Packing, Cleaning, Using up Leftovers; What Do You Eat on Vacation?

05Aug12

Today we finally got most of the packing done – the kids to go to Grandma’s while Mommy & Daddy fly East to South Dakota. I have also *almost* finished washing the last dish after being hopelessly behind thanks to my spine. Dish pan hands have nothing on me. I’m also surprised how full the cabinets are when there are more clean than dirty dishes.

I also decided to clean out the fridge – identifying what we were never going to eat & what we could use up before we leave. That gave me plenty of containers to wash, too. Yay.

So, for food, that means I started the day w/ leftover baked bacon & caramelized onions in scrambled eggs. Then I had tuna salad (ok, not exactly a leftover, but I did finish off a batch of paleo mayo & a jar of pickles). Mid-afternoon I had some frozen blueberries drowning in coconut milk (pre-mixed w/ vanilla, and spices, so that needed to be gone). Dinner was the last of the bison balls and the homemade dip. This means we are down to one adult-male-sized portion of a dinner from a few nights ago, and our fridge will be virtually bare save for staples that won’t get yucky in a week (the rest is going to my Mom’s with the kids).

I don’t think I’ve ever gotten ahead of this issue before. Usually, it’s getting home and kicking myself for not taking care of it before leaving – and chucking the storage ~~coffin~~ container straight in the trash. You can only do that so many times before you have to buy new storage containers.

I spent a while this morning ~~freaking out~~ going over travel food issues. We have a few things to take on the plane – bbq pork jerky, macadamia nuts, a trail mix, and larabars. I also looked at online menus of places we’ve decided to eat at while we’re in South Dakota. Luckily, our hotel room is a suite w/ a little kitchen – breakfasts and some other meals will be a little more under our control. In the end, I decided that if I added stuff to make my own salad dressings & a small container to take it w/, I could definitely get a sizable meal that wouldn’t throw me too far off my goals.

I know traveling is problematic for many reasons. Sitting for long periods, not enough fluid intake that could lead to water retention. Jet lag and/or sleeping in a strange bed/room leading to more sleep-deprivation-driven cravings. Grain-fed meats, industrial seed oils, hidden allergens, gluten, etc. Seems like everything in American restaurants is fried, or covered in sugary sauces, excessively salty, or drowning in cheese. (Ok, I don’t mind that last one too terribly much, but my body seems to.) I think what I need to maneuver through this mine field is do the best I can, knowing I will probably gain weight by the time I get back – but if my choices are the best I can make them, I won’t have guilt tacked on to the travel weight, and that weight should vacate shortly after I’m able to get back to my normal routine.

When you go on vacation – how far do you stray from your home routine with regard to food or exercise? What are your best tried and true tips for making it all work?

Speaking of exercise – Hubby and I are getting in one last workout before we leave, we are visiting a CrossFit box while we are in South Dakota, and we know we can get a class the day after we get back. *flexes*

About these ads