Help and advice

How to improve your family’s eating habits on holiday

It's easy to fall into bad eating habits abroad - especially when travelling with children. A travel expert shares tips on how eat healthy when away.

Whether it's a second scoop of ice cream for the kids, or that extra glass of wine at dinner for mum and dad, we all deserve to treat ourselves on holiday.

But with headlines regularly warning that UK children are eating too much sugar, it's natural that parents won't want to stray completely from day-to

day healthy eating habits while away.

According to a research, more than half of parents believe it is important that their holiday hotel offers healthy reduced-sugar options for their children.

In response to a growing demand for healthier food options, some tour operators revise the menu at their resorts. Food and drink items that are high in added sugar - including cakes, sweets, ice cream and fizzy drinks – must be replaced with reduced-sugar alternatives, such as fruit based smoothies, sugar-free organic strawberry snacks and popcorn.

Here are some tips on how to help your family stay healthy

on holiday...

1. Be a role model

Show your children that you enjoy a wide variety of foods and monitor your portion sizes. You can always pop back to the buffet for seconds.

2. Try not to take overhungry children to the restaurant

Children do best when routines are predictable. As much as possible, keep to your normal routine by including three meals a day and healthy snacks.

3. Keep children active between meals

Holidays are the ideal time for a break from the television or iPad. Family bike rides are a great way to find out what's in the local area.

4. Focus on quality time together

Seek out activities away from your hotel that encourage interaction, such as playing games or cards, learning a few phrases in the local language or visiting a nearby tourist attraction.

5. Healthy food tastes good

Encourage children to enjoy the taste of healthy food by suggesting they try new local dishes that broaden their horizons as well as their taste buds.