Can you eat healthy in the United States ? This is one of the questions that people often ask themselves when they plan to spend some time there… We asked ourselves this question when planning the trip, and once we return, we will try to answer it with our experience.
Those who know us know that resisting culinary temptations is not our thing, so during these two months in the United States we have succumbed again and again to the calorie fair, and since we were going to walk a looooong time, we ate whatever we wanted because anyway... we were going to burn it off -_- Well no.
But it hasn't all been about eating bad fast food and saturated fats, because in the United States you can eat healthy! Don't believe it? Keep reading because we are going to tell you a few tricks and solutions to return from the USA without looking like a seal with your arteries clogged with cholesterol.
Note: We will soon publish another post with 20 dishes that you must try in the United States (you don't have to be in the land of hamburgers and eat lettuce and carrots every day, eh).
4 THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW
a There arecitieswhere eating healthy is easier (we are talking especially about big cities like New York, San Francisco or Los Angeles)
a Eating healthy ismore expensive(fast food places have very, very, very competitive offers and an apple can cost the same as a hot dog. Or more.)
a Many menusindicate the caloriesof the dishes, this helps those who are not so pros to understand the caloric content of the foods.
a It is becomingeasier and easierto eat healthy, so cheer up!
FAST FOOD CHAINS… BUT SLOW
Everyone points the finger of blame at the United States when people talk about how harmful fast food restaurants are (or how good they are, depending on your point of view), but no one remembers that in the land of caramel apples another equally important movement has adapted very well: slow food .
But what is it? Slow food is a trend that advocates organic, healthy, local and sustainable gastronomy . And yes, there are many options in the United States. There are even fast food chains that have adopted a slow philosophy. Some of them are:
- www.bgood.com : healthy salads, bowls and burgers, vegetarian options.
- www.justsalad.com : perfect if you are a salad lover. Not me.
- www.veggiegrill.com : vegetarian chain with a wide variety of delicious dishes.
- www.theproteinbar.com : veg and non veg options, with very tasty dishes and shakes.
- www.aubonpain.com : lots of variety, although the best are the wraps and sandwiches.
- www.zoup.com : soups of all kinds, styles and flavours. Sandwiches are also available.
- www.sweetgreen.com : delicious bowls, both veg and non-veg.
- www.panerabread.com : sandwiches, bowls, soups and breakfast options.
* Check the locations of each one, because unfortunately they are not in all cities.
→ If you want to know about other recommended slow food options, take a look at this post with the best slow food restaurants in the United States .
→ More info, of course, on Wikipedia
EAT VEGETARIAN/VEGAN
Personally, we love meat, but we are trying to eat less of it: there are products that have the same nutritional value and are healthier and more environmentally friendly. A few days ago we watched the documentary “ Cowspiracy ” and we were quite impressed… we highly recommend it!
Eating vegetarian (and vegan) is not only ethically good, it also allows you to enjoy a healthy diet. There are more and more vegetarian/vegan restaurants and the United States is no exception.
A good idea to find out which veggie restaurants are near you is to take a look at this website .
BE CAREFUL WITH DRINKS
Keep in mind that even if you eat a pizza, a hamburger or a plate of fried chicken (not all at once, of course, and not every day), it's okay: when we're traveling we move a lot more and burn calories more quickly. The problem is when you order a sugary drink with your meal, and in most fast food places refills are free.
Liquid calories are evil . Water (which is always free in the US) is good. Remember that.
SHOP IN SUPERMARKETS
Probably the cheapest way to eat healthy in the United States is to buy in supermarkets and cook yourself… if your accommodation has a kitchen, of course. Don’t worry though, there are a few “green” supermarkets that have food bars where you can buy ready-made dishes (salads, sandwiches, sushi, chicken, pasta, creams…) that can get you out of a tight spot. This is the case of:
- www.wholefoodsmarket.com (the most famous and the one with the best locations for tourists!).
- www.wegmans.com
- www.traderjoes.com
- www.sprouts.com
- www.harristeeter.com
- www.lazyacres.com
*As always, check the locations, as not all supermarkets are present in all states.
If you travel to New York you will be lucky enough to come across delis almost constantly (there are also some in other cities… but not as many!). They are small neighborhood stores where you can buy food by weight (among other products), it is an excellent alternative to eat well and healthy. Price? Calculate about $6-10.
IF YOU HAVE TIME… DO THESE THINGS ON YELP
Yelp is the best fucking thing ever. Okay, maybe I'm just over the moon, but I just love Yelp! It's a site with thousands and thousands of restaurant reviews, with photos, menus, and critiques. It's like the American Tripadvisor for foodies.
If you are going to the United States and you are worried about food, I advise you to take a look before the trip… you can filter by type of food, price and area.
We often make bad trips when we travel because, not knowing where to go, we eat at the first place that comes along when we are hungry. However, with a little planning, we can write down some interesting restaurants where we can eat: if we know that on Wednesday we are going to visit the West Village in the morning, well… you know where to look 😉
I'm a big restaurant geek XD
→ More info: www.yelp.com/
Do you know of any other options for healthy eating in the United States ?
