Who doesn't love going on vacation? It gives us a chance to let off some steam, decompress, relax and just let go and forget the real world for a few days.
It just seems that the four major vacation food groups are the burger group, the pizza group, the fried group and the sugar group...not to mention the alcohol group! It's just not always that easy to eat healthy while on the road.
From gas station convenience stores to airport convenience stands to hotel vending machines, there aren't a lot of good choices when it comes to sustenance. Fortunately, some choices are better than others, and we've put together a few tips to guide you through the maze of Mountain Dew, barbecue potato chips and artificially-flavored moon pies.
- If you're thirsty, drink water. It sounds like a simple solution, but sports drinks and juice blends contain way too much sugar and will only offer a brief boost before the inevitable post-sugar crash. If you're driving on that trip, the last you want is that big letdown when you want to be sharp behind the wheel.
- When it comes to getting some protein and good fat, go nuts! Peanuts, almonds and cashews offer excellent protein, essential vitamins like A and E and sometimes fiber. They also provide plenty of carbohydrates and, in most cases, good fats. Just try to avoid those cooked in hydrogenated oils as these will likely contain some trans fats. Trail mix containing a variety of nuts mixed with raisins adds some extra fiber and carbohydrates to the mix for a nice pick-me-up.
- For the carnivores, beef jerky is an excellent source of low-fat, high-protein nutrition. Although traditionally high in sodium and potentially containing nitrites as a preservative, you can now find organic and all-natural jerky as well as turkey jerky in some places that are lower in sodium and free of nitrates.
- How about good, old-fashioned, found-in-nature fruit? In the airport, you may need to head to the food court and pay quite a bit more than supermarket prices for that apple or banana, but you should be able to find some. Convenience stores seem to be stocking more fresh fruit these days as well.
- Rich in protein, calcium and the B vitamins, yogurt makes a great meal on the road. Whether low fat or no fat, mixed with fruit or cereal or just plain, yogurt will fill you up with the right stuff.
It's not impossible to ignore the cravings that send you to drive through window or make you reach for that candy bar, you just need to plan ahead and know what the look for. If you go in looking for something specific, it's a lot easier than simply looking for something to feed a craving.
Enjoy your trip and still feel good about what you eat!
