Healthy Choices while Traveling

It is obvious that traveling is not just sightseeing, but also tasting and eating local foodies. I adopted a healthy eating initially when we travelled in New Zealand many years ago. Then I like my travel in Bangka-Belitung last year because we were eating fresh cooked-seafood only. Recently, we eliminated junk food from our menu when we visited Japan and Malaysia.

I remember very well that I used to have a problem with throat and stomach after traveling extensively for few days. Then I must stay at home for another few days to recover from the illness. It is time consuming and surely not a good habit. But I can’t remember why I used to eat anything that I want to without thinking the negative impact on my body and health after consuming those unhealthy foods.

 

The temptation of eating some fatty and greasy foods is elevated, especially when we are traveling. It might be only a comfort food to ease our anxiety during travel. Or, perhaps this could be merely a geographical oriented food syndrome, means, a kind of food craving associated with specific location.

So, a habit to eat healthily during travel was initiated when we were in New Zealand for a road trip. I shopped for rice, beef floss, fresh bread, some canned tunas, fresh vegies and a pack of ripe apples. We bought 6L mineral water and put the container in the car boot. We’re ready to get around South Island in 5 days with our packed logistic. We stopped occasionally to eat semi-heavy lunch rather than buy locals. I cooked some simple meals every morning and prepared them ready for the whole day. We stopped occasionally in local shops to buy vegies, chips and fruits. I thought we must reduce our salt intake because the chips were awfully salty. We felt fresh, healthy and ready to finalize my thesis when we arrived in Perth.

I thought local tour operator does not cater us with a healthy option menu in Bangka-Belitung. But the choices, my God, were truly clever. We were fed very well three times a day. There were some hot meals provided when we arrived in another island. I felt much better and super fit after the trip. No wonder, since I consumed freshly caught seafood only such prawns, crabs, fishes, and clams in form of baked, steamed, or boiled. I ate less oily food and opted for only those cooking methods.

Talking about Japanese foodies, it can be considered the healthiest choice after all. Wrapped with plain nori and filled with tuna/salmon/shrimp, onigiri was our favourite dish everyday. We indulged ourselves with crabbie soup, half-cooked salmon, and calamari. I even ate too much preserved ginger that caused me an upset stomach in the next day. It was too delicious to resist for its ginger intense flavour and sweetness. It refreshed the nausea feeling after eating too much raw sushi. And, the green tea was superb, instead of drinking mineral water all the time.

I prefer greasy fried chicken from McD when I am at LCCT, Malaysia. I know it is too unhealthy, but I like the peppery taste that well blended in the chicken meat. I just skipped that from my choice considering hubby got an infection on his gum at that time. We tried a bowl of kwetiau soup. That was a very good, very good choice ever. Both of us didn’t feel giddy or got any upset stomach in the next day. Then we suddenly became loyal customers at the restaurant. Hubby then ordered chicken rice and chicken porridge while I still opted for the kwetiau soup as my new favourite at LCCT.

I must say that we have an option to taste many types of local food during travel. But I think it is really wise to decide what to eat and limit our choices to healthy food only. Have a thought about going back home feeling fresh than ever. Perhaps, a little bit self-control is needed to stop our indulgence on unhealthy food during travel.  

Psst, don't forget to nibble this very healthy snack while you're in Vietnam. *like*

 

Pekanbaru,