Plant Based Eating on the Go II: An Airport Survival Guide

Last week I began a new series, Plant Based Eating on the Go, in order to pass along my tips on staying Plant Based while traveling. It’s a concern that comes up with clients over and again in my office. Fortunately, I have had a few years now of solid experience and never had to break my diet or go hungry! Eating is serious business to me and eating Plant Based while traveling is an even higher priority due to the added stress and strain that is put on our eliminating organs. Unfortunately, this is often when many choose to go unconscious about what they are consuming and it is really the time to be more mindful.

Last week I got you all packed up with probably more produce than you have ever traveled with! As I mentioned, there is certainly over-planning built in, but who knows when you’ll get grounded for several hours or arrive at your destination too late or too tired to go out for food. The choices I included are all quite shelf-stable and can even tide you over on the return flight home.

So, now you’ve made it through security and are headed to your gate. Lots of crazy “not really food” is calling out your name from cheese stuffed pretzels to coffee frappé. Keep walking. Here’s what you will need and, like everything else in life, getting clear about your needs helps illuminate solutions.

Look for:

A Large Hot Tea
Check out the tea selection. If there isn’t one to your liking, no problem! You brought you own (a small selection of tea bags -green, herbal to support digestion, herbal to support sleep) remember? Ask for a large hot water or hot water with lemon if that sounds appealing. Sipping a warm tea on the plane is just what your kidneys want and need. You will definitely want to forego the complimentary ice filled water or drinks offered on board that put added stress on your kidneys.

While getting your hot water/ hot tea, you can also fill the thermos you packed along with miso and veggies. I don’t do this if I am headed out on a morning flight, but I’ve done it a few times when I have a late arrival or a long stretch of flying. It has been the perfect nourishing comfort food whether I choose to eat it on board, on a layover, or wait and make the soup in my hotel room. Just imagine opening up thermos full of this:

A Large Bottle Of Water (room temp)
This is to fill the empty water bottle that you brought along, with an already measured in dose of a Gemmotherapy extract to support kidneys during the day of your flight (Silver Birch Sap, Lingonberry, or Blueberry), Arrowhead, Evian, Essentia, and Figi appear to be the most alkaline brands of bottled water.

Fresh Pressed Juice
If you are leaving out of Austin, I am delighted to say that Juiceland has arrived! My favorite refuge when out and about in Austin is now offering a full cold case of bottled fresh pressed juices at the main Austin Java in the center of the concourse. On my last flight, I grabbed two and was so happy I did when I was stuck in a hour long Friday evening traffic jam. That impulsive buy was a treat for sure. More and more airports are doing the same and you can discover if your departure or layover location does by performing a quick search.

While I would never want to be dependent on what I can forage at an airport, here is a fantastic 2015 report by Physicians for Responsible Medicine on rating domestic airports on their ability to serve up real plant based options. If you are delayed this can come in quite handy.

Once you’ve boarded you can sit back and enjoy your flight while sipping away on your tea, Gemmo-water, and snacking as needed on the goodies you packed along. Be sure to check back next week to discover what I buy at my Whole Foods or Natural Grocery pit stop on the way to the hotel to stock my room fridge.