Food for travelling with work?

[BiddyPop]

Hi all,

I'm hoping that some of the seasoned business travellers may have some ideas that I am missing for eating on the move.

I am used to long hours and keeping apples, mandarins and nuts (and a sneaky pack of biscuits) in my desk at work to keep me going. And some cup-a-soups for really bad days I don't stop.

But meetings abroad are starting back in person and the role I'm in now means I am likely to be away at least monthly for 1 night (home late the 2nd night). I don't want to always go out to eat and sometimes the only thing possible is horrible expensive airport burgers or cake. And as I have 3 stone (at least) to lose, that's not good. I find it quite hard to get fresh fruit and veg while travelling.

The hotels I stay in generally have a kettle in the room (1 only has nespresso machine but I can get hot water from it) but no microwave. And I am flying there so can't bring tins or anything wet. No microwave or cooker.

Other than a spare cup-a-soup, are there other ideas I could have to avoid the restaurants. Bonus points for healthy options.

And does anyone know good places to order small packs of nuts (almonds, hazelnuts or peanuts are my mainstays) or snack mixes? The only place I see small ones is in the airports.

Ideally, I am looking to get my eating options streamlined and organised like I have my travel toiletries (clear zipped liquids and zipped powders/brushes pouches) and my meds (zipped fabric pouch) that I can refill on my returns ready to grab and go when my next trip looms - as some are very short notice.

Thanks in advance,
Travelling Biddy

I have spent more time in hotel rooms on my own than I care to think about. Taking my thermal cup and a fork/spoon, I'll do miso soup (the Itsu sachet) and rice noodles or tomato soup and noodles. Cheese oatcakes and fruit round it out. Sometimes I pick up fruit salad, yogurt or other bits from Pret/ Boots in the morning and stash it in the office fridge for the day.
If I don't want hotel breakfast then I do instant porridge in the cup, but normally have fruit/ yogurt/ boiled eggs for breakfast and stash some fruit for later. Then a salad at the airport which may not be very exciting but I can usually find something.
I always have protein or cereal bars in my handbag for those days when it doesn't work out. Amazon is brilliant for small packets of stuff inc nuts

Thanks all for the ideas and thought provoking questions.

I normally travel out 1 evening, rushing from my desk and getting in either to grab a burger/pasta or having to eat plane food. (Options in Dublin airport have never been as good as UK airports and the shop that did good seafood salads has closed during covid).

And as I normally work through lunch, that's not good.

Breakfast in Brussels is not in hotel but I usually go to Exki coffee shop for juice, coffee and yoghurt with fruit compot, but the yoghurt option is also very different now.

I hadn't even thought about filling a tub with nuts - d'oh! And ideas around noodles etc are good to think about too - I have a travel pouch with 1 cutlery setting that I can get out and be more organised.

Going to have a good look once I get to sit down at home later (on train home now and phone still pinging...😡)

You could eat out but order healthier foods?

I would recommend watching you tube videos of cabin crew who do a ‘what I eat when I have a layover’ video. There are loads and they are all different. Might be good for some more ideas.

I went dow a rabbit hole of bento boxes last night - I used to have a bento style box for salads in the past that fell apart after years of use and had forgotten entirely about that.

So going to use a few small tubs I currently have for nuts/dried fruit/hummus, and a pouch of tuna and snack pack of crackers for this trip, bring a salad from good deli near work for plane/dinner.

And buy a bento box on my return to use to get back to making my salads for everyday and to bring some useful grazing food when I travel.

Don't forget that hummus is, technically, a liquid, so needs to be under 100ml and in your liquids plastic bag if it's going in hand luggage

When on the move - things like nakd bars, bags of raw carrots, celery, boiled eggs. When at the destination - when I travelled I used to go to the closest supermarket and buy hotel room picnics for evening meal / breakfast. Salads, humus, salami, fancy bread or crackers, fancy cheese. I love supermarkets when in another country.

Crackers.
Porridge.
Flapjacks.
Protein shakes (mix with water or milk)
Popcorn.

Are you flying out of London? I think I just saw a headline that London airports are dropping the liquid ban on flights ( and other airports will follow suit shortly)

@BiddyPop be careful with the cutlery kit if they’re metal and you’re doing carry on. I’ve always had the knives or forks confiscated going through security.

Only London City airport at the moment. All the others have until June 2024.

I can't imagine going to any European city (even for work) and not wanting to go out to eat, over a warm hotel 'picnic' that I've hauled with me. Grim.

Cafe and restaurant culture is incredible in Europe and you will always be able to find something lighter than burger and chips.

Then there's the supermarkets - giant ones or the tiny carrefour corner shops, a great opportunity for a fresh continental 'picnic'.

You should take a lunch break op - and aren't your meals on expenses?

You should take a lunch break op - and aren't your meals on expenses?

This is what I was thinking. Don't deny yourself fresh food by planning to the nth degree. Also, your company will cover the cost if you buy food whilst you're away. Supermarket receipts would be accepted for a meal expense claim if you wanted to buy something simple for in your room or at lunchtime.

Buy snack size zip lock bags and make up your own nut/seed/dried fruit packs.

These are good https://www.john-west.co.uk/products/range/on-the-go/

www.waitrose.com/ecom/products/dole-peaches-in-fruit-juice/706298-368050-368051

This. It’s all a bit bonkers - how do you think the people who live there eat ?

Many European capitals have an amazing food - why on earth do you think that your options are either burger and chips or cup a soup and nuts in your room?

You're not allowed to take cheese into the EU anymore

@IDontWantToBeAPie maybe so, but nobody has ever taken it out of my bag

Yes it's all a bit bonkers. I am doing 10-14 hour days and running from pillar to post. So I was simply trying, as I M getting back into a more regular travelling gig, to remind myself of what I used to do and get any tips from others who do similar.

My work is not wafty relaxed trips through the airport and long coffees with colleagues where we discuss the issues.

It's a slog trying to fit everything into my day as I spend the longest possible time at work, dash to airport, get to hotel with lots of confidential material still to read before the meetings, eat, sleep (hopefully), have a shower and do 2 hours work before repacking bag and doing a long day in meetings, travel straight back to airport from station in EU district and get home late in the night only fit for sleep. But have to get organised for the next day's chaos in the main office.

The hotel work books doesn't "do" breakfast, hence the coffee shop version. And as I often travel on Sundays, most restaurants are closed then.

I did better this trip - I bought a food salad yesterday for lunch but only had time to eat it for dinner. But have had a decent lunch and will try and get a salad bowl en route for dinner.

Sorry, middle aged, stressed, overweight, overtired and feeling attacked by some who can't understand my dilemma. I am managing an area that even our chief acknowledges needs about 6 more staff and I probably need to be 2 people. So it's all weighing on me.

And thanks to all those who had constructive comments. I was in a slightly "can't see wood for trees" headset and it has helped enormously!

@BiddyPop I completely get where you are -on one of my regular trips I get up at 4, at the office at 9.30, straight into meetings and everyone wants a piece of me till 7, then I go to my hotel room in really not in an interesting area (only KFC or McDonalds locally, I could walk 20 minutes to an Aldi), then do emails, back into the office for 7.30 till I get a taxi at 4, run through airport, then home late.