Cooking Vacations

 

3 Ways to Maintain A Low Carb Diet While Travelling

Cooking Vacations are a great way to satisfy two passions at once: Traveling and Eating

In this article, I’ll share with you some eating and dieting tips while traveling.

New Low Carb dieters are eager to enjoy EATING the cuisines of the region and decide to restart the diet when they get back home.

If you’re one of them I understand.

How can you go to an Italian restaurant and not eat an authentic Italian meal? Or sample the sweet treats of France and Germany?

It’s difficult not to indulge, but, you are on a diet and you made a promise to family and friends that you were going to live a healthier lifestyle.

You are not going to break your promise.

I won’t let you.

When vacationing, the same rules apply when socializing with friends.

Try to avoid the eating situation altogether.  I know, it may seem cruel to eliminate the local eats and treats from the trip.  But, with some pre-trip planning, you don’t have to give up your diet to enjoy all the authentic tastes of the region.

Imagine, savory all the spices, tastes and textures of pasta without eating a single strand of pasta or eating a deep rich moist chocolate cake without the carbs. Certain culinary travel companies can plan great cooking vacations to suit all tastes.

Cooking Vacations Are The Best Way To Stick To Your Diet

There are lots of private travel companies that can plan a culinary vacation of your dreams. European, Carribean, Central American and American.  trips are available and all companies will accommodate special dietary needs.

A great benefit to cooking vacations is the ultimate control over the ingredients you put into your dishes. Now there is no excuse from veering off your diet.

Cooking Vacations Offer Many Advantages

 

A plate of Zucchini noodles
Use Zucchini Noodles in place of pasta to keep the meal low carb.

The number one advantage is you get to control ALL the ingredients you put into the dish. So, what do you do when the recipe calls for pasta or some other high carb ingredient?

Easy.

Substitute the pasta with strands of Zucchini, or spaghetti squash.

Just remember what you’ve learned from the other keto recipes and use them in the recipes when you travel.

Vegetable pasta substitutes are easy to find. I don’t care where you go except maybe the polar regions, the cooking classes should have those vegetables on hand for their other side dishes.

When people see you preparing ethnic meals with low carb items, they may want to join you on your low carb diet.

Just think, by the end of the trip you may have some new followers to a low carb lifestyle. Especially when they taste all the great low carb dishes.

You just might become the new face low carb culinary world and start an award-winning food blog yourself!

A little boy being singled out
I don’t want to eat Carbs!

Consider taking a trip with other low carb dieters. When you travel with like-minded people, you can enjoy a low carb meal without explaining yourself.

I  recommend Cultural Discovery vacations.

This family-owned and operated travel company provides “all-inclusive” culinary trips.

When they say all-inclusive they mean all-inclusive even the alcoholic beverages. However,  you still have to be careful when consuming alcohol. The calories can really add up even with low carb drinks.

With other companies be sure to ask about other expenses such as travel insurance and tickets to major attractions.

Plan a Meal Itinerary Before You Travel

An Illustrated man searching for Cooking Vacations on the internet
Social Media, Food forums, and chat rooms are great places to find low carb restaurants while traveling.

Some cooking vacations do not include all the meals and you’ll have to eat an occasional meal on your own.

I’ll admit, “meal planning” while traveling can be difficult especially when you want to have fun. But you don’t want to give up on your diet either.

Ask people on social media if they can recommend low carb restaurants in the areas that you are traveling to.  Most restaurants will publish their menus online with nutritional information.

Do a basic internet search BEFORE you travel and plan a daily “eating itinerary”. The information should include the restaurants that have low carb dishes and stores to purchase low-carb items from. With a basic plan, you’ll know exactly what you are going to eat at each time of the day.

I Love to Hike and Camp. But, what do I eat?

Avid hikers and campers will find meal planning hard. Therefore developing a “meal plan” before you travel becomes paramount for sticking to low carb diets.

After a day of hiking,  you might want to stop at a local restaurant and get a quick bite which can be hazardous to your diet.

To combat this temptation, be sure to pack some low carb snacks and food items before you go out that day. Believe me, nothing works up a strong appetite like a lot of physical activity and its easy to indulge in a high carb treat.

Look for stores or shops in town and stock up on the low carb foods before you go out. Trip leaders or guides should be able to provide you with a list of stores nearby. The trip leaders may also provide you with the low carb foods if you give them advance notice.

 

Two turtles swimming in the ocean
Hey, are there any keto-friendly restaurants nearby? I forgot to pack my low carb snacks

 

Travel With Confidence and Stick to Your Diet!

There is no excuse to not stick to your dieting plans while vacationing. It can be challenging but with a little planning, low carb dieters can still enjoy all the tastes of any country without breaking their diet.

  • Pack some low carb snacks while hiking and camping.
  • Make an eating itinerary before you travel
  • and look for travel companies that will cater to your low carb diet.

Follow these guidelines and you will never be tempted again to veer off your diet while traveling.

Here’s to good eating and cooking!

Happy Travels everyone!

 

Please, leave more “dieting tips while traveling” in the comment section below.

New “low carb” dieters will appreciate them