A while ago, it used to be that part of the fun of traveling was to go to the airport and treat myself to a Cinnabon.
Now, I actually still think Cinnabons taste delicious, but I don’t think they are proper nutrition for travel. I don’t arrive feeling my best (or even very good at all) if I eat poorly on the journey.
The way I manage to avoid eating airport food is the same way that I avoid eating foods I’d rather skip at home – be prepared! Lately, this means that I pack an Anytime Airport Salad. As the name implies, I think this is a great breakfast, lunch or dinner. If you have never had salad for breakfast, don’t be afraid to try it. By the time you get to the airport, go through security and arrive at your gate, you will have been up for hours – so it’s practically like lunch anyhow.
I have traveled with this in normal summer and winter temperatures. I’ve never had problems having it up to four hours into my trip. If this freaks you out, slide a disposable ice pack in your bag as well.
You can adapt this recipe to suit your taste and the time of day. For me, if it’s morning, add more fruit. For dinner, I’ll use a heavier meat, like lamb. In any case, I’m always glad I took the time to prepare a nourishing meal for the trip. Not even one time have I thought, “Wow, I’d rather being eating a giant, sugary dough ball that will make me sluggish and bloated.” Honestly, not even once.
Anytime airport salad
Note: All measurements are estimates. Change it up to suit your taste.
Lettuce, 1 cup chopped and loosely packed
Spinach, 1 cup chopped and loosely packed
Carrots, 1/3 cup grated
Beets, 1/3 cup grated
Walnuts, 1/3 cup
Blueberries, ¾ cup
Chicken breast (or other meat that you may have cooked), ½ cup chopped
Hard boiled egg, 1
Feta cheese, 1/3 cup (not strict Paleo, so omit if you don’t do dairy)
1) Find a big tupperware that will have just enough room for all the food.
2) Mix lettuce and spinach. Place in container, lining the bottom.
3) Next, neatly pack each of the other ingredients into the container as shown in picture. By keeping the food in piles, rather than mixed together, the salad stays fresh and crisper. Add or remove ingredients as needed to get a tight fit. There should not be extra space in the tupperware or the ingredients will jumble together when you put it in your bag.
4) Pack it in your bag and go.
5) When it’s time to eat, then mix it all up! Crumble the hard boiled egg and the cheese. Make sure you get many flavors in each bite. 6) Be so happy that you have a delicious meal instead of having to go to Sbarro