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Summer is officially here and I am giddy with excitement at the prospect of enjoying time under the sun with friends and family! For me, summer is a time to PLAY, travel and explore. Whether it’s a road trip, camping excursion, beach getaway or international adventure, the summer is buzzing with activity and long, carefree days.
One crucial element to summer trips + adventures [and one of the questions I get asked the most!] is managing the planning and prepping of on-the-go food and snacks.
Food is a crucial part of my travel kit, along with my sandals, sunscreen and a good book. I find that the time I spend planning + packing my food beforehand is worth the time and saity saved when I find myself stuck in a place with little to no food options. The little bit of prep helps me feel like I am living my best life on vacation.
So here it is my dear…your Simply Nourished summer travel guide full of my favorite travel foods and suggestions!
ROAD TRIPS/CAMPING:
With all the fun mountain towns to explore and family reunions to partake in, time in the car or a tent is bound to happen. Being out in the wilderness and with family is one of the most nourishing experiences for the senses but maybe a bit more challenging on the food front. Here are a few go-to ideas to make sure you’re getting your baseline needs and letting the traditional camp or road trip nosh fill in the gaps.
*Note: many of the options listed below in the airport section apply to road-tripping as well. While it may seem like a hassle to pack food while you’re also juggling all the other items on the packing list, the best part about car trips is the capacity to pack a cooler. So let’s capitalize on it and consider the following:
WHAT TO DO PLAN + PREP + PACK:
take a quick look at the towns you’ll be driving through and do a few google searches for grocery options AND fun restaurants along the way [who knows! You might just find a hidden gem]
plan your meals / stops around these places
look at the restaurant menu beforehand to ensure you choose a place that will be both satisfying + nourishing
ROAD TRIP/CAMPING SNACKS:
pre-chopped simple veg [my favs include jicama + snap peas + bell peppers + fennel + carrots]
hard boiled eggs
cottage cheese + berries
chia seed pudding
1 cup yogurt of choice + 1 Tbsp chia seeds + sweetener/spices [of choice] + splash of milk [of choice]
mix and store in travel-friendly container
single serve packs of guacamole + grain-free chips [ex. siete tortilla chips]
seasonal fruit [melon, stone fruit, apples or citrus]
beef / turkey jerky [< 5g sugar per serving]
clean protein bars
mixed nuts
bone broth powder packets
ROAD TRIP/CAMPING MEALS:
Whether you will be cooking in the great outdoors on a camping stove / a barbeque grill in the park, or you are staying in a hotel with a kitchen / access to a microwave, consider these ingredients for quick + easily packable meals!
packaged / canned salmon or tuna + grain-free crackers [of choice] + cucumber slices + single serve olive oil packets
make sandwiches on the road:
prep homemade chicken / egg / tuna salad beforehand and store in an airtight container in the cooler. Bring a loaf of grain-free bread [or lettuce leaves] and make sandwiches on the road!
pre-cooked rice packets + pre-cooked beans
heat over a stove or in a microwave
clean, dehydrated soup mixes packed with veg + legumes [i.e. Patagonia]
heat over a stove
classic foil packs:
pre-cooked chicken sausage [sliced] + lots of veg [of choice] + seasonings [of choice] + potatoes [of choice, cubed small] + cheese [of choice, DF optional]
place all ingredients on a lightly greased sheet of foil and wrap several times until completely sealed. Place in the embers of a campfire OR on a barbecue grill in the park and allow to cook until ingredients are tender [flipping occasionally]
simple pasta:
legume pasta [of choice] + jarred marinara sauce [of choice] + pre-chopped broccoli
cook pasta over a stove, drain then coat with marinara sauce. Add broccoli and allow to cook over low heat until warmed through
quick salad:
bagged lettuce + hard boiled eggs + single-serve olive oil packets + nuts [of choice] + salt + pepper
SNACKS FOR AIRPORT:
Airports are food deserts, am I right? Don’t fall prey to [meh] pizza that you didn’t really want anyway when you can just as easily pack nourishing foods you can enjoy while waiting for your flight to take off. Packing a combo of the following categories might just be what you needed to travel coast to coast without missing a beat:
VEG
powdered green drink [of choice, i.e. Organifi or Athletic greens]
broccoli crisps
Brad’s veg chips, any variety
pre-chopped vegetables [of choice]
PROTEIN
Raw Rev Glo Bars
collagen powder in a ziplock [can be mixed into your coffee/tea on the run to the next gate!]
jerky [with 5 g sugar or less]
Primal Kitchen Bars
Epic Bars
FATS:
nut butter single serve packets
mixed nuts- pre-prepared baggie
olives- single serve packets of
olive oil- single serve packets
shaved coconut- unsweetened
coconut butter packet
CARBS:
Biena roasted chickpea snacks
Bare apple chips
Inner peas snacks
Inner bean snacks
Bada Bean Bada Boom snacks
EATING OUT:
Experiencing and savoring local cuisine is one of my favorite parts of traveling! I always try to eat out at least a couple of times while I am on vacation to really get a true feel for the place I am visiting. My advice for eating out is to plan it! Plan which meals you will eat out and do a little research beforehand to find restaurants that are unique, highly rated, or celebratory in some way. Take a little time to peruse the menu of local eateries to ensure they have options that will leave you feeling fabulous!