Foods to make your travel easy and healthy

We go on holidays as a break in the monotony of life. Sure most holidays are taken to refresh and rejuvenate but refreshing shouldn’t mean eating any kind of food. Suppose you have always been a healthy eater and when you go on holiday you decide to eat junk food, notice how terribly the body reacts in terms of energy, digestion and you will be prone to fall sick.

When we are travelling there is so much to do that if we fall sick in this short time it will surely be a damper. So eat smart while travelling. No matter where you are in the world, the more local, regional and seasonal food you eat, the better it is for your health. Fruits are available around the world and when consumed in the morning they will give you superb energy throughout the day and aid digestion.

Other non-perishable foods are dry fruits and nuts as they are extremely travel-friendly; can be easily carried around and eaten on-the-go during the trip. Shop smart for snacking by picking up packets of nuts like pistachios, cashew nuts, almonds, walnuts, pecans plus seeds like pumpkin, flax, sesame and sunflower seeds. They are low in glycemic index thus keeping you fuller for a longer time. Choose the roasted or salted kind as it satisfies any salt cravings preventing any untoward binging instances.

Let the wanderlust take you to the local supermarkets and farmers markets you will get ready to eat salads, wholegrain bread and raid them for fresh produce. Vegetables should be your go-to meals when travelling. Add on green salads with a simple dressing of vinaigrette, Italian, mustard ranch or a squeeze of lemon on top with a sprinkle of salt will do the trick.

Add on a tomato soup or a clear vegetable soup easily available everywhere. Accompany it with one of these fresh unprocessed choices from vegetable wraps to sandwiches, vegetable pizza, vegetable pulao, fried rice or even a Mexican bowl. You could add cheese or paneer, kidney beans or hummus, chicken or tofu, fish or prawns. Opt for healthy street foods to aloo chaats, mung chaats, dosa, idli, bhel. Fine dining can begin with a salad followed by a soup made from vegetables. Accompany this with a whole grain, a side of vegetables and a small portion of protein whether its beans, cheese, egg, fish or chicken. One can ask for a fruit as a dessert.

Yoghurt, plain or naturally sweetened is easily available and is satisfying and filling. Water is your best friend while travelling. One can get dehydrated quickly. Fluids are a must while travelling be it coconut water if holidaying in a tropical area or just simple water. Every person should individually have large water bottles.

On long flights drink lots of water thus preventing dry mouth. We need a litre more of water on flights than on the ground. Sucking on lemon and chewing on ginger prevents air sickness. Avoid all aerated beverages, alcohol, wine, coffee and tea since they cause dehydration too. Airline meals tend to be too greasy, high fat, high calorie, and low on fibre and devoid of nutrition.

Pack a whole grain sandwich, a handful of nuts and a fresh fruit as these keep you feeling light and are packed with enough energy. No matter where you are in the world, stay away from white flour, sugary beverages, aerated drinks and fried food. Don’t let the travel bug make you catch any other bugs this holiday season. Eat smart and avoid any extra annoying kilos.