What to Look For in a Hotel to Eat Healthier

If you are currently in planning mode for an upcoming vacation, you might be thinking about what hotel to choose. If you are also concerned about finding options that offer you the chance to eat healthier at your travel destination, there are some things to look for in a hotel.

These aspects and amenities can make all the difference in how easy it is to find or prepare healthy food choices during your trip.

Eat Healthier on Vacation

Disclosure – What to Look for in a Hotel to Eat Healthier on Vacation post contains affiliate links.

Nearby Food Options

The first thing you should pay attention to when choosing a hotel is what type of restaurants are nearby. You might think you would be willing to drive anywhere for meals, since it’s a personal or work trip, but that isn’t always the case.

You might need a quick breakfast in the morning before attending a meeting during a business trip, or you don’t want to load all the kids up to find a dinner place that is an hour away.

Look for hotels that offer healthy restaurants or cafes within a short distance. If you can find them within walking distance, that is even more convenient.

What could be healthier than walking with your family to the local diner for a nice big soup and salad lunch, then walking back to the hotel to take a dip in the pool? Pay attention to fine restaurants for special dinners, casual restaurants and diners, and fast food joints.

This also includes finding grocery stores nearby if you got a hotel room with a kitchenette or a mini fridge and microwave.

Related: The Right Way to Pack a Carry On

In-Room Appliances

There are also some in-room amenities that can make it easier to eat healthier during your travels, including the appliances in the room. Of course the best thing to do is find a hotel room with a small kitchenette, but that isn’t always possible.

However, if you do find this type of room, don’t worry too much about the added cost. You will be saving a lot of money by not having to eat out during each meal and struggling to figure out what places offer the healthiest and low-fat options for you and your family.

Other appliances to look for include a microwave and refrigerator, iron, or coffee maker. With an iron, you can cover sandwiches with foil and heat them up for a panini-style sandwich. You can make rice or soup in a coffee pot since the water reaches near boiling temperatures. A lot of options are available to you when you have access to a microwave.

On-Site Dining Options

Finally, look to see if you can find a hotel with on-site dining options. Some hotels might be attached to a Denny’s or other casual restaurant, while other hotels are more upscale and have multiple restaurants inside.

Some of the smaller hotels don’t have a restaurant, but they do have a small café for coffee and danishes. Look up these cafes to see if they offer any healthy options, which many of them do.

Many hotels offer a free breakfast, but that can vary greatly from hotel to hotel. These types of hotels are a great choice for anyone looking to save money or those traveling with kids.

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Bringing Your Own Food

There are many options to help you eat healthier while traveling but one thing I love doing is toting along my favorite snacks that don’t need to be kept cold. Grabbing snack boxes and packing all the goodies in your suitcase make for perfect snacks at any time, anywhere.