When a foodie travels by plane, planning is essential. What kind of restaurants are available at the airports and knowledge of the latest TSA rules are important. I do not want to be stuck an airport where a vending machine is the only option for food. Also some airport restaurants close early. And of course if you carry your own food you do not want to be the one holding up the security line because you do not know the latest airport security restrictions.
At the present time there is a 3-1-1 rule (three ounces of liquid, in one quart size baggie, one per person) There is talk of TSA lifting the ban on liquids. For now I just make sure everything is under 100 ml and in a quart size ziploc. Keeping the ice through security has been fine in 95% of the airports. I just make sure I drain any excess water from the ziploc bags that the ice is kept in before I go through security. If TSA does question the ice in my cooler I tell them I am on a special diet for medical reasons and then they usually tell me it is okay. If security does not allow the ice I will dump it and get more on the other side. But most of the time TSA does not even mention the ice in my cooler. TSA does not allow frozen bottles or ice packs, I have only been able to take ziploc baggies filled with ice. A flight attendant I met uses medical ice packs that have a screw off lid. They do not leak like ziploc bags.
After security I will usually go straight to my gate. But, there are some airports that have some decent choices for food. If I have time I will eat at a desirable restaurant or perhaps a restaurant may have something to offer that will supplement what I already have and I can put it in my cooler. Of course I save money when I have my own lunch or dinner. Some business travelers get to expense all their meals but you still want to make wise decisions. I am always looking for fresh non-processed foods. I try to avoid meat at the airport. It is probably not the highest quality and freshest. I also try to avoid sauces, soups, or anything that could have artificial ingredients, msg, too much sodium and sugar. Fresh vegetables, veggie wraps, and salads are most often safe.
There are some specific restaurants that usually have what I am looking for or items I can tolerate. Legal Seafood Test Kitchen at Boston Logan is great. On the way to the Delta terminal I like to pick up a seaweed salad and smoked salmon with capers and red onion. If I have time I will order a full dinner. They have different entrees all the time. French Meadow Cafe in Minneapolis is also a smart choice. They have an organic mixed field green salad with salmon that I enjoy. Puck’s full service restaurant is always good. If I am in a hurry I will get their Chinois Chicken Salad. But I love their pizza. It is fresh and all natural. I have also tried a couple of entrees at Puck’s when I have had time in Chicago O’Hare Airport. Recently I was at the Providence, Rhode Island Airport and the Puck’s there was very nice. I also discovered The Green Leaf Restaurant. It is in several airports and it is a “create your own salad or wrap” place. It was very fresh and they have some great selections on vegetables. In Pittsburgh they are next door to Five Guys Burgers. I thought that was an excellent location. Ground beef at an airport and french fries is not the wise choice. And if you are expensing the meal then cost should not be an issue. So go to Green Leafs instead and your flight will be more enjoyable. Some other options are baguettes from Au Bon Pain or Atlanta Bread Company. They are all natural and they charge under two dollars for a full baguette. Au Bon Pain sandwiches are also pretty good. Panda Express is also a good choice. Sometimes they have tofu dishes and they do not use msg or too much oil. Some airports have microwaves to use. I usually have something with me in my cooler or in my carry-on that I could heat to create a meal. Last time I was in the Detroit airport there was a microwave at the Coffee Beanery in the Delta/Northwest terminal. Some restaurants will have a microwave and they will heat the food for me.
Eating healthy at the airport may seem difficult but having a plan is one of the best ways to make it possible. If I know my options and I am prepared then I can eat what I want. Traveling through an airport can sometimes be stressful, but if you have good food on hand then it can be a more pleasant experience.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Friday, June 19, 2009
Planning and Preparing Meals for Traveling
To travel as a foodie one should always be prepared. Before I leave for my trip I do some research on the area and where I will be staying. Then, based on what I will have available when I arrive, I will prepare and pack some of my own staple foods. Better quality foods have become trendy so it has been easier to find good food when traveling on the road. Grocery stores are carrying better products around the country and even farmers’ markets are more available. I use http://www.eatwellguide.org to help me locate natural stores and restaurants. Airport restaurants are starting to catch on to the market for good whole foods. For the past year, eating on the road has become easier with a little preparation on my part.
Even though options are better, I continue to bring items for the plane ride and for meals when I arrive at my destination. Some cities will not have a grocery store that has everything I need or I might not have transportation to get to a store. Many business travelers find that available restaurants may be closed when they arrive late. For this reason they should always try to come prepared.
Before I leave home I will research what type of hotel amenities and transportation will be available. Some hotel rooms have microwaves or a full kitchen and I will prepare food at home based on my accommodations. The best scenario is when I stay at a hotel with a full kitchen like a Homewood Suites or other residence type hotel and I have transportation to a Whole Foods Supermarket nearby. Of course this is rare so I try a to prepare what I need before I leave. I prepare some foods that I can keep in a small cooler and consume in the first few days. The night before or early in the morning I will prep for my trip. For example, I will boil one egg for each day. I can eat them for breakfast or with a salad. I cook different meats that will reheat well. I bake a couple of chicken breasts and grill or broil beef like steak or london broil. The chicken can also be made into a chicken salad which is perfect for a snack on the plane. Carrots keep well the entire trip. I wash and cut the ends of the carrots and take one carrot per day. Celery, broccoli, and cauliflower are also easy to keep in the small cooler and great for snacks. I make my own hummus and pesto and they are both great with the vegetables and other meals. Cheese, prosciutto, and olives are usually in my cooler as well. I will bring any type of food I enjoy that can be consumed in the first few days or any item that is inconvenient to purchase at my destination.
