Family Travel? 4 Ways to Eat Healthy on the Road Without Going Broke

Summer road trip? Learn how to feed your family the healthy way during summer travel without going broke.

I am sure you realize that one of the biggest problems families have is eating healthy during their summer travel. This is a big problem because one out of every three children in the United States is currently over weight or obese. Many parents lack understanding of the catastrophic effects of childhood obesity. Most often parents only see the outwardly appearance of an overweight child.

What they do not see is the chronic deadly diseases like Type 2 Diabetes, Heart Disease, Asthma, and certain forms of Cancer that are potentially already brewing inside their bodies. Empowering families to make healthy choices and educating them on the risks associated with childhood obesity are key components of health promotion and disease prevention.

Millions of Americans travel thousands of miles every summer taking family vacations. In light of the concern over childhood obesity it is important that parents are aware of how to feed their family healthy foods while away from their kitchens. Today we are going to tell you 4 things you can do to make sure you are eating healthy on the road while staying within your vacation budget.

1. Pre-packing a cooler with fresh fruit, cucumber slices, carrot sticks, whole grain sandwiches, and fun string cheese. These items are easy to prepare and package the day before travel, affordable, and won't make a big mess in the car.

2. Avoid the grease! When stopping for a quick bite look for a Subway or a sandwich shop where you can feed your child fresh food. If you cannot find one of these and are at a McDonalds or Burger King try to make smart choices. Most fast food places have added items to their menu that are not loaded with trans fat and sodium. For example, McDonalds has salads, fresh fruit, and yogurt. Also it is important to always pick grilled over fried.

3. When you are refueling at the gas station, resist the urge to grab the potato chips. Instead if the kids need a snack or you are feeling hungry grab a .99 cent bag of almonds, whole grain crackers, or a piece of fresh fruit. Almonds are a powerhouse of nutrition and are loaded with fiber, protein, and healthy oils that are an essential part of our daily diet. Whole grain crackers provide the fiber that refined grain crackers do not and kids love them. Fresh fruit is a no brainer. Kids can't get enough of the fresh sweet taste, and it is just another way to give them the fiber that they need in their daily diet.

4. Water, Water, Water! I can't stress enough how important this is. During the summer months our bodies can easily dehydrate quickly, especially with play. Soda is a diuretic and can lead to further dehydration and fruit juice has as much sugar as soda. Also, if you opt to pack a cooler you can purchase a large package of bottled water for less than five bucks. All around water is the smarter choice.

It is necessary to educate parents and children about the basics of nutrition and what makes a healthy diet for kids. And if a child is overweight, what is a healthy weight loss diet for kids. A healthy diet, not a calorie restrictive diet, is the way for parents to help with a healthy weight loss for kids. Get on programs that are pediatric registered dietitian approved. "We need our parents and educators to get back to the fundamentals of nutrition", says Jay Snaric, professor of physiology.

For summer travel and health for your kids we recommend using healthy recipes and healthy snacks to get kids back to the foundation to sound nutrition for kids. Happy traveling

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/4580705