A Healthy Attendee is a Happy One
I always encourage attendees to eat healthy — it’s a lifestyle change, not a fad! Here’s advice you can give them for their next conference or trade show — and advice you can take next time you attend one!
• Ask the conference planner in advance what the menus for the various functions will be. Be sure to ask what the vegetarian options are (as on most commercial airline flights, the vegetarian option is many times better than the meal being offered to all attendees!).
• Travel with (or buy on-site at a local grocer close to the convention center or your hotel) a few snacks that are healthy, such as whole fruit, fruit breads, granola bars (five grams of fat or less), pretzels and baked chips, and lots of bottled water!
• Consider ordering a healthy meal from room service in advance of the function if you feel that there will not be a healthy alternative at the event. Additionally, this will leave more time for networking!
• At the food functions, look for foods that are low in fat and made with
whole grains.
• Eat fresh fruits, vegetables and salads — and drink lots of water!
• Avoid foods with added salt or sugar.
Look for these healthy items at your various food functions:
Breakfast
Small muffins
Granola bars
English muffins
Fresh fruit
Low-fat or nonfat yogurt
Lunch
Salad with low-fat or fat-free dressing
Pasta salad with low-fat dressing
Pita bread or wrap sandwiches made with lean meats and low-fat condiments
Dinner
Soups (vegetarian broth/no cream)
Steamed vegetables (try to always include at least one vegetable)
Baked potato with low-fat toppings
Poultry (the leanest poultry choice is the white meat from the breast of the chicken or turkey)
Snacks
Whole or fresh fruit
Raw vegetables with non-fat dips
Baked chips or pretzels (seven grams of fat or less)
Roasted nuts