kittield Posted December 16, 2015 Share Posted December 16, 2015 Hi all, I am just ramping up to start my Whole30 after the holidays and I thought January would be a nice slow month for me since a bunch of my trainings were cancelled, but I keep getting called to more and more locations, many of which are out of state, so that means car travel (maybe plane travel) and food on the road. For the day trips I know I can plan ahead take some things with me, but the whole thought of trying to find compliant food on the road when I don't necessarily have access to a kitchen or even a microwave or fridge is pretty intimidating. I have been putting off the Whole30 and I REALLY need to start sooner rather than later so waiting until after January doesn't really sound like a great idea to me, plus travel is a pretty constant in my life so I NEED to know who to stay compliant when I am out of town. So my major question is, what are some compliant chains/restaurants, or easy ways to not have to bug every server I come across when I am super tired and just don't feel like going through a whole "thing" just to get some food into me while staying compliant! What if I don't have time to do the prep I need to do to take compliant food with me? My schedule can get overwhelming and with fibro, some days getting off the couch and keeping my 3 year old occupied are all I have the energy for (part of why I NEED this Whole30 now). Also, some support from fellow road warriors who have "been there and done that" successfully would be great. Thanks ~L Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmcbn Posted December 16, 2015 Share Posted December 16, 2015 Hi kittield & welcome to Whole30 I can't really help with compliant chains/restaurants but I can offer some advice on portable food options & ordering out...Good portable food options would be: tinned fish in brine/spring water or compliant oil, compliant jerky or biltong, boiled eggs, pouches of olives, single serving packets of nut/coconut butters, nuts (eat in moderation), avocados, hardy veg like carrots, celery, peppers, cucumbers, small jars of sauerkraut (no probiotics due to the pasteurization process but still tasty) or other pickled veg. And then the likes of bananas, apples etc if you choose to include fruit.Ordering at a restaurant can be a bit of a minefield as there are so many potential pot-holes to manouevre - cooking methods/oils/sugar in sauces etc., so it's always safest to order dry/plain grilled chicken breast, steak, or fish with green salad or steamed veg (or both), or maybe plain baked potatoes - you can always bring a small travel sized bottle of your own oil/dressing or some ghee to add fat to a meal, or check if the guac is compliant...For breakfast opt for poached eggs over scrambled or fried, and opt for maybe grilled tomatoes, or a plain burger patty. Or steak again - no need to feel deprived!!It's tough, but it's certainly doable - once you get the hang of things, and the longer you go on.....Hope this helps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alyssabeth Posted December 20, 2015 Share Posted December 20, 2015 kittield-- I'm in a very similar position, I travel full-time (Monday-Thursday every week) and have gotten so unhealthy in the last 2 years of this job. I'm also planning on starting Whole30 in January but the only days that I'll be able to cook for myself are Friday-Sunday. Let me know if you figure anything out that helps you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kittield Posted December 23, 2015 Author Share Posted December 23, 2015 Thanks jmcbn, unfortunately traveling with a lot of that stuff is impractical since I am sometimes gone for a week + and I don't check bags during air travel for various reasons. I appreciate the restaurant suggestions. I was thinking a good salad with protein would be a go to. alyssabeth, I have heard the Carnitas at Chipotles is compliant when on their salad (in another forum post). That is the only thing I know of at this point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators ShannonM816 Posted December 23, 2015 Moderators Share Posted December 23, 2015 If you're in the same place for a week, you could seek out a grocery store so you could keep a few things in your hotel room -- if you have a fridge and microwave, there's tons of options, but even without either you could pick up things like canned tuna or salmon, maybe some canned vegetables, or hardier vegetables like carrots or cherry tomatoes that would do OK at room temperature for a couple of days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirkor Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 How far in advance do you know when you'll be travelling, how long, plane vs. car, etc? It might be worth it to try several "dress rehearsals" during trips without the stress of thinking you'll fail on a "real" Whole30 ---- try your best to bring food, stay in hotels near grocery stores and with kitchenettes, fly with a George Foreman in your carryon, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AMRAP AFAYC Posted December 26, 2015 Share Posted December 26, 2015 Hi, I wondered what you figured out? I start Day 1 tomorrow and travel on planes as well. Day trip food is easy but the extra element for me is that my food is often ordered for me during business travel. I'm celiac so my coworkers are used to my boring salads. I foresee dressing being a challenge for salads. My hotel is pretty accommodating but it is going to be a struggle. I am going to break down and buy/make some compliant bars to take with me. Let me know of any ideas you came up with. bm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kittield Posted December 30, 2015 Author Share Posted December 30, 2015 How far in advance do you know when you'll be travelling, how long, plane vs. car, etc? It might be worth it to try several "dress rehearsals" during trips without the stress of thinking you'll fail on a "real" Whole30 ---- try your best to bring food, stay in hotels near grocery stores and with kitchenettes, fly with a George Foreman in your carryon, etc. It varies GREATLY. Sometimes I have months of notice and sometimes 2 days, and it's anywhere on the East Coast so it could be a 4 hour car ride or a plane trip with no checked baggage. Flying with a Foreman really isn't an option. I only have enough room in my carryon for my stuff and it's not practical for me to check bags on most trips. Luckily my first Whole30 trip I'm going to be staying at a friend's house so I am bringing a ton of stuff with me and I will just use her kitchen if I need to cook. It's a 3 1/2 day trip so it will be a good test run. