Breakfast/ Travel

Vacation Fuel

Good morning!

It was such a fun feeling to wake up in my favorite city! Christie and I have a pretty full day planned and I’m so thankful that I slept well last night because we are going to be bu-sy!

First off, was breakkie. I had two packets of Kashi Go Lean hot cereal with a banana and a spoonful of Mighty Maple pb:

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In her tiny loft apartment, Christie doesn’t have a microwave OR a dishwasher so I had to make this instant oatmeal on the stove! It was yummy and filling though and I was glad I planned ahead.

When you travel, do you bring breakfast food (like instant oatmeal)? How do you stay on track with your healthy eating when away from home?

I’m about to go move my car since Charleston is so crazy with parking here—-last night I parked on the street because it is free from 8 pm-8 am and then at 8 this morning I have to move over to the lot across the street for 24 hour parking for $7. A little bit of a hassle but I refuse to get booted!

In about half an hour I’m going to start walking over to my yoga class. Oh, how I’ve made this exact same walk from campus to the yoga studio hundreds of times. Its such a joyful walk down King Street before all the shops are open and the tourists are out. It takes about 10-15 minutes to walk there and then my class is 75 minutes and afterwards I’ll walk back. Can you see now why Charleston is such a healthy place to live?! All that walking makes you lean and mean!

When Christie gets out of class we are immediately walking here for lunch. Five Loaves Cafe is my favorite spot in Charleston for a quick lunch. Their soups, salads and sandwiches cannot be beat. And then after we eat we are just walking around town for the rest of the day. I love it!

See you in a bit!

Please check out my first article on Twirlit about my experience with raw food. I will be writing articles for Twirlit three times a week and, of course, will be linking them here so you can read away! Thank you guys so much for your continued support 🙂

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  • spicygranola
    May 29, 2009 at 6:00 am

    Your yoga class sounds great. I’m glad you are getting to relive a healthy part of your college days. Have a great time!

  • Leah @ Simply Fabulous Now
    May 29, 2009 at 6:07 am

    I bring different foods along with me when I travel to make sure I stay on track. Bars, nuts & fruit are staples! I haven’t really thought to bring instant oatmeal before, though it’s a good idea!

    Have a great yoga class. Lunch looks like it’s going to be yummy!

    Does Christie blog?? What does she think of your blogging?

  • MJ
    May 29, 2009 at 6:10 am

    When I travel, particularly for work, my food stash takes up a fair amount of space in my bags! First, I check to see what the hotel might offer (can I get plain oatmeal, egg white scrambles). Then I choose what to throw in my ziplocs…..my preferred coffee and filters for the in-room coffee maker, packets of Quaker Weight Control instant oatmeal – because it has added whey protein and fiber (which I have daily in my homemade oat concoction at home) 1 packet with fruit can be filling, raw almonds, mini protein bars (Luna) or snack bars (mini Clif) to carry in my purse and some larger protein bars (Muscle Milk Light, the small ones) for emergency meals on the plane along with TJ’s pressed fruit bars (GREAT plane snack), Nectar bars for that “gotta have something sweet in the evening” feeling and a few ginger chews in case of tummy upset. I also check around where I’m staying to look for WF, TJ, Target and groceries – I usually go get bottled water, fresh fruit, etc. to keep in my hotel room, and if there’s a fridge, perhaps other goodies. I spend most of my time on travel sitting in meetings with unhealthy snacks staring me in the face, so again I plan ahead in bringing extra and in checking with the organizers on whether fruit, pretzels, etc. might be available. It’s extra effort and planning, but it’s worth it for how I feel physically and otherwise when I stick to my routine and plan.

    C-town looks like a blast – glad you’re having a fun time!

  • megan
    May 29, 2009 at 6:16 am

    I definitely plan ahead with food – but normally that’s just because I’m too cheap to eat out 🙂 We are planning for a weekend seminar next weekend and I am already thinking about food I’m going to bring for breakfast, lunch, and dinner!

