Traveling doesn’t have to mean putting healthy eating on hold. You can dine on nutrient-rich and diet-friendly foods even while you’re away from your own kitchen. With the seven simple meal ideas that follow, vacationers can enjoy hearty, satisfying foods that don’t sap their energy or add to their waistlines.
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1. Roasted Chicken and Veggies
The key to eating healthy foods while cooking in a private vacation rental or a swanky resort is to avoid over-complicating things. Grab a pack of fresh chicken drumsticks, breasts, tenderloins, wings, or thighs, and pat them dry. Add them to a roasting pan along with a colorful selection of pre-cut vegetables. Drizzle this fare in olive oil, coconut oil, or avocado oil, and then sprinkle on your favorite seasonings. Roast your meal until everything is golden brown and you’ll have a one-pot feast. This meal is high in protein and requires limited cleaning.
2. Broiled Salmon and Salad
Grab a few salmon fillets and marinate them in a simple olive oil and lemon juice dressing. Add dill, salt, and pepper to taste, and then broil your salmon for seven to nine minutes. You can serve this dish on a bed of mixed spring greens topped with the leftovers of your lemon and olive oil dressing.
3. Charcuterie
If done well, a charcuterie board can serve as an easy, mess-free, and wholly satisfying meal. Best of all, if you don’t feel like lugging a charcuterie board around, even a simple plate will do. Load up on sharp cheeses, cold cuts, olives, pickles, and heart-healthy nuts. You can round things out by adding blueberries, strawberries, or sliced mango or pineapple to your dish. If you absolutely have to have starch, add crackers, bruschetta, or soft pita bread. Finish your meal with a satisfying square of dark chocolate and a white wine spritzer.
Charcuterie boards are flexible and adaptable enough to meet everyone’s needs. On nights when you don’t feel like cooking, your kids will love noshing on melons, almonds, grapes, and salami. You can build a vegan or vegetarian charcuterie spread or one that’s completely gluten-free.
4. Chia Seed Pudding
Vacation is hardly the time to skip breakfast. Add three tablespoons of dry chia seeds to 12 ounces of coconut milk or coconut cream. You can add vanilla or lemon extract and the sweetener of your choice. Stir this mixture vigorously and then put it in the fridge to thicken overnight. In the morning, you’ll have a high-protein treat with a porridge-like consistency. You can top it with blueberries, sliced bananas, or mango. You can also layer your fruit and pudding to create a healthy breakfast parfait.
5. Overnight Oats
Overnight oats don’t require heat. Even if you have access to a fully functional kitchen in your suite, you might not want to wash a pot. Simply mix dried oats with your preferred milk, a dollop or two of yogurt, and honey. You can add chia seeds, flax seeds, almonds, walnuts, or pecans to your mix for added protein. You can also season it with cinnamon, nutmeg, or vanilla beans. Put the concoction in the refrigerator overnight and your breakfast will be ready in the morning. If you prefer plant milk, consider using coconut milk for extra flavor or cashew milk to make your overnight oats extra creamy.
6. Flatbread Pizza
Flatbread pizza is a hearty and fun vacation meal for families. Making it is also a fun activity. Buy ready-made, whole-grain flatbread, pizza sauce, shredded cheese, pepperoni, and a bunch of pre-sliced veggies. Have everyone layer their personal pizzas with their favorite toppings. Put your pizzas in the oven two at a time and cook them at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 to 15 minutes. Although you’re making pizza for dinner, it will be infinitely healthier than any ready-made or made-to-order pie that you can get from local restaurants or stores.
7. Soup and Salad
Soup and salad are great dishes to indulge in while traveling. Both give you the chance to sample the seasonal produce of the area that you’re visiting. You don’t need much beyond water and a pot to get your soup started. For a decadent, savory soup, saute your veggies in olive oil before covering them in water and bullion or stock. For a tropical kick, use coconut cream as a soup thickener and top your soup with fresh-cut chives, scallions, or lemongrass.
