Eating Healthy On the Road

Going on trips is a lot of fun, but people tend to go a little overboard. We spend lots of money, eat lots of food, and go to all sorts of attractions. That tendency to be a little gluttonous is all right in most areas, particularly if you are in dire need of a vacation, but you should never allow those tendencies to cross over to your diet!

Now, I’ll be the first to admit that eating healthy away from home isn’t easy, but it’s well worth it. Nothing feels quite as good as relaxing and eating well! You’ll come home rejuvenated and happy if you follow these simple tips on eating healthy away from home. Listed below are some really surprising places you can find good, balanced meals.

1. Pizza Hut – No, you wouldn’t expect to find anything worthwhile at Pizza Hut, but their pizza buffet usually has a salad bar as well. Yesterday, I had to choose between Pizza Hut and McDonald’s, and Pizza Hut seemed to be the lesser of the two evils. As it turns out, it wasn’t that bad! I had a salad of lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, sunflower seeds, and a little dressing. I wasn’t too sure about the cheeses or their origins, so I shied away from them. I hate fake cheese.
2. Denny’s – Again, not one you’d expect to find nutritious fun at. But they have a Build-Your-Own Grand Slam option on the menu, and I chose yogurt, oatmeal, fruit, and eggs (over easy, of course!). The oatmeal was pretty tasteless until I threw in all of my fruit and some butter. Yes, I know, butter diminishes all the good stuff, but hey, a girl’s gotta have something tasty! The fruit was sliced apples, grapes, and sliced bananas, so that put a little kick in my oatmeal. It was a great way to start the day!
3. Restaurant options – If you’re going out to a restaurant, you’ve got more options. Pasta is generally something you should think about carefully, because the noodles and cheese have so much fat and carbs you’ll feel like a beached whale. However, we went to the Spaghetti Factory in St. Louis last night, so I kind of had to choose pasta. I ordered an original marinara spaghetti with mushrooms, and it was light enough that I didn’t feel bad at all. The cheesy bread I did stay away from. *Shudder* It was super greasy! In general, stay away from really cheesy, fried, or carb-loaded options. You can get great light pastas, burgers (sometimes with avocado or veggie burger), fajitas, or any other vegetable, vitamin-loaded dishes.
4. General snacking – The best way to snack on the road is with fruit. It may be a little messy, but it’s no worse than spilling trail mix! Grab easy, one-handed fruits like grapes, apples, or peaches. Choose things you don’t have to peel to eat! Pears are also a great option. You may want to store those in a cooler, just to be sure.
5. If you’ve just got to have something from a convenience store, choose some nuts. I like Planter’s roasted almonds, though I do have to wipe the salt off them. I can’t stand a lot of salt! But if you like salted nuts, don’t worry about it. You can also choose a mix of nuts, peanuts, or cashews. Some places even have pistachios or macadamia nuts. If you need something to drink, stick with Gatorade or water, and stay away from Pepsi products!

I know that eating well on the road can be hard. It can also be inconvenient! However, I promise it’s worth it, and if you’re on a trip with friends, getting them to eat healthy can make things a lot easier. Group efforts always have better results! Good luck on your next road trip, and have a great week.