  • Megan (Runner's Kitchen)
    May 29, 2009 at 6:17 am

    I try to bring snacks that contain fruit and veggies when I travel – those food groups are the hardest to find when you’re out and about! I like lara bars, dried cranberries, apples, prunes, baby carrots, etc.

    p.s. I love being able to walk to yoga class/the gym! It seems a tad silly to drive somewhere to exercise 🙂

  • Lacey
    May 29, 2009 at 6:24 am

    Sounds like you guys are having a good time! Spending time with best friends is well… the best!

    When away from home instead of keeping up with my healthy eating I tend to toss it out the window and eat whatever. Not always a good plan but hey its only for a short time right?

  • Lynne
    May 29, 2009 at 6:27 am

    I do try to bring healthy foods with me when I travel. Instant oatmeal tops the list, mainly because it’s easy, portable, and healthy-ish. I also like to bring bars, trail mix, and portioned out cereals. I don’t travel often, so when I do, I tend to worry about the food part of it. Bringing stuff along with me eases that a little.

  • Becky@I Heart Running & Food
    May 29, 2009 at 6:35 am

    I also always plan ahead when traveling….even when going home to my grandma’s!! I bring nuts, fruit, healthy bars and gotta have the almond milk! Of course I usually stray and have some of her baked goodies…she’s my grandma!! Have fun with your yoga 🙂

  • Danielle
    May 29, 2009 at 6:37 am

    Enjoy your class at your “home” studio! I’m even exited for you 🙂

    I like to bring fresh fruit, raw veggies, and a few healthy bars with me when I travel… for short trips that is though, not for semester-long ones 😉

  • brandi
    May 29, 2009 at 6:38 am

    enjoy your walk, yoga class, and day today!

    I try to bring stuff with me (pb, instant oatmeal, bars, trail mix, etc) just in case I’m stuck with nothing or there aren’t many choices.

  • Courtney (The Hungry Yogini)
    May 29, 2009 at 6:44 am

    I always pack oatmeal packets too. So healthy and so convenient.

    I would LOVE to live in a walking town. I wish Tampa was more condusive to that but oh well. Maybe soon I will live somewhere more like Charleston!

    Have a great day and enjoy yoga! Can’t wait to hear about it and your lunch too!

  • Sarah (Running to Slow Things Down)
    May 29, 2009 at 6:50 am

    It depends on how long I’ll be gone and where I’m going…those determine what I pack for food.

    Whenever I sleep over someone’s house for a night, I’ll just eat whatever they have and hope that it’s enough to keep me full for a few hours at least. 😀 If it’s more then a night, I might bring along a few snacks and fruits to tide me over and avoid any awkward requests for more food. 😉

  • Michelle Hisae
    May 29, 2009 at 6:51 am

    Wow, another writing gig! Congrats! How do you set these up? Do they contact you or do you contact them?

  • Sarah
    May 29, 2009 at 6:57 am

    Yummy oats! I love the square bowl, I actually just ordered some of those myself 😉 I do try to pack at least some snacks with me when I travel, mostly bars and dried fruit. I have never been to Charleston but it sounds lovely. Enjoy your day!

  • Michelle in SC
    May 29, 2009 at 7:02 am

    Welcome back to Charleston! It is a great city, I don’t think I could ever leave!
    Enjoy the day!

  • Whitney
    May 29, 2009 at 7:14 am

    I bring cereal (Kashi Go Lean), milk, fruit and veggies in a cooler with a bag of ice. It stays cool the entire trip. When I get to my destination I pop it in the fridge and voila! I have healthy breakfast the entire trip! I also pack healthy lunches and snacks and then usually go with the flow at dinner; but try to get the healthiest items on the menu.

  • Katherine
    May 29, 2009 at 7:18 am

    Have a great yoga class!

    I try to plan ahead when I travel as much as possible. Like other commenters, I pack larabars (or my homemade versions!), raw nuts, fresh fruit and bottled water. If I’m going home to my parents’ house, I plan a trip to the grocery store when I arrive so I can pick up essentials like Green Monster ingredients and some tasty teas.

