 Road Trips
Travel season is just around the corner and with it comes the challenge of how to continue to eat well and get your exercise in while away from home. Although it is good to have a change of pace and scenery, and even a break from your diligence, you can easily undo months of hard work in just a couple of weeks of travel. Remember, healthy living is about lifestyle changes, and that means maintaining them even when you travel.
Last month, I mentioned that travel season is coming up. Many people like to take road trips over the summer. I think this is one of the easiest ways to travel healthy. Whenever we take road trips, we always bring a cooler. This way, I can keep healthy snacks available. We also make our own meals for breakfast and lunch.
We have breakfast in our hotel room. I pack cereal and we pick up milk at a convenience store. Many hotels have their own convenience store where you can buy a small container of milk. Disposable bowls and spoons will leave you with no dishes to have to wash. It is wonderful to be able to get up and have a quick breakfast before hitting the road or heading out for sightseeing.
I also like to pack our lunches. Sandwiches are easy to make and you can buy small condiment containers for travel. A few months ago, we took a long weekend trip to the Grand Canyon. My grocery store had a sale on Lunchables (the ones that are specifically designed for adults). They were quite good and made for a tasty, simple, no hassle lunch. They were only a few dollars each.
This leads to another point: taking your own food not only saves calories, it saves money. That money can be spent on things that are a lot more fun than food.
Because we know we are careful with what we eat at breakfast and lunch, we can splurge a little on dinner. We might have a couple of nice dinners during the trip and are able to order a dessert and enjoy it without guilt.
If you are on a longer trip, plan to stop at a grocery store once or twice along the way and restock.
If you are traveling with children, the cost savings are even larger. When my daughter was little, she always looked forward to having breakfast in the room on our trips. Before we left, we went to the store and she got to pick out a selection of little cereal boxes. Kids really love those things. I remember liking them when I was little too. Now, they also sell them as ready-made bowls of cereal; you simply peel back the cover and add milk.
Don't forget to pack healthy snacks too. Fruit cups, yogurt and nuts are all great choices. Many fresh fruits also travel well; try apples, bananas and oranges.
Have fun with it. When you shop for travel foods, it's different than your ordinary grocery shopping. Take the family along and let everyone pick a personal favorite. You might even create some new fun family memories.
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