Eating Out in Restaurants & Travel

[shelley]

...or "just say no to the bread basket!"

When I was a regular business traveler I had to find out ways to stay healthy on the road. Luckily, I had a large enough meal allowance that I could eat at good places, which was a huge help. Still, I ordered very creatively in order to keep up my fiber, keep essential nutrients high but calories low since hotel room life is primarily sedentary, with plenty of protein for the stress of travel and having to be in work mode for long days.

I almost always ordered soup, preferably non-cream soups. A bit of cheese was okay, but I ordered French onion soup without the crouton. I avoided bread unless it was cake or the very best, warm and fresh, baguette in the world. Usually I’d have just a few bites, mostly so I could eat lots of butter to keep up my oils.

I often ordered sandwiches, took them apart and avoided the bread. I started going to Subway when they brought in the wraps, although the wraps do have a bit of soy in them, sigh. I’d order a turkey with honey-mustard and all of the veggies, then take a trip next door for a carrot/apple/beet juice with lecithin. It was tasty, quick, I managed to take just a half hour lunch and get home earlier.

I ordered oatmeal or cream of wheat when a hot cereal was available, and I often ate breakfast for lunch and dinner. There’s nothing like a veggie omelet to get you through the day.

Don’t be afraid to substitute, especially if all you need to do is delete something. Get creative if it’s what you really want. If it’s somewhere on the menu, they can easily put it with something else -- or maybe you’ll find yourself in a real-live “Five Easy Pieces” scene.

Don’t think you have to bring the leftovers home. It’s not getting any healthier for you!

Here are some more tips:

Appetizers & Sides: I often made entire meals out of appetizers or sides. It was a great way to control portion size at those chains that think they should serve two meals’ worth of food all at once. It meant variety, and often meant better veggies than any of the main courses. Artichoke, for example. Just be sure to avoid deep-fried options. I deep fry at home occasionally, because it least the oil is only used once.

Appetizers are also a great way to get some protein without totally overdosing on protein. A skewer or two of Thai chicken and peanut sauce, for instance, followed by a main course of something that’s mostly a veggie stir fry or a wrap/spring roll/mu shu chicken or shrimp type thing.

Restaurants that serve sides of cooked vegetables or grains, take advantage of these, especially if you are lucky enough to be at a place that serves asparagus or spinach. Tell them to smother them with real butter.

Margarine & Non-dairy Creamer: Totally avoid. Ask for the annoying cubes of butter that never seem to melt instead, and a small glass of milk.

Water & Tea: Ask for water without ice and with a slice of lemon. Drink just that or add a packet of EmergenC. Great for jet lag.

If they don’t have peppermint tea or another tea that will aid your cleansing/health efforts, ask for hot water. Tell them you don’t want the tea, be sure to check to see if they charge you for tea anyway, they often do. Use your own herbal tea. If you’re a business traveler, make up a bag of tea bags with a bit of variety before you leave. Use a Ziplock or your clothes will smell of tea.

[onlyme]

Thanks Shelley! My main concern is the oils/fats they cook with and the fact that nothing is organic (escpecially the meat/fish - very scary). Also, the non-purified water that they use. The last time I had to stay in a hotel for business I couldn't even make my own tea in the room because the water tasted so chemically. It was disgusting.

On a positive note, I got my organic free-range turkey today for Thanksgiving. It's the most expensive turkey I've ever bought, but with the amount of leftovers I'm expecting, at least I'll feel safe eating them.

[shelley]

yeah, I was glad the hotels supplied bottled water. If they didn't I bought Evian. Much better tea that way!

That's why expensive restaurants are best. Eat one gourmet meal a day and safe snacks the rest of the day is what I'd usually do. A Zagat restaurant just might have the safer meats and will use olive oil and butter liberally. If you can't do that, then eat Italian - they'd NEVER use a bad oil! Or Japanese. Hmm. I should put that in the section.