Traveling is a so much fun thing to do, and for us the Filipinos, there is so much to do across the country and enjoy a wonderful time. However, being away from home, and breaking the monotony of the daily routines, comes with a powerful temptation to do too much or even eat too much. Most travelers through caution throw the window the moment they take their seat and buckle the seatbelt. Therefore, when the air hostesses serve you drinks and snacks or when the bus driver pulls off the road for a ten minutes break, you end up trying everything you missed while at home or at the office.
After all, the other passengers do not even know you and have no idea on the dietary habits you have been holding unto. They do not even care and watching them licking the chocolate bar, only makes your mouth watery. So, why would you not want to try what the other travelers are eating? In this article, we look at some important tips to help you decide the food that is good while traveling. This will help you choose the best foods when traveling by car or by air, upon arrival at the hotels and when visiting the attractions.
- Light Meals when Flying
Planes are a sure go-to travel mode in the Philippines. If you are traveling across the Philippines within a limited timeline and you would want to cover as many attractions as possible, traveling by air is a wise choice. Yes, it will cost you more, but the experience is incomparable. When traveling by air, eat light meals. Digestive problems can wreak havoc, especially among air travelers. Therefore, a heavy meal makes your body overloaded. Feeding on a light meal means that the digestive system is not overloaded and so you enjoy your flight. In that regard, avoid feeding on meat and other heavy meals a day before your planned travel date. Instead, you should feed on vegetables, soups, and lightly spiced foods. If traveling by air, you might pack hummus, homemade trail mix, whole fruit or rice cakes.
- Stay Hydrated
Travelling can be very dehydrating and it is a major reason why most people end up feeling tired and sluggish even before arrival. Whether traveling by air, water or by land, make sure you pack enough drinks for the journey. To avoid the cost of buying water, especially when traveling in groups, you can carry a sizable water container. You can refill it upon arrival at the airport before boarding time, or if traveling by road, ask for some free treated water at the filling station. Some airports and bus stations offer free water to their customers and for road travelers, some filling stations also allowing you to refill water cans with clean drinking water. Do not mind asking as it is only by asking that you can get the free water. Otherwise, no one will advertise free goodies unless they are bundled with some other purchase. Staying hydrated will also help you reduce the amount of food taken especially when you remain seated for longer periods.
- Avoid the Free Food offered on the flight
Well, it might not be free food as you have already paid for it while you were booking and paying for the air ticket! However, avoiding plane food will be advisable especially when you are not sure of the ingredients used to prepare the food. In some instances, people with food allergy end up regretting why they snacked on free goodies offered by the air hostesses. For example, doctors have reported that what you eat can have a weighty effect on hay fever symptoms. Consult hay fever treatment Kailua for advice on the foods that can worsen the condition.
Plane food tends to be heavily processed, it is salty and contains more sugars than packed food. A healthier food choice when traveling by air is staying away from the foods served at the airports. Otherwise, you might end up experiencing a bad time especially when digestive problems or intolerance to certain ingredients affect you. Consider your own packed snacks if you must eat while traveling by air. Only take water and the snacks you are well aware do not contain any allergens.
- Pack Health Snacks To Avoid Buying Food by the Roadside
This weighs in especially when traveling with kids. Of course, they like to stare by the roadside and when they see Filipinos selling snacks by the roadside, they want to have a taste of everything. To avoid this kind of experience, drive through the roads where the roadside traders are less common. Otherwise, kids will always want you to stop over for them to buy food and snacks they do not know how well it was prepared.
- Consider Self Catering Rather than Eating at the Restaurant
Apart from the health benefits that come with cooking your own food, this also has economic benefits. Self-cooked food is way cheaper than what you eat at the restaurants. Therefore, instead of booking on a full-board plan, you can consider the Airbnb accommodations in the Philippines. Book to stay in an apartment with a small kitchen and commit to eating natural foods rather than processed foods. Several hotels in the Philippines offer rooms with a fridge and other kitchen appliances like microwaves and electric kettle. Thus, you can prepare your coffee, store packed snacks, and cook your food.
- Only Eat When Hungry
This might seem a simple rule to observe. Unfortunately, most travelers do not remember to observe the rule. Restlessness is often confused for hunger and hence travelers will eat more than they need to ending up feeding on more calories. This is dangerous for body weight and you need to make sure you do not fall into that trap. You do not need to finish the whole packet of snacks. Only eat when you have genuine hunger pans.
Observing the above feeding tips when traveling will help you stay healthy and most importantly enjoy the trip. Avoid overfeeding when traveling and remember to stay hydrated.