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kittield Posted December 30, 2015 Author Share Posted December 30, 2015 Hi, I wondered what you figured out? I start Day 1 tomorrow and travel on planes as well. Day trip food is easy but the extra element for me is that my food is often ordered for me during business travel. I'm celiac so my coworkers are used to my boring salads. I foresee dressing being a challenge for salads. My hotel is pretty accommodating but it is going to be a struggle. I am going to break down and buy/make some compliant bars to take with me. Let me know of any ideas you came up with. bm I haven't fully checked it out yet, but Chipotles has a sign up that says they have no added sugars, so they may be a compliant eat out option. There is also a southern chain called Newk's that I think might be compliant for some things, but I haven't confirmed that either. I personally am not a big dressing fan so I usually use cheese (not now!) or avocado as a "dressing" element on my salad. If you mash up the avocado with a little lemon or lime you might find it a decent sub for dressing. You may be able to get some of those TSA compliant shampoo/conditioner containers and put some dressing in them if you really need dressing. Vinaigrette's should hold up well without refrigeration. I was offered food at a gathering today and I just politely declined and said I was on an elimination diet. (That's the easiest way I have found to describe it) You could also just say you aren't hungry at the moment, but avoiding that food is so hard, especially since I forgot my lunch today. Luckily I had my purse stocked with sunflower seeds and a Lara bar for emergencies. I know, it's not the best option, but i wasn't eating it as a sugar sub, I was truly hungry and needed something so I didn't sneak some pizza and empanadas off the table. It worked and I ate my lunch when I got home. I missed the part about having food ordered for you. Since you have a legitimate medical condition is there any way you could just ask to order or bring your own food, or just stop by the store to get something you can have? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
praxisproject Posted December 31, 2015 Share Posted December 31, 2015 Canned stuff is heavy, but it doesn't need to be kept cold and sometimes doesn't need heating or cooking to eat it. When it comes to work food I ask for either plain salad (no dressing, nothing but vegetables) and add my own protein and dressing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kittield Posted December 31, 2015 Author Share Posted December 31, 2015 I just found this nifty allergen thing on Newk's website. It doesn't give you everything that you need to eliminate, but it does give you a lot, so questioning the staff about the meal will be a lot easier. I think I can get away with broiled shrimp on a green salad so that's a great thing for me. Alternately it appears the roast beef may be compliant. I am suspect of the chicken and turkey because the nutrition label lists sugar, which I am pretty sure has to be added sugar. http://www.nutritionix.com/newks-eatery/menu/special-diets/premium Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kittield Posted December 31, 2015 Author Share Posted December 31, 2015 Chipotle's also has this, which should be really helpful! http://chipotle.com/ingredient-statement Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuilterInVA Posted December 31, 2015 Share Posted December 31, 2015 Be sure to ask if your meat or fish is marinated or cooked with butter or oil. That would then not be compliant. Just ask for it dry broiled to be safe. Most restaurants have steamed vegetables. You need to eat a ton of salad at each meal to get enough veggies in. Think about one of those 5 oz. containers of spinach - it cooks down to about 2 cups and that's what salad does in your stomach - compacts to nothing. Ask for olive oil and vinegar for a dressing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirkor Posted December 31, 2015 Share Posted December 31, 2015 I just found this nifty allergen thing on Newk's website. It doesn't give you everything that you need to eliminate, but it does give you a lot, so questioning the staff about the meal will be a lot easier. I think I can get away with broiled shrimp on a green salad so that's a great thing for me. Alternately it appears the roast beef may be compliant. I am suspect of the chicken and turkey because the nutrition label lists sugar, which I am pretty sure has to be added sugar. http://www.nutritionix.com/newks-eatery/menu/special-diets/premium Doesn't account for sugar, which I'm 99% sure would make the roast beef a no-go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missmunchie Posted January 2, 2016 Share Posted January 2, 2016 Chipotle's also has this, which should be really helpful! http://chipotle.com/ingredient-statement Thank you for this, I could never find it. Gah, the fajita veggies include rice bran oil! Sad panda, I had thought they were compliant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators ladyshanny Posted January 5, 2016 Administrators Share Posted January 5, 2016 Thank you for this, I could never find it. Gah, the fajita veggies include rice bran oil! Sad panda, I had thought they were compliant. OMG, LOL!!!!!!!!! WHERE is this saying from?! I say it All. The. Time and my husband thinks I'm nutty. I've never heard anyone else say it before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators ultrarunnergirl Posted January 5, 2016 Moderators Share Posted January 5, 2016 OMG, LOL!!!!!!!!! WHERE is this saying from?! I say it All. The. Time and my husband thinks I'm nutty. I've never heard anyone else say it before. It's all over social media. Pretty sure Melissa has used it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators ladyshanny Posted January 5, 2016 Administrators Share Posted January 5, 2016 It's all over social media. Pretty sure Melissa has used it! Haha, I'm completely out of touch then! I googled it, actually and it said something about a show called South Park. Never heard of it, never seen it. So I obv picked it up from someone else a long time ago! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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