Food is such a gift…

Having delicious healthy meals and travel snacks really mean a lot to me. John and I travel often and I’ve learned to pack our favorites for the plane or boat. Upon arrival we stop at one of the health food stores to pick up bars, coconut yogurt, fresh fruits, and anything else we can find that is AIP compliant.

My family and I recently took a trip to Hawaii where there were so many amazing grilled, fresh, and AIP compliant foods were available. I found it easy to stick to the plan and even noticed that more and more of the menus offered gluten-free option. If I could share a couple tips for travel…

Plan ahead: Figure out how many days you will be away and one thing that you can have to stay on track if things go off the rails. I like to have jerky, fresh fruit, AIP trail mix as a back up.
Know Your Choices: Take a look at the menu before you arrive at the restaurant to ensure they can accommodate any special requests. I’ll even call ahead to ask questions. Many restaurants are happy to help and appreciate the call ahead to prepare for your arrival.
Emergency Snacks: We never know if they will be a problem with the flights or meals etc. I always have a few emergency snacks in my carry on in case we’re running late or need an extra little something.
Bring a Meal: On longer flights I generally bring a meal. It’s one thing to have a GF meal from the plane but a whole other to be traveling for twelve hours with only one safe meal. I will pack a meal, eat it first and tell the stewardess to hold the plane supplied meal until later. Delta has been very good in holding the meal until hours later when everyone else is having snacks of ice cream and cookies etc.
Collagen and Protein: I like to pack a couple ziplock or prepackaged protein or collagen packs as a backup for meals when we’re hiking or on the go. Just add them to your water bottle and you’re off.
Order a small refrigerator: Many hotels have the mini bars in the room packed with so many goodies but not AIP goodies. I often ask to have a small refrigerator delivered before we arrive allowing us to store our healthy foods. Most hotels will deliver it with a small charge or even better, no charge at all.
Find the nearest health store or grocery store: When we land we like to load up on all things AIP so having a store close is key. Make a list of things you’ll enjoy in the room or between sight seeing, you’ll be glad you did.
Order Special Flight Meals: Delta is very good about special meals. Simply log into the app and order your meals…they offer a wide variety based on your needs. (Please note: things are a bit different as we all work through Covid…check to be sure you’ll have what you need when your in the air). I order ahead and generally have a gluten free meal and working around the items that do not fall on the AIP plan. Note there has been a couple times where the meal did not make it to the plane so again, be sure to have back up just in case.
Yelp: John has gotten really good on researching local restaurants that cater to our needs. We love to eat local to taste the culture and the local flare, so shopping around and finding something that works is always fun.
Supplements:  May I suggest this, ALWAYS pack your supplements in your carry on. I learned this hard lesson on a trip to Iceland. Upon landing I realised I had left my supplement case on the kitchen counter. Our first day was spent contacting my local doctor and connecting with an Iceland doctor to get what I needed. They were extremely helpful and I am so thankful but it did take the first day to get all I needed. Always pack your supplements in your carry on and ensure you have them with you before leaving the house.  

When it comes to traveling the most important thing to remember is to have fun, relax, enjoy, and let yourself take it all in. When you plan ahead, you have everything you will need to have a beautiful time away from home.

I hope you found my travel tips helpful.

Please feel free to share what works for you.