Reddit mentions of Hovome, Multi-functional Flatware Set 3 in 1 Knife Fork Spoon Spork Flatware Sets Random Color Set of 6

Do you have a bit of a budget to get started? If so, I have a shopping list for you! I’d recommend investing in a good cooler bag, like this one, a bag strap for balance (your cooler is going to be heavy and this will keep your luggage nicely balanced as long as you aren’t lugging it up carpeted inclines—looking at you MCO), some oven, freezer, and microwave safe Tupperware (another option I haven’t tried are collapsible silicone containers, which would be lighter than the glass ones), an ice bag, an immersion water heater, and some travel utensils because you never know when you won’t be able to find them on the go.

Now let’s start packing your lunch bag! TSA will allow frozen food as long as it’s not a liquid like soup. So cook up some healthy meals and freeze them in your fancy new containers. They also allow frozen gel packs as long as they aren’t leaking, but not all hotels have fridges let alone freezers, so the ice bag is a better bet (or addition if you want to add a gel pack along the bottom of your cooler). You can refresh your ice bag from the hotel ice machine and by asking for cups of ice from airport restaurants (you may have to pay a couple cents for the cup, or sometimes even the price of a drink, but it’s worth it to keep your food fresh and delicious). I’d empty the ice bag before security and fill it again after, but you could ask a TSA person if they’ll allow it though before dumping it out.

When you get to the hotel, you can use the ice bucket as a container to heat up your food (assuming they don’t have a microwave, that is) with the immersion water heater. Most of the glass Tupperware aren’t shaped well for this, so I’ll transfer the food to one of the glass coffee cups from the hotel and surround it by water just below the brim. Remember to wash the cup first because they can be gross. Also pack some ziplocks to heat your food in just in case they don’t have glass coffee cups. Here is an image of someone using this method in case my explanation isn’t clear. Personally, once the water boils I put the lid on, hit the gym, and come back to a warm meal! Depending how dense the food is you may want to do two rounds of boiling water, or let it boil longer. (Forgot an immersion water heater? Backup option is to use the coffee maker to make cups of hot water, but this is a tedious process). If you have a vacuum sealer, that could be another way to pack and heat your food.

Other things I like to carry are instant oats, string cheese, apples, mandarin oranges, bananas (in a banana saver), carrots, protein bars, protein shakes (been eyeing these but haven’t tried them), fruit leather, nuts, squeezable peanut butter, and dried fruit. If you’re weighing foods, remember to do it before you leave and make a note or take a pic of the food on the scale.

All this gear is a big investment, but I calculated it in terms of airport meals. A standard airport meal averages $10+ so if I can avoid eating even one each trip the bag and accessories will pay for themselves quickly.

It takes a while to get a routine for eating well on the road but I know you can do it! Don’t beat yourself up for meals out with coworkers or clients—I try to budget for social calories because eating and drinking together can be an important way to get to know people better, and your social, mental, and emotional health are all just as important as your physical health. That said, you can still stick to healthier options from the menu more often than not so that meals out don’t derail your progress.

Safe travels and healthy eating on the go! Bon Voyageappetit!