What Does a Dietitian Eat on Vacation?

So what does a dietitian eat on vacation?  Are you even interested in this topic? I took some great pics an had some yummy meals, so I thought it would be fun to share.  Plus, I want you to know that I DO take vacations from my more strict approach to healthy eating.  I’ve told you guys that I like sweets and that I definitely indulge, but sometimes I wonder if you believe me.  (As an aside, you should follow me on Pinterest, because you’ll really see how much I <3 sweets there!  And if you followed me on Instagram, you would already know that I was on vaca.)

I had a wonderful vaca with my hubs, little G, my SIL and her two boys and my MIL and FIL.  Such sweet memories were made and many laughs shared.  I love them all, so it was great to spend the week together.  We rode bikes to the beach, played in the pool and the ocean, shared meals, and adventures.

When I vacation, I do loosen up about food.  But I don’t just throw caution to the wind for every meal for the whole week.  Here’s why…I’m selfish.  I know how it makes me feel.  Namely, sluggish, tired, bloated, and dry.  Even still, I did enjoy a few adult beverages, donuts, and ice cream — things I wouldn’t necessarily enjoy all in the same week.  It was delish.

But even when I’m on vaca, there are a few things I still almost always do:

1. Drink plenty of water.  Starting in the morning with 2 cups plus a squeeze of lemon.  Nothing magic here, just an opportunity to jump start my rehydration after no water all night.
2. Eat plant-based foods.  I preach this all the time.  On vacation it’s still important and I look for opportunities to plug in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains at as many meals as possible.
3. Travel with healthy foods and snacks.  I cleaned out the fridge and took nearly all of the fruits (apples, bananas, oranges, and lemons) veggies (spinach, broccoli and red peppers) with us.  I also made sure I had peanut butter, peanuts, granola, granola bars, and plain Greek yogurt.  We hit the grocery store the morning after we arrived in order to ensure that the fridge was stocked with what we like to eat.
4. Cook.  Wherever we stay, if it’s for more than a couple of nights, I make sure we have a kitchen.  Meals don’t have to be complicated.  However, just like the rest of the time, we give over control of our nutritional healthwhen we depend on someone else to make all of our meals.  Sandwiches, scrambled eggs, and salads are super easy to throw together.’
5. Look for local.  Whether it’s fruits and veggies at the farmer’s market or fish on the local menu, I try to ask about local flavors.  Mostly I do this because it’s interesting, usually fresher, and provides a taste of the place I’ve come to visit.

What about you?  Do you just throw caution to the wind or do you still make healthy eats a priority, like me?