How To Eat More Healthfully When You Travel

One of my favorite things about traveling is eating and trying new foods. This isn't always a great plan, especially when you find that none of your pants fit at the end of your trip. I am not an exerciser, but when I am on vacation, I walk a lot and climb all the stairs. Of course, I also eat more than I do at home, because...yum. If you've been reading my blog for a while, you know that I will plan whole days around where I want to eat. More than once I've gained some weight on my trip and had trouble getting into my clothing by the end. You want to throw the rules out the window, but you also want to try to eat healthfully, if it doesn't hold you back from eating all the stuff.

Eat smaller meals

If you're always hungry on vacation, maybe don't go crazy and order a huge meal when you've also been snacking along the way. Maybe order an appetizer when you sit down for lunch. Or put some healthy snacks (nuts, granola bars, fruit, veggies) in your day bag to munch on in between meals so you aren't stopping and getting a hot dog or other crap from a street vendor before heading to lunch or dinner.

Say no to the free bread (or chips and salsa)

I love carbs. And I love, love, love bread. It might be difficult to tell your server to not bring that delicious bread basket, especially when you feel like you're starving. Unfortunately, it's easy to eat the whole loaf of bread they bring you and then eat your entire meal before realizing that it was a bad idea and being overstuffed. If you don't have it, you can't eat it.

lobster sandwich with fries that we split, but we also had a stuffed mushrooms app

Split an entree with a friend

Eric and I do this a lot. Sometimes we're hungry, but not hungry enough to eat a whole meal, so we choose something that we both want on the menu and share. You are full, but not super full when you're done, so you don't want to lay down and take a nap or feel sluggish the rest of the day. If we can't decide if splitting something would be enough, we ask the server about the portion size. If they seem iffy about it, or we do, we also order an app. This is a good budget dining tip as well. 

Don't order everything on the menu, unless there's a lot more than 2 of you

Share some tapas

Instead of splitting a main meal, split 2 or 3 apps or small plates. This gives you a variety, so it satisfies your need to try more, but also doesn't give you enough food to stuff yourself before the meal is over. In fact, you may feel like you've gotten more than if you just ordered a regular entree, and you save money!

Don't forget your fruits/veggies

It's hard to get in your fruits and veggies every day when you're eating out all your meals. I always keep it in the back of my head to look for something that has sides that are good for me that I actually like. If nothing on the menu seems to fall into that category, ask your server if they have something that works. Or skip the fries and get a fruit cup instead. I always aim for at least a serving of fruits or veggies for two of my three meals. If you find you aren't getting enough, hit up the local grocery store or market and get some things you like and eat for breakfast or while you're out walking around.

Skip dessert

Am I a horrible person for suggesting this? I feel like it. If I see a funky dessert on a menu, I want to try it (this might also be a time when we plan to split and entree). I'm not saying to say no to all desserts, just many of them. Try not to have more than one per day and, when you do, make it count.

Scale back on the alcohol

Okay, some of you probably feel like this is as bad or worse than skipping dessert. I like a good cocktail as much as the next person, but those are extra calories that can add up quickly. It can also make me feel sleepy before it's even bedtime, and then my sleep is not great when I do go. If you must have a drink, limit it to one per meal. I figure an ice tea will end up being more refreshing, hydrating and affordable. Think of all the other stuff you can do with the money you aren't spending on alcohol!

Get a salad sometimes and go light on the dressing

Yeah, yeah. Blech. After having a bunch of rich or carb-loaded meals, I just crave something light and fresh. If you see a really yummy sounding salad on a menu, order it. It'll probably be healthier for you, gets your veggies in and gives your body a break from the heavier meals you've been putting into it.

Avoid fried foods

I'll never turn down fried chicken, but when on vacation I look to order fewer fried things (fries, chicken strips, fried pickles) and try to sub in something a little better for me. Maybe order the fish or grilled meat instead. Get a cup of soup or a side salad instead of onion rings. You'll feel better, your pants will still fit and you'll have more energy.

So, there you have it. There are a few ways to maintain your weight when traveling. If you want to do more, then walk as much as possible, take the stairs instead of the elevator/escalator or get a quick workout in. How do you eat more healthfully when you're on vacation?

Doing Summer Travel On a Budget

Summer is creeping up on us and before you know it, it’ll be sunny and the kids will be out of school and you’ll realize you haven’t starting planning a summer getaway yet. Don’t wait until the last minute, because that’s when you’ll pay the most. Airfare alone can jump as much as 40% during the summer months, so here are some tips to help keep you in the black this year and have an amazing time:

Shop for airfare on Tuesday and Wednesday and look for flights that depart on Tuesday, Wednesday or Saturday for the lowest fares. New fares are posted every Tuesday and Wednesday are the perfect time to get the best deals, and when you fly on less popular days, you can pay less and have a better chance of not getting bumped off your flight due to overbooking. One thing that'll make you happy is that this summer, flights will be the cheapest they’ve been in seven years. Of course, that doesn't mean you should slack and leave booking until later. You still need to get on that ASAP.

Go early. If your kids get out of school sooner the rest of the country, take advantage of your good fortune and vacation before the second week in June. Many schools have release dates in May, so if you can take time off before Memorial Day weekend, you can save a ton. The middle of June through the middle of August is going to be the most expensive time to travel almost anywhere, and the most crowded.

Go somewhere different. Your kids are always going to want to go to theme parks or the beach during the summer, but by changing up your destination, you can actually save a little or a lot of money. If they insist on going to the beach, look for lakeside resorts near where you live. Most still have a beach and everything that goes along with it, unless surfing is on the agenda. Other ideas are to visit cold-weather destinations or South America. The Southern Hemisphere experiences winter during our summer, making it a less desirable place to vacation. Less desirable equals more affordable. South America is close, but there are so many different places to choose from that are amazing, tropical and super budget-friendly.

