How I stay keto while traveling

These past few weeks have been full of travel for us, and we have more travel for Christmas coming up. Mac and I are both totally guilty of going a bit hog-wild when it comes to holiday foods, so we have been making an effort to stick with low-carb options and remain keto while traveling.

Pack your own snacks

Anyone else out there have a go-to snack at pit stops? I personally love a bag of potato chips or a package of chocolate-covered donuts. Yeah. Neither of those is a good idea most of the time and certainly not in a low-carb lifestyle. I’ve started packing containers of nuts that I can throw in my bag and snack on. You can also bring a cooler and pack it with cheese sticks, jerky (or other dried meats), and even cheese crisps or veggies with dip. I know some keto folks buy nut butter in single-serving packages and eat it straight from the tube.

If you’re flying, you can take food on the plane as long as it goes through security. I would absolutely look at packing your own food as low-carb options (like nuts or meat) are incredibly expensive at airports. Before a recent flight, I grabbed these P3 protein packs at one of the newsstands. They cost over $3 a piece (I found them at my Kroger for $1 each). Jerky is also really pricey in the airport.

Plan your stops

I am a textbook overplanner, and I can tell you that I definitely check out stops along our road trip routes. Apple Maps shows you the different businesses at the exits you pass. I absolutely zoom in on areas where I know we are stopping or may need to stop (depending on gas) and look at what’s offered there. Once I know what’s around, I research menus and then decide where we’re going to stop for a keto-friendly meal.

Keep it simple

Depending on where you’re going, you may or may not have lots of keto food options available. I prefer to find food places where I can modify the menu to be more low-carb. I stick to burgers without buns or as lettuce wraps or go for a big salad. Five Guys (not sponsored, just a huge fan) and similar burger chains are a favorite choice for a big meal on the go. You can also make a non-blender version of bulletproof coffee at most rest stops if you’re a coffee drinker.

Find a room with a fridge

Hotel breakfasts will probably be one of your more challenging meals. They are a carb-lover’s dream. Who wouldn’t want pancakes, biscuits and gravy, and mini cinnamon rolls to start off their day? I generally stay at Hilton or Holiday Inn properties, and those chains are pretty good at offering both cooked and hard-boiled eggs and a breakfast meat. If you aren’t overly keen on those, you may want to look at reserving a room with a refrigerator then buying groceries. And, since we live in 2018, you may even be able to have groceries delivered to your hotel without you taking an extra trip.

What are your tips for eating keto while traveling?

Check out my other keto posts here: How we started keto. My keto grocery shopping list. How we do keto at Sam’s Club and Costco. Keto friendly brands. Breakfast ideas. Snack ideas. Our go-to keto meals.