Road Rules for Healthy Eating

Just about now you're probably planning your summer getaway. Vacation is the time to kick back and take it easy, but making wise food choices while you're at it is hard. You'll be glad to know it is possible to have something other than salad without arriving home with extra "baggage." Use my guide to navigate chain restaurants, rest stops, mini-marts and more.

Best Bets At Chain Restaurants
Whether you're pulling off the highway or running through the airport, it's pretty easy these days to find meals that taste good, include nutritious ingredients and won't eat up your entire day's worth of calories. Here are some of my top picks:

McDonald's

Fruit & Maple Oatmeal: (ask for the kind without the brown sugar; add just 1 tsp on your own) 260 calories, 4.5 grams total fat, 2 grams saturated fat
Egg McMuffin: 300 calories, 12 grams total fat, 5 grams saturated fat
Fruit 'n Yogurt Parfait: 160 calories, 2 grams total fat, 1 gram saturated fat
Premium Grilled Chicken Classic sandwich (no mayo): 370 calories, 4.5 grams total fat, 1 gram saturated fat
Hamburger: 250 calories, 9 grams total fat, 3.5 grams saturated fat
Cheeseburger: 300 calories, 12 grams total fat, 6 grams saturated fat
Vanilla Reduced Fat Ice Cream Cone: 150 calories, 3.5 grams total fat, 2 grams saturated fat (dessert)
Small Strawberry Banana Smoothie: 210 calories, 0.5 grams total fat, 0 grams saturated fat (dessert)
Small Iced Latte: 80 calories, 4 grams total fat, 2.5 grams saturated fat (drink)
Photo: Jim Bastardo/Woman's Day

Olive Garden

Venetian Apricot Chicken: 380 calories, 4 grams total fat, 1.5 grams saturated fat
Linguine alla Marinara: 430 calories, 6 grams total fat, 1 gram saturated fat
Seafood Brodetto: 480 calories, 16 grams total fat, 3 grams saturated fat
Minestrone Soup: 100 calories, 1 gram total fat, 0 grams saturated fat (side)

Applebee's

Grilled Shrimp & Island Rice: 370 calories, 4.5 grams total fat, 1 gram saturated fat
Teriyaki Shrimp Pasta: 440 calories, 8 grams total fat, 2 grams saturated fat
Teriyaki Chicken Pasta: 450 calories, 8 grams total fat, 2 grams saturated fat
Fresh fruit: 90 calories, 0 grams fat (side)

Subway

Egg & Cheese Muffin Melt: 170 calories, 6 grams total fat, 2 grams saturated fat
Bacon, Egg White and Cheese Muffin Melt: 180 calories, 5 grams total fat, 2 grams saturated fat 6"
Turkey with veggies (no cheese) on a 9-Grain Wheat roll:280 calories, 3.5 grams total fat, 1 gram saturated fat 6"
Ham with veggies on a 9-Grain Wheat roll: 290 calories, 4.5 grams total fat, 1 gram saturated fat 6"
Roast Beef with veggies on a 9-Grain Wheat roll: 320 calories, 4.5 grams total fat, 1.5 grams saturated fat
Veggie Delite Salad with fat-free Italian Dressing: 85 calories, 1 gram total fat, 0 grams saturated fat (side)
Photo: Jim Bastardo/Woman's Day

KFC

Grilled Chicken Breast: 210 calories, 8 grams total fat, 2.5 grams saturated fat
Grilled Filet Sandwich without sauce: 340 calories, 8 grams total fat, 3.5 grams saturated fat
Tender Roast Sandwich (slow-roasted white-meat fillet) without sauce: 300 calories, 4 grams total fat, 1.5 grams saturated fat
Three Bean Salad: 70 calories, 0 grams fat (side)

Pizza Hut

Enjoy 2 slices of the following:
12" "Fit 'n Delicious" Green Pepper, Red Onion & Diced Red Tomato: 1 slice = 150 calories, 4 grams total fat, 1.5 grams saturated fat
12" "Fit 'n Delicious" Diced Red Tomato, Mushroom & Jalapeno: 1 slice = 150 calories, 4 grams total fat, 1.5 grams saturated fat
12" "Fit 'n Delicious" Ham, Red Onion & Mushroom: 1 slice = 160 calories, 4.5 grams total fat, 1.5 grams saturated fat

Arby's

Regular Roast Beef Sandwich: 360 calories, 14 grams total fat, 6 grams saturated fat
Roast Chicken Sandwich: 400 calories, 16 grams total fat, 3 grams saturated fat
Ham & Swiss Melt: 300 calories, 8 grams total fat, 3.5 grams saturated fat
Chopped Side Salad (no cheese) with 1/2 serving Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing: 135 calories, 11 grams total fat, 4 grams saturated fat (side)
Photo: Jim Bastardo/Woman's Day

