Guest Post from Wendy Busse, Registered Dietitian.  Eating away from home is a challenge when you have food sensitivities. Portable meals and snacks can be a big help. This article will give helpful hints and tips for portable meals for on-the-go travellers.

Day Trips

The following snacks will keep fresh in an insulated lunch kit with an ice pack for about twelve hours.  Hot meals, like soup, in a thermos also work well.

• Boiled eggs
• Cheese slices
• Sandwiches:  most sandwich fillings freeze well (such as nut butter, sliced meat, salmon salad). Put the sandwiches in small, sealed bags, remove as much air as possible and freeze. Store them in a heavy freezer bag. Vegetable fillings (e.g. lettuce, tomatoes) do not freeze well. Add vegetables after the sandwich has thawed.
• Hummus: purchase single serving containers or make your own (fill small containers and freeze).
• Yogurt in single serving containers
• Vegetable and legume salad (e.g., lentils, chickpeas, black beans).
• Overnight oatmeal:  – mix oats and your favorite milk (cow, soy, coconut, etc.) in a mason jar. You can also add nuts, seeds, berries, chopped apple, dried fruit, cinnamon or other spices, etc.
• Smoothies: Keep cool in an insulated stainless-steel water bottle.

A Few Days

These foods will stay fresh for 1-2 days without refrigeration.

• Pancakes or muffins: freeze them individually so you can take out exactly what you need for the trip.
• Bread or buns
• Fresh fruit and some vegetables – most whole pieces of fruit will stay fresh without refrigeration for a few days. Vegetables, such as snap peas, carrots and celery sticks are also good choices. vegetable sticks are great to dip in hummus!

Longer Trips

These foods will stay fresh for longer periods and can be a lifesaver when you’re away from home for a few days.   

• Whole nuts and seeds are the ultimate on-the-go snack. They are nutritious, and you can stash a bag of them anywhere without squishing them.
• Nut or seed butter. Fill small containers or buy single serve packages. Spread nut or seed butter on whole grain crackers, pancakes, apples, celery sticks, etc. or eat off a spoon!
• Cold cereal: Pack the cereal in a bowl with a lid and bring shelf-stable milk (or another beverage).
• Trail mix:  combine - nuts, seeds, cold cereal, dried fruit, maybe even a few chocolate chips! However, chocolate melt when it gets warm.
• Whole grain crackers
• Single-serve canned tuna or salmon:  You could also bring a small package of mayo and relish to mix in (bring a spork).
• Whole grain or legume chip (e.g., corn chips, black bean chips).
• Popcorn  
• Meat, chicken or fish jerky:  Most commercial products are high in salt and additives. If you can’t find a brand that works for you, it’s easy to make your own in a dehydrator or oven.
• If you frequently travel, consider investing in a dehydrator or freeze dryer to make portable meals and snacks. Alternatively, you can dehydrate food in the oven on the lowest heat setting – but watch closely to make sure the food does not burn.

Recipes

Here’s some recipes for on-the-go snacks.

Spicy Pumpkin Seeds  

Mix 1 tsp olive oil, ¼ tsp curry powder (or different spice) and a pinch of salt in a bowl, add ⅔ cup pumpkin seeds and stir to coat, roast at 300⁰F for about 20 minutes - stirring a few times.

Roasted Chickpeas  

Mix 1 cup chickpeas, 1 tablespoon olive oil, ¼ tsp salt and your choice of spice in a bowl. Roast coated chickpeas on a cookie sheet for about 350⁰C for 20 - 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. You can also use a dehydrator. 

Nut Butter Balls

Ingredients

⅔ cups Creamy Peanut Butter (or another nut butter)

½ cups Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (optional)

1 cup Old Fashioned Oats

½ cups Ground Flax Seeds

2 Tablespoons Honey

Note: this recipe is flexible. As long as you have a nut butter or seed butter base, you can substitute ingredients for something you tolerate.

Preparation

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Place in the refrigerator for 15–30 minutes and then roll into balls. Nut butter balls will be soft and sticky when warm, so they are not a good snack in warm climates (especially if they are sitting in a vehicle).

Wendy Busse is a Registered Dietitian and has been a nationally recognized food expert for over 25 years.  She has written several articles with practical, common-sense nutrition advice for histamine intolerance and mast cell disease.  These articles and videos are available to the public, without charge on her website.  Additionally, she provides private counselling (through video conference) to help food sensitive clients develop a better relationship with food.  We live in a "food fear" culture.  Everywhere you turn, there is negative information from the internet, health professionals and the media - it's no wonder many people have become afraid to eat.  Wendy helps clients tame their food sensitivity fears and start living.  Her support plan is a unique combination of workbook self-reflections and private video conference appointments.  More information is available at www.wendybusse.com.