlin Dangaran, corporate chef of dining and events at Elior North America Dining and Events and the former executive chef of Bistro at the Sarasota Art Museum (SAM), where she created healthy and farm-fresh sandwiches, salads, soups and snacks.
“Personally, I try to eat super healthy and I try to limit my gluten intake because I’m a little sensitive to it, so eating on the road can be really difficult,” Dangaran said. “Something like these little energy balls are just great ‘cause you can throw them in your bag and you forget about them until you get on the flight and you’re like, ‘Oh my God, I’m starving.’”
Ingredients:
- 3 cups of dates
- 2¼ cups of almond butter
- 3 cups of apple sauce
- 3 tsp vanilla
- 7.5 cups of gluten free oats
- 1.5 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1.5 cups of sliced almonds, crushed
- ¾ cup of sunflower seeds
- 3 cups of dried cherries, chopped
- 2 pounds of finely chopped shredded coconut
Directions:
- Soak dates in boiling water for five minutes and drain.
- Fold in the gluten free oats, cinnamon, almonds, coconut, sunflower seeds and dried cherries until everything is well incorporated.
- Use an ice cream scoop and roll into balls.
- Lightly coat the energy bites in more finely chopped coconut.
Peanut Butter Energy Bites
For those who might want a more peanut-buttery version of an energy ball, this recipe comes courtesy of Michele Polci, director of citywide catering sales for Caesars Entertainment.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of gluten-free oatmeal
- 2/3 cup of toasted fine coconut
- ½ cup of natural peanut butter OR pumpkin puree (in case of nut allergies)
- ½ cup of flax seeds
- 1/3 cup of maple syrup OR ¼ cup of agave
- 1 tbsp of chia seeds
Directions:
- In a large bowl combine the oatmeal, coconut, flax and chia seeds.
- In a separate bowl mix together the peanut butter/pumpkin and maple syrup/agave.
- Slowly add the oatmeal mixture to the peanut butter and mix until well combined.
- Scoop into small balls or spread into a sheet to cut and create bars.
If you don’t fancy yourself much of a chef, you can also toss one of these ready-to-eat snacks in your bag before boarding the plane. All of these have the added benefit of being TSA-approved:
Dried fruits: These are rich in fiber and antioxidants and can be preserved for much longer than fresh fruits, making them the perfect emergency snack.
Popcorn: While most people think of buttery movie popcorn, plain popcorn is a whole grain that is high in fiber and low in calories.
Beef jerky: Commonly found at duty free shops in airports, like dried fruits, beef jerky stays good for a long time and is a great source of lean protein.
What’s in Your Snack Bag?
Tracy Stuckrath, Founder, thrive! meetings & events
When it comes to travel, my snack bag is my safety net, my energy booster and my little reminder that eating well on the go doesn’t have to be complicated. Since I have food allergies, I’ve learned that preparation is the key to feeling confident, safe and satisfied wherever I roam. Here’s what I always pack:
Dates: Since I try to limit my refined sugar intake, these are great for a quick energy boost, plus they are high in fiber and potassium!
Blueberry RX Bar: Minimal ingredients with a great combo of protein and fiber.
Hard-boiled eggs: Yes, I do travel with them if I’m not staying at an Airbnb.
Blueberries: My absolute favorite fruit. Easy to eat and full of antioxidants.
ZEGO certified gluten-free oatmeal: Easy to prepare overnight oats that are certified gluten free.
Seed and nut mix: A mixture of almonds, cashews, pumpkin and sunflower seeds that satisfies crunchy cravings with a healthy dose of fat and protein. (But be careful of those around you who may have a nut allergy.)
Mary’s Gone Crackers Gluten-Free Super Seed Crackers: These are crunchy, savory, have five grams of protein and are gluten free.
