How To Eat Healthy While Traveling: Tips and Snack Recommendations

Why It’s Important to Eat Healthy While Traveling

For many people, one of the most exciting things about traveling is tasting the local cuisine. However, it’s also important to know how to eat healthy while traveling. According to registered dietitian Emily Sullivan, it’s not hard to balance once-a-year splurges and your healthy lifestyle while traveling.

How Traveling Affects Appetite

So, does traveling hunger exist? At least to some degree, it might. Some research suggests that active traveling, like trips filled with hiking, biking, or other exercise, can affect your hunger levels. The research also shows that people who are very active on vacation tend to choose more fresh fruit and vegetables than processed foods or red meat to fulfill their physical hunger and keep their energy levels up.

Why We Eat More When We Travel

It’s not just physical hunger that makes you want to eat, especially when you’re away from home. "Some meals on vacation may serve other purposes, like trying something new or creating a memory," says Sullivan. We may eat more to try new things, enjoy the moment, or simply indulge a bit. Eating more on vacation won’t derail your progress, especially if you have nutritious meals throughout the trip and work in some daily movement.

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3 Tips for Eating Healthy While Traveling

1. Try to Have Some Control Over Your Portions

Restaurants are notorious for their huge portion sizes. Growing portion sizes can affect public health, and they certainly make it hard to know how much we should eat at each meal. You don’t have to eat the full serving you’re given at a restaurant to fully enjoy it.

Fun fact: One way to track your portions on vacation is to log them using the MyFitnessPal app. You don’t have a food scale on your trip, so use visual cues to make your best guess at portion sizes. Don’t get stressed if you exceed your usual calorie intake – you’re on vacation!

2. Always Eat Breakfast and Stay Active

For many people, healthy breakfasts are the right way to start any day, at home or while traveling. A nutritious morning meal, especially one with some protein, can help control your hunger later in the day.

Breakfast restores your body’s glucose, boosts energy, and makes you feel more alert after a period of fasting. Some healthy breakfasts you can find in many destinations include: oatmeal with fruit and nuts, smoothies with fruit, veggies, and yogurt, and whole-grain toast with avocado and an egg or smoked salmon.

Staying active during your trip, like going for a walk or enjoying a bike ride, can also boost your energy level as you do something good for both your mind and body.

3. Drink More Water

Don’t forget to pack your water bottle on your next road trip! Drinking enough water each day has many health benefits, including helping with weight loss and keeping your body hydrated. Sip on water throughout the day, especially at meal times, instead of sugary drinks or sodas.

Fun fact: You can easily track your water intake in the MyFitnessPal app!

Dietitian-Recommended Snacks for Traveling

A cinnamon roll you stress-eat at the airport doesn’t make memories or add pleasure to your trip. Having healthy snacks while eating on the road, whether driving, on a train, or on a plane, is an easy way to eat well.

Sullivan has some recommendations for foods that are good for traveling: an apple with string cheese, hummus and veggies, trail mix with dried fruit and nuts, Greek yogurt with berries and granola, and a peanut butter and banana sandwich on whole-grain bread. These snacks offer a mix of carbohydrates, healthy fats, and proteins to give you the nutrients you need and help keep you satisfied until the next mealtime.

The Bottom Line

One or two weeks of vacation shouldn’t derail all of your health goals. So take time to enjoy new or favorite foods while you travel, paying attention to what feels good for your mind and body. Eat a healthy breakfast, move throughout the day, and be in the present moment with your family and friends.

Using the MyFitnessPal app while traveling can help you stick to your eating and nutrition goals, but don’t stress if you indulge a bit. You’ll return to your usual habits, and your health will be just fine.

Conclusion

Eating healthy while traveling can be challenging, but with some simple tips and snack recommendations, you can maintain your health goals even when on the go. Remember to try to have some control over your portions, always eat breakfast, stay active, and drink more water. Don’t forget to pack healthy snacks and try new foods to keep your taste buds exciting. And most importantly, enjoy the experience and the memories you’re making while traveling.

FAQs

• How can I stay healthy while traveling?
  • Eat a balanced breakfast, pack healthy snacks, and choose restaurants that serve nutritious food. Also, try to stay active during your trip, like going for a walk or bike ride.
• What should I eat on the road?
  • Pack energy-boosting snacks like fruits, nuts, and granola bars. Avoid sugary drinks and snacks and opt for healthier choices.
• How can I track my eating and hydration while traveling?
  • Use a food diary or a mobile app like MyFitnessPal to track your food and drink intake. This will help you stay on track with your health goals and avoid consuming too many calories.
• Will indulging in vacation foods ruin my health goals?
  • No, one or two weeks of indulging in vacation foods won’t derail your health goals. Just get back to your usual habits when you return, and you’ll be fine.