Whether you’re about to hit the road for a last-minute getaway with the family before school starts, or planning ahead for fall and winter escapes, we’ve compiled some of the best tips and advice for staying active and healthy while you’re traveling. Don’t leave home without ‘em!
Eating Healthy While On the Road
- Plan Ahead. Pack healthy snacks like fruits and veggies, and a water bottle for hydration! S’well bottles will keep your water cold for 24 hours without getting everything in your bag wet from condensation.
- Find the Fresh Case. Looking for the good stuff at convenience stores? Kwik Trip, a chain with more than 475 locations across Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa, encourages travelers to seek out freestanding coolers that house whole and cut fruits, vegetables and dip, salads, hardboiled eggs, yogurts, low fat cheese and other goodies like pretzel and hummus cups. Some convenience stores, like the California-based Loop Neighborhood stores, or Enmarket in the southeast, offer fresh salad bars daily, as well as grab-and-go salads and sandwiches.
- Customize Your Meal. More and more convenience stores are giving customers the opportunity to build their own sandwiches or salads, and at Pennsylvania-based convenience store Sheetz, you can even create your own burrito bowl. Sticking with a lean protein like chicken or turkey and piling on the veggies is a good starting point to creating a healthier meal.
Keeping your family on a healthy vacation schedule
- Consistency is Key. Sleep and meal times should be consistent to keep the kids relaxed.
- Don’t Skip Breakfast. Our friends at Westin Hotels & Resorts say you should start every day with breakfast. Whether at home or on the road, it’s important that every morning starts with a fueling breakfast within one hour of waking up and then mini-meals every 2.5-3 hours after that. They suggest an Egg White Breakfast Tostada with Black Bean Corn Salsa from their SuperFoodsRx menu for you and Yogurt and Granola from their Westin Eat Well Menu for Kids for little ones. These are simple things you can make at home too. Having the energy to conquer the day ahead is just as important for adults as it is kids.
- Sleep Well. As one would say after a night on Westin’s Heavenly Bed: Sleep = Success. Whether taking a long business trip or short trips back and forth with the kids to school, travel can be exhausting! So, set yourself up for a powerful and productive week by making sure you get ample sleep each night.
Tips for saving on vacation while sticking with healthy eats
- Plan Ahead. Sodexo says to make breakfast count. If you’re staying in a hotel that includes breakfast, have a hearty feast. Include oatmeal with nuts and dried fruit, yogurt, eggs and home fries, fresh fruit, and milk to drink. Take a banana with you for the car. Also remember to order sensibly in restaurants. Consider one appetizer each then splitting an entrée. Make sure to order items with fruits and vegetables and lean proteins.
- Love Local. Sodexo also advises you to sample local favorites! Local food and flavors are often your best bet: budget-friendly and health conscious. Pick your own apples and pears and enjoy as crispy car snacks. Buy local cherry tomatoes or carrots at a farm stand to enjoy on the fly.
- Snack Well. Did you know that eating more often will turn your body into a metabolic, lean machine? Westin Hotels says to snack on foods that are nutrient rich and naturally low in calories like blueberries, honey, dark chocolate, pumpkin and turkey. Find these and 26 other superfoods featured on the SuperFoodsRx™ at Westin Hotels and Resorts around the globe. Always making it easy for you to stay healthy while on the go.
- Drink Up. Bring a reusable bottle instead of buying a new bottle of water every time you’re thirsty.
