Hearty Adventure Travelers Find Food With Phone Apps

Adventure travelers may hit the road with nothing but the clothes on their backs and maybe their cellphones. They live to explore dream destinations around the planet. Taking off to spend the summer walking America or hiking through Europe is their idea of heaven on Earth. It’s a carefree life full of wonder and anticipation – until they get hungry.

They may hole up somewhere to avoid a storm or put other worlds on hold for a while to focus singly on their quest. But when hunger strikes, they need to eat.

If they managed to bring along that cellphone, finding food can be a bit easier with some old and new iPhone apps.

In the U.S., Food Finder uses postal ZIP codes for finding dining venues sorted by cuisine type. Food Information Database has nutritional information for hundreds of restaurants. Whats The Wait? finds restaurant wait times and seating statuses nationwide.

Traveling abroad, Eat Well Global country guides are available with country-specific food and health information. Launched this week, the new country-specific app shows travelers how and where to eat well in Israel, Thailand, Mexico, China and other destinations.

“Eating well is critical for maintaining energy and staying focused,” said Eat Well Global founder, Julie Meyer, RD in the Sacramento Bee. “But often travelers don’t know how to eat well in a new country. Our apps fill this need with insights from local registered dietitians to help you find healthy and energizing foods that are also authentic to the region.”

Also featured are sections on eating well with special dietary needs, a task that can humble even the most courageous adventure traveler who might be looking for vegan, gluten-free or low fat food options.

[Flickr photo by Seth Mazow]