The thought of travelling whilst on a medical ketogenic diet can be quite daunting and may bring up some worry as to whether you will be able to stay on diet. However, planning in advance will minimize any risk and allow you to ease any anxieties so you can look forward to your trip.
1) Eat well before setting off:
It is easiest to stick to a ketogenic diet when you are at home as you have full control of what you eat. With this in mind, make sure to eat a meal prior to departing. This should allow you to feel full and energised for longer, thus reducing the need to find a keto friendly option whilst on your journey or immediately upon arrival.
Some substantial keto breakfast ideas include; French Toast with Bacon & Egg, Breakfast Quiche and Mushroom Scrambled Egg with Toast. These recipes and more available on our recipe page.
2) Plan what and where you will eat in advance:
Doing your research in advance should relieve a lot of the stress around finding suitable places to eat. Find out in advance what the catering options are at your accommodation. Is there a restaurant? Is there anything suitable on the menu? Is there a chef who is happy to meet the requirements of you or your child’s diet? Or is there a self-catering option that gives you full control of what you are cooking?
It would also be helpful to research the local supermarkets and restaurants to check their offerings. Sometimes eating outside of your accommodation gives you more choice, and smaller family restaurants may more willing to adapt their menu to meet your needs - especially if contacted beforehand.
3) Remember to pack keto friendly snacks and feeds:
Packing keto friendly snacks and feeds can be a life saver in the event that you find yourself stranded/delayed and unable to find anywhere that sells anything suitable.
Such snacks can also be very useful for keeping you or your child’s hunger at bay on long day trips or excursions where there are fewer options available.
You should aim to pack snacks that are easy to carry and can be stored for long periods outside of a fridge. Ideas include; vegetables, nuts, berries, and nut butters. If you have a cooler bag and some ice packs, you could take snacks such as meats and cheese sticks. It would also be useful to pack feeds food such as pots of K.Yo™ chocolate or a drink such as bottles of betaquik® which can be drank from the bottle and resealed using the resealable lid.
4) Travel letter from your keto team:
Check with your keto tea m, whether they can provide you with an official letter stating that you or your child is following a medical ketogenic diet. This letter should be signed and state that it is important that you are able to carry certain items that may be restricted e.g. medications/foods/ketogenic feeds. This could be very helpful for airports as well as when visiting venues such as theatres and amusement parks.
5) Ensure you have the means to contact your keto team whilst away:
Before departing, make sure you carry with you your keto team contact information as well as the means to reach them. This is important in the event of an emergency as well as for communicating ketone and blood glucose levels. Also, research the emergency services number of your travel destination, hopefully this will not be needed .
For an easy way of sharing info with your keto team, download the MyKetogenicDiet Connected Care app.
