This weekend I leave for a business trip to Scotland, Ireland and France. Although I love travelling, meeting new people, seeing new cultures, the one thing that I don’t enjoy much is the actual airports and flight time. There is just something about Airplane and the air that makes your skin dry out instantly, your sinuses start acting up and the food can be pretty tricky when you try follow a healthy eating regime. Sometime you can prepare pretty well, but when you do a lot of flights, with connections and transfers you have to try your best to eat what you can. One of the most common questions I get is how do I stay so healthy with all the travel I do - and it’s actually really easy with some basic preparation. Travel food has to be lightweight and fit into my carry on, so when I’ve schlepped across two terminals and have a 5 hour layover I’m less susceptible to eat junk food with the handy snacks I’ve brought along. Late nights and erratic schedules are a recipe for disaster. Here are my must-haves while travelling that have helped me (hopefully you too!). Tip: Before you eat anything, drink a large glass of water first. More often our feeling of hunger is dehydration. Trail Mix. My favorite go-to snack that I make big bunches ahead of time so I can literally scoop and go! Each batch varies, but I start with a base of nuts and seeds. I add in dried fruit like cranberries, dates, or cherries. My secret to the best trail mix? Coconut and carob (or chocolate) chips with a bonus handful of goji berries! Dried Fruit. This is a great kid treat and perfect snack for the sweet tooth. Most health food stores will have a great selection of dried fruit without sulfates, important if you’re prone to indigestion or inflammation. Celery Sticks. Wait! Before you pass this one up, add nut butter and raisins. I call it, Frogs on a log! And it is perfect when you want crunchy, sweet and salty. A Trusty Cereal Mix, with flax, chia and nuts. There’s lot’s out in the stores now that are awesome, and if you carry a little tetra pack of hemp/coconut/almond milk, you’ve got a great start to the day anywhere you are. Green juice. Whenever and wherever I’ll get green juice. Be careful of other juices, as they’re loaded with sugars. Go green! Snack bars. These are handy in a dash, but choose wisely - not all bars are equal. If there are trans fats and high fructose syrups, put it back. Crackers. I prefer raw crackers that have been dehydrated so I know there are no hidden ingredients and all the nutrients are in tact. However, raw or not, there are some great healthy crackers out there. Avocados. Not as easy to travel with, but if you spy one, get it. Super dose of good fats stabilizing blood sugars. Pack your own dressings. Select the salad options when possible and no one will mind if you discreetly pull out your creation loaded with healthy fats; olive oil, coconut oil, avocado oil etc. I double bag my jar. Dehydrated anything. My savory beet chips are always a winner. I add a surprise ingredient! The problem with these are there’s never enough. It’s great also to dehydrate a meal you know you love like chili or soup so you can add water when ready. Bonus Tip: Travel with 5 or 15 ml bottles of food grade essential oils, such as lemon or peppermint to add to water. Additionally, you can use the peppermint to energize by breathing in the aroma. Carry in a case or separate bag. So just do your best that you can to be prepared especially when travelling with kids, as loading kids with preservatives, processed food and sugars is not always fun on a long flight. Happy Travels. XO Hayley Photo Credit : Christopher Doyle