Euro Trip
Greece
The Mediterranean diet is traditionally a very healthy one so you’ll have plenty of authentic options to choose from. Dine on Greek salad, Mezze plates with hummus, baba ghanoush and tzatziki with fresh veggies, fakes soupa (lentil soup), souvlaki (grilled meat skewers) and grilled fresh fish.
Italy
It’s impossible to go to Italy and not let yourself sample the dishes that have made this country famous for its delicious carbs – and we know that SFD is all about feasting when the opportunity presents itself! The key is to mind your portion sizes and when it comes to freshly made pasta, stick to tomato and pesto-based sauces over creamy ones. Avoid fried foods; order sautéed mussels rather than fried calamari, choose minestrone soup for your first course instead of pasta, if you have pizza, opt for lots of veggie toppings, and swap fried zeppolis and cannolis for zabaglione (custard with less than 100 calories).
France
The birthplace of modern cuisine, France is renowned for its cheese, croissants and baguettes, buerre blanc and béarnaise and eclairs au chocolat. Not ideal for dieters! But as long as you watch your portions and only eat when you’re actually hungry, you can sample the best of French cooking without going off the deep end. Avoid creamy sauces and soft aged cheese opting instead for healthier country or coastal fare. Stop by provincial markets and stock up on fresh fruit, veggies and nuts to snack on during the day. Dishes such as hearty nicoise salads, oven-roasted chicken and grilled fish with lemon and herbs will allow you to taste what all the fuss is about without getting buried in butter!
Germany
German food is designed to stick to your ribs and keep out the cold, and much less so to be light! Avoid stodge and sausages, rather go crazy for sauerkraut and enjoy veggies such as cabbage, radish and asparagus. Try gurkensalat; a cucumber salad seasoned with dill, and if you’re going to slice up some bread anyway, opt for healthier types such as pumpernickel or traditional vollkorn brot.
The United Kingdom
Known for fish and chips and shepherd’s pie, the UK doesn’t have to be limited to traditional fare. As a cultural melting pot, the UK has a bounty of healthier foreign foods that have been adopted with gusto. Keep it simple with healthy brekkies of boiled eggs and mushrooms, salads and clear soups for lunch and try something exotic for dinner.
American Vacation
The birthplace of fast food, super-sized portions and deep fried snickers bars, the USA can be a faster’s Achilles heel! However, the great thing about the States is the huge variety of tasty healthy options. While you might be tempted to gorge on hot dogs and apple pies, there are plenty of healthy alternatives. Vegan, raw, paleo, farm-to-table, gluten-free and low-calorie items appear on many restaurant menus and America is famous for its deliciously filling salads. Just mind your portion size as dishes tend to be larger in the Land of Opportunity; ask for your leftovers in a doggie bag to go.
African Adventure
From its southern tip to its northernmost countries, Africa is a continent with an enormous variety of cuisines. South Africa’s famous Braai barbeque can be made healthier by grilling lean meat or even chicken and veggie skewers. While Moroccan, Tunisian and Algerian tagine style cooking is ideal for delicious dishes such as tagine makfoul (goat curry) that can be served with chickpeas or cauliflower ‘couscous’ – and goat has about half as much fat as lamb!
Island Escape
The South Pacific islands are havens for ripe tropical fruits and freshly caught fish. Sample Fijian kokoda (citrus marinated raw fish), steamed rock lobster, roasted sweet potatoes or huge fruit platters of papayas, bananas, coconuts and mangoes. Many island cultures have their own version of cooking underground; Fijian lovo and Maori hangi consist of meat or fish and root veggies such as sweet potato and taro bundled up in banana leaves and slow-cooked on hot coals buried underground – healthy and delicious!
Asian Exploration
Very varied in their cuisines, China, Korea, Japan and Southeast Asian countries have many deliciously light dining options. Chinese spicy meat and vegetable dishes will give your metabolism a boost with their Szechwan and Tien Tsin peppers. Japanese food is well known for its nutritional effect on longevity; sashimi, edamame, miso soup and green tea are all SFD-favorites already, and Vietnamese gỏi cuốn (rice paper rolls), Laotian larb and Thai curries are packed with flavor and light on calories. Try to avoid copious amounts of rice and noodles and be weary of Bali Belly-inducing street meat!
Can I Eat This?
This app gives you the lowdown on what’s safe to eat around the world. Choose the country you’re in and answer a few simple questions about your potential plate and Can I Eat This? will tell you whether or not it’s likely to be safe.
What are your best foreign feasting tips? Let us know by leaving a comment or hop on over to the Members Facebook page to share your secrets with the Super Squad.