Healthy food in holiday countries: bratwurst or lean meat?

You often drink more alcohol on holiday than at home. All drinks are ticking. Dry white wine (100 kcal/glass) provides slightly fewer calories than other wines (120 kcal/glass). Cava, prosecco or champagne provide 55 kcal/glass. This is purely because the glasses are smaller.

A Dutch beer provides about 85 kcal, but remember that the glasses in the holiday country are almost always larger. Don’t drink every day, really sit down and alternate an alcoholic drink with a glass of water.

Belgium
Fries, chocolate and beer: Belgium has made a name for itself with some impressive calorie bombs. Since most holidaymakers love these quintessentially Belgian delicacies, you can get them on every street corner.

You can enjoy these kinds of things and still maintain your weight. As Belgians say: trop is too much and too much is trop. Just make sure you don’t opt ​​for this type of business too much and not too often.

Belgium is also the country of mineral water, tasty stews, such as Gentse Stoverij, fresh fish and above all: consciously enjoying gastronomy. Eating mindfully often prevents a binge.

The following applies to every holiday: coordinate what you eat on a day. Do you eat half a baguette in the afternoon that is richly topped with cheese, ham, raw vegetables and some mayonnaise (> 600 kcal)? Then remember that you have already consumed more calories than you often consume at dinner at home.

Two Trappists (320 kcal) and some sausages (380 kcal/100 gr) on the terrace? Same. In the evening it is better to choose light. Think of dishes such as Gentse Waterzooi (chicken stew) and fish dishes. Do not always take combinations with fries and avoid mayonnaise. Ketchup contains 90 percent fewer calories.

Germany
The Germans are not known for their light meals. Bratwurst and currywurst, hearty potato salads and everything mit Speck and a good mug of beer. Because of the large portions, a meal in a restaurant can easily exceed 1000 calories (more than half of what you need on a daily basis). Especially when a large schnitzel or other piece of meat is combined with fried potatoes with bacon.

Fortunately, in addition to this stereotypical image of German cuisine, there is also an incredible amount of healthy food available. Organic food is much more common there than here and fiber-rich food is easy. Think of the heavy, dark bread. Try to take advantage of this especially at breakfast and lunch.

Spread yourself and choose lean toppings. For example, lean meat such as ham or 30+ cheese and combine it with raw vegetables and delicious fresh fruit. The whole wheat bread and the fruits and vegetables are very satiating. This way you can resist the temptation of a sausage on the street.

In the evening, for example, choose stew dishes with legumes, such as an Erbseneintopf, a kind of pea soup. Although this tastes hearty, this can be the healthy choice (± 400 kcal/serving). You can also have raw fish and meats with rice or regular potatoes instead of fried and fried side dishes. Ask for salads and vegetables without or with a little sauce.

Finally, try to eat regular portions. Take a break to feel good if you really have enough and don’t be afraid to leave some. In Germany there are also more and more organic restaurants, which often serve more light dishes, based on vegetables. Organic restaurants in Germany: www.oekoadres.de. Look up the calories in dishes yourself: www.fettrechner.de.

France
In France, too, you can prevent too much sniffing by eating attentively. In fact, according to the book ‘Why French Women Don’t Get Fat’, this is one of the most important secrets of French women.

Cheese is a notorious fattener in France. Taste it when the French also do this: after a hot meal. Brie as a sandwich filling and snack is less suitable. You often eat large portions because you are hungry. A small block already provides 55 kcal. It is a myth that eating after eight makes you fat, it is about what you eat in total per day.

The French often have an extensive lunch and a light meal in the evening. This can be a really nice habit to adopt. The advantage of an extensive lunch: you have a lot of energy in the afternoon and it prevents you from not being able to keep pace with the tasty snacks during the drink.

For example, only get some olives from the market for drinks. For example, if you’ve already had lunch out of the house in the afternoon, you can make an easy salad in the evening and serve it with pain complèt (whole wheat bread) and some raw ham.

There is always a healthy choice on the menu in French restaurants. Fish soups and onion soup, for example, are high-calorie appetizers, but clear soups, melon with raw ham or a portion of mussels are fine. Also choose fish, lean meats such as turkey (dinde) or a vegetarian dish with not too much cheese. For dessert, rather have sorbet ice cream (45 kcal) than ice cream (150 kcal/bol) or fromage frais (265 kcal/100 gr).