February 23, 2006
Navigating Food Choices While on the Road
Where are you most likely to grab a bite while traveling or in a rush? If your answer is McDonald’s, Subway, 7-Eleven or restaurants like TGI Fridays, then you are not alone. And, when you’re in places like airports and train stations, you may not have much of a choice.
Lacking availability of nutritious, good-tasting foods while on-the-go may be forcing you into unhealthy eating habits. Nearly half of America’s U.S. food dollars are spent on away-from-home eating, and in 2005, only 60 percent of all meals were prepared and eaten in the home.
Increases in single-parent homes and households with dual careers leave limited time for at-home meal preparation, where we can determine the nutritional value of the foods we eat. Americans may be calling for convenience, but many are also desiring nutritious, gourmet foods.
While some popular food chains are beginning to address consumer demands for healthier menus, the convenience they provide often means high-caloric, “super” portioned dishes, and few, if any, wholesome options. Plus, these establishments rarely educate patrons about the nutritional value of menu choices.
The good news is that you have alternatives. By planning ahead and remaining cognizant of common pitfalls, you can wisely navigate through diet “roadblocks.”
- Pack foods like bars, string cheese, soy chips, chopped veggies/fruit, and mixed nuts. Eating a snack an hour or two before a meal will help you avoid binge eating. Insulated bags allow you to bring your own meals on trains, planes, and car or bus trips.
- Don’t wait until you are famished to find a place to eat, since you will be more likely to select the first restaurant/food chain that you encounter, regardless of the menu’s nutritional values.
- If fast food is your only option, choose places that offer healthier items like sushi, salads, yogurt, wraps, and soup.
- Choose steamed, broiled, baked, or grilled dishes over deep-fried or roasted meals.
- Forgo the fillers such as bread, butter, and appetizers, and limit amounts of condiments like salt, butter, dressings, and sauces, which are often over used.
- If your order portion is too large for one serving, ask to pack your leftovers and split the dish into two meals.
- Eat slowly and only until you are satisfied. If you feel compelled to finish all of the food on your plate, ask the server to clear the table.
In addition, food outlets that prepare nutritious and delicious meals are becoming more abundant. Gourmet and health grocery retailers, like Whole Foods, offer a vast array of prepared foods; healthy vending machines are becoming mainstream; and wholesome fast-food chains, such as O’Naturals, are opening throughout the country.
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