Dietitians reveal how not to ruin your diet while traveling… from the healthiest road trip snacks to what to eat in the airport

Travel has a way of disrupting even the best health intentions. 

Long drives, early flights, airport delays, hotel snacks and unfamiliar restaurants this summer can turn normal eating patterns upside down. 

And popular summer destinations of beaches, boardwalks and far away lands usually entail sweet treats, fried foods, new local delicacies and navigating meals on the go.

All of those can come with extra calories, unknown ingredients, unhealthy fats and ultra-processed foods.  

So if you’re working toward weight loss, clean eating or simply hoping to stay healthy while away from home, and want to maintain that lifestyle while on vacation, experts say it important to go into your travel with somewhat of a game plan in place. 

With some planning and proactive measures, you can make thoughtful choices to stay energized, confident and in control. 

Summer destinations of beaches, boardwalks and far away lands usually entail sweet treats and fried foods

Prepare For Leisure Time

To begin, it’s smart to pay attention to how you’re feeling and what you are eating during travel. 

Sitting in a car for hours or waiting around to board a plane can easily give way to boredom, which in turn can lead to mindless snacking or eating even when you’re not hungry.

Or, maybe you’re up early for a flight and skip breakfast to make it to the airport in time. A 2023 study in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics cited that skipping meals and then grabbing the first available snack can lead to energy crashes, digestive discomfort and overeating.

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Reaching for fast food or heavy and greasy meals may feel convenient in the moment but can leave travelers sluggish, according to the Mount Sinai Health System in New York. 

Additionally, sugary snacks can add calories quickly without actually satisfying hunger. A smarter strategy is to plan for satisfaction before hunger turns urgent.

Tara Schmidt, the lead dietitian at Mayo Clinic Diet, recommends beginning with the most nourishing options available, even in places that do not look especially healthy. 

At gas stations, rest stops and convenience stores, she tells travelers to look beyond the candy aisle. 

‘I like to tell my patients to head to where things are refrigerated,’ she told Daily Mail. 

That area may offer string cheese, Greek yogurt, pre-cut fruit, veggie cups or other fresh options. If refrigerated choices are limited, a portion-controlled serving of nuts can help bridge the gap, she suggests.

Dietitian and chef Julie Lopez of Virtual Teaching Kitchen in New Jersey, takes a similar approach. For road trips and airport travel, she suggests scanning for foods that combine protein, fiber and staying power. 

She also gives a thumbs up to Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, string cheese, fresh fruit, cut vegetables with hummus, and gives a nod to grabbing roasted edamame or chickpeas, lower-sodium jerky, popcorn, nuts or trail mix with minimal added sugar, no-sugar-added dried fruit, and tuna packets. 

If you want have protein drinks or a protein bar while at a rest stop or in an airport, read the labels and pick one with about 20 to 30 grams of protein and minimal added sugar.

Prioritize Protein for Energy and to Control Hunger

Both nutrition experts emphasize a simple formula: pair protein with produce or another fiber-rich food. Schmidt calls her go-to strategy ‘a protein plus a produce.’

She told Daily Mail how protein digests more slowly, while fruits, vegetables, beans, whole grains, nuts and seeds add fiber and volume. 

Think Greek yogurt with berries and nuts, a hard-boiled egg with an apple, tuna with whole-grain crackers and carrot sticks, hummus with crackers and vegetables, cottage cheese with fruit or oatmeal topped with fruit and nuts. 

Reaching for fast food or heavy and greasy meals may feel convenient in the moment but can leave travelers sluggish

These combinations are more likely to keep hunger steady than a sleeve of crackers or a sweet coffee drink.

Lopez advises travelers to think of snacks as a ‘bridge’ between meals, ‘not for endless grazing.’ 

That mindset can prevent what she calls the ‘I’m starving, I’ll eat anything’ moment. It also supports weight-loss efforts by reducing the odds of arriving at lunch or dinner ravenous and ordering more than your body actually needs.

