These healthy holiday eating tips will ensure you all have a great family holiday without breaking the bank or having to battle the muffin top when you get home.

* Once you have arrived at your holiday destination spend an hour at the local supermarket stocking up on day to day basics. This will save you a fortune in on the run snacks.

* On the run snacks tend to be laden with fats and sugars. Stock up on pre packed boxes of dried fruits, nuts or healthy biscuits. Even though you may pay a little more for the extra packaging, you are not at home with all your own Tupperware.

* Bring your own water bottles from home. If room in the luggage is an issue, have each family member carry their own. Otherwise purchase bottled water at your destination and hang on to the bottles. Drinking plenty of water on your family vacation will keep everyone hydrated and cut down on the number of sugars that your children are ingesting in soft drinks. (Soft drinks are one of the leading causes of child obesity.)

* If your littlies refuse to drink water, purchase boxes of juices that are lower in sugars and of a more healthy nature. If you are staying in family friendly accommodation, pop the boxes in the freezer to keep them chilled for your daily excursion.

* Making your own sandwiches is an excellent healthy holiday eating tip. This will cut down on the cost of the day's expenses dramatically. Additionally, you will know exactly what your children are consuming.

* Grab a couple of bags or mixed salads from the supermarket. Add them to every one's sandwiches for an added health benefit. The carb conscious Mum could add a small tin of seafood to her salad for a low carb lunch for healthy holiday eating.

* Purchase a container of the family's favourite ice cream. Buy a box of ice cream cones and hand them out to the children as their after dinner treats. You will save a fortune on not having to buy everyone ice creams at the local ice creamery.

* Have breakfast at your accommodation. Purchase the family's favourite cereal and an enriched milk for a healthy start to the day. Better yet, no cooking for you! Purchasing a box of cereal will be more cost effective than toast, as you will not have to buy all the accompaniments for the toast like jam, honey, and Vegemite or peanut butter.  

* Bring your own lunch chillers from home. These often flatten out really well in the bottom of the suitcase. This will ensure that your sandwiches will stay nice and fresh and won't be all squashed up with the sun screen.

* Buy a box of soft drink cans on sale. Throw a couple of these in the chiller each day so Mum and Dad don't have to buy expensive cold drinks while out and about. The savings on this alone is enormous.

* Try and avoid the fast food outlets is another healthy holiday eating tip. They may be temptingly fast and relatively inexpensive, but they will never be as cost effective as sandwiches for the whole family for lunch. Deep fried anything eventually results in fat kids.

Don't super size your kids. Healthy holiday eating and cutting down on the cost of feeding the family while on holidays really do go hand in hand. All it takes is a little preparation and forward thinking. Arrive home relaxed and fit with the above healthy holiday eating tips. Healthy family meals on the family vacation will cost you less, both in cash and calories.