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Road Warrior

Guest Post: Paleo Travel Hacks

By Pedro 1 Comment

Paleo Travel Hacks by MidEast Paleo - pedrocarrion.com

Hello everyone! My name is Priscilla Carrion, I’m Pedro’s wife. I’m a stay-at-home mom and a food blogger at MidEastPaleo.com, where I create Paleo cuisine with a Middle Eastern twist. I’m honored to be guest blogging today sharing my Paleo Travel Hacks.

My husband and I travel often, he travels for work and I travel for fun. He does many short trips a year while I do a few short trips and one long trip a year.

Traveling and still maintaining a healthy lifestyle can be quite intimidating, especially when you’re not sure of what you’re doing. I’ve been living a Paleo lifestyle for the past few years and during my short trips, I always avoid dairy, gluten and legumes.

I also try my best to stay away from grains and processed foods. Unlike Pedro, I’m usually not one to be tempted with non-Paleo food that may be around me!

When it comes to healthy eating, I usually do a better job to stay on track than he does. Since he travels more than I do and struggles to keep Paleo, he asked me to share my hacks for maintaining a Paleo diet while traveling on short trips.

Paleo Travel Hack #1 – Plan-ahead

Whether your travel is taking you by plane or car, make sure you are planning ahead of time and doing your research. If you know that you have a long day of travel, bring some food along.

Airlines allow food aboard the plane, so you can pack your own meal and snacks (see #3). Smaller airports don’t usually have Paleo friendly options, so having your meal packed with you ensures that you won’t go hungry.

The most important decision you can make is to start your day off right. Starting your day off with a Paleo breakfast will help you make better decisions about food during lunch.

Most hotels offer free breakfast, but sometimes the eggs look sketchy and more like cardboard than real scrambled eggs. If that is the case, go for a couple hard-boiled eggs and fruit, if available, or see #2.

When eating out, whether it be with a client or a group of people, read the menu online prior to arriving at the restaurant. In most places, waiters are usually willing to help you alter dishes from the menu.

The meal options I gravitate toward for dinner usually involve a grilled protein and a roasted vegetable, baked sweet potato, or side salad. As far as drinks, order water– flat or sparkling and obviously skip dessert and alcohol.

Paleo Travel Hack #2 – Visit a local grocery store

We’ve joined Pedro on a handful of work trips before. If we can, we’ll go out and explore the city we’re in. There have been a couple instances where we’ve been unable to go out and were in a hotel room for the weekend. Many hotels don’t have Paleo food options or non-fast food restaurants within walking distance.

Before I find myself in an uncomfortable situation, I find a healthy grocery store, like Whole Foods. Whole Foods is my go-to grocery store while traveling because I trust that they will always have healthy, organic options for us.

Every grocery store has a fresh deli section where they sell prepared food. I personally love the Hot Bar at Whole Foods, they label their dishes and they have many Paleo options. I usually get a whole organic cooked chicken, hard-boiled eggs and I load up on greens and vegetables.

Paleo Travel Hack #3 – Snack Foods

When I’m home, I eat three large meals a day and I mostly avoid snacking. I do, however, make an exception while traveling. There are two types of snacks to consider during a food emergency, pre-packaged and fresh.

Pre-Packaged Paleo Travel Snacks

I love guacamole! I would eat it everyday, if I could. Besides my homemade guac, I love the one they sell at Whole Foods. Wholly Guacamole is another great Paleo-friendly guac. I enjoy eating it with chips or pre-sliced vegetables; my favorite chips are the Terra plantain chips and Boulder Canyon potato chips.

Let’s talk about some Paleo Travel snack bars. EPIC has great protein bars that are made from grass-fed animal protein and are antibiotic-free and hormone free. Pedro’s favorite EPIC bar is the Beef Habanero Cherry Bar.

RxBars are by far my favorite and in my opinion, the most delicious. These bars come in an array of flavor options and are loaded with protein. RxBars receive this protein from egg whites and have no artificial sugar.

