Tourism & More

Health on the Road

November 2004

Although many of our guests claim they seek fine dinning at a leisurely pace, all too often the opposite is true. To add to the eating difficulties, tourism professionals often have almost no time to eat and when they do eat, it is at very irregular hours. For the most part, being tourism professionals and constantly on the run means that we too sacrifice good nutrition.

For tourism industry professionals eating out or at banquets has become practically a way of life. This lack of personal nutritional caring translates into sour moods, lost productivity and poor customer service. It is possible, however, to find nutritional meals when dining out or even on the run. Tourism & More’s travel nutrition expert, Nutrition guru, Joachim Gloschat, provides several ways to do your job, keep your visitors happy and still eat well. Read and review his materials carefully; it will not only make your parents happy, but may even increase your productivity!

• Restaurant dining considerations. Although some restaurants are trying to take appropriate steps in providing healthy fare, the choices they decide to put into the menu may pose challenges. Encourage local restaurants to provide healthy alternatives. Whether eating on the run or at a restaurant, anyone can make healthy choices. It is easy to find fresh fruit, salads, grilled chicken, baked potatoes, and vegetables. For example, vegetable soups are a quick choice for lunch or snacks (assuming the water is safe). To survive at the office or on the road consider then the following:
• Exercise good eating habits. Eat as slowly as possible. It takes 20 minutes for your brain to register that you are no longer hungry. Ask a registered nutritionist or health professional if eating supplemental enzymes just before the meal may ease digestive problems such as gas or burning. Eat sequentially: eat the easy-to-digest food first, while saving the heavier foods for last. For example, eat your vegetables before the meat.
• Make good eating choices. When dining out, do not be afraid to make healthy choices. Most restaurants want to please their customers and are usually willing to satisfy specific requests. In restaurants, the chef often has control over cooking styles and portions. Don’t be afraid to ask for specific methods of cooking and preparation. The following list contains some great dining out suggestions:
• Ask for nutritional information. When menus make claims such as “healthy,” “light,” or “heart smart,” the restaurant must provide nutritional information to those that request it.
• Choose baked, broiled, or grilled (not fried) chicken, turkey, or seafood instead of red meat, or become a traveling vegetarian.
• Select leaner cuts of red meat. Sirloin steaks, filet mignon and pot roast are good choices.
• Substitute a salad or additional vegetable for French fries or a loaded baked potato.
• Avoid soft drinks and instead drink pure water. In places where water purity is not controlled consider substituting beer for water. Never forget that ice is made from water and can be a source of impurity.
• To cut down on calories, try some of the following suggestions:
• Order sauces and salad dressings on the side. Use sauces sparingly and preferably not at all.
• Request salsa or flavored vinegar to add flavor instead of salt.
• Request clarified butter on the side to use on your vegetables and baked potato or, better yet, leave it out.
• Request that food be prepared with olive oil instead of butter, margarine or shortening. Remember, depending on the margarine, it may actually be worse for you than real butter.
• Forgo the cheeses and croutons on salada or at the salad bar. In many places, be careful not to order steaks rare. Leave off the potato and substitute it with a double order of grilled or steamed vegetables. Consider becoming a vegetarian whenever you are away from home. Ask, however, if your vegetables are prepared in a microwave oven. Vegetables, such as broccoli, which are cooked in a microwave, can lose up to 90% of their nutritional value.
• Know when and what to leave. Forget about eating all the food on your plate. In some countries such as the USA or Israel, many restaurant portions are too generous; leave at least 25% on your plate. If you have a place to store food then “Doggie” bags are wonderful options. If the restaurants will allow you, consider ordering the senior citizen or children’s size portion.
• Healthy road trips. Traveling successfully requires careful planning. Encourage guests to consider taking a cooler with them. A well-stocked cooler is more economical than buying snacks at the rest stops. A cooler also offers you nutritional security because the guest controls the foods he/she will be eating.
• List places where visitors can go to purchase healthy snacks. Often, eating done while traveling is “non-hunger” eating. Pack snacks that provide maximum chewing and crunch value. Boxes of raisins and baby carrots are great. Pack pre-portioned foods such as individual bags of nuts, trail mix and favorite dry cereals. Cut an apple or pear into sections. Keep the portions reasonable. Do not forget to bring bottled drinking water.
• To preserve freshness and eliminate chemicals, wash fruits and vegetables, but don’t peel them in places where it is safe to eat raw fruits. However in places where there is a question as to sanitation conditions, always peel fruits and vegetables. Use a variety of items. Baby carrots are always a good choice, but also consider including other foods from the area of the world in which you find yourself. For example, depending on local conditions, consider pre-cut celery, bell peppers, or cucumbers. Other healthy and portable snacks may be fresh and dried fruits, rice cakes, cans of tuna, and dried cereal. Match these foods with your travel needs. For example, if traveling by air, do not take foods that need a peeling knife
• Chat with your nutritionist or medical advisor as to which types of supplemental vitamins you need. Remember that vitamin intake is not only determined by your body needs but also by places to which you are traveling, length of trip and amount of stress that the travel may produce.

You can have your cake and eat it too! Just because you are on the road does not mean your health or shape has to suffer. All it requires is a little forethought and attention. Always make sure that your on-the-road eating meets your life style and personal nutritional needs. Enjoy!

Tourism & More thanks Joachim Gloschat for all of his work on this article.