Trips and travel

Eating away from home
When travelling away from home to compete it forces a change in routine and eating habits that you don’t want to interfere with. Adapting to your new setting can be achievable through a little planning and making sensible decisions when making food choices. There are times to travel and experience new food flavours and cultures, but when competing, eating may need a new focus to make sure healthy choices that will be best for performance are made.

Food choices when eating out
If you are staying in accommodation or eating out often, be mindful of portion sizes and going back for seconds as it is easy to over eat when it is available and in front of you. Aim to make sensible, healthy choices that don’t have fatty meats or sauces and include some vegetables or salad.
- Don’t try anything too new and different; pick foods which are similar to your regular daily intake.
- If there are no suitable foods available at a venue, consider beverages including 100% fruit juice, low fat flavoured milk or sport drinks.
- Avoid really large meals, fatty meats and high sugar foods as these will interfere with energy levels over the day and may lead to lethargy later on.
- If portions are large share with team mates or discard what you don’t need to eat.
- Make sure choices are balanced with a lean protein and a carbohydrate source of food.
- Avoid creamy dressings and sauces; oily or fatty fried foods.
- Try to consume fresh fruit and vegetables where you can for valuable nutrients to help your immune system, make sure they are washed in clean water.
- Be cautious of food safety and hygiene when buying food from an open counter.
- Remember to wash your hands or use a hand sanitiser wash before eating.
- Be cautious of shellfish and seafood as it is more susceptible to spoiling and causing food poisoning.
- Use visual common sense – if in doubt, don’t.

Shopping list 
Once you are settled in your accommodation, try to locate a supermarket where you might be able to get some basics to have food options. You can call on these when you continue training or in competition so you don’t always have to purchase food, as that can lead to large portion sizes of food and additional fats. This shopping list might include:
- Fresh fruit – fruit tubs
- Crispbread or crackers – vitaweat / ryvita / rice cakes
- Cereal – wholegrain option
- Low fat milk – for breakfast and tea and coffee
- Low fat yoghurt – individual tubs
- Muesli/cereal bars = Be Natural wholegrain bars, Nutri grain bars, Uncle Tobys Chewy
- Sliced grain bread
- Slices low fat cheese
- Small cans tuna
- Sustagen or ‘Up and Go’ Popper