Got plans to find sunshine? Escape the winter drear? Good! Early spring is a great time to get out of town and take a vacation. It's a form of self-care.
Self-care also involves relaxing, getting good sleep, spending time with loved ones, and eating good food! For your self-care vacation, here are a few tips on how to eat good, healthy, wholesome food on the road.
1. Pack Travel Snacks -- whether you are road tripping, flying, staying with family or in a rental, it's important to keep healthy snacks handy. It's all too easy to make an impulse buy for a quick bite when you're traveling. To keep impulse buys at bay, pack some go-to snacks for when you need a little pick me up. Here are some of my favorite healthy travel snacks:
Trail mix - homemade is best; buy your favorite nuts in bulk, add some dried fruit, or dark chocolate chips and viola! Try with pistachios, almonds, cashews, walnuts, Brazil nuts, etc! Trail mix contains healthy fat, fiber, and protein to keep blood sugar steady and the belly happy.
Veggie chips - potato chips are such a handy and tasty snack to have, but they don't pack much nutritional punch. Try subbing in veggies chips for potato chips. The healthiest kind are the ones that are purely dehydrated vegetables - like Terra chips or Setton Farms Dried Veggie chips.
Fruit with nut butters - while fruit is a healthy snack, it tends to be high in carbohydrates, which can spike your blood sugar when eaten alone. Pair an apple or banana with some almond butter, peanut butter, or sunflower butter to keep blood sugar steady. Many companies make travel packets of nut butters for ease and pack-ability. My favorite brands are Justin's and Wild Friends.
2. Stay Hydrated - getting adequate hydration can be a challenge while traveling, especially because you don't want to be that person that has to use the bathroom every 30 minutes...believe me I know that feeling! During travel, make a point to drink 2 cups of water every 3 hours. You can drink 2 cups at once with every rest stop or sip throughout the trip. Once stationed at your destination, keep at least this rule in mind. Remember that being in the sun and drinking alcohol are both dehydrating, so more water may be necessary.
3. Veg Out -- This tip is specifically for going out to eat. When dining, order at least 1 dish of vegetables. Perhaps an appetizer to share or a side salad with the meal. Eat the veggies first. More veggies in the diet means healthier skin, regular bowel movements, and better mood. Give yourself the gift of feeling good on your vacation!
Enjoy your travels. Love your companions. And treat yourself! You deserve it!