Plan Ahead For Your Vacation

Like many of my readers, I’m heading to the beach this year for vacation, and I’m driving to get there, which means I can take along more stuff than I can possibly use! This also means I can easily take along some healthy foods so I don’t fall into the “there’s nothing to eat so I’m stuck eating whatever is available” trap.

Now, that doesn’t mean I don’t indulge when I’m on vacation because I do. It means I can make the choice to indulge and on what.

Has this happened to you? You spent all day, or maybe two, packing clothes/toys/stuff and getting ready. Depending on how long your drive was (or how young your children are), you had to eat along the way and make multiple stops. By the time you got to your destination you’re exhausted, hungry and cranky and so was everyone else. You didn’t pack any food (or maybe just some pretzels and chips because they were easy and relatively neat and tidy) because you didn’t want to haul a cooler when you could just go grocery shopping when you got to your destination. The problem is that, like I mentioned above, you were tired and starving and, if you were going to a rental house, everyone and their mother had a three o’clock in check-in and were on the same schedule as you so the grocery store was packed! The very last thing you wanted to do was unpack your car, get back in and go food shopping (more than likely you wanted to plop in chaise lounge chair with a cocktail or a beer!) Oh, yeah, and you got constipated because you didn’t drink  any water or sit down to have a real meal in the previous 48 hours. If this sounds familiar, take some easy steps to prevent it on this summers vacation.

Pack enough food to get you through the drive and at least the first day or two so you feel good about drinking those cocktails and your digestive track stays, well,  on track.

1.     Nuts and seeds. They are packed with nutrients and healthy fat so they’ll tie you over during a long car ride, especially if you eat them with a fiber filled, sweet, crunchy apple.
2.     Apples. They travel well.
3.     Romaine lettuce. You can buy organic Romaine in bags so they pack well and stay fresh. Romaine stands up better than spring mix, too.
4.     Hummus. Quick easy snack with celery and carrots.
5. Celery sticks.
6. Carrot sticks.
7. Cashew or almond butter.
8.     Protein powder that mixes easily with water (http://personalbest.getprograde.com/protein-powder.html) Or a plant based option is Vega Sport (www.vegasport.com/recover/performance-protein)
9. Mary’s Gone Crackers gluten-free crackers. A grain-free snack.
10.Berries. Not so easy to pack compared to apples, but loaded with fiber and anti-oxidants and so yummy that they are worth the effort.
11.Chicken breast and BBQ sauce (I recommend Bulls Eye because is doesn’t contain high fructose corn syrup). This will make your first dinner a snap.
12.Corn on the cob. Again, quick and easy if you through them on the grill, un-shucked and wrapped in foil. (remember, corn is a grain, so not so great if you are eating grain-free)
13.Spinach. Leafy dark greens are packed with vitamins and minerals. I buy organic brand in the clam shell package because it’s easy to pack that way.
14.Almond milk, unsweetened. Packs well and is a terrific base for smoothies with your spinach and berries.
15.Water. Don’t leave home without water to drink in the car (and if the water tastes really bad at your vacation home, you won’t drink it and become dehydrated.)