Traveling with T2D

I just returned from a trip to New York City with my two grandsons, Nino and Felix, and my daughter, Shannon.  We all had a fine time with the Statue of Liberty, the Museum of Natural History and the Lion King. 

We stayed in a suite hotel.  A fully equipped kitchenette allowed us to cook for ourselves and store milk, juice, salad and sandwich makings.  We ate out very little, in part, to save money and, in part, to have more nutritional meals than restaurant fare offers.  With tasty lunches for the boys, we circumvented the lure of fast food.  Nino and Felix like turkey sandwiches with lettuce and tomato.  Shannon does, too.  I had lettuce wraps with turkey and tomato.  We splurged one lunch at a Broadway deli that offers quadruple stacked sandwiches.  Nino and I shared a pastrami on rye that yielded enough extra pastrami for lunches the next day.  Lettuce wrapped pastrami tastes great!  Shannon and Felix shared a giant turkey sandwich with lots left over, too.  One day, we had street food.  Nino wanted to have  NY hot dog, so he got one.  Shannon, Felix and I had kabobs made entirely of meat.  We all minded our calories and I minded my carbs the whole trip. 

Whenever I travel, I prefer a hotel room with a kitchenette.  With a stove and refrigerator, I can keep foods on hand to help me stick to my meal plan.  Grocery shopping and cooking appeal to me, so what sounds like a chore is part of my enjoyment and relaxation when I travel.  I have a cooking kit that I pack with me:   seasoned salt, olive oil and a small chef knife (Since I check my luggage, its not a problem.)  I also bring tea bags with me. 

For breakfast, I like a small, about 1/4 cup, serving of cottage cheese.  A good T2D breakfast can be oatmeal or cereal with milk, 1% or skim.  Have a few berries, if your food plan permits.  You just can't get that in a restaurant without paying too much for too large a serving.

The best lunches, at home and traveling, for those of us living with T2D include lots of vegetables, a little protein and limited carbohydrate.  Salads, open-faced sandwiches, clear broth soups, lettuce wraps fill us with good fiber, vitamins and minerals and great flavor. 

Dinner can be so easy, its shameful.. and the housekeeping staff does your dishes in the morning.  Get yourself a cut of your favorite meat, in a reasonable amount rather than restaurant serving size amount.  Pan grill it.  Serve yourself a big green salad.  You can make one for yourself at the grocery salad bar.. no potato salad or pasta!  Have a little bread if you can handle the carbs, and you are all set.

Remember, too.  You can bring your lunch on the plane as long as it is made of solid foods.  Salads and sandwiches you make yourself will be better and better for you than airport food.  It will also cost quite a bit less.