I just got back from a business trip and although I'm not the healthiest eater to begin with (I eat whatever looks good) things go downhill when I'm on the road. The fact is, when you're in novel surroundings you don't know where to pick up a healthy bite - and that gets compounded by the truth that when you take clients out to entertain, you don't end up going out for salad.

Ever since the airlines stopped providing meals, I've been eating so much better on the plane. I bring my own sandwich, mayo and everything. The poor airlines were ridiculed for their food anyway, I can't understand why they're now condemned for stopping food service. Now, you get what you want because you brought it.

At least most airlines provide snack boxes for a nominal charge if you're famished. It's not like they're charging to use the bathroom or anything crazy like that... Wait wait, what? (from ABC7 Chicago) "The CEO of Ryanair says he has asked engineers at Boeing to design bathrooms with doors that open and close only if you swipe a credit card."

Yuck.

Continuing on, besides bringing my own sandwich on the plane, I often carry a bag of nuts. Crunchy, salty, and protein rich - nuts satiate very well. I also always have some sugar-free gum on hand also to keep my breath in check. 101 Cookbooks recommends not only nuts but in their article Healty Eating While Travelling, they also suggest:

"I pack three apples and a pound of nuts or toasted pumpkin seeds"
Just add water products
pack a camping stove [this may be pushing it]

From Wikihow, there's How to Cook Food in a Hotel Room which suggestions such as:

Make oatmeal in the coffee maker (like Alton Brown!)

Cook bacon with the iron
Use the iron as a hotplate for eggs
Prepare soft-boiled eggs in the coffee maker
Prepare ramen noodles in the coffee maker
Make a grilled cheese sandwich using the iron
Use the iron as a skillet/grill
Use the coffee maker as a vegetable steamer
Make instant rice in the coffee maker
Make sauce in the coffee maker

I found another article about eating while travelling that I think takes it a little too far. We'll keep them anonymous. They recommend:

Stick to fruits that can be peeled immediately before eating.
Cooked vegetables are safe, but avoid salads.
Drink only bottled water. Avoid tap water and ice cubes in risky regions.
Teeth should be brushed with bottled water.
Don't eat unpasteurized dairy products such as milk or cheese.
No matter how tempting, avoid street vendors.

Hmm.

Exotic fruits are one of life's grandest and most primeval pleasures. There is nothing more fantastic than a fruit you have never eaten before. Abstaining from unpasteurized dairy products? A life without cheese is a life not worth living. Avoid street vendors? You've got to be crazy! That is the essence of a culture's cuisine!

In my opinion, finding something nutritious to eat can be an adventure!

I shifted gears a little here from "dining on the road" to "dining on a road" but I have two tips I want to share. Granted, I may have an iron stomach - but these are my cardinal rules I stick to while dining "a la cart" (street vendors, get it?):

"If the place is busy, people are not dropping dead from dining here."

"If you are unsure about the food, don't fill up on it."

Two reasons. One, this allows your stomach acid to dispose of many of the harmful bacteria before they enter your lower intestine. Two, if there's "bad" stuff, you consume less of it.