Last updated on March 19th, 2024 at 11:50 am
Looking for tips on how to choose a healthy hotel breakfast?
Hotels that offer a free continental breakfast or breakfast buffet can be a huge convenienceānot to mention a money-saverābut they are not always packed with the healthiest choices!
But eating a healthy hotel breakfast can be challenging, because there are so many options and it is tempting to go for the yummy stuff you wouldnāt normally eat at home. Continental hotel breakfasts often feature lots of carbohydrates, and breakfast buffets can easily lead to overeating, which will leave you sluggish all day.
So how do you eat healthy at a hotel breakfast? Whether you are traveling for business or for pleasure, with your family or alone, here are the best ideas for a healthy hotel breakfast.
Hotel Continental Breakfast Ideas
Staying at a hotel with breakfast included just makes sense! It is important to fuel your body with nutritious food so you have the energy to take on the day! And when youāre traveling, healthy eating is of paramount importance. So being able to take the elevator downstairs from your hotel room and grab a quick, healthy breakfast is key.
Follow these tips for choosing the best options to start your day with a healthy hotel breakfast.
Reach for Fruit First
Naturally, fresh fruit is going to be one of the healthiest hotel breakfast options. Many hotels offer at least some type of whole fruit in their breakfast bar, even if all they have are some bananas or apples.
Sometimes youāll see a bowl of what is obviously canned peaches or mixed fruit. These can be high in sugar, but better than nothing if fresh fruit is unavailable.
Fill up your plate with fruit first as it pairs well with eggs, yogurt, and cereal. When grabbing a drink, try to see if they have 100 percent fruit juice available. If not, drinking tea or bottled water is probably a better option.
Healthy Beverages
Speaking of juice, keep in mind that they can be full of sugar and calories, especially if not 100 percent real juice. Sometimes it is easy to forget that liquids have calories! Iāve been known to put my juice on ice. Cranberry juice on ice makes it feel like a morning cocktail on the rocks, but the ice is actually working to water down the drink and make it last longer.
Water is always a good option. Black coffee and unsweetened tea are calorie-free. If you take milk in your coffee, avoid the creamer and go for skim milk. Even if you donāt see skim milk by the coffee pots, often you can find little containers of milk by the cereal.
Protein-Packed Eggs
If the breakfast buffet has either scrambled egg s or an omelet station, that is a good way to get a filling and healthy breakfast, while also getting your morningās worth of protein. Eggs are a better protein option than breakfast meats such as bacon or sausage, which are not only fatty but salty, too. Eating an omelet rich in protein will make you feel full for much longer.
Made to order omelets are your best bet. These are great because you can get a healthy omelet with eggs, vegetables, and cheese, which is very filling and gives you control of the nutrition. Ask them to go easy on the oil or butter and pack in some extra veggies.
If there isnāt an omelet bar, hard boiled eggs are the next best thing. Scrambled eggs are often available, but many times they are made from powder rather than fresh.
If you do see scrambled eggs, check to see if there is a pan labeled as egg whites, as these contain no cholesterol and are fat-free. If not, go with the traditional eggs and pair them with your fresh fruit.
Share a Waffle
Iāll be the first to admit homemade waffles at a hotel breakfast are hard to turn down. Theyāre fun to make, and they taste really good! Kids especially love pouring the batter into the waffle maker and then flipping it over to find a fresh, hot, giant waffle waiting to be eaten for breakfast!
This is especially true if you happen to be visiting a hotel near Disneyland or Walt Disney World; those Mickey-shaped waffles are part of the vacation experience!
No need to deprive your family of this hotel breakfast treat. Why not share a waffle among two or three people? You still get the fun experience of making it, and a big waffle can easily be split.
Better yet, if the waffle maker at your hotel has multiple spots for mini-waffles, just make one or two.
Hot or Cold Cereal
There is nothing wrong with choosing cereal for breakfast, but be careful of the options. If the hotel only has cold cereal filled with sugar and preservatives (think kidsā favorites!), pass on that and go for the oatmeal instead. However, many hotel buffets offer high-protein cereal or bran flakes, which are much better for you.
Combine the cold cereal with fat-free milk and fresh fruit, add a slice of toast or yogurt, and youāre ready to go.
Oatmeal can also be a healthy hotel breakfast, and you might even find toppings like slivered almonds or honey to drizzle on top.
Ditto on sharing if you just canāt resist a breakfast pastry or bagel.
āŗ Looking for more healthy travel tips? Check out these 10 Tips for Eating Healthy While Traveling.
Just Say No
There are definitely some foods to avoid if you are trying to be healthy while traveling. For example, take a pass on the bagels and cream cheese. Bagels contain a lot of unnecessary bread and carbs, unless you get lucky and they have whole wheat bagel thins. And cream cheese is high in fat.
High-sugar foods such as pastries and sweetened cereal will fill you with empty calories and possibly lead to a sugar crash after breakfast. If one of these foods is your favorite and you can’t resist, just indulge with a nibble.
In general, say no the following breakfast items:
- Fried potatoes or hash browns
- Biscuits and gravy
- Filled croissants
- Doughnuts
- Muffins
- Cinnamon rolls
- Maple syrup
- Cream cheese
- Sugary cereal
Say Yes!
Choose foods that are fresh or filled with nutritious ingredients. Good examples include:
- Fresh fruit
- Whole grain cereals
- Whole grain toast or English muffins
- Plain oatmeal
- Greek yogurt
- Cottage cheese
- Made to order omelets
- Hard boiled eggs
- Peanut butter
- Skim milk
Final Thoughts: Healthy Hotel Breakfast Options
Trying to eat healthy when traveling can be challenging, but itās not impossible. If you use these tips, you will get off to a healthy and satisfying start to your day!
Pin These Healthy Hotel Breakfast Ideas for Later!
Planning to stay at a hotel with a breakfast buffet? Pin the image below for future reference!
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