Jump to content

Need some ideas about food choices!


Clampram
 Share

Recommended Posts

We have 2 cruises in January and we are planning to do the gym often. In addition, we are thinking of ideas to decrease what we eat since it is so easy to overeat on cruises.

We are planning on ordering room service for breakfast with lots of fruits and maybe some other low cal BK choices.

For lunch, we would like to "get" some food and eat it elsewhere. Can you take out salads or sandwiches from the buffet area, I don't think that I ever noticed any take out containers.

I know we can get them from the IC, but that is a charge , right? Or is it?

Please chime in if you have any other ideas on this topic.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We have 2 cruises in January and we are planning to do the gym often. In addition, we are thinking of ideas to decrease what we eat since it is so easy to overeat on cruises.

We are planning on ordering room service for breakfast with lots of fruits and maybe some other low cal BK choices.

For lunch, we would like to "get" some food and eat it elsewhere. Can you take out salads or sandwiches from the buffet area, I don't think that I ever noticed any take out containers. You can take the food (no containers, just on the plate) anywhere including to the tables around the pools and to the Horizon Terrace (aft behind the Horizon Court).

I know we can get them from the IC, but that is a charge , right? Or is it? No charge.

Please chime in if you have any other ideas on this topic.

 

See comments above.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Of course food selection is important: look over the items and only select the 3 or 4 choices that appeal to you the most; you can go back for more later if you need to. Eat the most desired item first, chew slowly and once satiated with that food, move on to the next one but...you cannot go back to the first. After about 10 minutes of chewing slowly, stop for about 5 minutes then you can continue eating. Remember there are only taste buds in your mouth so eating fast does nothing for you--savor the food taste and texture while chewing.

 

Watch out for salt as we think that it is why we seem to "gain" weight on a cruise. We tend to not add salt at home; though the food on the ship never tastes salty to us, we always feel like it makes us hold a lot of extra water "weight".

 

Drink lots of water and don't wait to eat until you are ravenous as you'll eat a lot more food then! The more people you dine with, the greater the likelihood you'll overeat.

 

Hope this helps!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We have 2 cruises in January and we are planning to do the gym often. In addition, we are thinking of ideas to decrease what we eat since it is so easy to overeat on cruises.

We are planning on ordering room service for breakfast with lots of fruits and maybe some other low cal BK choices.

For lunch, we would like to "get" some food and eat it elsewhere. Can you take out salads or sandwiches from the buffet area, I don't think that I ever noticed any take out containers.

I know we can get them from the IC, but that is a charge , right? Or is it?

Please chime in if you have any other ideas on this topic.

First of, International Cafe is zero charge. You can have all the salads, sandwiches, soups, etc you like at zero charge. Good alternative to buffet.

No take out containers in buffet. Or elsewhere for that matter. Many people make up a plate or bowl and take it out to pool deck or back to cabin to enjoy - cover with another player or bowl to keep things from flying off in wind or falling off the plate

Or eat in buffet, just take your plate/bowl to the furthest away seating possible - some have outdoor seating aft, etc. To lessen then temptation to run back for a quick bite..

Eating in the main dining room for most meals can help - easier to portion control....

We don't eat any different onboard than we do at home, rarely gain weight, etc.. It's pretty easy to not overeat actually... You have food available all day and night at home, and don't overeat there - just practice same habits onboard!

Good luck..

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We are planning on ordering room service for breakfast with lots of fruits and maybe some other low cal BK choices. You'll be disappointed if you look for low cal items on the breakfast menu (unless you're in a suite). Very little fruit, danish, sweet rolls, a McMuffin style sandwich.

For lunch, we would like to "get" some food and eat it elsewhere. Can you take out salads or sandwiches from the buffet area, I don't think that I ever noticed any take out containers.

I know we can get them from the IC, but that is a charge , right? Or is it?

Please chime in if you have any other ideas on this topic.

As others pointed out, you can carry your food anywhere you want. You might consider bringing your own "carry out" containers.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On most sea days I’ve found the gym (or Promenade deck) very busy early so I have a light breakfast & get my cardio exercise closer to noon when most passengers go for lunch which I have after my workout.

 

I limit my intake of high calorie drinks preferring my calories from food. I don’t deprive myself & use portion control but just because most food is included I don’t overeat.

