I found myself in Baltimore, Maryland, this weekend attending my wife’s best friend’s wedding. It’s tough to eat on the road or on the go; however, the hotel rooms for the bridal party were each equipped with a full kitchen, and there was a grocery store within walking distance—woo-hoo!
Uno problemo: the hotel overbooked. Despite our reservations, half the wedding party was moved to the hotel’s sister property.
If you’ve read Taming of the Shrew, our original accommodations were Bianca, and our new quarters were Kate. We now had no kitchen and a tiny fridge that worked for a pithy four hours until it died a slow, spittering death and was reincarnated as a furnace. Unfortunately, in our real-time version of the play, there was no switcheroo and big reveal of a false protagonist at its conclusion.
Our shrew of a hotel was smack dab in the middle of the hood. I immediately regretted taking my wife on a walk to the grocery store, as our romantic late night stroll took us through some unwelcoming areas, but there was a light at the end of this tunnel. It glowed neon and read: WHOLE FOODS.
Here are some healthy eating pointers if you’re traveling:
1. Smoked Salmon. It’s packaged and in the freezer section near the seafood. Delicious, quick, and easy. Peel open and eat.
2. Rotisserie chicken. You garner multiple meals from one.
3. Hot Food Bar: I was able to score a pound of cooked chipotle-seasoned London Broil. Just heat in a microwave.
4. Fruit. We acquired a container of fresh cut pineapple, a container of raspberries, and a package of figs.
5. Coffee. There are many single serve cold brew coffees available. My absolute favorite is Chameleon Cold-Brew Espresso Coffee. It’s the price of a medium Timmy Ho’s and infinitely better than hotel coffee.
6. Water. Why not buy a 36 pack for $2.99 rather than a $1 bottle every time you need one throughout the day?
7. Salad Kits. We made a bed of salad and put our rotisserie chicken or london broil on top. Use just a dab of the “not so good for you, but oh so divine” dressing that’s included.
8. Something to eat your salad and meals in. Raid the Hot Food Bar. There’s all sorts of boxes, plates, containers, napkins, and silverware.
9. Something other than water. I get sick of water now and again. I found two enjoyable drinks: (a) Kevita Master Brew Kombucha Pineapple Peach. I don’t drink kombucha on a daily basis, but it is a welcome treat. (b) Suja Organic Maple Syrup Lemon Cayenne Water. This was like an incredibly classy, black-tie gala…in my mouth. Whole Foods boasts a whole wall with similar drinks and a smorgasbord of flavors. The two I chose were between 8-15g of carbs/sugar. Get over it, don’t be a hog, drink just one, and you’ll be fine.
10. ZuttZo Organic Power Fuel Crunchy 7Nut&Seed Butter. This is on sale right now and is an absolute thrill of exquisite delectableness. It’s a butter made of cashews, almonds, Brazil nuts, flax seeds, chia seeds, hazelnuts, pumpkins, and Celtic sea salt. Outstanding! Be careful of your serving size!
11. Baby Carrots. Cute and easy to snack on.
12. Bars. We needed something to tide us over during the four to five hours we’d be without food at the ceremony. Gina opted for an uncured bacon + pork + egg yolks Epic Bar. I went with a Bulletproof Apple Pie Collagen Protein Bar. Both are solid choices.
I hope you found some value in these suggestions for the next time you’re traveling. For the price of two or three meals at a restaurant, we picked up enough food for two days that tasted wayyy better and was significantly healthier for us and our physique goals.
I learned something new as well. Always listen to your gut. My wife had to wake up at 5am to meet the bridal party at the original hotel and get her hair and makeup done. I offered walk with her, take the shuttle with her, Uber with her, or even carry her on my back. She generously insisted I stay in bed, and she could take the hotel shuttle just fine on her own.
Long story short, she took the shuttle solo and for the entirety of the ride was propositioned for marriage by the Nigerian shuttle driver. He explained to Gina that he had two wives back in Nigeria, and when he came to this country, he swore he would marry a white blonde. He’s 44 years old, and as he eloquently explained during his bid for my wife’s hand, his “time is running out.” Funnily enough, he was also her shuttle driver on her way back to the hotel for marriage pitch round two. It was a very uncomfortable ride. Wait a minute—maybe it’s Gina who learned something. I’ll sleep on it. 🤣🤣🤣
About the author
Chris Rombola
Chris is the owner of Fit House. He's run the training departments at several commercial gyms, and after years of seeing how awful those environments were for his clients, he opened his own studio. He is devoted to getting people strong, lean, and healthy.
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