  • Melanie
    May 29, 2009 at 7:25 am

    I love Charleston too; it’s only about 3 hours away from us and my husband went to Charleston Southern for two years before transferring back up here to NC. His best friend is still down there, so we love to visit. We’re actually talking about moving down there after I finish my Master’s (got to keep in-state tuition at ECU right now) and after he finishes his coursework for his PhD. Then we could ditch one car and walk/bike wherever we needed to go. Enjoy your vacay…I’m jealous;)…

  • Lane
    May 29, 2009 at 7:27 am

    I love Charleston! I grew up in SC and took frequent trips there. I too love how easy it is to walk around the town and see so many things.
    I typically eat cereal with soy milk for breakfast, so when I am on the road I usually take some sort of fruit, like a banana, and a protein or granola bar. I am not really “into” breakfast I guess, although I will never miss it. I was never the hot breakfast type of person.

  • Christina MINDFUL LIVING
    May 29, 2009 at 7:28 am

    its hard to eat one hundred percent healthy when traveling because you are most likely going out more for dinner than you would usually do at home. for on the road traveling I bring fruit, bars (like lara or kashi), nuts, kashi crackers, etc. and at restaurants i try to make the healthiest choice but hey when you are on vaca its okay to induldge!

  • Kaila
    May 29, 2009 at 7:31 am

    sounds like you have a fun day planned!
    I always bring oatmeal packets when traveling but that’s all, lunch and dinner I don’t stress so much about, just breakfast, gotta be healthy! 😉 Mostly when I’m away from home I keep a check on portion size, not the health factor.

  • Shannon (The Daily Balance)
    May 29, 2009 at 7:36 am

    Five Loaves Cafe looks amazing! Have fun at yoga 😉

  • Ali
    May 29, 2009 at 7:53 am

    I definitely bring food with me whenever I go on a trip of sorts, usually instant oatmeal, bananas, almond/date mixes, Clifbars, and Larabars. I tend to snack more than most people (perhaps because I’m very active?), but I don’t like to hassle anyone or get in the situation where I’m unprepared and my blood sugar drops (meaning Mean Ali comes out haha).

  • Kim
    May 29, 2009 at 8:34 am

    Glad you are having a good time!

    I always bring breakfast food when I go on vacation. On top of having to follow a gluten-free diet, I prefer the healthier options that I can bring from home than what I could get out. I usually pack cereal or brown rice cakes, PB or Barney Butter, greek yogurt, fruit spread and/or fruit.

  • Recipes for Creativity
    May 29, 2009 at 9:04 am

    I like to pack healthy foods when I travel, especially because you never know what you’re going to find when you get there.

    Take lots of pictures while you’re in Charleston for us, it’s so beautiful there!

  • kristi (sweet cheeks)
    May 29, 2009 at 9:47 am

    Sounds like such a fun day! I will make sure that sometime in my life, I go visit Charleston! Sounds so neat!

    Have a great day !!

  • Meganerd
    May 29, 2009 at 9:51 am

    I just got back from vacation actually. I was gone for 10 days so I packed a pretty big variety.

    Usually on a shorter car trip I’ll bring some portable fruit, like banana, apple, pear, peach, etc. I always bring mixed nuts, a few Clif bars, and some packets of instant oatmeal.

    This last trip I also included pretzels and peanut butter, some dried fruit, and kashi crackers. I’m so glad I did because I hate being stuck having to eat random junk food while I’m out.

    Congrats on the new writing gig, by the way!! I have been reading your blog for a while, but I think this might be the first time I’ve left a comment. 🙂

  • raybelle
    May 29, 2009 at 10:08 am

    hey jenna–
    interesting article. i’ve enjoyed reading about your experiences with raw foods and i must say your skin does look really beautiful!

