Embarking on a journey while adhering to a carnivore diet can present unique challenges, but with strategic planning and adaptability, it is entirely achievable. The carnivore diet, focusing exclusively on animal products, offers benefits such as reduced inflammation, improved digestive health, and high nutrient density. Whether you're on a work trip or a vacation, staying consistent with your dietary habits is crucial for maintaining the health benefits and progress you’ve made. This article provides top travel hacks and best practices for the carnivore diet enthusiast.
Understanding the Carnivore Diet
The carnivore diet primarily includes meat, animal organs, dairy, and eggs. A stricter version focuses solely on beef, ideal for those addressing autoimmune or chronic conditions. A less stringent version, known as the animal-based diet, includes fruits, honey, and raw dairy, benefiting metabolically flexible individuals and elite athletes. The main items to avoid are processed foods like grains, artificial sweeteners, and especially seed oils.
Packing Essentials
Preparation is key to successfully traveling on a carnivore diet. Packing essential snacks and meals alleviates the stress of finding suitable food options. Here are some items to consider packing:
- Non-Refrigerated Snacks: Beef jerky, canned fish, and hard cheeses are excellent options to keep you satiated on the go. Homemade jerky, made with beef, salt, and raw honey, is ideal.
- Bottled Water: Staying hydrated is crucial, so bring ample bottled water. A high-quality brand to look for when traveling is Mountain Valley, which offers spring water sourced in the US.
- Electrolytes: Pack LMNT or Redmond Real Salt for electrolytes, as you may need more when traveling.
- Butter: Bring butter for cooking or adding to meals.
- Pre-Made Ground Beef: A container of pre-made ground beef can be sufficient for several meals.
- Chomps: These are great for quick snacks, especially when you are hungry and in a hurry.
Eating Strategy on the Road
When traveling, it's important to have a strategy for meals. Consider these tips:
- Meal Frequency: Adjust your eating habits as needed. Some people transition to a single meal a day due to work engagements.
- Hotel Breakfasts: When staying at hotels, opt for bacon at the complimentary breakfast, avoiding powdered eggs and questionable sausage. If bacon isn't available, skip breakfast without stress.
Alternative Dining Options
Dining out can be a part of travel, so focus on making the best possible choices within the given circumstances. Here are some options:
Read also: The Carnivore Diet: An Autoimmune Solution?
- Steak: You are usually safe with a steak, asking for butter to be used for cooking.
- Hamburger Patties: When a steak isn’t available, hamburger patties will do. Request no bun, toppings, or sauces.
- Buffalo Wild Wings: Buffalo Wild Wings uses beef tallow to fry their wings, so order the plain ones. You can also order beef patties a la carte.
- Brazilian Steakhouses: These restaurants serve unlimited steak and other meats, making it a good deal for carnivores. Go for lunch instead of dinner for potential cost savings.
- Farm-to-Table Restaurants: These restaurants often have high-quality meat options.
- BBQ Restaurants: Texas brisket and other BBQ meats can be good choices.
- Burger Restaurants: Order plain burger patties without the bun or toppings.
- Wing Restaurants: Opt for wings fried in beef tallow.
- Hot Pot: Choose meat-focused options.
Staying in Rentals with Kitchens
When possible, stay in apartment rentals or hotel rooms that have kitchens. This allows you to cook your own meals and save money. Go-to meals to cook while traveling include fried eggs, burger patties, and steak. Pick up butter and groceries at the store to cook with. Some people like to bring their own cookware, especially when road-tripping.
Navigating Restaurants
When dining out, communicate clearly with restaurant staff about your dietary restrictions. Request that your meal is cooked without seed oils. If they offer it, order a steak and clarify “I want just the meat. No sauces or other toppings.” Also, get scrambled eggs and oysters when available, in addition to meat.
For a side, get cups of mixed fruit if served. On one occasion, order bowls of cooked veggies with spices (no oils or sauces). Yes, vegetables are not part of an animal-based diet, but I do not feel bad about this decision.