Drive. Airfare can become a costly burden if there are many of you traveling. If you can spare the extra travel time, take a good old fashioned road trip to get to your destination. Make sure to plan fun stops along the way, like to see the world’s biggest ball of yarn, ghost towns or museums. It makes the whole trip seem like an adventure if you don’t just drive straight through.

A pic from our boat tour of Portland

Plan a staycation. If everything just seems too far out of budget this time of year, opt to do things around your own town and take your vacation over holiday break. Prices will be lower, most destinations will be less crowded and you will be able to see and do more than in the summer. Need some ideas for your planning? See my staycation post and check out my staycation board on Pinterest.

Don’t forget your cash back! Help keep a little money in your pocket or stretch the dollars you have by using Ebates to book your flights, hotel rooms and rental cars. You can even get cash back for buying essentials like sunscreen and shorts! It's totally free to join and it's super easy. In fact, they give you a gift just for making your first purchase. How can you beat that?

Plan ahead. Start planning for a cheap summer trip next year by picking up my Secrets to Summer Savings ebook. I give you all my travel saving tips to make summer travel cheaper and packed with more fun.

Where will you be going for your Summer vacation?

My Las Vegas Wish List

So, as you know, I've been to Vegas many times. It tends to be a yearly thing and sometimes it's twice yearly, like this year and probably next. We have family that lives there, we have 4 timeshares to choose from, the NBA Summer League plays there and the Travel Goods Show takes place there as well. The fun thing about Vegas, besides the obvious, is that things are always changing, so what was there last year may not be there the next. This can be annoying if you really liked something, but at least it's never boring. 

This year we're not meeting friends, so between basketball games and hanging with family, we're going to do some stuff we've never done before, and probably a few things we have. Here's my list of what I want to do, see and eat this summer while trying not to die of heat stroke:

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Las Vegas Spring Preserve

I've wanted to visit the Preserve since I aw it along the highway. I love plants and animals, plus this is a really interesting setting and a unique thing to do in the middle of a city where everything this bright lights and sounds of slots.

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Ethel M Chocolate Factory

I had big plans to check this place out when I was in town in March, but I had limited time, was trying to get work done and was too tired to drive out to Henderson (which I know is only like 20 minutes away). I've been to a few chocolate factories, but this one is kind of a landmark and I feel a little guilty for not having gone to check it out already.

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Ethel M Cactus Garden

Outside of the chocolate factory is an extensive cactus garden that's totally free. Now that I don't live in Arizona anymore, I have more of an appreciation of cactus, since I actually see trees and grass and flowers everywhere I go. 

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Bad Owl Coffee

Someone was kind enough to send me a link to this place that just opened earlier this year. It's also in Henderson (where our family lives), so I feel like I see a whole day there. Bad Owl Coffee is supposedly some good coffee, but it's also Harry Potter themed, which you know I'm not going to pass up if I get a chance, because those are two of my favorite things...plus they have a Butterbeer latte, which tends to sell out halfway through the day, so I know where my morning is going to start.

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Capo's Speakeasy

I just bought a daily deal for this place for brunch, because look at it. Look. At. It. It's looks like an old mob restaurant and my brunch comes with unlimited drinks. Who's going to turn down neverending mimosas? I'll tell you who. Nobody. Plus, I'm always looking for new and interesting places to eat. I could eat everyday at a buffet, but I try not to stick myself in that box.

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Mon Ami Gabi

I could spend most of my days inside the Paris Hotel. It's beautiful and it makes me happy. It's like being outside while being inside...and there's crepes. So many crepes. I've never eaten at this fancy eatery out front that's actually outside, but I've got it on good authority that this place is a must-eat, so I'm going to check it out and eat some French-inspired food while I people watch. Incidentally, that's what I do when we eat at Ile. St. Louis inside as well, since it's made to feel like a sidewalk cafe, even though it's inside. I love that place.

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Downtown Container Park

Yes, I've been here before. We went last year, but we only visited at night, so I didn't actually get to look in any of the stores or most of the restaurants. This trip I want to take some time to wander the park and check out everything they have in there...and maybe go down one of those playground slides!

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Madam Tussaud's 

This place always freaks me out, but I keep going to them in hopes that I'll get over my fear of wax people being real people. I probably won't, but this is an included option in my Explorer Pass, so I'm going to summon my bravery and go hang out with the "stars".

Bellagio Conservatory

I go here every time I'm in town, because it's always different. The master gardeners at the Bellagio change the conservatory theme every season and it's always fantastic and amazing, especially to people like me who can't really grow anything except for plants that don't need my help once they're planted.

Salt Room LV

We went here last time we were in town and it's a great way to get away fro the crowds and get some detox. Salt rooms are great for your skin, allergies and other ailments and I always feel awesome when I leave. The bonus here is that they have weekday Happy Hour prices, so you can detox for less.

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Gordon Ramsay Burgr

We tried to go here last time, but there were no reservations and the line was crazy long, so we gave up and went elsewhere. That'll teach us to try to eat somewhere on The Strip in the evening where all the people hang out. Of course, I heard that a new Gordon Ramsay restaurant is opening this summer in the Linq Promenade, so we may try that one instead...and then maybe get a cupcake from Sprinkles.

This is probably not a complete list, but there will be basketball and family goodness in here, and floating about in the lazy river, so we'll just fill in as we go and then I'll tell you all about it when I get back! 

What are your favorite things to do in and around Vegas that I should add to my list?