 

With exercising, using stairs & walking in ports the most I gain is a couple of pounds even on long cruises. I’ve heard the thoughts about fluid retention from food due to sodium being a factor. My food doesn’t taste salty but eating more food than at home I’m getting more sodium. Whether that’s the cause, more food in my digestive system, eating more food or a combination of these factors, within about 7-10 days of normal activity at home my weight returns to my pre-cruise weight.

 

I fully enjoy the food & drinks in moderation during a cruise & keep active to not have a big weight gain that I need to lose after my cruise. That works for me but it’s understandable that others will feel differently.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Great ideas, keep them coming!

 

When you get food from the IC, the items are already wrapped...........I can't remember? Or they are in disposable containers?

 

The only disposable containers I remember in the IC are the to go cups for coffee and tea. Those are the only disposable containers I've ever seen on a Princess ship. I've never seen any wrapped offerings in the IC. Food is served with regular plates and cutlery.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This may not work for everybody, but it certainly works for me.

 

My wife was a chef. There is no denying that we both like to eat. The highlight of the day for us is dinner--especially, while we are on a cruise. We regularly dine in the Princess specialty restaurants. I shake my head when I read comments here on Cruise Critic that the Chef's Table and the Ultimate Balcony Dinner offer "too much to eat." On the flip side, I don't ever consider ordering two entrees, although, occasionally, Mrs. XBGuy will replace an entree course with a second appetizer.

 

However, we don't eat lunch.

 

While on a cruise, I will, in fact, have a pretty robust breakfast--usually in the buffet. My wife likes to sleep in, and, so, after I finish my fourth or fifth cup of coffee, I'l go through the buffet line again (yes, I wash my hands or sanitize, again) and grab a snack (smoked salmon with a bagel is good) to take back to the cabin for her.

 

The big mid-day activiting is walking. On a sea day we will orbit the promenade deck. On a port day we will walk around town if we decide to get off the ship. We usually dedicate two to three hours per day to walking.

 

I admit that we find the international cafe tempting. In the late afternoon we will, in fact, often grab the shrimp-fennel salad or the watermelon caprese salad.

 

At 6:30 or 7:00 we go off for dinner. All of the specialty restaurants seem good--and more than filling--to us. A heads up, though, we have found that the new Sabatini's Trattoria menu does have one danger. At the begininng of the meal, they give you a bunch of these cheese-filled dough balls. They are amazing. Our first night we powered every one of them down.

 

Big mistake. An hour later those little "belly bombs" denotate and, yes, I then felt I had too much to eat. I was pretty miserable for several hours, that night.

 

On our second visit we were much smarter. We each limited ourself to one of those little devils. It was difficult, but we were much happier in the end.

 

Now, there are times when we will, in fact, have a nice lunch during a shore visit. No big deal. On those evenings we have a very modest dinner--sandwich from the IC, a slice of pizza from the lido deck, a tuna sandwich from room service.

 

I should also mention that we bring our own wine on board. There is always wine available in our cabin and there is always wine on our dinner table. Since I prefer red wine and she prefers wine wine, we, in fact will usually have two bottles open at our table.

 

It sure seems to me that we still manage to ingest an awful lot of calories.

 

A few weeks ago we were on a 10-day cruise to the Sea of Cortez. My wife was tickled when she told me on the day after we returned that she gained one pound on the cruise.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Have fruit or sorbet for dessert! Eat more salads without a creamy salad dressing. Stay away from fried foods. Fill up a small plate instead of a really big plate. To not gain weight, it's mostly in what you're eating even if you're walking around a lot. I eat vegan meals on a cruise only and I never gain weight - and they're still super delicious!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

They say you can’t outrun your fork. We walk and walk and walk, trying to use the stairs as much as possible. Breakfast is easy for me as I am not terribly hungry in the morning. Eggs with veggies and a bit of bacon (no bread), or oatmeal with fruit and yogurt for protein.Seek a veggie centered lunch: big salads, lean protein with whatever veg is available. Then at dinner I have what I want, in reasonable portions. The only desserts I eat are the tiramisu or the fruit tart - no more than one per day.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am also very conscious of what I eat when I cruise. It helps me to have a breakfast similar to what I eat at home so I order room service, light items such as shredded wheat cereal or museli with yogurt and fruit. Then I run down to the IC for coffee and have it all in the room--works best if I have a balcony :-) I try to have self control at lunch either in the buffet (huge salad and some protein and fruit) or the IC. I try to stay away from desserts and tarts during the day. Dinner I tend to splurge a bit more including at least tasting or splitting a dessert. Earlier this month my traveling companion and I had dinner the last 2 nts of an 8 nt cruise in Vines. Wine and sushi/tapas....nice and light but delish, and in a relaxing atmosphere. On the night we did the Chef's Table, which was my first and was spectacular, we did laps around the deck afterwards. It was a beautiful night and a nice way to end the evening.