Lara Bars are the most affordable of the bunch. They’re the easiest to find as they are readily available in most grocery stores. If you’re looking for a quick grab-n-go snack, Lara Bars are it. However, make sure you read the labels because they’re not all Paleo approved, as some contain peanuts.

Applegate has a variety of great antibiotic-free and non-gmo meat products. Their deli meats are a great protein snack with no cooking or heating required. You can heat up the hot dogs in your hotel microwave for a quick snack or meal. The Natural Uncured Beef Hot Dog and The Great Organic Beef Hot Dog are our favorites.

Raw or roasted nuts and seeds are a Paleo favorite. They’re a good source of protein and healthy fat and best of all, they’re mess free.

As far as drinks, my favorite indulgence is La Croix. LaCroix is a calorie-free, sugar-free, naturally fruit essenced sparkling water.

Fresh Paleo Travel Snacks

I love fresh fruits and vegetables as a healthy snack. Carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, celery, and bell peppers are hassle free and don’t require much prep. Some grocery stores even have them pre-washed and packaged which makes them great during travel. Vegetables and guacamole make a delicious Paleo travel snack.

Apples, bananas, pears, and berries are also delicious and mess free fruits. Fruit bowls are great and are available at most grocery stores. Just make sure you’re getting a fruit bowl fresh from the produce section.

Hopefully these Paleo Travel Hacks will help you maintain your Paleo diet during your next short trip. These hacks have helped Pedro and I maintain our Paleo lifestyle during our travels. Visit my blog for Paleo friendly recipes. What are your Paleo travel hacks and what has worked for you in the past?

Safe travels and sahtain!

March 15, 2017Filed Under: Road Warrior

American Airlines Admiral’s Club Credit Card – One Year Review

By Pedro Leave a Comment

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Have you ever walked by the American Airlines Admiral’s Club and wondered what it was like inside?

Or, has one of those employees at those credit card booths ever pitched their card to you?

Sometimes I hear the pilot make the American Airlines Admiral’s Club credit card pitch and I almost feed bad for them. An experienced, highly trained, highly educated professional, making a credit card pitch over a speaker.

Still, I gave in. In early 2016, I found myself looking at a year with so much airport travel, and with credit card benefits bursting at the seams, I signed up for the American Airlines Citi Executive World Elite MasterCard. That’s the credit card that gives you access to American Airlines Admiral’s Clubs worldwide.

Here’s what happened.

[Read more…] about American Airlines Admiral’s Club Credit Card – One Year Review

January 15, 2017Filed Under: Road Warrior

José María Córdova International Airport in Medellin, Colombia (MDE)

By Pedro Leave a Comment

José María Córdova International Airport in Medellin, Colombia (MDE)

In 2015, I had the privilege of travelling to Colombia for the very first time. It was for an Operation Christmas Child Vision Trip. I love these trips, not only because I get to experience a new culture, but because I get to meet so many great people who are volunteering with Operation Christmas Child in their own country. Medellin was no exception!

The City of Medellin

Colombia may have a well deserved negative reputation for the Narcos its produced, but you wouldn’t know it from spending time in Medellin. It’s not to say that there’s no crime, but the city seems hopeful, safe, and welcoming.

Medellin is a city of 2.5 million people tucked within the mountains. Medellin is also becoming a top retirement destination for Americans. I can see why, low cost of living, technologically advanced, nice people and great food. Sign me up! Medellin has exhibited a huge turnaround. In the 1990s, Time magazine called Medellin the “most dangerous city on Earth.” Maybe then, but certainly not anymore.

Flying Into Medellin (MDE)

The José María Córdova International Airport in Medellin, Colombia (MDE) is not located within downtown Medellin, it’s actually located in Rionegro, which is a suburb about 45 minutes from the city. Taxis are dirt cheap to the city and you’ll be fine taking an official taxi from the airport. There’s not much located around the airport. There are a few hotels and some neighborhoods and stores, but the city is far.

