Healthy Eating Tips When Traveling

Getting yourself and kids ready for a trip or vacation takes a lot of planning. When I travel, one of the things on the top on my list (other than what shoes to bring) is what snacks to bring for the journey. When you're traveling you don't always have a lot of food options. This is always a challenge for me because I am conscious about what I eat and feel better when I stick to my familiar foods.

Now that I've painted a glowing picture of how dedicated I am to how I eat, I will tell you that most of my good habits go out the window when I'm on the road. The reality is that most airports, amusement parks and other vacation destinations offer a limited selection of healthy food options.

Here are a few tips I have found helpful for creating a little healthy balance while on the road:

1. Bring your own snacks with you for air travel and roads trips. This is something you can control. Nuts, fresh or dried fruit, water, single serving boxes of juice, trail mix, anything sturdy and non-perishable. Don't forget a few cookies or treats for those situations when you need a total distraction for yourself or the kids.

2. Pick meals that have as little junk as possible. Go for whole wheat, flatbread pizza if given the option. It has less bread and more nutritional ingredients than traditional pizza. Choose fruit salad over chips or french fries as a side dish. A hamburger is a better choice than a hot dog, less fat and more protein.

3. Forget the sodas and sugary drinks – always have water available it's the best beverage for quenching your thirst and restoring hydration. Coconut water is a good selection as well and is available in those easy single serving juice boxes.

4. Have fun and don't stress if you're not eating as healthy as you would like. Stress is unhealthier than many of the foods you'll be enjoying.

Believe me, if I'm paying about a$100 per person to get into Disneyland, I'm going to enjoy every minute of it!