It’s time to bring you Travel Tip #11. As I begin the countdown to my next trip, I’ve been waylaid by a knee injury. Three days ago, I could put no weight on my right leg. Of course the pain began on a weekend which has been followed by two days of icy roads. Rather than attempting to slide down my stairs and to the ER, my solution has been to put on a brace, take pain medication, and use my desk chair as a makeshift wheel chair. Of course it’s much cuter than the average wheel chair and coordinates well with my kitchen cabinets.
I’ve been thinking that the timing of this injury is fortuitous because the swelling has lessened on its own and I am in much less pain – as long as I spend most of my time in the recliner being still that is. Being stationary goes against my general nature, but it’s given me lots of time to complete Pre-washed list of the groceries I intend to buy once I arrive at my condo hotel. It’s also given me plenty of time to play 2048, but I still haven’t managed to beat that darn game!
As you may remember from Travel Tip #10, I’m going to carry a miniature bottle of olive oil and a multiple spice container full of paprika, curry, cayenne, garlic salt, salt, and black pepper along for the ride. These small containers will give me plenty of flavoring options while eliminating the waste that would be created by purchasing full size containers on location. And they’re small enough to carry even if I were flying rather than driving.
Once I arrive at my destination, I’m going to purchase the following:
Coffee
Plain Greek Yogurt
An Onion
Pre-washed Greens like Spinach, Kale, or Mache
Frozen English Peas (especially if the fresh greens aren’t available)
Potato or Sweet Potato or Rice
Baby Carrots
Bananas
Apples
Ground Turkey or Ground Beef or Boneless/Skinless Chicken Breasts
Cheese – whatever looks good to me at the moment
Hummus
Eggs if they have half dozens available
With these ingredients, I will most likely eat yogurt and fruit for breakfast some days and eggs with the frozen biscuits I’ve carried from home on other days. I’ll snack on carrots and hummus and apples and cheese, and create a one pot meal with the onion, greens, potato or rice, and a protein that I’ll either eat for lunch or dinner when I happen to be in the condo at meal time. My other mealtimes will be spent exploring local restaurants.
Sitting in this chair has also given me time to consult with my sister who typically follows a similar plan of eating some meals in and some meals out when she’s traveling. Since you don’t have the benefit of Travel Tip #10 from her, let me first tell you what she carries in the car: String cheese, Go-Gurt®, gluten-free pretzels, Welch’s Fruit Snacks®, gluten-free donuts, chili seasoning, salad dressing, and gluten-free protein bars.
Because she doesn’t like one pot meals, my sister’s vacation meal plans typically include crustless quiche bowls, rotisserie chicken, quesadillas, and chili. Here’s what her typical onsite shopping list looks like:
Onion
Baby Carrots
Apples
Bag of Salad
Eggs
Bacon
Ground Beef
Pouch of Tuna
Rotisserie Chicken
Canned Beans
Canned Diced Tomatoes
Frozen Tater Tots
Frozen Chopped Broccoli
Cheese
Corn Tortillas
Microwaveable White Cheese Dip
Corn Chips
Much like me, my sister’s crew prefers to eat breakfast in their pjs instead of going out. They usually eat lunch savoring local cuisine and then cook dinner in the condo or cabin. This is an even more budget friendly plan than mine.
Because I love shopping at a good farmer’s market, I may substitute some fresh local farm purchases when I travel in the spring and summer months. While I’m not sure that it plays well in the US, I’ve shared communal kitchens at RV parks in New Zealand with friendly strangers cooking silverbeet from a local vegetable and fruit market. If we had managed to catch any trout, we’d have prepared those for our newfound friends as well. Nonetheless, it was fun to fish in a snowmelt stream lined with tropical vegetation. It’s the kind of juxtaposition I love and the kind of experience I can’t have at home. That’s what makes a trip so appealing!
Or maybe a trip seems more appealing because I’ve been stuck in the recliner for days. I don’t know, but I know I’ll be prepared when I set out next month. I can’t wait!
http://www.gogurt.com/
http://www.welchsfruitsnacks.com/
Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”