<p>I’m trying to stay on a low carb diet. It’s not a problem when I’m home, or eating at a normal restaurant, but I find it difficult to maintain when traveling. </p>
<p>The “breakfast” they provide at conferences is usually something like muffins and bagels; (and I hate paying $15 or $20 dollars for fancy breakfast buffet when all I eat is an egg and some coffee); decent sandwiches can be had at airports, but not much else; sometimes a meal is missed altogether, and a vending machine is the the only option. </p>
<p>Any suggestions for food to take along for snacks or even to replace a meal (especially breakfast) in a pinch?</p>
<p>I do take a bag of nuts with me, but would love some other ideas.</p>
<p>It’s true that in countries with a tradition of the continental breakfast, getting protein in the morning would require going to a proper restaurant, and therefore paying premium for those eggs. </p>
<p>(For me, Argentina was tough - a tiny coffee and three cookies constituted breakfast in this meat loving country.) </p>
<p>I think this is where either suspending your no-carb diet - or bringing along protein bars - comes in.</p>
<p>Although not on a low carb diet, I do keep a baggie of nuts in my purse. They are a nice source of protein without all the added gunk in protein bars. Usually where there are bagels, there is cream cheese. Can you find a higher protein cracker that you can take to these meetings and have those with the cream cheese? Celery sticks seem to be available in many places these days and they keep pretty well in a baggie wrapped in a wet paper towel. These go great with cream cheese…or the nuts.</p>
<p>I just got back from a couple of weeks in Europe, and it was indeed a huge challenge to maintain a low carb WOE, especially at breakfast. The non-carb buffet options were rare, and where they did exist consisted of hard-boiled eggs and salami/ham, sometimes cheese. Uninspiring but better than nothing, which was what I encountered most of the time. It was extraordinarily difficult to get <em>anything</em> with a large serving of leafy greens at any meal.</p>
<p>Nuts are the obvious first line of defense. Cheese and Wasa is good. Airports usually have salads. I like Deitz’ suggestion of things to eat with cream cheese. One possibility is the kind of tuna that comes prepared in a can or pouch. I’ve even found it in a vending machine occasionally. </p>
<p>I guess it depends whether you are able to actually prepare a lunch in advance, or have to find something on the fly. I have often gone to a supermarket and bought some sliced turkey and sliced cheese. BTW, quiche is good, if you don’t eat the crust.</p>
<p>You can also buy squeeze peanut butter packets. I have thrown those in my travel bag. At those continental breakfasts - I go for the fruit - or bring fruit with me. Protein bars are a good back up. Nuts as was said.</p>
<p>I don’t know why you are eating low carb. (Nor do I expect you to tell us, I hasten to add! ) I have T2 diabetes, and control my blood sugar through diet. For us T2s, breakfast is the worst time to consume carbs due to the dawn phenomenon that raises BG in the morning. Fruit, oatmeal, toast, quinoa, whole wheat crackers…things that many people consider healthy: not good. My favorite breakfast is either a small amount of sausage, or eggs scrambled with green vegetables or tomatoes and a little cheese. Or an omelet with the same ingredients. I don’t have fruit until lunchtime, and even then very little.</p>
<p>I’m aiming at eating well under 10 gms of carb at breakfast. Even a low carb slice of toast has about 13 gms. Average bread has a lot more. The typical protein bar has more carbs than I would ever eat at any meal.</p>
<p>I have found that many hotels in the US will offer cream cheese, peanut butter and yogurt with a continental breakfast. I usually bring nutella, nuts, power bars and purchase cheese and yogurt when I arrive.</p>
<p>I have been pleasantly surprised at how many hotels now offer complimentary breakfast buffets. We often stay at a Marriott residential inn, and they not only have full kitchens in the rooms, but offer a big breakfast in the lobby that includes fixings for breakfast burritos, breakfast meats, hard boiled eggs, bagels w cream cheese & jams and fresh fruits.
We only went out to eat when we wanted to not because we had to.
