Travel & Food

So we have been asked quite often, what started you on the path to "clean eating".  In short, "clean eating" often involves little to no meat, and no alternatives and processed foods.  In our case, it involve eating mostly organic fruits and vegetables, wild-caught salmon, and drinking green smoothies.  Our eating style is varied based on destinations; yet it all started with our 2009 trip to Italy.  In both Florence and Rome, Italy we were introduced to the Mediterranean diet. It was later in 2013 after Rhonda's brief illness that we were introduced to two other types of "clean eating", vegetarian and vegan.  The differences are highlighted briefly below:

The Mediterranean diet is a modern nutritional recommendation originally inspired by the dietary patterns of Greece, Southern Italy, and Spain. The principal aspects of this diet include proportionally high consumption of olive oil, legumes, unrefined cereals, fruits, and vegetables; moderate to high consumption of fish; moderate consumption of dairy products (mostly as cheese and yogurt); moderate wine consumption; and low consumption of non-fish meat.

The Vegetarian diet is similar to the Mediterranean diet but differs in that it abstains from the consumption of meat (red meat, poultry, seafood, and the flesh of any other animal).

The Vegan diet is similar to the Vegetarian diet but it differs in that it abstains not only meat but also eggs, dairy products, and other animal-derived substances.

So how does this effect our travel? We essentially take time to read menus and ask about specific ingredients.  We start with basics of a vegan diet, but if dairy is unavoidable, then we move up to vegetarian diet. This usually involves salads with little to no cheese.  If we crave protein, then we'll move up to Mediterranean diet with salmon as fish of choice followed by seafood.  It's a rarity that we eat meat in our household, so often eating out in restaurants is a treat.  We are planning a Mediterranean cruise in a few weeks, and look forward to learning more about the Mediterranean diet which is known as "the healthiest" in the world". We are looking forward to eating authentic pasta, Greek salad, hummus and pita, and lemon inspired dishes.

​Do you adjust your eating habits when you travel?

Sharee W.

---