One of my friends just came back from a week long business trip, where she had to live and work from a hotel for the entire week. When you're stuck in a hotel for long periods of time, it's tough enough to have to find good food choices, but it's even harder when you're busy with work and don't really have much time for scavenging for healthy food.
What are some good tips she found for hotel and business travel food?
At the airport:
Always carry around a big bottle of water, which you'll have to buy at the gate because airlines generally won't allow you to buy water outside the gate. What I find most annoying about flights is that when you ask for water, they give you just a tiny cup, so you have to keep asking for more if you're trying to stay hydrated. I don't know about you but I hate doing that!
Inside the plane:
Opt out of the cheese heavy and carb heavy meals. There are always great nuts and fruit options that will keep you energized without the energy-sucking side effects of fatty foods. On longer flights, most airlines have gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, or non-dairy options, so make sure you find out about those and take advantage of them!
Stay away from alcohol! It might make you feel great and relaxed during the flight, but when you arrive at your destination, you'll be cranky, dehydrated and sleepy. You'll have a bad first day to your work day.
At the hotel
Many hotels have super healthy dine-in options, you just have to be disciplined enough to get them. For breakfast, opt for a simple oatmeal with fruit (bananas are always great), and made with soy or almond milk. The continental breakfast options are terrible, because they're generally made up of fatty pastries and sugar-laden juices. Stay away from super heavy egg breakfasts, because they give you enough food to feed an army! You'll be slow and sluggish throughout your business trip, and you need to be energetic and wide awake in order to kick butt during your meetings.
For lunch, stay lean, and get some veggies or opt for fruit and yogurt. Stay healthy and light for lunch so that you can eat a nice meal for dinner.
For dinner check out your restaurant options throughout the hotel and always try to
get a protein + veggies. A great option might also be fish tacos, with
no cheese, no sour cream - just grilled fish, vegetables, and tortillas.
Always stay hydrated, and if you are going to drink, have a glass of
water between each drink. Never eat after 5 or 6pm at the latest, or else you'll have a horrific night of sleep.
Big No Nos:
Stay away from coffee, and opt for lots of great green teas. Many hotels have a Starbucks on site, or nearby, so take advantage of their many tea options.
If you stick to these easy tips, you're going to have an amazing business trip. Trust us!
