Keto While Traveling: How to Eat Keto on Vacation

Are you planning a trip while on a low-carb or keto diet? Never fear! These 6 tips for How to Eat Keto While Traveling will help you stay on track.

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The best tips for staying keto on vacation

We just returned home from an eight-day trip to Orlando, Florida, which included several days at Disney World and a day at Universal Studios, and I couldn’t wait to post these tips about eating low carb/keto while traveling. Although I usually enjoy all kinds of foods while on short vacations, I knew that eight days of eating high carb would make it challenging to get back on track when we returned home, and the added pounds would take too long to get off.

At the same time, I didn’t want our vacation to revolve around what mom could or couldn’t eat. Part of the fun of a vacation for my kids is eating “vacation foods” that I don’t usually buy. Although I wanted to make sure to stay on track, I didn’t want my kids to feel like they were limited or that they couldn’t eat their favorite foods because mom wasn’t. Also, I have a big family, and it takes a lot to plan a vacation as it is, especially at Disney. So, I didn’t want to add any stress to my life.

Tip: There are many great resources online. Don’t miss my comprehensive How to Get Started with the Keto Diet ebook, where all the resources to get started are compiled in a simple downloadable format without needing to read multiple blog posts.

 

how to eat keto low carb on vacation

How to Eat Low Carb or Keto While Traveling

Even if you aren’t going to Disney World, these tips can be helpful for other vacations as well. If you are reading hoping for a list of what to eat at every meal, you will probably be disappointed. Instead, I hope that these tips empower you to make the best choices without adding hours of extra planning or added stress. After seeing how many responded to my post on Facebook about eating keto on vacation, I knew I had to stay focused to share later.

Here are my top tips for eating keto on vacation without further ado.

1. Commit to eating keto on vacation

My number one asset to staying on track was my resolve. I made my mind up before we left that I would not give in when tempted; donuts, desserts, fries, and other favorite treats would not control me. I just kept reminding myself that I could enjoy those foods again, perhaps on our next weekend getaway or at the end of our vacation.

2. Stock up on keto snacks

I made sure to have a bag of keto/low carb friendly snacks in the car on the way to vacation and home. If I got hungry or was tempted to snack, I had plenty of options. We also went to the grocery store on our first day of vacation.

(If you see foods below that don’t fit into your eating plan, it’s okay. I am rather lazy keto, but you eat what works for you)

bacon and eggs

3. Eat breakfast in

I know this isn’t always possible, and it’s certainly not a deal-breaker, but we ate breakfast in most mornings. This started my day off on the right foot, and I could make my eggs exactly how I like them. I didn’t get tired of eating bacon and eggs all week, but if you do, there are so many keto breakfast options if you’d prefer a variety. For me, this was budget-friendly, and I didn’t have to buy a ton of extra groceries. If you’d rather eat out, I get it! Keep scrolling for other tips.

4. Stay hydrated when eating keto while traveling

This is a no-brainer and one of the most significant challenges for me. Staying hydrated while traveling is always important, but it’s even more crucial when you’re eating low-carb while on vacation. I never drink enough water, but it was hot in Florida when we were at Disney, and I could tell such a difference in how I felt when I was hydrated. It made it easier to stay strong and stick to eating low carb/keto as it helps to quench false hunger.

how to eat keto low carb on vacation

5. Take your snacks everywhere with you

This was my snack stash for Disney World. I had Macadamia Nuts, Walnuts, Pecans, and low-carb bars. I made sure to chill the water bottles in the freezer beforehand so that as they thawed throughout the day, we had cold water. When hunger hit, instead of falling into temptation, I just grabbed my bag of snacks before I got HANGRY. Doing so made it so much easier to keep it keto on vacation. I kept my snacks simple because we already had enough to bring with us (if you have a baby and a toddler, you know what I mean). I saw lots of people with small coolers who were snacking on fresh veggies and deli meats, but, again, my goal was easy breezy. You can find a great list of Keto/Low Carb Snack ideas here for inspiration if you prefer a variety.

how to eat keto low carb on vacation

6. Take meal times in stride

Although I intended to plan keto/low carb meals by researching restaurants beforehand, especially at Disney, that never happened. Did I mention I have four kids? Yea, I don’t have a lot of downtime. Even so, I never had any problem finding foods that worked with eating keto on the go. I reviewed online menus of new restaurants so I’d know my options beforehand.

I ate either a bunless burger or bunless grilled chicken club during the day. When my kids wanted to order pizza one night at our condo, I ate the toppings off with a fork. When they wanted Mexican food, I enjoyed Chicken Fajitas on a bed of lettuce. Whatever my family wanted, I found a way to make it work, and I never felt deprived.

We typically ate breakfast at our condo, a late lunch (at Disney or Universal if it was a park day), then a late dinner out. We also saved a great deal of money since eating inside the park can be expensive. Since we stayed off-site, the dining plan wasn’t an option.

how to eat keto low carb on vacation

All in all, it was easy to stay on track. Making my mind up beforehand helped, and I didn’t make a big deal out of it. No one else in my family felt deprived, and our trip didn’t revolve around what I could or could not eat. I did decide to have a cheat day on our last day of vacation, and I’m okay with that. One day for me is much more manageable than eight. Afterward, I will jump right back on track. If you decide to follow a keto/low carb eating plan on vacation, know that you are capable, and it isn’t complicated.

Do whatever is simple to you. If researching restaurants and making a plan ahead of time fits better in your personality, do it. If you are a bit ADD, like me, and planning causes stress, follow my off-the-hip craziness. Taking steps to simplify the process and not being too hard on yourself will be crucial to success.

I followed the steps above, and then I gave myself grace. I’m happy to say that I felt great when I got home, even though I enjoyed one-day off-plan. The good news is that I got right back on track.

You can access all of my Keto/Low Carb Recipes in my Keto/Low Carb Recipe Index or follow me on Pinterest for fabulous Keto/Low Carb Recipe Ideas. Many fantastic resources are available if you are just getting started following a keto diet and would like more information. Amazon has several great books you may want to check out here.

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4 Comments

  1. Hi Maria, Intermittent fasting is absolutely good for the Mitochondria. Keto diet should not be followed for long stretches of time due to the way long-term keto is affecting your body. Short periods of Keto is fine. As for mitochondria repair, diet, sleep, and exercise are absolutely key to making the mitochondria stronger and maintain their health. However, there are a lot of factors that are impacting your mitochondria so you cannot rely on diet, exercise, and sleep alone. Ari

    1. 5 stars
      Animal data indicate that ketogenic diets are associated with improved mitochondrial function . . . The American Journal of Physiology

  2. Great post! We live in the central Florida area and go to theme parks quite often! Ever park I have been to offers free Ice Water! No use carrying around those coolers- a little of people don’t realize this. You pay for bottled water but if you request ice water it’s free!!
    Headed to LEGO land soon and was wondering with this new WOE how I would manage – I’ll take your advise!

    1. Yes! I love the free ice water. We took enough water bottles to get us through the morning so we wouldn’t have to stand in any lines for water, then got ice water the rest of the day. You’ll do great at LEGOLAND. It really was so easy. Thanks for commenting.

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