(NC) - Canadians love hitting the road during the summer.
But chowing down en route usually means: fast food, vending machines and service stations. According to WeightWatchers.ca, Canadians can detour from the food joints without kissing their healthy eating habits goodbye. Here's how:
Pack Your Bags
Always keep the following essentials in the car:
A water bottle. Staying hydrated is especially critical for the driver.
Fat-free or reduced-fat crackers. Whole-grain-based foods supply you with a nice, steady source of energy.
At the Road Stop
Most stops offer the typical fast-foods options: burgers, fried chicken, or maybe pizza. No matter where you end up, keep portion sizes, and fat and sugar levels, to a minimum.
Breakfast
Convenience store fare. Yogurt and a banana is an easy, healthy choice.
Muffins vs. bagels. Most muffins are so heavy on the fat and sugar. Stick with a whole-wheat or oat-bran bagel.
Lunch and Dinner
Burgers. Stick with a plain, small burger or cheeseburger. Forget the quarter-pounders, and don't even think about the half-pounders!
Pizza. Vegetable toppings are best, the more the better. Meat toppings are not a good bet. Since pizza is fatty, stick to one slice.