Airport Travel
During travel, you can maintain an animal-based diet. During the journey home, spend time waiting in airports. At the first, get beef patties with bacon and spices. No oils were added. My parents were kind enough to order it for me, though I do not normally eat spices.
Get beef patties from a restaurant at the next airport. Again, say you are allergic to vegetable oils and ask the waiter to give you only the meat and a side. It was french fries, which my other family members ate. You also had about 2 ounces of cheese from a snack package your parents bought.
Read also: The Carnivore Diet's Impact on Sleep
What to Bring on a Plane
Many animal-based foods can be brought on planes. Consider these options:
- Beef Sticks or Jerky: Homemade jerky is ideal, but Lineage Provisions is a good store-bought brand.
- Pemmican: A traditional food made with dried meat, animal fat, and sometimes honey or dried fruit.
- Fruits: Apples and bananas are durable and easy to travel with.
- Cooked Burger Patties or Steak: These are great for the first leg of your trip if you have access to refrigeration.
- Freeze-Dried Organs: Bring your favorite bottle of freeze-dried organs for critical nutrients.
- Hard Cheeses: Parmigiano reggiano is an accessible option.
- Yogurt: Choose grass-fed, organic, or A2 options like sheep or goat milk.
- Coconut Water: An amazing source of electrolytes.
- Water: Having a clean source of water while traveling is crucial.
- Protein Powder: If necessary, check out options from Mt. Capra.
- Canned Fish: Sardines or salmon can be nutrient-dense additions.
- Salt or Trace Mineral Drops: Add to your beverages for electrolytes.
Finding Local Butchers or Farm Shops
If you're looking for higher quality meat or dairy when traveling, look out for farm shops.
Never Go Anywhere Hungry
There's nothing worse than being in a situation where there isn't anything for you to eat and you're hungry. Thankfully, many people find they don't get hungry as often on an animal based or carnivore diet (as our food is so satiating and sustaining). But its better to be safe than sorry! If you know there's not going to be anything for you to eat somewhere, make sure to eat before you go or even bring a meal along with you in a thermos (it's nice to be able to eat with loved ones). Always try to focus on how grateful you are to be able to go out and enjoy time with family and friends even if you're not always eating what they are eating!
Bring a Cooler or Freezer Bag with Meat
If you're on a road trip, you can bring your meat with in a cooler you so you don't have to go shopping when you get to your destination! Even if you're flying, you can bring a freezer bag filled with frozen meat through security or put it in a checked bag. If you're really looking to make it easy when you get to your destination, you can meal prep. Slow cook chuck roasts as meal prep and freeze them to travel with. Sometimes just eat them cold with some butter and salt and they taste great! It made eating very easy.
Bring Your Own Salt
Ever since starting the carnivore diet, become accustomed to the taste of Redmond Real Salt and always like to have it with you when traveling. High quality salt makes everything taste better!
Read also: Troubleshooting Carnivore Diet Diarrhea
Offer to Cook for Your Family / Friends
If you're traveling with family or friends, offer to cook for them! Chances are, they may feel better eating more animal-based protein and fat, too. Everyone loves a good steak or burger.
Maintaining Consistency Over Perfection
Always do what makes YOU feel best, even if it doesn't fit perfectly within a diet label. What we eat is very important for our health, but so is having fun and enjoying ourselves.
Additional Tips
- Research Restaurants: Before your trip, research restaurants at your destination that are likely to offer carnivore-friendly options.
- Communicate Dietary Needs: Inform restaurant staff that you are allergic to seed oils AND vegetable oils.
- Consider Fasting: If food options are limited, travel can be a good time for fasting.
- Get Creative: Find mini grills or other cooking appliances to prepare your own meals.
Resources
- Laura Spath: Check out Laura's videos on what to eat on a carnivore diet while traveling.
- Lauren Knight Hughes: Lauren talks about what she makes and how she prepares for her trips to stay on track.
- Health Coach Kait: Kait has ideas from a ketovore perspective.