How To: Eat Healthy in a Hotel Room

Traveling A LOT lately. Which feels so different from the last year and seriously so liberating. To be honest, at first, I was really nervous but now it feels normal again. Well, normal-ish with the masks and the face shields and all the to-dos. But it’s definitely something I’m enjoying in this season of life, especially for things like my birthday and the trip we’re taking to Cabo this week or last week in Palm Beach for my sister’s wedding dress!

Anyways, when I travel it’s so important for me to have my own foods. Eating out a lot can honestly get exhausting – especially when you’re traveling – and for me having nourishing food is something that keeps me feeling really good in my body. On vacation, it can be really challenging to find healthy options and most people just default to that time being a “cheat week”, but I just personally can’t do that. I know how it will make me feel afterward and I’m not willing to sacrifice my energy levels and my digestion for a plate of nachos and an afternoon of full-sugar margaritas for a week straight.

Where there’s a will, there’s a way! You absolutely can maintain your routine and still travel. Still have whole foods and good sources of protein to keep your blood sugar stable, wherever you go!

Here are some simple things that you can do if you’re traveling. Or even if you are in a dorm room or somewhere without a kitchen.

1. When you check-in ask the hotel for an extra mini fridge so you have more space for your stuff. I know, I know, it sounds nuts – but whole foods often need to be refrigerated and you don’t want to go taking out all of their stuff to make space for yours. Call me extra, but honestly, it makes SUCH a difference in the choices I make with food while I’m away.
2. Bring a Mini Ninja or a Nutribullet blender so that you can make your own smoothies in the morning if that’s not something that the hotel offers. It’s a great way to get a meal in that will balance your blood sugar in the morning. You can use a banana, some spinach, ice, a little nut butter, and some plant-based protein powder or spirulina. This really allows you to control what’s going in and to ensure there are no added sweeteners like honey, agave, or cane sugar that are going to spike your blood sugar.
3. Before I check in I like to find a nearby grocery store where I grab some fruit, veggies, rice cakes, hummus, and nut butter and guacamole if they have it for my smoothies and for snacks. I like to have spinach and bananas or avocados for smoothies. Then hummus + veggies (you can usually find some that are pre-sliced) or a rice cake with guac are great snack options that will keep your blood sugar balanced. You can also order these things from room service a lot of the time but heading to the nearest grocery store is a little more affordable.
4. I have a little bit of a sweet tooth, but I never want the added sugar because it really causes unnecessary inflammation in the body. So I pack some things up that I know I probably won’t find in other grocery stores that will allow me to have a sweet treat without the sugar punch. Here are some of my faves. It’s so nice because there are so many options these days that have 0 calorie natural sweeteners that are made from plants, not chemicals! Some mornings I crave cereal and that’s where Three Wishes come in – I love that it’s packed with protein too! You can use my discount code “wellnessbykelley” at checkout. I love the chocolate or gummies for after a meal and I use the Lakanto drops to sweeten matcha lattes, smoothies, and water with lemon so it tastes like lemonade and I can stay hydrated while I travel!

Here is what most days look like when I’m traveling

630 AM – celery juice from room service or a nearby juice place – if that’s just not an option its hot water with lemon

7 AM – a fruit plate from room service with either green tea or matcha depending on what’s available – sometimes ill have some fruit that I bought at a nearby grocery

730 AM – a blood sugar balancing breakfast – usually this is a smoothie like I mentioned above that I make in my Nutribullet

1230 PM – A big green salad with tons of veggies. If I’m out it will usually have avocado, beans, and some sort of grain too! If I’m in the room I’ll add hummus for protein and guac for a healthy fat + a rice cake on the side for a good carb

630 PM – dinner when we travel is usually room service or a restaurant outside because we’re still traveling in times of covid – Ill try to find a gluten-free pasta with a dairy-free sauce, veggie sushi is always great, or vegetable curry is something I love too! I try to make sure I’m getting complete protein with a combo of rice and beans when I can. And then I’ll always order a side of steamed green vegetables for extra fiber because we all know that when we’re traveling digestion can get off – so the more fiber the more you’ll keep things moving! 

By no means am I saying that I don’t indulge once in a while on vacation like if I’m out and want dessert I’ll go for it. But by coming into the situation prepared I’m so much more able to stick to the things that make me feel good, especially when I’m away for a while. I hope this helps on your next adventure — trust me you’ll be feeling just as good on the flight home as you did when you arrived! 

XX 

Kelley