For the airport travel in particular, while in the terminal, take time to look around at kiosks and stores. Schmidt advises travelers to ‘grab protein first, then fill in around it,’ calling that ‘the single best defense against impulse buys at a gas station or airport kiosk.’ 

Many airports now sell protein boxes with cheese, nuts, eggs or deli meat, as well as fruit cups, veggie-and-dip packs, hummus with pretzels or salads with grilled chicken. 

On planes, where options may be limited, packing a few reliable shelf-stable items can be the difference between a balanced snack and a bag of candy or salty, greasy chips at 30,000 feet.

And not every snack you may think is healthy actually is; so take the time to examine the label and read the ingredients.

Lopez cautions that trail mix with candy, sugary granola bars, sugar-coated dried fruit, sweetened energy drinks, soda and sugary coffee concoctions can add more sugar, sodium or calories you’d expect.

‘The lesson is not to obsess over every ingredient, but to choose foods that actually help you feel full and well,’ emphasized Schmidt.

Beyond snack choices, one of the most important things to take note of, whether you’re in the car or on an airplane, is to stay hydrated.

‘Water should always be your default drink,’ Schmidt says. 

Similarly, Lopez recommends water first, along with sparkling water, unsweetened iced tea and if appropriate electrolyte water. 

‘Electrolytes may be useful during hot summer travel, long outdoor days or heavy sweating, but most travelers do not need sugary beverages to stay hydrated,’ Lopez explained. 

While in flight skip the Chardonnay or the mini-booze bottles and choose water as your go-to pick. 

‘During flights, alcohol can worsen dehydration and disrupt sleep, and during road trips, it should be avoided entirely by anyone driving,’ Lopez said.

You may also want to monitor how much coffee or tea or energy drinks you’re drinking too. 

Excess caffeine may intensify dehydration or interfere with sleep and oversized sugary drinks, carbonated drinks or energy beverages can leave you uncomfortable or jittery before you reach your destination.

On planes, where options may be limited, packing a few reliable shelf-stable items can be the difference between a balanced snack and a bag of candy or salty, greasy chips at 30,000 feet

Affordable and Healthy

A clean-eating travel plan does not have to be expensive. Lopez recommends keeping shelf-stable backup snacks on hand for moments when healthier options are limited. 

As she mentioned, reach for nuts, lower-sugar protein bars, roasted edamame, tuna packets, whole-grain crackers and no-sugar-added dried fruit. These can fit easily into a carry-on, tote bag or car console. 

‘The key is to pack before hunger hits. Waiting until you are tired, delayed or stuck between exits makes it harder to choose well,’ she said.

Healthy travel also includes movement and basic structure. Eating consistently rather than skipping meals to ‘save up’ for a big dinner can help regulate appetite. 

A walk around the airport, a quick stretch at a rest stop or a protein-rich hotel snack can support digestion and energy, especially when travel brings sleep changes, dehydration, stress and long periods of sitting, according to the American Heart Association.

Still, neither Lopez nor Schmidt suggests turning your trip into a diet test or a boot camp.

Lopez encourages travelers to enjoy seasonal specialties, regional dishes and cultural foods. 

Her guiding principle is the 80/20 approach: make nourishing choices most of the time (80 percent), then slow down and enjoy the special foods you do not eat every day (20 percent).

Schmidt echoes that flexible mindset: ‘Decide in advance which indulgences are actually worth it to you and enjoy those fully without guilt.’

That balance may be the most important takeaway for anyone on a weight-loss journey – travel does not need to be so rigid. 

‘Travel is one of the times people worry most about falling off track, but it doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing situation,’ Schmidt added.

The Bottom Line

In summary, the best travel nutrition plan is one you can actually follow, so be sure it’s practical, flexible and satisfying. 

Focus on protein and fiber, make water your first-choice drink, and keep reliable snacks within reach. 

Most importantly, don’t wait until you’re overly hungry to make a food choice as planning ahead can help protect both your health goals and your hard work.