Holidays should be about relaxing, enjoying yourself and making memories - not obsessing over a "perfect" eating plan. A healthy diet is built over months and years, not in a single week (or two). Instead of restricting what you eat, a better approach is to add healthy extras to your holiday meals. This way, you can nourish your body, support your digestive system and stay hydrated without feeling deprived.
Author
- Rachel Woods
Senior Lecturer in Physiology, University of Lincoln
If you usually count every calorie, giving yourself a mental break can be refreshing and well deserved. Recent research even suggests that strict calorie restriction can have a detrimental effect on mental health . Of course, this advice assumes holidays are occasional. If you travel frequently, your approach might need to be different. And if you have health conditions or specific dietary needs, tailored guidance is always best.
A few extra holiday calories won't undo your long-term health - but side effects from overeating like bloating, constipation and fatigue can put a damper on your trip. These tips focus on helping you avoid those issues so you can feel your best and make the most of your time away.
Add, don't restrict
It's often easier to add something to your diet than to cut things out, especially on holiday. Rather than having a list of foods to avoid, eat what you fancy and then add nourishing extras.
Where you're staying will influence how easy this is. At an all-inclusive resort, the variety makes it simple to include more fruit and vegetables. Adding a side salad or extra vegetables to every plate, or piling on chopped fruit at breakfast, keeps your fibre intake up and provides valuable nutrients. If you want to moderate calorie intake, starting meals with salad or fruit can help fill you up before the main course.
If your hotel offers breakfast, use it as a chance to start the day with nourishing foods. A plate with mushrooms, tomatoes, beans, or fresh fruit can set you up well, making it easier to relax about food choices for the rest of the day.
Self-catering or dining out can be trickier, but not impossible. Ordering vegetable sides, buying fresh fruit for your room, and keeping a bag of nuts or seeds handy can all help.
Wherever you are, enjoy the local cuisine. In the Mediterranean, for example, traditional diets are rich in vegetables, olive oil and fresh fish - all linked to heart health and longevity.
If you're near the coast, make the most of fresh fish, an excellent source of healthy fats. Choosing whole, minimally processed foods as often as possible is generally the healthiest option.
Staying hydrated
Hot climates and busy days make hydration especially important. Keep a water bottle with you, sip regularly, and watch for early signs of dehydration , such as thirst, dark urine, or dizziness. Water and sugar-free drinks are the healthiest choices.
If alcohol is part of your holiday, balance it with non-alcoholic fluids. From a health perspective, alcohol isn't good for the body - but it's understandable to want a glass of wine at dinner or a cold beer by the pool. Enjoy it in ways that minimise the after-effects: alternate with water, dilute with soda or lemonade to make spritzers or shandies, or plan a few drink-free days.
Cocktails and even mocktails can be surprisingly high in sugar, so save them for when you'll really enjoy them. Having alcohol with food can soften its effects, but remember it's dehydrating - so top up with plenty of water.
Eating and drinking on flights
Long flights can be dehydrating and tiring , so what you eat and drink on board can make a big difference to how you feel when you land. Cabin air is extremely dry , so drink water regularly - ideally a glass every hour - and limit alcohol and caffeine, which can worsen dehydration.
If possible, bring your own snacks. Fresh fruit like grapes or apple slices, vegetable sticks, unsalted nuts, and oat-based bars are healthier and often more satisfying than high-salt, high-sugar snacks sold on board. Salty foods can make you more thirsty, and heavy meals may leave you bloated or sluggish in the confined space of an aircraft seat.
Airline meals can vary in quality, but you can often request a lighter or special option (such as vegetarian or low-salt) when booking. Eating smaller portions and stretching your legs when possible can help keep digestion moving and reduce the risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) .
Travelling with children
With children, mealtimes can be more challenging, especially when routines are disrupted. Young travellers are more prone to dehydration, stomach upsets and constipation - particularly if their diet changes suddenly. A loose structure of three balanced meals, healthy snacks and regular water breaks can help maintain appetite and keep digestion on track.
Holidays can also be a great opportunity for children to try new foods. Buffets work well for this, allowing them to explore small, low-pressure portions. In restaurants, sharing a few dishes between the table can encourage tasting without the commitment of a full plate. Offering new flavours alongside familiar favourites - and keeping it low-pressure - may make them more likely to try new foods .
Children can be especially vulnerable to dehydration, as they may not recognise or communicate the symptoms. Make sure they regularly have access to drinks. Some parents mark water levels on a child's cup to track intake.
Foods with high water content - such as watermelon, cucumber and other fruit and vegetables - also contribute to hydration. Treats such as ice lollies count too, though watch the sugar. Slush drinks are often popular, but many are high in sugar and some contain glycerol, which the Food Standards Agency advises against for children under seven.
Holiday eating isn't about perfection. Healthy eating is built over months and years, not a week or two. Keeping up your fruit and vegetable intake supports digestion, and regular fluids keep you hydrated. Simple steps to nourish your body mean more energy for exploring, relaxing with family, or simply enjoying a well-earned break.
Rachel Woods does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
