Healthy Eats – Food Network Healthy Living Blog: Food Network's Healthy Eats: Healthy Recipes, Weight Loss Tips & Nutrition Information

Skip the boardwalk's hot dog-eating contest and snack on some popcorn instead.

I’m still traveling with my family and this week it’s boardwalk time!  I adore the boardwalk in Ocean City, New Jersey; it conjures up incredible childhood memories and now I’m creating new magical moments with my own kids. I don’t exactly recall the boardwalk grub I ate when I was little, but I’m sure the offerings haven’t changed much: waffles stuffed with ice cream, cheese fries, heavily-topped pizzas, loaded nachos, fresh fudge, cotton candy, hot dogs/chili dogs and frozen custard. What HAS changed is the portion sizes. They’re enormous. You know it’s bad when there’s a prize for consuming a 26-inch pizza.  Really? Can you imagine a prize for consuming salad? Not likely.

I’m not trying to be a party pooper, but when I travel with my family, I try to feed my kids healthy meals while leaving room for treats. We can’t return home refreshed after a vacation of no sleep and no vegetables. Actually, no sleep I can handle. Junk food for little ones (and the grandparents we’re visiting) doesn’t cut it for me. Here’s what I found to nosh on while enjoying the boardwalk: soft pretzels with mustard (I scraped off most of the salt), fresh-squeezed lemonade, popcorn (sans butter), snow cones/shaved ice, roasted nuts (cashews, almonds and pistachios) and caramel popcorn. I even found chocolate-covered strawberries and chocolate-covered blueberries. My kids didn’t feel deprived for a second and I felt better about what we all ate (especially after a few upside-down loops on the coaster).

Please share your favorite foods – whether it’s at the beach, the carnival or local street fair!  Summer rocks!