25 holiday food HACKS

Eat well whilst you're away with these on-the-go nutrition tricks from the experts

- Louise Pyne

It's easy to let healthy habits slide when we're not following our usual routine. Stepping away from our regular daily diet pattern makes us more likely to reach for foods we'd normally avoid, leaving us feeling bloated and sluggish.

We get it! Holidays are all about letting your hair down, but making smart moves will mean you get to tempt your tastebuds without having to worry about packing on the pounds. With that in mind, we've recruited some of the UK's top nutrition experts to share their hacks for healthy eating on holiday, so that you can kick back guilt-free.

1. THINK IN COLOUR 

When eating out, opt for the most colourful dish on the menu. 'Not only does varying colour represent a spectrum of nutrients, brightly hued foods are also likely to be packed with fibre to keep you full and satisfied,' says Stephanie Baker, Purolab's consultant nutritionist (purolabs.com).

2. DRINK ON THE GO 

Most of us have a tendency to forget the importance of drinking water when we're out and about, so pack a refillable water bottle to easily track how much you're chugging back. 'Add slices of lemon or orange, or some mint leaves, for extra flavour,' advises certified health coach Sujata Din (sujatadin.com).

3 ORDER HEALTHY SIDES

Make sure you reach your 5-A-Day quota with healthy side dishes. 'If you're having a croissant for breakfast or a slice of pizza for lunch, pair that with some fruit or a rainbow salad to help you hit your fibre and vitamin goals,' recommends Dr Caitlin Hall, Myota's chief dietitian and head of clinical research (myotahealth.com).

4. EAT FERMENTED FOODS