    i do want to comment on the protein issue, as i think it’s a really interesting topic for discussion that is important for anyone to navigate, especially if considering a raw diet. In your article, you stated “raw foodists tell us that protein does not matter because if you consume food in its purest, unadulterated form, you are getting the benefit of the live and active enzymes which turn into amino acids in the body”. While I am not an expert either, but this belief of foodists seems to contradict most of the scientific literature I have read on the topic of protein. While our body does contain some amino acids, there are essential amino acids that are most readily available from high protein sources such as fish, eggs and meat, as well as vegetarian sources. I am not sure the argument that a carrot is an adequate source of protein for raw foodists pays the credit due to scientists who recommend consuming protein rich foods (both vegetarian and non vegetarian) to meet the body’s protein/amino acid requirements. In fact, carrots do not contain any calories from protein. I recognize that scientific journals, dietitians, academicians, etc…may overlook some of the merits of alternative diets (ie; macrobiotics, raw food, and so forth), but it is important to fall back on evidenced based medicine and science when disseminating nutritional information. I think we need more literature on the evidenced-based health outcomes of raw food diets. It would be interesting to compare rates of anemia, bone density, etc….between raw foodists, vegetarians, and omnivores.

    Keep up the good work and discussions! I love it.

  • Bec
    May 29, 2009 at 10:16 am

    stove top oats are THE best!

  • Marissa
    May 29, 2009 at 10:19 am

    Great raw article!

  • Stacy (IN)
    May 29, 2009 at 10:36 am

    I have a question for any of you green monster fans. I’m interested in trying one, but need to buy a blender (mine burned up this winter) and I’m curious if it’s necessary to get a special type of blender for the spinach or kale to blend fully. Any advice on a good yet economical blender would be appreciated.

  • Katherine
    May 29, 2009 at 10:45 am

    I usually bring regular oats…if I need to be quick in the morning then I just leave them to soak overnight in a pot – put it on the stove and voilla “quick” oats! I also always bring spices, dried red lentils, bars and nuts and seeds. Oh and apple cider vinegar! There is a list of benefits on the Oh She Glows blog :-)!

    Kat

  • K
    May 29, 2009 at 10:55 am

    I bring so much food when I travel it’s borderline ridiculous. I fill a bag that I jokingly call my diaper bag because it HAS to come with me!

    No microwave!? Hope you guys have a great day today!!

  • Stephanie
    May 29, 2009 at 11:25 am

    I have always tried to make do with the food that is available when I travel, but I often find myself hungry, and now I am seeing why. My husband and I are headed to a conference this weekend, where often the only thing that I want to eat from the breakfast buffet is the fresh fruit (congealed scambled eggs and overcooked breakfast meats with greasy pastry is not my idea of a yummy bfast), so I did pack some cereal bars (Kashi Blackberry Bars and Cliff Z Kids bars) and maybe I will not be hungry for once! Plus, all these snack packers inspired me to back a few baggies of a pecan/cranberry mix, in case lunch stinks too!

  • Emily L.
    May 29, 2009 at 11:38 am

    I bring granola bars with me in case I’m stranded somewhere and starving. I used to bring the whole kit-n-kaboodle, but I am trying to be more flexible in my eating choices. I didn’t like myself when I wouldn’t eat unless I could eat a certain brand of cereal for breakfast. So now I try to go with the flow a bit more. Of course, that means that my pants need to flow a bit wider as well. But I can live with it, for the peace of mind (i.e. nobody likes crazy emily)

  • Rachel
    May 29, 2009 at 11:43 am

    I stash so much in my purse it’s not even funny! I’d rather do that than pay a lot of money that’s not even that good!

    This may be a strange question but do your non-blog friends, family and Ryan read your blog too?

  • Taylor
    May 29, 2009 at 3:38 pm

    I definitely plan ahead and bring snacks & breakfast foods with me when I travel! Since I eat so different than my family and also get hungry more often, I also bring baggies/packets of oatmeal or cereal, and lots of bars to snack on during the day! Almonds are also a good thing to bring along.

  • Gena (Choosing Raw)
    May 29, 2009 at 3:55 pm

    I love your thoughtful article, Jenna! Thanks for the shout, too 🙂

  • Katrina (gluten free gidget)
    May 30, 2009 at 7:11 am

    I definitely bring my own breakfast when traveling! In fact, I just finished eating my gluten free oatmeal in my hotel room! 🙂
    I’m glad you are having a fun relaxing time in Charleston. Have fun at the Farmer’s Market!