Be sure to change your money before you leave the airport. It’s not worth it to change your money in full view of everyone outside of the airport in order to save a percentage point or two. All too often, foreigners want to save a few bucks by changing money on the street only to get robbed a few minutes later.

The money changer gives you a great rate on the money you change for you and your group, then calls or signals a friend who follows you and robs you for the money you just changed. The money changer gets a percentage of that.

Flying Out Of MDE

When arriving to the airport to fly out of the country, go to the tax office first. If you’re American, there will be no taxes due (its included in your ticket price) but you need a stamp in order to pass through immigration. Once you’re through security, enjoy the WiFi and coffee. The selection of places isn’t a lot but this is Colombia, the coffee and food are great anywhere you go, so enjoy!

Final Rating for José María Córdova International Airport (MDE)

There are a few things I look for in airports. Ease of transport within the airport, comfort (seating/plugs/shopping), food, and the wildcard. The wildcard is something unique that helps or hurts the airport.

The José María Córdova International Airport in Medellin receives a grade of 9 out of 10.

MDE is a great airport. It has everything you need and would expect of an airport servicing a large city. The only drawback is its distance from Medellin.

October 30, 2016Filed Under: Airports, Medellin, Road Warrior

The Layover: Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW)

By Pedro Leave a Comment

 

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Layovers are the worst. I always try to avoid layovers when I can. Think about it, having a delay on your original flight can mean you miss your connecting flight, it doubles the opportunity for your luggage to be lost (if you check luggage), and it can significantly add to your travel time. Not to mention that having a layover at some airports means that you’ll have to leave security and go back through just to get to your other gate. I would rather not deal with any of that, but sometimes, you can’t avoid layovers…..

[Read more…] about The Layover: Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW)

October 22, 2016Filed Under: Airports, Detroit, Road Warrior, Travel Tips

Des Moines International Airport (DSM)

By Pedro Leave a Comment

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Chances are you will never end up at Des Moines International Airport (DSM), but in the off chance that you do, I’ve got you covered! I’m a city boy, so I don’t get too excited about travelling to places like Iowa. I’m more of a Chicago, LA, DC, type of person. Des Moines, not so much. However, I traveled to Iowa for the first time in 2014 and a few things caught me by surprise.

[Read more…] about Des Moines International Airport (DSM)

October 20, 2016Filed Under: Airports, Des Moines, Road Warrior, Travel Tips

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)

By Pedro Leave a Comment

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Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is an incredible mall, I mean, airport. Seriously, it’s huge. It’s the largest and busiest airport in the entire world. Therefore, if you’re flying in or out of it, there are a few things you need to know.

[Read more…] about Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)

October 14, 2016Filed Under: Airports, Atlanta, Road Warrior, Travel Tips

Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)

By Pedro Leave a Comment

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Flying into Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)? Here’s what you need to know…

[Read more…] about Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)

October 13, 2016Filed Under: Airports, Dallas, Road Warrior

Reagan National Airport (DCA)

By Pedro Leave a Comment

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It’s no secret that Washington D.C. is one of my favorite cities. I love visiting DC. Maybe I’ll live there one day, but until then, I’ll be satisfied with spending a weekend here and there. I prefer driving to DC since it’s only about 7 hours away. We’re 2 hours away from a major airport. So by the time you drive 2 hours to get there 2 hours before, then an hour and half flight, much of that time is gone. The drive from North Carolina to DC is easy and driving through the Virginia mountains is beautiful. For those of you who live further than that or would like to fly instead of drive, Reagan National Airport needs to be your go-to airport. It’s not the only airport serving Washington DC, but it’s your best option, I’ll tell you why.

[Read more…] about Reagan National Airport (DCA)

October 11, 2016Filed Under: Airports, DC, Road Warrior, Travel Tips

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