Starchy Vegetables<\/strong><\/p>\nStarchy vegetables like peas, pinto beans, black beans, corn, sweet potatoes, lentils, or other legumes, should fill about one-fourth of each plate of food.<\/p>\n
You can also pick whole grains instead of starchy veggies.<\/p>\n
Examples of nutritious grains include wild rice, brown rice, oatmeal, quinoa, and whole-grain pasta.<\/p>\n
Order Sauces On the Side<\/h3>\n
Ordering dressings and sauces on the side is one of the best ways to control your intake of added sugar, sodium, and total calories.<\/p>\n
Limit gravies, other white sauces, and sugar-sweetened condiments.<\/p>\n
If you consume dressings while dining out, choose oil-based dressings that don’t taste sweet.<\/p>\n
Drink Smart<\/h3>\n
To tackle eating healthy on vacation and while dining out, choose drinks wisely in addition to consuming nutritious foods.<\/p>\n
Order water whenever possible or choose unsweetened coffee, unsweetened tea, milk, unsweetened plant milk (if available), or 100% fruit juice.<\/p>\n
Steer clear of alcohol, or at least limit it as much as you can and avoid sugary mixers.<\/p>\n
Pass on Refined Grains<\/h3>\n
Refined grains, or highly process grains, are often lower in fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals than refined grains.<\/p>\n
And, it’s easy to pick whole grains instead as they taste almost identical.<\/p>\n
When dining out on vacation, steer clear of regular hot dog or hamburger buns, white bagels, white bread, white rice, regular pasta, and white tortillas.<\/p>\n
Steer clear of biscuits and other baked goods too if possible.<\/p>\n
But don’t worry if you splurge every now and then on refined grains, especially when on vacation, as having a cheat day now and then isn’t the end of the world.<\/p>\n
Other Foods to Avoid<\/h3>\n
Knowing which food to avoid is just as important as knowing which foods to choose when eating healthy on vacation.<\/p>\n
In addition to avoiding breaded meats, processed meats (ham, pepperoni, hot dogs, regular bacon, etc.), refined grains, and fried meats, say no to other fried foods, pizza, and mac and cheese.<\/p>\n
Also on the list of foods to avoid when eating in restaurants are Alfredo sauce, spaghetti sauce, cheese sauce, and sugar-sweetened condiments.<\/p>\n
Top salads with oil and vinegar or dressings containing little to no added sugar.<\/p>\n
Pick broth-based soups over cream-based soups when possible.<\/p>\n
While it’s okay to drink alcohol in moderation while on vacation, limit or avoid it as much as you can.<\/p>\n
If you do drink, limit yourself to one and avoid sugary mixers like soda and lemonade.<\/p>\n
However, don’t feel guilty about drinking on vacation.<\/p>\n
Simply use good judgment as alcohol is a high-calorie drink that provides few or no beneficial nutrients.<\/p>\n
Find out if drinking alcohol and losing weight can be done at the same time!<\/em><\/p>\n
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