Starbucks

Perfect Oatmeal with Dried Fruit: 240 calories, 2.5 grams total fat, 0.5 grams saturated fat
Egg White, Spinach & Feta Wrap: 280 calories, 10 grams total fat, 3.5 grams saturated fat
Chicken on Flatbread with Hummus Artisan Snack Plate: 250 calories, 9 grams total fat, 0 grams saturated fat
Picnic Pasta Salad: 320 calories, 5 grams total fat, 0 grams saturated fat
Roasted Vegetable Panini: 350 calories, 12 grams total fat, 4.5 grams saturated fat
Tall (12 oz) Iced Skinny Latte: 70 calories, 0 grams fat (drink)
Tall (12 oz) Coffee Frappuccino Light: 110 calories, 0 grams fat (drink)
Unsweetened Tazo Shaken Iced Passion Tea: 0 calories, 0 grams fat (drink)
Grande Skim Latte: 130 calories, 0 grams fat (drink)
Grande Skim Cappuccino: 80 calories, 0 grams fat (drink)
Tall Cocoa Cappuccino (hot or iced): 120 calories, 1.5 grams total fat, 1 gram saturated fat (drink)
Photo: Jim Bastardo/Woman's Day

Taco Bell

Drive-Thru Diet Menu Fresco Grilled Steak Soft Taco: 150 calories, 4 grams total fat, 1.5 grams saturated fat (order 2 for a complete meal)
Drive-Thru Diet Menu Fresco Burrito Supreme Chicken: 350 calories, 8 grams total fat, 2.5 grams saturated fat
Chicken Ranch Taco Salad: 240 calories, 6 grams total fat, 1 gram saturated fat
Photo: Jim Bastardo/Woman's Day

Dunkin' Donuts

Egg White Turkey Sausage Wake-Up Wrap: 150 calories, 5 grams total fat, 2.5 grams saturated fat
Egg White Veggie Wake-Up Wrap: 150 calories, 6 grams total fat, 3 grams saturated fat
Egg White Turkey Sausage Flatbread: 280 calories, 8 grams total fat, 3 grams saturated fat
Small Latte Lite or Iced Latte Lite: 80 calories, 0 grams fat (drink)

Clever Combos

When you're on the go, you don't always have time for a full meal—but that's OK . If you start the day with a good breakfast, a few well-chosen snack combos can power you through till dinner. The key is to choose items that provide you with protein, fiber and carbs. Try:

• Small bag of soy crisps or baked potato chips + baby carrots + 6-oz container nonfat yogurt (nonfat Greek yogurt is a bonus, with twice as much protein as traditional yogurts)
• Packet of peanut butter whole-grain sandwich crackers (such as Lance) + 8-oz container skim or 1% milk
• Small bag or sleeve of nuts (no more than 2 oz) + an apple, banana, orange or other piece of whole fruit
• Small container nonfat yogurt or cottage cheese + a banana + a mini-box of cereal (ideally choose a brand with 3 grams fiber). Buy a large cup at a minimart, and make your own parfait!
• Small bag or sleeve of nuts + a small box of raisins + a mini-box of cereal. Combine to make your own trail mix.
• Turkey Jerky (stick with 1 to 2 oz because of the high salt content) + small frozen yogurt, topped with fresh fruit (optional)
• Piece of whole fruit + 2 oz sunflower seeds (ideally unsalted). The seeds have 6 grams fiber and 11 grams protein! 
• Smartfood Reduced Fat White Cheddar Cheese Flavored Popcorn + 8-oz carton lowfat chocolate milk
• An apple + 1 or 2 lowfat string cheeses or Laughing Cow Light triangles + small bag SunChips
• Granola or nutrition bar (I like Nature Valley, Kind, Clif, Luna, Lärabar) + medium or large skim latte or cappuccino
Photo: Shutterstock and Thinkstock

You're There!

To keep your weight in check during your time off:

1. Eat protein at breakfast Protein helps keep your hunger at bay, making you less likely to choose unhealthy snacks and/or overeat. Make sure your breakfast includes lean protein, such as egg whites, lowfat cottage cheese, nonfat yogurt or even turkey.

2. Watch the alcohol I'm all for enjoying a bit more vino on vacation, but letting loose too much can rack up hundreds of extra calories per day. If you want more than one drink at night, make the second one a "light" version—like a wine spritzer, light beer, or vodka mixed with club soda.

3. Pass on the "extras" These are all the little things we tend to forget about when we think about our daily calorie intake, but they add up fast. In particular, watch out for the bread basket, sugary beverages like soda or juice, and your kids' leftovers.

4. Plan to indulge If you eat relatively light for most of the day (salad with grilled chicken, etc.), you can feel free to enjoy one or two special treats each day—whether it's a small serving of French toast at breakfast or a piña colada while you're sitting by the pool.
Photo: Shutterstock

Snack Attack!

Here are a few of my newest discoveries that are low in saturated fat, contain no artificial ingredients, and have reasonable amounts of sugar and salt. Stash them in your car and be prepared when cravings come calling.

Seapoint Farms Roasted Edamame (regular and wasabi):These roasted and lightly salted crunchy green soybeans have 14 grams protein and 7 to 8 grams fiber per 1/4-cup serving.
Food Should Taste Good Sweet Potato Chips and multigrain chips: About 12 chips, or 1 ounce, has 140 calories, 3 grams fiber and only 80 milligrams sodium.
Snyder's of Hanover Organic hone y Whole wheat Sticks:These are made from 100% whole grains—a rare find. A 1-ounce serving (9 pretzels) has 110 calories.
Cabot individually wrapped reduced -fat cheese squares: One square (3⁄4 ounce) is just 45 to 50 calories.

Joy Bauer, RD, is the nutrition expert for the Today show and the bestselling author of Your Inner Skinny. For more info, go to JoyBauer.com.