 

I tried to take the stairs much of the time and made it to the gym or did laps on the promenade deck most days.

 

I would try to avoid going to the buffet "just for a little snack". That's a danger for me. If you do, go for the fruit. Princess has lots of wonderful melon and pineapple. My weakness is cheese and its easy for me to gravitate by the cheese and cracker area.

 

Have a great time on your cruise!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I made it through 10 days on the Royal earlier this month without taking an elevator, always taking the stairs. As for food, there are plenty of healthy selections in the buffet. You can take a plate back to your cabin if you want. There are also some healthy options on the room service menu: salads, veggie sandwich, and Moroccan veggie hot dish.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We've eaten more than a few 'meals' at Vines. We usually bot get a glass of wine and a tapas each to start. Portions are ok for us. I'll order second glass of wine and another tapas if it has what I like, while my wife usually heads to the IC for a dessert and specialty coffee unless we are planning a crooners nightcap martini. I'm not a dessert person at all, so if she offers a bite of hers, fine, which she always does.

 

Works well for us.

 

and Alfredos if available...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ok, this is how I handle long cruises. I have more choices which is great, but I eat like I eat at home!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That means a "real breakfast" 2 days out of 7, rest just coffee and fruit; lunch- anything but small amount; dinner eat anything I want but no bread and only one dessert if any. I find that if you eat like you are at home (but don't have to make yourself and have more choices!) than you have no problem.

 

Pooh

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My two tips for the buffet:

 

1. Don't use the giant serving platter that Princess uses for dinner plates in the buffet. It just encourages you to take larger portions and more things to fill up the plate.

2. No seconds. You're going to be on board for a week or more; plenty of time to try a wide range of what is available. No need to try to get it all in one meal.

 

I'm not a fan of skipping meals because I feel that just results in over eating at the next meal. But exercising good portion control and making wise food selections helps me stay on track without skipping a meal and feeling deprived.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We don't eat any different onboard than we do at home, rarely gain weight, etc..

we go all out on the cruise, eat till we burst, go back for food multiple times, and my husband eats so many desserts..... We don't gain weight on the cruise, and we don't exercise on the cruise either. To each his own. For me cruises are the times of pure, unadulterated gluttony galore. All the fantastic food that nobody ever cooks at home - yum.

Of course, we only cruise 1-2 times a year....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

we go all out on the cruise, eat till we burst, go back for food multiple times, and my husband eats so many desserts..... We don't gain weight on the cruise, and we don't exercise on the cruise either. To each his own. For me cruises are the times of pure, unadulterated gluttony galore. All the fantastic food that nobody ever cooks at home - yum.

Of course, we only cruise 1-2 times a year....

Same for us. 2 cruise per year.

We always get to the DR or buffet early so we can go back for another round before they close. :D;p

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've tended to do port-intensive cruises where hubby and I spend our days walking pretty much everywhere we want to go. What I've tended to do, and not gained weight in the process, is eat a large breakfast. By "large", I mean two plates at the buffet, filled with eggs, potatoes/hash browns, fruit, french toast, cheese, or whatever else fits my fancy. I understand that this is a lot for some people to stomach, but I do this knowing that I am not coming back to the ship for lunch. I find that this is enough to fill me up for the day and, at night, only hungry enough for a snack or something small.

 

Of course, I only do this when I know that I will be off the ship all day and be active throughout. I eat far less for breakfast on sea days or days when I don't expect to do as much walking (i.e. on a tour with bus transportation), and have more reasonable meal portions during those days.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hit the salad bar first. You can get a big plate of salad with many choices of toppings. I think the salad bar is excellent. Fill up on salad, avoid the bread and desserts. There's plenty of protein choices to put on top of the salads. You can make a salad and take it back to your room. We don't normally eat dinner but I get a cheese plate around 4:00 pm from Lido deck and take it back to the room for later. We never order room service so don;t know much about food. We only order coffee in the morning. We're lo carbers so this works for us. And I'm a walk-a-holic. I put in at least 5-6 miles a day on the ship. Take the stairs, stay off the elevator. The gym is a petri dish, good place to pick up noro.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share

  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...