Taking Your Healthy Diet on t... Health Article

Whenever we travel, whether on vacation or business, we're tempted to ignore healthy eating habits until we return home. Traveling can result in the breakdown of an otherwise nutritionally sound diet.

Ordering smart

Eating in restaurants is part of travel fun. By following a few tips, you can eat out wisely whether you dine at a five-star restaurant or stop at a fast-food establishment:

• Choose restaurants with a lot of variety on the menu.

• Pick lower fat foods such as pasta, chicken, fish and salads rather than red meat.

• Choose baked, broiled, poached, steamed or grilled foods over those that are fried.

• Ask for sauces or low-fat salad dressings on the side, or request they be left off.

• Order salads minus high-fat toppings such as bacon, cheese, olives or egg yolks.

• Never be afraid to make a special request, especially if the menu offers no healthful choices.

• Enjoy bread with your meal, but limit your use of butter, margarine or other high-fat condiments.

• If portions are large, be careful not to eat the whole thing.

• Consider buffets a high-risk meal. It's tempting to get your money's worth by overeating.

Fast-food rules

Passing through small towns, having kids along or finding yourself with limited time to eat can mean a stop at a fast-food restaurant. Here's how to make these meals leaner:

• Avoid menu items labeled jumbo, deluxe or grande.

• Leave off cheese and mayonnaise, and opt for mustard or ketchup.

• Avoid pizza with high-fat meat toppings and double cheese. Instead, choose vegetable toppings.

• Stay away from fried foods. Choose low-fat alternatives such as lean roast beef, turkey, grilled chicken or the salad bar if low-calorie dressings are offered.

Snacking on the road

Snacking while you drive helps break the monotony, but often the snacks that go on the road with you are calorie-laden and high in sodium, fat or sugar. If you plan ahead, however, you can enjoy a variety of tasty, healthy snacks:

• Instead of high-fat chips, choose pretzels, breadsticks, graham crackers, ginger snaps, vanilla wafers or a low-fat, low-sugar cereal.

• Pack a cooler with fresh fruit, yogurt and cut up vegetables.

• Substitute dried fruit for candy.

• For breakfast, eat bagels (without the cream cheese) instead of doughnuts.

• Prepare sandwiches with lean meat.

• Bring a bottle of water or pack a supply of zero-calorie diet beverages.

• Stop in grocery stores along the way to replenish your supply of nutritious food and drinks.