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Meal Planning and Vacationing When Unfamiliar with the Foods Available
Contributor: Crystal Karges, MS, RDN, IBCLC Special Projects Coordinator at Eating Disorder Hope/Addiction Hope
Title: Meal Planning and Vacationing When Unfamiliar with the Foods Available
Maintaining a meal plan, as recommended by your dietitian and treatment team, is essential for recovery and to ensure that you are remaining consistent with your nutrition intake. This can become a more challenging thing to do when in situations or places that are unfamiliar, such as a new culture or country.
When traveling for a vacation, it is important to be aware of these types of scenarios, as well as have positive coping mechanisms that can help you overcome some of the potential challenges you might face.
Finding Yourself in Unfamiliar Circumstances
When traveling abroad or to different countries, you may find yourself submersed in an unfamiliar culture with foods that you have never tried or eaten before. This does not mean that you cannot continue to maintain your meal plan, which is a key component to your recovery.
The best thing to do to help you remain successful in these types of situations is to discuss your travel plans ahead of time with your professional treatment team. Talk with your dietitian about where you will be traveling to and about any concerns you might have when it comes to having adequate food intake.
Most likely than not, you can find even the most basic foods to meet your needs, including carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. Many places offer fresh produce, including fruits and vegetables, and you can often navigate your way through a market to find the things you need.
Depending on where you are staying, you can utilize services through your hotel and even restaurants if applicable. The important thing is to remain diligent and flexible.
Do not allow excuses to give you reason to skip a meal or snack, and planning ahead as much as possible will keep you prepared in situations where food might be unfamiliar or scarce.
Planning Ahead With a Back-Up
Other ideas to consider while traveling or vacationing in unfamiliar places is to pack portable snacks as a back-up, like trail mix, dried fruit, protein bars, beef/turkey jerky and more.
Keeping these foods in your luggage can give you a helpful back up for a meal/snack in the instance that you are in a situation without food or with little food choices.
Planning ahead as much as possible can ensure that you are able to follow your meal plan successfully while on vacation.
Community Discussion – Share your thoughts here!
What are some ideas to help you stick to your meal plan while on vacation?
About the Author: Crystal is a Masters-level Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) with a specialty focus in eating disorders, maternal/child health and wellness, and intuitive eating.
Combining clinical experience with a love of social media and writing, Crystal serves as the Special Projects Coordinator for Eating Disorder Hope/Addiction Hope, where her passion to help others find recovery and healing is integrated into each part of her work.
As a Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor, Crystal has dedicated her career to helping others establish a healthy relationship with food and body through her work with EDH/AH and nutrition private practice.
The opinions and views of our guest contributors are shared to provide a broad perspective of eating disorders. These are not necessarily the views of Eating Disorder Hope, but an effort to offer discussion of various issues by different concerned individuals.
We at Eating Disorder Hope understand that eating disorders result from a combination of environmental and genetic factors. If you or a loved one are suffering from an eating disorder, please know that there is hope for you, and seek immediate professional help.
Last Updated & Reviewed By: Jacquelyn Ekern, MS, LPC on July 6, 2016
Published on EatingDisorderHope.com
The EatingDisorderHope.com editorial team comprises experienced writers, editors, and medical reviewers specializing in eating disorders, treatment, and mental and behavioral health.
