Like most business travelers, my life is go-go-go. On every trip there are unforeseen travel and construction delays, missed flights, and meetings that take longer than planned. And that means missing meals which is terrible for everyone around me because I get grumpy when I'm hungry!

For these reasons, I now take food with me on every trip. It's not just for when I don't have time to stop at a restaurant. Sometimes I just don't feel like leaving the room and I want something other than room service. If you don't have space in your suit case for food, do a grocery store run on your way to the hotel.

Pack The Essentials

I keep the following permanently packed so I'm ready for any situation:

• Heating coil and insulated plastic cup for heating water.
• Large, 16 oz plastic cup. Many of the just-add-water food products mentioned below are sold in paper cups that are bulky to pack (and a mess when they spill). Instead, transfer the contents into a baggie and use your large plastic cup for preparation.
• Small plastic plate
• Eating utensils – plastic spoon and fork

Add Healthy, Packable Foods

Here's a sampling of shelf-stable foods that don't require any refrigeration:

• Charlie’s Light Lunch (kit containing canned tuna or chicken, crackers, light mayonnaise, relish, and spoon). Your seatmates on the plane recommend you eat this before you board the plane. My husband also likes canned kippers, sardines, or oysters with crackers.
• Dehydrated, healthy soups. Select from several high protein, high fiber soups including as Nile Spice®, Fantastic®, or Healthy Choice®. Add hot water and wait 5 minutes

• “Dr Jo’s Breakfast in a Cup.” Pack in a baggie: 1/3c. quick cooking oatmeal, 1/3 c. nonfat dry milkpowder, mini box of raisins, and a teaspoon of sugar (package of sweetener). Add a cup of boiling water for a filling, nutritious, and quick breakfast. I, also enjoy this for a bedtime snack. Although I don't think they taste as good, you can also pack packets of instant oatmeal, grits, cream of wheat, or even mashed potatoes – or bring dry cereal (like Quaker® Oat Bran or Frosted mini shredded wheat) to munch on.
• Fresh or dried fruit. Travelers don't get adequate amounts of fiber while traveling. Dried fruit has just as much fiber as the original fruit, so pack some raisins and dried pineapple, peaches, and cranberries. For a more filling treat, add some healthy nuts like almonds, walnuts, or dry roasted peanuts.
• Light microwave popcorn. Even if there's not a microwave oven in your room, you can often find one in the lobby, breakfast nook, or vending room.
• Bread or crackers. I pick up bagels from NYC bagels and sourdough bread from San Francisco to eat during the rest of my trip. You may also consider packing animal crackers, Triscuits®, gold fish, or Teddy Grahams® for a treat.
• Coffee or tea. Although I don't often need it, I'm grateful for these times that I find myself in a hotel that doesn't have a coffeemaker. Plus I enjoy herbal and decaffeinated tea bags which are often not available. You can also bring instant beverages including sugar-free Crystal Light® or hot cocoa.
• Meal replacement bars and snack bars. Since I often reach for these when I'm missing a meal, I choose ones that have at least 8 gms of protein including Balance® Bars, Powerbars®, Clif® Bar, SlimFast®, Zoe Flax & Soy, Boost®, or Clif®’s Luna Bar.
• Enjoy the convenience!