Vacation Munchies!
Hey guys! I am back! After a few weeks of taking a break from blogging and taking a little trip away, I finally feel ready to get back to the regularly scheduled program of my weekly postings.
This past weekend I left for Lake Tahoe to spend some time away from the house before the craziness of Thanksgiving happened. Over the past several months, I have been placing a strong emphasis on my health. This emphasis on health includes my physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health. Part of this focus has included indulging in self-care more frequently; my favorite form of self-care is, of course, traveling! Big shocker there, huh?
Many of you guys have reached out to me over the past year to ask me questions about the small intricacies of how I manage to be on the go. Truthfully, I am still trying to figure out how to do the damn thing; while still staying true to the little goals I have set up for myself. For the last nine months or so, I have been working on managing my physical health by eating clean, small portions five times a day, cutting out all the garbage food, you name it, I have been to do it.
That said, when it comes to my trips, I allow myself to go all out. I mean, why not!? Part of traveling is experiencing life as a native which, includes eating the local foods. Plus, life is far too short to spend all my time not enjoying my favorite snacks, in unfamiliar places, in the middle of the night.
All that said, I figured that I would bring you guys around for this trip and show you guys how what I usually grab when I am out and about.
As soon as I arrive at my destination, I head to the nearest grocery store to buy what I need. Of course, sleeping accommodations play a large part in the food options that are available to purchase. Some hotels only have a mini-fridge and no microwave, thus limiting options to things that need to be refrigerated and not heated up or prepackaged snacks on the go. When staying in an Airbnb, usually there is a stove with pans available for use, thus expanding the possibles.
When I get to the store, all I am looking to grab is the essentials. This means some drinks, fruit, snacks, and anything else that is easy for breakfast. When it comes to lunch and dinner meals, that is something that I chose to splurge on wherever I might be. By choosing not to eat out for every meal of an entire trip, not only do I find I stick to my small portions every hour better than when I am just freeballing it, but it also drastically helps with cutting down on the amount of spending that happens on trips. Why? Simply because I hate spending money on things that do not bring me much satisfaction, therefore I will space out my eating times to only 2-3 times a day rather than five times in a day. All in the name of being mindful of a budget. Breakfast itself can cost about $10 each morning when just picking up a coffee and a breakfast sandwich. By going to the store ahead of time, I can spend $10 on a whole week worth of breakfast meals, thus allowing myself to save an extra $50 or so right off the bat.
Breakfasts and snacks are the two places where I feel it is easiest to supplement fast food for something a bit healthier and a lot cheaper.
Some of my absolute essentials are as follows:
Popcorn: if there is a microwave available, I will get popcorn to pop myself. Yes, skinny pop is my favorite. If not, then I will grab a bag of Boom Chick Pop Kettle Corn that is pre-popped.
Fruit: It doesn’t really matter what fruit I get, but generally, I chose something that's in season (it is cheaper) or something I know will fill me up. I tend to lean more towards grabbing a bunch of bananas or a bag of apples. These both make for great breakfasts and snacks, which are perfect for days on the go. Also, neither require refrigeration nor additional utensils to cut them up before eating.
Cheese: You all know I love me some cheese! To be on the go, I grab the Tillamook individually packaged squares. These prepackaged squares make it extremely easy to grab on my way out the door, as part of my breakfast, as a snack for a hike, or for whatever else. Just throw it in the bag type of mood with these. If you’re wondering why I don’t just grab some string cheese, the truth is I never liked it.
Coconut Water: One of my favorite things to regularly drink. Although this is not my preferred brand to drink due to the artificial flavoring, this is my go-to brand on the go. Grabbing a pack of these wherever I am is just a given at this point.
Tea: I drink tea 2-3 times a day. At this point, it is just one of the little things I hold myself accountable to even when I am away. It is a part of my routine and helps me wake up in the morning while getting ready.
Wine: Doesn’t everyone need a glass of red wine in a hotel bed with the tv on or while reading a book on the balcony? Bonus: a cup is optional.
Trail Mix: My absolute favorite snack ever. The perfect sweet and salty snack that allows me to snack without overeating entirely. Something about having a handful of peanuts, raisins, and chocolate helps curb the thought of stuffing my face with double chocolate cake. Again, this is quick and easy, and non-perishable, making it ideal to have between excursions. Just toss it into the bag and head out.
Remember to be realistic when you’re at the store! Ask yourself these questions:
How easy is it for me to be on the go with this?
Can I eat this at any time or, is it only able to ate/ drank at a particular time? Is it realistic for me to eat/drink this while I am there?
Is there the right stuff where I am staying for me to prepare this properly?
Will this get squished in my bags while I am on the go through out the day?
Catch up on what you may have missed.
I hope that you find this week’s post to be helpful in some ways. Remember, it is easy to find ways to cut back on your spending while traveling. It simply takes small little hacks like this one to significantly cut down on the food budgets without really missing out on much. Plus, the best meals are lunch and dinner anyways. Save some extra money on the breakfast and snacks to treat yourself to something a little nicer than you usually would for dinner.
As always, I deeply appreciate all the comments, questions, and love you guys continue to show me on this journey.
Blogging has been such a fun, new experience for me this year. Finally, living out my dream of doing this entire thing while having you guys here to love what I share; is such a wonderful cherry on top and not something that I will ever be able to thank you enough for it.
See you guys soon!