Keto Hacks for Road Trips & Travel

My husband and I travel in our Sprinter Van, with our two dogs, back and forth and up and down across the lower 48 states and spend anywhere from 1-6 weeks on the road on a given road trip. We have learned a thing or two about how to stick to your keto-carnivore nutrition strategy while on the road.

Admittedly, we also know a lot about not sticking to your strategy. In this blog, I'm going to share both how we stay on-plan, as well as how we frame not sticking to our nutrition strategy.

Staying On-Plan

The key to staying on-plan, which for my husband and I is carnivore - low to no carb intake, is to create a filter that represents your expectations.

*Learn more about identifying your filter HERE.

Our filter for staying on-plan starts with the question, "how can we 'carnivore' that?" If we're not able to go full carnivore our next question in the filter is, "how can we keto that?"

We can successfully "carnivore" a meal at Five Guys, as well as Shake Shack. They offer just hamburger patties in a bowl with the toppings of your choosing. You can also order ahead at Five Guys on their website which can make pick-up super easy if you're trying to breeze through a city.

We're typically successful when we look for prime rib joints, or steak houses when we have the option to sit down and enjoy a meal. We'll also indulge in a quality fish market, or sushi/sashimi joint which often ends up more on the keto side of the continuum.

Other options for generally healthier meals are Mediterranean or Italian restaurants where you can add extra protein. Be mindful not to over-indulge on pastas or breads, and always stick to water over sugary or alcoholic beverages.

Do your research ahead of time. Look up restaurants and menus, call ahead and try to learn what kinds of modifications can be done to increase fat and protein and decrease carbohydrates. You can even find out what ingredients they're using (like what kinds of oils.) Be sure that any meal mods fit into your budget!

Pro Tip: If you're located in the Greater Seattle Area, check out Kuzma's Fish Market for amazing, fresh options!

Kuzma's Fish Market spread on the van dash - salmon, yellowtail, pickled ginger, seaweed salad, octopus salad.

As you can see from the pictures, we bring our camp stove and table and set up the kitchen wherever we are. I know that's not a typical option but when you can, do it! We love that we can take full control over what we eat, the ingredients used and how it's prepared.

Percolating coffee, enjoying eggs and bacon on Lake Chelan, Wa.

Similar to bringing your own stove set up, if you're staying in an AirBnB or a space that has a kitchenette, get to a grocery store and only purchase the food items that keep you on-plan. We regularly cook our steaks, or grill burgers at various short term rental stays, in between camp sites. We'll find butchers and meat specialty shops for our favorite cuts.

What you look for you will find

Have you ever bought or leased a new car? You get behind the wheel and start driving and you notice that EVERYONE is driving the same car you just drove off the lot. You could call it a confirmation bias, the observer effect or the Law of Attraction.

Sticking to your nutrition strategy is the same once you've identified a powerful filter to focus on. You can program yourself and your brain to only look for what you want to eat.

For example, when I enter a conventional grocery store I tell myself that anything in a box, bag or jar with an ingredient label with more than 4 ingredients is not real food and should never be consumed by humans.

Is that aggressive? Heck yes it is, but it works. It works for me, I know that real food in single ingredient items like beef, bacon, eggs, or butter.

Off-Plan on the Road

It's easy to get of-plan when you're traveling. I always try to control what I can control when I can so that when, not if, I get off plan it's not as dramatic. Maybe I end up throwing a meal or two down the drain as opposed to a few days worth of meals. In other words, plan for going off-plan but also plan for staying on-plan.

When it comes to off-plan eating, you want to get in the habit of asking yourself questions like, "Am I the type of person that eats pad thai on a road trip?" "Am I the type of person that celebrates a special occasion with a couple glasses of champaign?" "Am I the type of person who downs a pint of ice cream?"

My husband and I celebrated with sparkling Rose the evening we put an offer on our future home.

And honestly, the answer can be, "yes" to one or all of those. You can be any type of person in any given moment, you are an adult. Remember that your behaviors are not "good" and "bad."

I've seen enough InBody results (body composition reports) to confidently tell you that off-plan eating is ok and likely not as impactful as you may think.

So enjoy spending a few days to a week off-plan and remind yourself that you're human and it's ok.

When I'm off-plan eating I make sure to keep portion sizes and the frequency of treats reasonable. I use any carbohydrates as condiments. I'll enjoy a few french fries, or bites of loaded potatoes with my steak. I'll try pastas and breads but be sure not to over-do it (roughly 1-2 cupped handfuls). I create limits for myself and do my best to stick to them.

The most important part of eating off-plan is your ability to get back on-plan.

Getting Back On-Plan

Have a strategy for getting yourself back on-plan. This usually involves returning home and getting back to your regular routine, including a trip to the grocery store and getting back in the gym/workout routine.

If you're on a long stint of travel, maybe it's one big trip or a few in a row, getting back on track may be a bigger obstacle. If you have a support system, a husband or wife, partner or roommate that can help, definitely lean into them and ask for support on getting what you need for your first meal or day back. Plan ahead of time and plan to gently remind them of your request.

Getting back on-plan can be the most challenging obstacle so keep practicing different strategies, and stop making the same mistakes when you can help it. Working with a coach may be helpful if this an area in which you struggle.