Travel Light, Eat Right: How to Stay Healthy While Exploring New Cities
There’s nothing I enjoy more than visiting new cities, getting lost in back streets, with different languages, cultures and discovering new cuisine. So much to explore.
I like to plan my daily exploring around the best places to eat. Having a rough plan of what to see and where to eat helps you create a guide that ensures you make the most of your trip and not miss out on the best street food or trendy restaurants. If you have to stick to a special diet, planning ahead can help you keep your dietary requirements and healthy eating habits.
Use a packing list to make sure you pack right
Packing light does not mean packing light. If you want to maintain your wellbeing while travelling, prioritise those things that you need to bring with you.
A reusable water bottle is essential. Not just for filling up at the airport for the flight or for bringing water with you while wandering around a new city. Saves you time and money looking for a shop to buy overpriced water. Many cities like Rome, have multiple places to fill your water bottle. Always have a pack of tissues or wet wipes on hand for those impromptu picnics.
Drinking enough water
Filling your water bottle before your daily excursions will help you drink enough water as you explore a new place. You don’t have to wait until you sit down for a meal to get hydrated.
If you have any doubts about the local water quality, stick to bottled or purified water and politely decline ice in your drinks. Proper hydration is vital for your skin, joints, and concentration, and it can even help manage cravings.
If you bring some packs of nuts or high-protein snacks with you, it will sustain you when your next meal is not for hours and maintain your blood sugar levels.
Travelling With Medication
If you’re on prescription medication, whether that’s something like insulin, HRT, Mounjaro or Wegovy, make sure you are well prepared. Pack more than you need, keep everything in its original packaging, and bring a copy of your prescription. Check the local regulations, as some prescription meds are not allowed in some countries. This will save you a headache at customs.
If your meds need refrigeration, make sure your accommodation has a fridge. Set alarms for the local time to ensure that you take your meds at the right time.
Eating Well On The Road
The thing about eating well while travelling is about doing some research and planning ahead. You want to make the most of local food experiences and fully indulge in local cuisine.
You can start your day with a balanced breakfast that’ll start your day off right, some eggs, yoghurt with fruit. For lunch, those grain bowls are everywhere now and they’re usually pretty decent. I
When trying street food stalls in a new country, it is difficult to know what is good and safe to eat. Eat where the locals go. Choose stalls with long queues, and the food is cooked fresh. Fruits you can peel yourself are generally safe. Be a bit cautious with raw meat, seafood, and dairy if you’re not sure how fresh it is.
When in doubt, stick to bottled drinks. And honestly, if something looks or smells dodgy, just don’t risk it. There’ll be plenty of other delicious things to try.
Turn Sightseeing Into Exercise
City breaks are basically built-in workouts. Walk everywhere you can, between sights, upstairs, and get off the bus a stop early. You will easily get enough steps in without noticing it when you are sightseeing. Seeing a new place on foot will take you to hidden places in a city and help you find cute cafes and unknown corners not found in guidebooks or on social media.
Sleep Like It Actually Matters (Because It Does)
Getting enough quality sleep while you’re travelling is essential for staying healthy. This is sometimes tricky in a strange bed, but there are ways to help with this. To ensure a good night’s rest, keep your room cool and dark, minimise screen time before bed and try to maintain a consistent sleep schedule, even after a long flight. Pack an eye mask and earplugs, this helps.
If you’re dealing with jet lag, start adjusting your sleep schedule a few days before you travel and adjust to the local time zone immediately.
Surviving Travel Days
Travel days are the absolute worst for staying healthy. Long waits, delayed flights, airport food that costs a fortune and tastes like cardboard is not a fun start to a trip. Start with a proper breakfast, pack snacks so you’re not at the mercy of whatever’s available. Remember to drink lots of water, especially if you are getting on a long flight.
A Simple Daily Plan
Don’t overcomplicate this. Try this simple plan:
Morning: Something with protein and fibre, eggs, yoghurt, porridge with fruit. Coffee or tea if that’s your thing. If in Asia, I like to have a hot breakfast like a bowl of noodles or nasi lemak.
Lunch: Grain bowl, salad, or something with decent veg and protein. More water.
Dinner: Try that local dish, maybe with some greens or a vegetable dish on the side. Then take a walk after the meal to reduce that glucose spike.
Snacks: Nuts, fruit, jerky, crudites with hummus, instead of buying a pack of ultra-processed crisps.
Just listen to your body. Eat when you’re hungry, stop when you’re full, and actually taste what you’re eating instead of wolfing it down while looking at your phone.
When to Be Extra Cautious
If you are travelling in regions with questionable water safety, stick to cooked foods and sealed beverages. Avoid using tap water for drinking or brushing your teeth, and steer clear of ice and any fruit you cannot peel yourself. Always wash or sanitise your hands before eating, especially after using public transport or visiting crowded markets.
Your Healthy Travel Toolkit
Keeping well while travelling is not about rigid healthy travel rules, it is about adopting a few flexible habits. Pack smart, stay hydrated, eat mindfully, move your body, and prioritise your sleep. These practices are your toolkit for remaining energised, resilient, and ready for adventure.
By following these simple routines in your travels, you will return with new memories and a sense of well-being that will leave you refreshed and eager for your next trip.
