Danger
This is how you can make your visit to the Oktoberfest healthier
Snack boards and other delicacies invite you to feast at the Oktoberfest.
© Kzenon/Shutterstock.com
Beer, chicken and food stalls invite you to feast at the Oktoberfest. But visiting the Oktoberfest can also be healthy – with these tips.
Since September 16th there has been a lot of fun celebrating on Munich’s Theresienwiese – the Oktoberfest is here! Numerous tents, beer gardens and hundreds of snack stands invite you to feast. Stand by Beer, chicken and sweets are the order of the day – quite a calorie trap. Anyone who wants to eat healthy at Oktoberfest faces a challenge. With these tips, your visit to the Oktoberfest will be a little lower in calories and healthier, but without sacrificing enjoyment.
Eat beforehand
Going to the Oktoberfest on an empty stomach is not a good idea. Because if you drink a lot, you also have to eat a lot. And then, after the chicken or cheese spaetzle in the tent, you’re quickly tempted to take a detour to one of the numerous stands where crêpes or chocolate fruits tempt you. In order not to be driven by irrational hunger, it is advisable to eat a healthy meal before visiting the Oktoberfest that will keep you full for a long time – such as a hearty breakfast or lunch. Then the first measure doesn’t work too quickly.
Choose healthy alternatives
In addition to chicken, bratwurst and the like, there are also numerous healthier alternatives at Oktoberfest. Most beer tents offer several vegan or vegetarian dishes. In addition, salad or sauerkraut is served as a side dish with many dishes – a good source of vitamins. Vitamins can even be found on the meat-heavy snack board, for example in the form of radishes. Another healthy option is the traditional Steckerlfisch. In contrast to many other dishes, it is low in fat and still fills you up.
When it comes to desserts, a crepe with applesauce is a good alternative to one with chocolate; when it comes to chocolate fruits, you can also use dark chocolate instead of whole milk.
Share food
Most dishes at the Oktoberfest are high in calories. Often there are large portions that you can hardly manage on your own anyway. Therefore, sharing a dish with friends can be beneficial. This way you don’t overeat too quickly, you consume fewer calories and you might even be hungry afterwards to try another dish together.
Save on beer
In addition to the food, a lot of calories are also consumed at the Oktoberfest through alcohol, and usually through beer. Unfortunately, the traditional drink has quite a few calories: around 50 calories in just 100 milliliters. One measure has around 500 calories – quite a lot.
It can’t hurt to switch to water between the individual measures and thus reduce your consumption slightly. Radler is also a slightly lower-calorie alternative – it has around 100 calories less than a pint of beer. Some tents also offer sour shandy, i.e. with sparkling water instead of soda.