Vacation Mode Gone Rogue: Staying on Track
Author: be well™ with Big Y® Registered Dietitian Team
Give yourself space to indulge with these plant-forward tactics.
Ahh, vacation. A stress-free moment in time to spend winding down and rejuvenating. Who’s thinking about their eating during this time, right? The name of the game is to grab whatever is at your disposal and carry on with the relaxing days ahead.
A week here and there of this laissez-faire style of eating won’t do much to break your wellness goals. If vacation mode becomes nine weeks of summer where you check out of health goals altogether that could become an issue.
Here are some thoughtful ways to bring your vacation mode back on track if it starts to go rogue:
Set the Tone
There may be nothing like a cinnamon donut from the infamous diner on the boardwalk but choosing indulgences for the first meal of the day can cause mid-morning energy slump. Enjoy vacation must-haves here and there, but make your breakfast a nutrition priority most days.
The best way to fuel the day ahead is to add colors from fruits and vegetables to your breakfast. Whether its white banana slices added to cereal, red raspberries on top of yogurt, green spinach in an egg scramble or a side of carrot sticks to crunch on, including fruits and vegetables at the first meal of the day will keep you feeling full with enough energy to carry throughout morning.
Snack in Color
As you hit the road for fun-filled adventures, keep a supply of snacks on hand. A car full of hangry family members is the quickest way to kill a good vibe. When packing swimsuits, towels and sunscreen, include shelf-stable fruit and vegetable options like dried apricots, applesauce-blend squeeze pouches, canned veggie single-serve cups and snack-size tomatoes. Let sight-seeing take you to new foodie finds as well. Pack an insulated cooler with frozen ice packs for any farm stands you pass along the way with delicious edibles like fresh berries, pea pods and green beans.
Speckle in Plant Based
You may have heard of Meatless Mondays®, but what about sprinkling in plant-based meal lovin’ throughout multiple meals throughout the week?
Going meat-free one dinner each week is a great start for weaving in more water, fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidant-acting plant compounds called phytochemicals into your meal plan. The impact on your health will be exponential when including at least two more meatless-meals in your menu lineup on a weekly basis.
In the weeks ahead, extend the blissful vibes of vacation while being mindful not to go completely off track. Planning to #HaveAPlant with breakfast and snacks while eating at least 2-3 plant-based meals throughout the week will keep you feeling great all season long.
Published 8/1/2022