There are dry goods I will also take with me. A few small potatoes, packaged cooked brown or basmati rice, a can of garbanzo beans, nuts, french bread, packaged dry miso soup, and coffee are items that are easy to put in my suitcase. I will bring a fork and a sturdy plastic knife. If you are checking a suitcase then you can bring items that you cannot take through airport security like knives. I bring a small microwavable dish and plate. If I am staying at a hotel with a kitchen then I take what spices I will cook with like turmeric, cumin, red pepper, ginger and garlic.
Before I leave for the airport I will pack my cooler with a few bags of ice and put the dry goods in my suitcase. Remember there is still a 3-1-1 rule at the airport (three ounces, one quart size baggy, one per person). So as long as your food is not a liquid or gel then it is fine. Sometimes food will have packets of sauce under three ounces and I will put them in the ziploc with my toiletries. When going through security I keep the ice in my cooler. Only a couple of airports have said no to ice. But if I mention I am on a special diet than it is usually okay. If the TSA agents object to the ice, I can always get more from a concession when I am through security.
At first the preparation may seem like extra work, but soon you will realize how easy it can be worked into your usual routine. If you try just a few of these suggestions than you will have more control over your diet. When you are at the airport you will no longer have to eat something you normally would not eat because it is your only option. When you arrive at your hotel you will always have a meal just in case the restaurant is closed or does not offer healthy selections. Also the amount of time to locate a restaurant when you do arrive can be frustrating and time consuming. During your busy day, breakfast and lunch are less rushed and more convenient then ordering from a menu at a restaurant. And of course the amount of money you save and the quality of food you will be eating will be the best incentives to start traveling like a foodie.
Stay tuned for the next blog about arriving at the airport and eating during the plane ride. I will share my favorite airport eateries and I would love to hear about other suggestions and tips.
Even though options are better, I continue to bring items for the plane ride and for meals when I arrive at my destination. Some cities will not have a grocery store that has everything I need or I might not have transportation to get to a store. Many business travelers find that available restaurants may be closed when they arrive late. For this reason they should always try to come prepared.
Before I leave home I will research what type of hotel amenities and transportation will be available. Some hotel rooms have microwaves or a full kitchen and I will prepare food at home based on my accommodations. The best scenario is when I stay at a hotel with a full kitchen like a Homewood Suites or other residence type hotel and I have transportation to a Whole Foods Supermarket nearby. Of course this is rare so I try a to prepare what I need before I leave. I prepare some foods that I can keep in a small cooler and consume in the first few days. The night before or early in the morning I will prep for my trip. For example, I will boil one egg for each day. I can eat them for breakfast or with a salad. I cook different meats that will reheat well. I bake a couple of chicken breasts and grill or broil beef like steak or london broil. The chicken can also be made into a chicken salad which is perfect for a snack on the plane. Carrots keep well the entire trip. I wash and cut the ends of the carrots and take one carrot per day. Celery, broccoli, and cauliflower are also easy to keep in the small cooler and great for snacks. I make my own hummus and pesto and they are both great with the vegetables and other meals. Cheese, prosciutto, and olives are usually in my cooler as well. I will bring any type of food I enjoy that can be consumed in the first few days or any item that is inconvenient to purchase at my destination.
There are dry goods I will also take with me. A few small potatoes, packaged cooked brown or basmati rice, a can of garbanzo beans, nuts, french bread, packaged dry miso soup, and coffee are items that are easy to put in my suitcase. I will bring a fork and a sturdy plastic knife. If you are checking a suitcase then you can bring items that you cannot take through airport security like knives. I bring a small microwavable dish and plate. If I am staying at a hotel with a kitchen then I take what spices I will cook with like turmeric, cumin, red pepper, ginger and garlic.
Before I leave for the airport I will pack my cooler with a few bags of ice and put the dry goods in my suitcase. Remember there is still a 3-1-1 rule at the airport (three ounces, one quart size baggy, one per person). So as long as your food is not a liquid or gel then it is fine. Sometimes food will have packets of sauce under three ounces and I will put them in the ziploc with my toiletries. When going through security I keep the ice in my cooler. Only a couple of airports have said no to ice. But if I mention I am on a special diet than it is usually okay. If the TSA agents object to the ice, I can always get more from a concession when I am through security.
At first the preparation may seem like extra work, but soon you will realize how easy it can be worked into your usual routine. If you try just a few of these suggestions than you will have more control over your diet. When you are at the airport you will no longer have to eat something you normally would not eat because it is your only option. When you arrive at your hotel you will always have a meal just in case the restaurant is closed or does not offer healthy selections. Also the amount of time to locate a restaurant when you do arrive can be frustrating and time consuming. During your busy day, breakfast and lunch are less rushed and more convenient then ordering from a menu at a restaurant. And of course the amount of money you save and the quality of food you will be eating will be the best incentives to start traveling like a foodie.
Stay tuned for the next blog about arriving at the airport and eating during the plane ride. I will share my favorite airport eateries and I would love to hear about other suggestions and tips.
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