:)</p>
<p>I stop by Trader Joes and get a pound of nuts (I like their premium mixed nuts - Macadamias, Cashews, Almonds and Peanuts). The trick is keeping the bag sealed on a trip. I sometimes bring small plastic containers to hold them in.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t mind jerky but the price annoys me (typically $15 - $20 per pound).</p>
<p>Just spend the extra money on eggs if needed, it’s worth it. Or research those hotels that include eggs on the buffet menu.
The peanut butter packs are a good idea. And Trader Joes has great individual nut packets.
I also order Chia bars from Amazon. Coconut flavor. Low sugar, high protein.</p>
<p>I ordered some Chia bars (they were out of coconut, unfortunately) and will make a Trader Joe’s run before my next trip. Well get some nuts and I’ll look for individually wrapped cheese–I guess these could be kept on ice if the room doesn’t have a refrigerator. </p>
<p>Typically on business travel, I’m attending a conference and stay wherever the conference is held. These are rarely place with the complementary breakfast, and lately, they haven’t even had a minibar. </p>
<p>Good luck Motherbear! I have the same issues as I’m a super picky “clean food” eater and I’m also relatively low carb. My co-workers call me “high maintenance” - lol.
If you can keep things cool, TJs also has peeled hard boiled eggs which are quite handy.</p>
<p>If you have a microwave in the room - or even the hotel breakfast room, you can make scrambled eggs in a mug. Not exactly what I’d call delicious, but better than nothing. I bring my own spices when I travel. Dried tarragon mixed in the eggs prior to cooking makes them taste better (imo).</p>
<p>If you want jerky, you can make it yourself at home and bring it with you.</p>
<p>You could take low-carb shakes with you, and put one on ice each night so it’s cold in the morning.</p>
<p>You can get flavored protein powder in small packets that are meant to be added to bottles of water.</p>
<p>I don’t think cheese needs refrigeration. Cool room temp for a few days would be fine especially if it is wrapped. Eggs keep for a long time that way IF they have not been washed, which degrades the natural barrier. (An important if. Commercial eggs will have been washed.) If you have your own chickens, have at it. :)</p>
<p>I think the food-safety police have people a little crazy on this subject. :)</p>
<p>Nuts!!!
But I am not a breakfast advisor, my breakfast is chocolate and continuous fruit until Lunch time. You can always buy a plain yougurt in a store and have it in your room fridge.</p>
<p>BTW, I would not consume un-refrigirated cheese, but it is your choice, not mine. I rather starve than have some stomach problems especially on a trip. Yes, what is wrong with starving, after awhile , one can get used to it. Or the alternative is to have some carbs for few days, they will not bother you as much as some spoiled food. Definintely no harm in consuming ton of nuts.</p>
<p>Do you seriously believe that wrapped packets of say, string cheese, are going to spoil and cause food poisoning after a day in an air-conditioned room?</p>
<p>I can seriously live without cheese, period. But I am not that crazy about any particular diet at all. Yes, I rather not consume string cheese, simply not my favorite, but one cannot live without cheese, then I say, go ahead, it is not my concern at all.</p>
<p>I wouldnt worry about cheese or hard boiled eggs not peeled.
I wouldnt buy pre cooked, pre peeled eggs.
Perhaps some stomachs are more delicate, but believe it or not, there are school children around the world and workers who dont have access to a refrigerator that eat food that hasnt been refrigerated for a few hours- every day.
If you have trouble w digestion, especially by introducing a lot of sugars to your system with candy & fruit, you may want to consider increasing good bacteria by adding probiotics.</p>
) I have T2 diabetes, and control my blood sugar through diet. For us T2s, breakfast is the worst time to consume carbs due to the dawn phenomenon that raises BG in the morning. Fruit, oatmeal, toast, quinoa, whole wheat crackers…things that many people consider healthy: not good. My favorite breakfast is either a small amount of sausage, or eggs scrambled with green vegetables or tomatoes and a little cheese. Or an omelet with the same ingredients. I don’t have fruit until lunchtime, and even then very little.</p>