Chicago Trip Highlights + How I Stay Raw While Traveling

This past week my husband and I were in Chicago for an assembly we attended.  We managed to squeeze in a day of touring the city so I wanted to share with you the highlights.  In addition I wanted to share with you my method to staying high raw while traveling, in hopes of giving you ideas that you may be able to incorporate on your travels.  As I write this I’m in flight homeward bound with computer in lap and a bunch of bananas at my side. 🙂

First off, I have to give huge props to Virgin America airlines.  It was my first time flying with them, and it was a wonderful experience.  If you know me, and my HUGE fear of flying then you know it is a big deal for me to say this.  But they really go out of their way to put you at ease.  From their customer service, to the moon lighting on the ceiling, to the individual  entertainment system during the flight  I was actually feeling at ease and comfortable from the minute I walked on the plane.  I am not being endorsed to say this, but when I find something worthy, I like to share!

Navy Pier

I am not much of a city person but  I have to say even though Chicago is a very big city, somehow there was a small town feel about it.  I really enjoyed the architecture, the beauty of the city itself and the people were all so friendly.

Here are the highlights of my trip:

1. Millenium Park
2. Navy Pier
3. Micihigan Ave
4. Karyns Raw
5. Raw on Huron

In the above picture the top two were taken at Navy Pier, the bottom left at Michigan Ave., and the bottom right at Millenium Park.  And of course finding and raw vegan places to eat are always going to be a highlight for me!

Millenium Park

My method to maintaining high raw on this trip:

Trying to maintain a raw food diet or at least mostly raw while traveling can be very challenging.  But, with a little preparation and organization it can be done successfully and with ease.   The last thing you want is your whole vacation to revolve around where you will get your next raw meal.

Hydration is very important.  So, The day before my flight I make sure to stay as  hydrated as possible.  Before leaving to the airport I fill up with a large green juice or smoothie so I’m filled but not heavily weighed down.  For the plane trip I packed one bunch of bananas, one pound carton of strawberries, some oranges and cucumbers.  All super easy to pack and eat while in a plane.  I packed a little extra fruit because I didn’t know when I would be able to get to a market or if the market would have anything for me.  Always be prepared. If I know I will be staying in a place that has a kitchen I will pack my gluten-free quinoa pasta to.  That is a staple for me.  Another essential is the Nutri-bullet.  It is the perfect travel size blender and comes in so handy for the morning smoothies.

Being in the midwest for the first time since going raw I wasn’t sure how the availability of fresh, organic fruits and vegetables would be.  The local grocery store did have a small organic selection which was awesome to see.  I try to support the organic produce as much as possible, not just because I prefer it but where there is a demand there will be supply.  So, the more the store sees organic being bought the more they will supply it.  However, since the local produce was scarce (having just come out of a harsh winter) the prices can be exorbitant.  So, I followed the dirty dozen list and stocked up on bananas and oranges, that were a lot cheaper non-organic, and then bought greens and fruits without peels like strawberries and apples organic.  I also bought bottle water for the days ahead.

For breakfast I made a large jar of fresh squeezed orange juice, with a simple juice squeezing gadget, along with fresh fruit.  One of the easiest lunches I made was one whole cut up jicama, one small avocado, and a carton of strawberries cut up, with a lemon squeezed on top. I packed it in a large container and took it with me each day.  Super simple and easy to pack.  I was only in Chicago for four days so I wasn’t looking for variety in my diet, would have been nice but keeping it simple is best when you’re on the road.  So I pretty much had a similar salad for each meal.  For dinner, since we had access to a kitchen I had my gluten-free pasta with a simple tomato sauce and a green salad.  On the day we were leaving my bananas were just about perfectly ripe so that was my food for on the plane.

Fruits are the real fast foods, they come already packed in a peel and can be eaten anywhere.  So, when traveling keep it simple, prepare in advance and keep organized.  And no matter where you go you can always find fruit in a grocery market if nothing else.  By maintaining a mostly raw food diet while traveling you keep your energy high through out your trip and you prevent yourself from getting sick while being on a plane for hours with stale air that is carrying the germs of everyone coughing and sneezing.

I hope these tips help you on your next trip.  What about you? Do you have any tips that you find helpful? If so, please share with us below, and please share this article if you know someone who can benefit from this information.