One of the challenges of traveling is finding healthy meals that aren’t going to muck up your budget—or digestive system. Too many restaurant meals in a row, and I end up feeling grumpy, bloated and blah. Although it’s lovely to treat yourself to full-course feasts, especially in cities known for gourmet food, sometimes the simplest meals are the best.

Press time for this month’s magazine finds me in London for the 2019 NACS Convenience Summit Europe (look for coverage in the August issue), and I’ve made it a point this trip to eat better than I usually do when I travel. Inspired by the magazine’s focus this month on fresh food, I’ve been searching out healthy grab-and-go fare at convenience stores along my journey.

I’ve made it a point this trip to eat better than I usually do when I travel.

From Virginia to Reykjavík, Iceland, to London, eating well has been easy—and inexpensive. I had an amazing yogurt bowl of coconut milk, chia seeds, fresh mango and shaved coconut at Reykjavík Airport’s Mathús, and in London, I’ve been crushing on Marks & Spencer branded bottled juices, especially Pressed Tropical Juice with Kale, along with avocado quinoa egg bowls. I’ve found other yummy, fresh offerings at Sainsbury Local, Co-op and Tesco Express, too.

Amsterdam is next up as NACS Market Tours Europe explores c-store innovations in the city long known for legalized use of marijuana. In the U.S., legalization moves by many states, coupled with the declassification of hemp-based products by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, has brought a slew of cannabidiol (CBD) products to market. Retailers who stock CBD-infused consumables—beverages, in particular—are walking a tight rope in a legislative gray area as the magazine explores this month in “Balancing Act.”

It’s still early days for me at NACS, and I’m getting a handle on the myriad legal and regulatory challenges that U.S. convenience retailers face. This month’s Inside Washington column is a must read. It’s all about the legislative issues that keep the NACS government relations team up at night—so our member retailers can sleep.