16 June 2026 | Nutrition | By Daniëlle van der Leest
I’m writing this from France.
We’re at the beginning of a seven-week family trip — three kids, the family holiday house, a lot of baguettes, and very little of my usual routine. I’m breastfeeding, we’re walking everywhere, and “training” right now looks more like carrying a baby up a hill than anything I’d put in a programme.
And honestly? My nutrition has had to shift completely.
Not because I’m on holiday and want to “let loose.” But because the structure I usually rely on — the kitchen I know, the rhythm of the week, the grocery shop I can do on autopilot — is gone. And when structure disappears, eating enough of the right things takes a little more intention.
So this one’s for anyone navigating summer right now. Whether you’re travelling, hosting family, surviving the school holiday chaos at home, or just in a phase of life where everything feels slightly off its axis.
Why nutrition actually matters more in the messy seasons
Here’s what most people think: holidays are a time to relax the food rules, eat what you want, and not overthink it.
And in many ways, yes. Life is short. Eat the croissant.
But here’s what doesn’t get talked about enough: if you’re an active woman — especially if you’re pregnant, postpartum, or in perimenopause — your body’s nutritional demands don’t take a break just because your routine does.
If you’re breastfeeding, you need more energy than almost any other phase of life. If you’re in perimenopause, protein and blood sugar stability matter more than ever for mood, energy, and muscle. If you’re pregnant, the nutrient density of what you eat is genuinely building someone.
The issue isn’t holiday food being “bad.” The issue is that when structure goes, women tend to undereat — especially protein — without realising it. You’re busy, meals are irregular, you grab what’s easy. And then you wonder why you’re exhausted by 4pm, or snapping at everyone by Thursday.
The tool I come back to every time: the hand portion
I don’t track macros. I haven’t for years. But I do use one thing that travels with me everywhere, costs nothing, and always fits: my hand.
Hand portions work because they’re automatically scaled to your body. A palm of protein for a 55kg woman is a different amount than for an 80kg woman — and that’s the point.
Here’s the simple version:
Protein → 1 palm per meal (a piece of meat, fish, eggs, or legumes roughly the size and thickness of your palm)
Vegetables → 1 fist per meal (at minimum — more is always fine)
Carbohydrates → 1 cupped handful per meal (rice, pasta, bread, potatoes)
Fats → 1 thumb per meal (olive oil, butter, cheese, nuts)
That’s one meal. Do that three times a day and you’re already covering a lot of ground.
Quick protein grabs when you’re away from home
No meal prep, no fuss — these are the ones worth keeping on hand:
- Eggs (hard-boil a few at the start of the week)
- Tinned fish — tuna, sardines, mackerel (French supermarkets are brilliant for these)
- Rotisserie chicken — grab one, pull it apart, done
- Greek yoghurt or cottage cheese
- Hard cheese and deli ham or charcuterie
- Tinned lentils or chickpeas if you want a plant-based option
Protein powder is worth a scan in larger supermarkets (Leclerc, Carrefour) — sometimes in the sport/fitness aisle — but don’t rely on it. Eggs and tinned fish will never let you down.
How portions shift across phases
This is where it gets interesting — and where most generic nutrition advice misses women entirely.
If you’re breastfeeding: Add at least one extra palm of protein and one extra cupped handful of carbs per day. Milk production is energy-expensive. This isn’t the time to eat less.
If you’re pregnant: Same baseline, but prioritise iron-rich proteins (red meat, lentils, dark leafy greens alongside protein) and make sure fat sources are quality ones. Your omega-3 needs are higher. Eat the sardines — yes, really.
If you’re in perimenopause: Protein becomes your most important lever. Aim for 1.6–2g per kg of body weight daily. That’s higher than most women are eating. On a plate, it looks like 2 palms of protein at main meals, not one. Carbohydrates still matter — especially around exercise — but quality and timing become more relevant here.
What this actually looks like on holiday
Here’s my current reality in France:
Breakfast: Eggs (2–3, so roughly a palm and a half), some cheese, bread, fruit. Done.
Lunch: Whatever the kids are having, plus I make sure there’s a proper protein source — often a tin of fish, some charcuterie, or leftover chicken. A fist of vegetables or salad. Bread is always on the table and that’s fine.
Dinner: We cook. Usually something simple — a piece of meat or fish, vegetables roasted in olive oil, rice or potatoes. I serve myself a proper portion rather than picking at the kids’ leftovers.
Snacks: I keep protein-based options available — yoghurt, cheese, nuts, hard-boiled eggs in the fridge. Because I know that by 3pm, if there’s only biscuits, that’s what I’ll eat, and then I’ll be ravenous and underfuelled by dinner.
Is it perfect? No. Is it intentional? Yes. And that’s the difference.
The three things that actually move the needle on holiday
1. Keep protein as your anchor
Before you worry about anything else — vegetables, carbs, timing, all of it — just make sure there’s a protein source at every meal. That one habit alone stabilises energy, keeps hunger more manageable, and protects muscle when your training is lower.
2. Don’t skip meals to “save room”
Eating less during the day and more at dinner is a common holiday pattern. It tends to backfire — blood sugar swings, energy crashes, overeating at night. Three proper meals, even if they’re simple, serves you better than two big ones.
3. Hydration first, food second
Travel, heat, breastfeeding, alcohol — they all increase fluid loss. A lot of what feels like hunger or fatigue is dehydration. Start the day with a big glass of water before coffee. Keep water close. It’s unglamorous advice but it genuinely matters.
On the croissant
Yes, eat it. I mean it.
Enjoyment is part of nourishment. One croissant at a French boulangerie on a Tuesday morning isn’t derailing anything — it’s living. The goal isn’t to white-knuckle your way through a holiday eating perfectly. It’s to keep enough of the foundations in place that you actually feel good, so you can enjoy the holiday you’re in.
Strong, energised, present with your family. That’s the point.
Not a number. Not a tracking app. Not a clean plate on a food diary.
Just you, feeling like yourself, even when life looks nothing like normal.
Daniëlle van der Leest is a Women’s Strength & Wellbeing Coach, Prenatal & Postnatal Specialist, and founder of ActiveWomen. Her book Strength Through the Messy & Beyond — Real-Life Strength Training for Pregnancy, Postpartum & Perimenopause — is available for pre-order now at amazon.com/dp/B0H2MF9QV8. Launch date: 19 August 2026.
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