The Nomad Eats

Food is more than physical nourishment.

Wherever we are, whether it be Mongolia or Manchester, we have to eat. For working nomads or sometime travelers, eating is one of the key ways we relate to our environment. If we gobble our food down in between tourist stops or shovel it unthinkingly into our mouths while staring at a computer screen, we send a message to our body–and it may send one back.

The way you approach eating while traveling can affect how you experience your inner journey. ”By experiencing eating as more than just calories, you can find your way to personal growth and true fulfillment,” says Deanna Minich, Phd, nutritionist and author, at foodandspirit.com.

Travel puts your body in strange and sometimes unpredictable positions. You could be wedged into an airplane seat, gasping to keep up with a multi-country itinerary, or planting yourself in unfamiliar soil for a few months. In any of those situations, you can consciously modify your eating habits to help yourself feel grounded, enhance your travels and nourish your spirit.

Eating in the air

If you disembark from the aircraft feeling dehydrated and undernourished, you’re off to an unhealthy start. You also increase your stress levels, according to Dr. Kathleen Hall, an internationally acclaimed stress and work-life balance expert. “Most airlines do not serve meals anymore, but give out high-fat, high-calorie snacks,” she says. “Eating the right foods can help reduce your stress. Eating high fat, greasy foods can make you anxious and feel stressed out.”

I admit, I’m a sucker for compartmentalized meals, so I always eat anything they hand out on an airplane. However, I supplement the airplane food with trail mix, packed sandwiches and fruit. According to Kidney Health Australia, you can lose approximately 1.5 litres of water during a three-hour flight, so drink more than usual. I bring my own bottle so I don’t have to rely on the flight attendants. You’re not allowed to bring liquids through security, but there’s no rule against filling an empty bottle once you’re inside.

Eating on the ground

Some people like to eat familiar foods when they travel, others like to experiment. Do a little of both for balance. After discovering which places click with your palate and digestive system, return to your favorites again and again, building a relationship.

Pay attention to your body. A desire to stuff yourself with high-sugar foods may mean you’re feeling fatigued: a nap may help more than a sweet snack. Indigestion might mean you’re doing too many things at once and need to slow down.

Eating is a way to connect with the local community. Try not to refuse an offer of food, no matter what kind of allergies or preferences you have. If you really can’t stomach something, accept the offer with a smile, then nibble or pretend to sip.

Personal experiences

Kate Nasser, a The People-Skills Coach, says she keeps an eye out for Middle Eastern restaurants when she travels because the cuisine helps her feel like she’s at home cooking. “I was thrilled one day when I looked across the street from my favorite Houston hotel to see a Lebanese restaurant had opened in the little strip mall,” says Kate. “I felt completely grounded and of course went right over.”
David Sears from YouFloral.com, who’s traveled extensively over a 20 year period, describes a group trip to Italy. “We ate at the same breakfast restaurant 3 times in Rome, and this started the day with an increasing sense of familiarity,” David recounts. ”Lunches were always at different restaurants, but we did have dinner twice at Alfredos L’Originale. We also ate gelato 3 times at the same gellataria–this made the evenings predictable (but delicious).”
As for me, I like to get to know the management wherever I eat. While visiting McLeod Ganj, the Tibetan settlement in Northern India, my friends and I began every morning with fresh croissants, fruit, and granola at Lhamo’s Croissant, a homey restaurant with spectacular rooftop views. We gradually got to know the friendly owners: Lhamo, her husband DK and two-year old Namsey. DK invited us to his workplace, Norbulingka, an organization promoting Tibetan culture, art and literature, and arranged for us to tour the beautiful gardens and workshops. It was an unforgettable experience.

When you travel to a new country, make food part of your journey. How you eat, what you eat and who you share a meal with are choices with consequences.

How do you eat when you travel?