Heading on Vacation? Here's How to Still Eat Healthy Without Missing Out

Vacations are meant to be fun, not strict diets or driving yourself crazy with calorie counting while dining at new restaurants. On the other end of the spectrum, falling off the wagon during your getaway so badly that it takes weeks to get your jeans unbuttoned and unbuttoned.

Plus, there are plenty of ways to stay on track nutritionally while enjoying and enjoying new foods. Here, Ashley Croft, author of USA Today Best sellers The Unofficial Disney Parks Cookbook Offers her best tips on how to eat clean while traveling and how not to waste.

Pack clean snacks.

Having a clean breakfast readily available (especially when traveling), strengthens your line of defense against overeating due to an unpredictable schedule. “Some ideas for clean snacks would be nuts or dried fruit because they’re super-packable, or even some small beef sticks are great,” says Kraft. If you can’t or don’t want to pack your own snacks, you may be surprised to find that certain vacation destinations, like Disney, offer healthy snack options at many of their stands and dining establishments. “Most stands that sell ice cream bars or popcorn also sell whole fruit slices, so be on the lookout for that during the holidays,” she adds. When it comes to hydration, many destinations provide free water cups if you leave your bottle back at the hotel.

Check restaurant menus online before dining

Eating at a new restaurant is exciting and should be stress-free while enjoying the new food. Simply skimming the restaurant’s menu before you arrive will help you know what foods you want to enjoy and what you want to stay away from. Most menus have nutrition facts as well as allergy warnings.

For example, a great resource when ordering food at a Disney park is to pull up the menu on your phone and scroll to the bottom. For most menus, “allergy-friendly” choices are listed and often include clean foods like roasted carrots. , fruit salad, or brown rice,” Kraft says. You can choose these items as your side instead of the usual fries or mashed potatoes. If you’re eating at a counter-service place, the selection is more limited. Can, but will almost always have a salad instead of fries or something similar. The goal is to eliminate last-minute stress by making quick ordering decisions as possible when choosing a meal.

Enjoy dessert but use portion control.

When it comes to eating something sweet while dining out, it can be hard to find something plain or lightly sweet almost anywhere, so “your best bet is portion control,” says Kraft. This way you can enjoy a full meal on your trip without feeling deprived.

Sharing a dessert with a family member or friend will allow you to sample delicious desserts without experiencing a sugar hangover. (or sorry).

Try these clean and delicious recipes at home (or on your way to Disney).

Some of Kraft’s favorite clean recipes are shared from her book, ‘The Unofficial Disney Parks EPCOT Cookbook,’ are filled with taste and health in mind.

Shutterstock

Grilled Baby Vegetables (Serves 4)

(From Flower Full Kitchen, EPCOT International Flower and Garden Festival)

A delicious vegan appetizer made with delicious vegetables. The combination of hummus and red pepper coulis creates a parade of new flavors in your mouth.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and chopped.
• 1⁄2 medium yellow onion, peeled and chopped.
• 1⁄2 cup vegan white cooking wine
• 1⁄2 cup vegetable stock
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 medium zucchini, cut lengthwise into 4 pieces 1 medium yellow squash, halved and cut lengthwise into 4 pieces
• 4 medium cherry tomatoes
• 1 large carrot, peeled and cut on a diagonal into 4 pieces
• 1 teaspoon salt 1⁄2 teaspoon ground black pepper 4 tablespoons plain hummus

Instructions:

1. Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick pan over medium heat. Add red pepper and onion. Stir and cook for 3-5 minutes, until soft and slightly charred. Remove from heat and carefully pour the mixture into a blender. Add wine and vegetable stock and blend until smooth. Pour into a container, cover, and refrigerate for 2 hours.
2. Rub the vegetables with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill over medium-high heat until tender and slightly charred, 5-7 minutes. (If you don’t have a grill, heat the vegetable oil in a clean large nonstick pan over medium heat. Add the zucchini, squash, cherry tomatoes, and carrots. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Stir and cook for 5 to 7 (Cook for 10 minutes. Vegetables are soft and slightly charred.)
3. Scoop 1 tablespoon hummus and red pepper coulis onto each of four center plates. Add 1 piece of each vegetable. Serve immediately.

Seventy four

Power Green Salad (serves 4)

(From Regal Eagle Smokehouse, American Adventure Pavilion)

This quick service restaurant is known for its tender, smoked meats served in a variety of styles from across the United States. Sometimes, to break up a sweet meal, a nice refreshing salad is in order. It certainly fits the bill, with a tangy dressing and an array of lettuce with fun toppings. Lemon adds a bright flavor designed to balance heavy meats.

Ingredients:

• 3⁄4 cup olive oil
• 1⁄4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons pulp-free orange juice
• 4 tablespoons granulated sugar ⁄2 medium lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 8 cups mixed salad greens 4 tablespoons toasted, salted sunflower seeds
• 4 tablespoons dried cranberries 1 medium orange, peeled and chopped 2 medium radishes, finely chopped

Instructions:

1. In a small bowl or 8-ounce mason jar, combine the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, lemon and orange juices, sugar, lemon zest, salt, and pepper.
2. Mix or whisk until well combined. The dressing will keep in the refrigerator in a sealed jar for up to 1 week.
3. For each serving, place 2 cups mixed salad greens in a large bowl and top with 1 tablespoon sunflower seeds, 1 tablespoon cranberries, 1 quartered
4. Orange and 1⁄2 sliced ​​radish.
5. Drizzle with sour dressing and toss to combine.

Enjoy!

Excerpted from The Unofficial Disney Parks EPCOT Cookbook by Ashley Croft. Copyright © 2022 by Ashley Croft. Photos by Harper’s Point Photography. Used by permission of the publisher. All rights reserved

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