Slow Down, Slow Food

WELLNESS | by CELESTE TELL

WHEN I WAS A KID, THE BIG THING was going to McDonald’s on vacation. It was a big treat from home cooking. And you could eat in the car!

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Today, the last thing any of us want to do on vacation is keep moving faster. But as soon as you jump into that rental car, the kids are hungry and there you are pulling into the nearest fast-food outlet just to get the kids fed.

OK. Just a minute. Stop. Breathe. Slow down. Breathe again. Want to get out of that fast-food-on-vacation rut?

Plan ahead. Do a little up-front research. Pack enough snacks to get you and the kids far enough down the road to find a local restaurant. Or stock up on sandwiches from the local deli or natural-foods store.

Pack snacks for travel days. For those long days of connecting flights and rental-car lines, pack up individual packets of crackers, cheese, fruit, nuts and, yes, good-quality chocolate. Water bottles are essential, even if you have to buy them at the airport. Pack enough snacks to get you past the airport fast-food gauntlet.

Eat local. Once at your destination, steer clear of the chains and check out the local restaurant scene. It’s a great way to plug into the local culture, meet people and get beyond feeling like a tourist.

Eat in. While hotels have, at best, a mini-fridge, vacation rentals include houses, apartments, cottages and cabins with full kitchens. You can eat out or, better yet, cook and eat in. Hunt down local farmers’ markets and fish markets. Try new things you don’t have at home. Take a local cooking class.

Most important: Make eating well a fun, memorable and relaxing part of your trip.

Bon appetit!