Vacation Nutrition

Last week I had the pleasure of taking a couple of days off of work and going on a mid-week mini-vacation.  It was just what I needed, a relaxing 36 hours of no stress and no worry of what was going on at home.  As I was walking around the outdoor water park area, a couple of things struck me.  One being the fact that I am surprised ANYONE can find their child once they take one step off the elevator (child leashes would be a good idea), and there is nothing to eat except fried cheese curds, french fries, fried mozzarella sticks, or bacon.  And of course sugary, calorie-packed blended adult beverages are a must.  I began to wonder, how can you still eat healthfully on vacation?

The best thing to do is be prepared that you will probably be hungry at some point and know that buying concession foods might be the only option.  So, what can you do to avoid having to buy those fatty foods?  Try to pack some healthy snacks in a bag before you head to the hotel.  Some great ideas would be raw almonds or pistachios, soy chips or pretzel thins with hummus, nut butter and whole wheat bread, veggies like carrot sticks, celery, and cucumber, fruit such as apples, grapes, and berries, or for that sweet tooth bring along some dark chocolate with almonds.  Make sure to check whether or not your hotel room contains a refrigerator before bringing food with you that needs to be kept cold.  If there is no refrigerator and you really want to bring food that needs to be kept cold, you can always bring the food in a cooler and use the ice from the hotel to keep it cold.

Plan, plan, plan!!  Before you head out of the hotel room for the morning, afternoon, or whole day, plan when you will be eating and stick to the plan.  If you did bring snacks for the room, try to have something with some carbohydrate and protein to hold you over until you can have something a bit more nutritious and you don't have to stop at a fast food venue or concession stand for food.  Most hotels these days have continental breakfasts with some healthy options.  Shoot for some fruit, whole grain cereal, or a muffin made from whole grains or oats.  Try to stay away from those pastries or pancakes covered with butter and syrup.  These options might taste great, but all the sugar and refined carbohydrates will fill you up fast and give you a crash in couple of hours, leaving you feeling hungry sooner.

If buying food from a concession stand or other less-than-ideal fast food venue is the only option, try to go for something with at least a little nutritional value.  If possible, stay away from something fried, which I am very aware can be next to impossible.  Try to choose a turkey or ham sandwich, even if the bread uses refined flour.  Ask for extra lettuce and tomato on that sandwich to get the most nutrition, and no need to have fries with that.  If the only items you have to choose from is fried, fried, and more fried, always get the smallest size and try to not eat the whole thing.  Even leaving one or two bites will reduce the amount of calories and saturated fat you consume.  Try and choose a fried food that might also give you some sort a nutritional benefit (I know, that sounds a lot like an oxy-moron).  Something like fried mushrooms, pickles, or sweet potatoes would be better choices than fried cheese curds, funnel cakes, or fried butter (yup, I went there: fried butter!).

Now, lets talk about the booze.  Most of us dream of a perfect vacation as sitting on a white sandy beach with a perfectly blended, brightly colored, fruity drink quaintly topped with a mini umbrella.  Because that is what most Americans dream of on vacation, most vacation destinations have plenty of these drinks in a bountiful supply.  Unfortunately, these drinks also can pack up to 550 calories per glass!  That can add up fast.  Instead, try to stay away from blended and fruity drinks that are a bright neon color.  That color comes from sugary syrup that gets added and packs in the calories.  Try to stay with clear colored alcohol, mixed with a diet soda, soda water, or light fruit juice.  Also, try some mixed drinks that are flavored with herbs like cilantro or mint.  The herbs won't add any calories and will pack in the flavor.

As I sat on the picnic table eating my basket of fried cheese curds, I couldn't help but think: I better start telling my clients to do as I say and not as I do.  But I had an amazing vacation!  If you don't want to over think your vacation, my favorite saying is perfect in this situation: everything in moderation!  Enjoy your vacations!