This time of year I’m usually coaching clients on how to stay healthy while navigating international trips, beach vacations, and long weekends. Come to think of it, I’m usually doing the same fun stuff myself, but let’s not go down that broken road.

Jordan, Tillie and I finally joined the trend of renting a house nearby to have a “vacation” while still socially distancing and protecting ourselves and others. It was really special to get away for a few days… but given all the considerations right now there’s even more prep work that needs to happen to stay true to your wellness/fitness goals and stay healthy via social distancing.

It doesn’t count as working on vacation if I’m bringing the research back to you, right? Come to think of it, maybe I can expense this trip for “in the field” research…

Keep reading for my list of recipes that travel (and save) well if you’re planning your own long weekend away, as well as a cheat sheet on what to ask your rental hosts. The recipes I picked out are legitimately easy, require only the basic kitchen tools, and some you can even make ahead of time and bring with you.

*I made our meal plan beforehand and the night before the trip I made all the sauces needed for the week and washed the food processor once. It was so much easier to bring the ready made sauces (which we both know make the meal) then to lug all the ingredients with me.

Lunch Ideas

• Squash salad with kale and chickpeas (I made the garlic dressing beforehand. With roasting garlic, don’t use aluminum to cook in the oven. It leaches a serious heavy metal into your food, and therefore into your body. Use this nifty method I found where you put the garlic bulbs in a muffin tin and then top with another tin.
• Fish tacos with cabbage slaw, avocado or guacamole, lime, taco seasoning packet, Siete tortillas (optional). Need more food for a larger family? Add another veggie.
• Pork lettuce wraps with rice / cauliflower rice (get this pre-packaged since you may not have access to a blender)
• Peanut-Free Chicken Satay Skewers with zucchini or sweet potato or butternut squash noodles (get these pre-made too so you don’t have to pack a spiralizer) + cucumber salad
• Grilled salmon and veggies with a Caesar salad (If you are not into making your own dressing you can use Tessemae’s Caesar dressing for a shortcut)

Dinner Ideas

• Broccoli, tomato, pesto pasta with grilled chicken (I used the recipe linked here but made the pesto at home before we left!)
• Sweet potato curry over rice (vegan and will still impress your meat eating parents)
• Filet mignon and grilled veggies (scallions, zucchini, peppers) and chimichurri (I used the recipe linked here but made the chimichurri at home before we left!)
• Buffalo chicken stuffed sweet potatoes with salad
• Burger salads - another classic! Chop up pickles, tomato, onion, lettuce - whatever you like.

And depending on where you are / what’s possible, you might be able to order out a night or two. I like to have two “treats” per week and I think it’s extra fun on vacation. If you’re strictly quarantined and takeout is not a safe choice, then maybe you can make your own treats during your trip. Keep in mind the bigger “treat” here - you’re away from your routine, hopefully you have some free time to spend exploring or being outside, and at the very least you are paying to look at someone else’s walls for a change.

Things to Bring From Home

Save money and just throw this in your bag. Pro Tip: set an alarm on your phone for when you’re coming home to make sure you’ve grabbed all these. I’ve left a lot of expensive salts in random AirBNBs!

• Celtic sea salt
• EVOO
• Ghee / Grass Fed Butter
• Condiments (ketchup, mustard, mayo if you’re doing the burger salads; dressings)
• Spices
• Tupperware (for leftovers)
• Coffee/Tea

And lastly, here’s a list to get you started for extra easy ideas, or things for others if you’re going with family…

“BASICS-TO-FILL-IN-THE-BLANKS” GROCERY LIST

* Depending on what recipes you picked out above, be sure to add those ingredients here too!

And as a bonus, since nobody likes unwanted surprises on vacation… a list of questions to ask your host before you leave so you can pick recipes and plan what you might need to pack.

QUESTIONS FOR YOUR HOST

• Is there a Keurig or coffee maker? If so, are there coffee filters and if not, what kind do we need?
• Any spices? Condiments?
• By any chance do you have a crock/instant pot?
• A grill? If so do we need to bring charcoal or gas?
• What basic pots / pans / cooking utensils can we expect?
• Is there Tupperware to store food?
• Do you have filtered or tap water?
• Are there paper goods (paper towels, napkins, tissues, etc..)?
• Is there dish soap / dishwasher soap available?
• Do you have a blender for smoothies?
• * Do some Googling to see if a grocery delivery is in your destination’s zip code just in case.

You’re going to have to take this and make it your own to some degree, but I hope it gets you started.

It was fun reliving the planning-to-go-on-a-trip phase capturing this for you - the anticipation is one of the best parts of vacation, except coming home felt pretty good too. :)

Oh, and wear yo’ damn mask.

Love,
CP