By: Josefina Girón, RDN, LDN
Vacation Meal Planning can be super helpful when it comes to short and long trips. It’s great to have a plan to help you stay healthy-ish and to help keep stress levels low!
Below I will share 4 ideas on how to care for yourself and your health.
Know what you are working with…
Before you can meal plan you have to know what you are working with! Are you staying in an AirBnB with a full kitchen? Are you camping? Staying at a small beach condo with a kitchenette? Or staying in a hotel with microwave and mini-fridge options? Having this knowledge can help you decide what to bring!
What kind of kitchen…
If you have a full kitchen, you may think you’re set! But just keep in mind that there may be a few things lacking – things like spices, blenders, maybe even pots or pans. Often at these rental homes, they won’t be stocked with kitchen appliances that are difficult to clean. So just keep that in mind!
If there is a kitchenette, you’ll likely want to consider assembly style meals that don’t require a lot of cooking. Some examples include chopped salad kits, frozen vegetables, rotisserie chicken.
If all you have is a microwave, you’ll want to think about microwaveable meals. Inquire if you have a minifridge and utilize that! You may want to rely on some canned fish, canned beans/lentils, salad kits, and microwaveable grains!
Pack the essentials…
If you can and have the space – you may want to pack a few things to make your life easier and your meals more flavorful!
I would say most rental homes have the basic spices – salt, pepper, oil. If you’re staying for a week or so you may want to bring some minced garlic or garlic powder and a few other spices that may be essential for your family.
Packing 1-2 plastic/glass containers can be good for any leftovers, that way you don’t have to get plastic bags. And containers are also great if you’re packing up a cooler for the beach!
After you check-in and see what you’re working with when it comes to kitchen supplies and space, you can pop out to the local grocery store to pick up any additional items.
Don’t Forget Snacks…
Packing snacks is a great way to curb your hunger in many circumstances. Packing a snack for the road trip, the airplane flight, or while on the go is a great way to curb hunger and save money in many circumstances. Snacks can be more expensive if purchased while on the go, plan, and purchase ahead of time for a better deal. Some go-to snacks include chips and guacamole, cheese and crackers, a whole fruit like orange or apple, hard boiled egg with cracker, peanut butter and banana sandwich, or hummus with carrots, celery, or broccoli.
Whatever you do this summer enjoy it and have fun!
Feel free to contact me at josefina.giron@giantfood.com
For more information on all of these tips, visit www.giantfood.com/nutrition and sign up for a FREE class. Stay well!
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About Josefina Girón :
Josefina Girón is a Registered Dietitian (RD), Licensed Dietitian Nutritionist (LDN), and holds a certificate in child and adolescent weight management. Texas born and Florida raised, she received her Bachelor of Science in Dietetics from Florida International University. Josefina makes nutrition accessible for our Spanish-speaking customers through classes, consults, and store tours. She is passionate about helping others live their best healthy life by meeting them where they are and empowering them to make healthy eating a fun part of their lives! She is driven to live new experiences and is ready to try different foods, travel, run a race, or go on a hike.
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