You may be wondering how a crockpot can make travel healthier. This time, I’m not talking about while you are actually traveling, but once you get home. For me, day trips are the worst offenders. You get up at 4am, fly out at 6am, work all day, then get home at 9 or 10 or 11pm. At that point, it’s really easy to stop by the nearest fast food joint on the way home from the airport. Or throw a frozen pizza in the oven. There are several very tasty places on my drive from the airport to my house, including Popeyes, Sonic, and Whataburger. Delicious, fast, and very unhealthy.

Enter the slow cooker, or crockpot. Seriously, this is one of the greatest inventions ever. I will prep ingredients the night before, then dump it all in the crockpot and turn it on before I leave the house. Slow cookers with timers work best for this; if yours doesn’t have a timer, I recommend an upgrade. It will cook all day, then be ready when I get home that night. Or, if my husband is working at home that day, he will turn it on. It’s so easy, and SO much better for you. Sometimes when I will be gone for a few days, and my husband will have long working days, I will prep one or two meals in advance for him to make while I’m gone. It keeps him from eating out, which means he is eating better and spending less.

My favorite recipe site is A Year of Slow Cooking–this woman is incredible, and everything we have tried is very tasty. The best ones are Mediterranean chicken, blue cheese and steak roll ups, and General Tso’s chicken.

Readers, what are your favorite tips for eating healthy during travel times?

Somehow, some way, I made it through. The swim was the best part, and I finished faster than I had ever finished. The bike ride, eh. The first half was pretty bad, but once I got into my rhythm (and started interacting more with the women around me!) it was good. And most of the “run” was good, although the last half mile was straight uphill. Ouch. But I finished! I slept most of yesterday afternoon, and am pretty sore today, but overall I don’t feel too bad. I kept getting asked if I will do it again–and I think I will! I would like to train with a group, instead of just by myself, but I think I will! Here are a few pictures.

Sunrise that morning. Guess there are good things about getting up early after all....

The slightly chaotic swim start

It looks so peaceful from this distance.....