At Home On The Road To Good Health

How do you find healthy food when you’re traveling in California, where the great Central Valley is the “Bread Basket of the World,” the Salinas Valley is the “Valley of the World,” and inhabitants comprise America’s quintessential ‘Melting Pot’? Here are some ideas for quickly locating places serving up whole grains, fruits and vegetables plus delectable fish, lean meats and low fat dairy—California-grown or caught, organic, hormone-free and sustainable.
Highway exits marked “Visitor Information,” “Downtown” or “Historic Downtown” lead to a helpful Chamber of Commerce or Visitor Center. Santa Cruz Visitor Center offers a flier with a map to healthy places to dine, farms to visit, plus locations and dates of all farmers markets in the county. Inquire at the Post Office in towns without a visitor center. Before and during your trip use a favorite search engine for Internet research. (www.chamberofcommerce.com)
Farmers Markets: More communities than ever are hosting farmers markets near downtown, usually one day per week, where you’ll find freshly harvested vegetables, fruits, nuts, honey and eggs. Often there are prepared foods: salads, dips and salsas, naturally smoked salmon and other meats, plus an array of ethnic specialties, artisan breads, garlic or almond-stuffed olives and gift baskets of assorted products. (www.cafarmersmarkets.com, www.localharvest.org)
Farm Stands: Farmers sell produce right from the field. Their small wooden kiosks are easily spotted along major highways, with many more on the back roads around and between farm towns. Look for “U-pick” signs and pick your own: berries of all kinds, apple, kiwi, citrus, avocado and other fruits. Some farms offer tractor rides and other farming activities. Kids love the baby rabbits, pygmy goats, calves, chicks and lambs at farm petting pens. Often shaded picnic tables and restrooms are available for use. (www.calagtour.org/AgTour.ASP)
Wineries that offer wine tasting are also easily spotted along highways and may sell locally grown, deli-type food and snacks. (www.wineriescalifornia.com/)
Fisherman’s Wharfs: Check your map for seaside towns with a wharf or pier. At the world-famous Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco you can eat fresh catch at restaurants lining the wharf or buy directly from their many fish markets. At Moss Landing fishermen sell from boats in the harbor and from tailgate ice chests alongside Hwy 1 between Santa Cruz and Monterey. (gocalifornia.about.com/) Before you buy, ask and choose fisheries that are sustainable (a constantly updated list is posted at www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/seafoodwatch.asp).
Markets, restaurants and cafes: You’ll find the healthiest places to dine by asking a local—start with the farmers and fishermen! Politely inquire where they deliver their products and which places they personally recommend or think offers the most wholesome fare. If a health food market has no cafe, ask their staff for recommendations. (www.eatwellguide.org)
Conventional supermarkets: Many markets now offer organic fruits and vegetables, wild fish and other whole foods. So far very little has shown up in the prepared food section. Labels for various healthy aspects of processed foods will soon sport a nutritional guidance system, called the “Overall Nutritional Quality Index” (ONQI), developed by Dr. David L. Katz, director of the Yale University Disease Prevention Research Center. Fiber, sugar and approximately 30 nutrients are considered in ratings from 0 to 100, 100 being the most nutritional. While processed foods are definitely not as healthy as whole foods, this system will give some guidance to the best choices.
Convenience stores: Choose unsalted nuts, fresh or dried fruits and low fat milk, yogurt or cheese.
Carry your own ice chest or insulated food bag, along with dinnerware, napkins and water, then buy extra food to have as a snack or meal on down the road. Motor homes are best equipped to take advantage of the natural abundance of California-grown products; buy or rent a vehicle that operates on biofuels.
“California Healthy” and “Healthy Highways” are two guidebooks with information about and maps to natural food eateries. The first covers substantially more in California, with recipes, walking places nearby and food/wine/walk events, and the second covers only food in all states.