Before boarding a plane, look for a healthy meal or salad in an airport restaurant or fast food stand. Yes, healthy airport meals do really exist, with more choices offered all the time.

A good menu choice is a salad with grilled chicken or another protein. Sit-down restaurants will prepare a meal for you to take on the plane, so ask for what you like. Do not feel limited to the exact items on the menu. Ask for utensils and extra napkins.

At your hotel, find a nearby market and stock up on healthy essentials like fruit, raw nuts and low-sugar energy bars. This can serve as breakfast on the go or a healthy snack between lunch and dinner so you don't arrive at restaurant meals famished.

A local grocery store usually has what you will need. However, a store that specializes in organic and wholesome foods (such as Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s in the U.S.) is great for healthful eating choices.
If there is a refrigerator available, include yogurt or milk with whole-grain cereal for an easy, in-room breakfast option if the hotel choices are not healthy. Request an in-room refrigerator if the room doesn’t come with one and ask the cost. There may be no cost if it is used for keeping medicines cold.

Be sure to pack a few plastic sandwich bags in your luggage to portion out nuts and whole-grain cereal for an easy, on-the-go snack. If possible to shop ahead of time, bring a few packets of low-sugar instant oatmeal.

Use coffee mugs to mix the oatmeal with hot water and stir with a spoon from a hotel restaurant.

If you will be attending breakfast or lunch meetings, try to find out what will be served and whether there is a healthier option. If not, eat breakfast and do the best you can with less-healthy lunch choices. You can also bring a couple of healthy snacks to eat before and after lunch so you can have a smaller lunch without feeling ravenous.

Healthy meals are very doable today in most hotel or city restaurants. Choose lean protein, vegetables and whole grains at meals. Limit high-fat preparation methods, including frying, sautéing and breading, and watch for hidden calories in sauces and dressings.

Ask your server to have the chef prepare your meal as you would like it, even though it differs from the menu. Most restaurant chefs, including those in hotels, are more than happy to accommodate.
You also may want to consider getting two healthier appetizers for dinner since restaurant portions are often large. Finally, try not to indulge too much in bread, dessert or alcohol, which is often much more readily available and appealing when dining out.

I know, I’ve just taken all the fun out of dining out, but you did want ideas on eating healthy, right? To not feel deprived, eat just half a roll or piece of bread, drink club soda with a lime as a cocktail replacement, and eat only three small bites of a dessert.