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I’m leaving this week for vacation. It’s always fun to travel, see new places, and get together with family and friends, and yet, this time I’m on a budget. I’ve been carefully planning for this trip for over a year and have been strategically saving money to ensure that I won’t overspend the budget as I enjoy my time away. (I promise, I’ll elaborate more on that in a future post).
One of the challenges I face on any vacation is finding healthy food choices. I, personally, am strictly gluten free, so finding safe meals to eat can be somewhat of a challenge, especially on a budget. Rather than resort to eating salad the entire time I’m away from home, which is often the only option, I choose to bring an assortment of items to keep the hunger at bay and save time and money.
Tip: Grab my Vacation Planning Worksheet to help keep you on track with your upcoming vacation expenses. Find it HERE.
What to Bring
Of course, there are many options to choose from when you decide to pack an entire suitcase full of food, but these are a few of my favorite, smaller items to bring along.
LaraBars
LaraBars are one of my favorite breakfast foods. Of course, they come in all different kinds, but my favorite is the Pineapple Kale Cashew. I’m planning to pack a few in my suitcase, as well as sticking one or two in my purse for the plane ride. Yum!
Green Olives
I love green olives. My preference is to have them stuffed with garlic, but I’ll pretty much take them any way I can. The best part of having green olives on a trip is that it doesn’t take many of them to satiate a hunger pain. For me, two or three green olives is enough to get me by until I can eat a larger meal, so I always try to keep a jar of them around.
Black Olives
This trip, I’m traveling with my sisters, neither of which are fans of green olives. So, I’ve decided, in the spirit of being generous, to add a couple of cans of black olives to the mix. That way, I’ll have the opportunity to share.
Note: if you plan to bring an item that comes in a can, you need to account for how you will get that can open. In this case, I selected a can with a pull top so that I didn’t need to pack a can opener.
Macadamia Nuts
There’s nothing more satisfying and vacation-like than having a bag full of salted macadamia nuts. They are the perfect carry-on item, as well as an excellent snack to have tucked in a purse for a long drive or an inconspicuous snack. I prefer to purchase the amount I need in bulk, and then transfer them into a sealed bag for easy carrying.
Roasted Peanuts
Peanuts are a source of good fat and protein and I love having a can of them around when I’m on vacation. My favorites are the Spanish Roasted Peanuts, but you can choose any kind you like.
Bacon
No, I am not taking raw bacon on a plane, but I do enjoy having it along for a trip. Personally, I purchase the Kirkland brand bacon from Costco that comes already sealed and cooked. I choose to freeze it a day or two before the trip, and then add it to my suitcase frozen. On the other end, I simply put it in the fridge in the hotel room so that I can have a few slices for breakfast. Not only do I know it’s gluten-free, but it makes a great (and cheap) breakfast option.
Pepperoni
I love eating pepperoni. It’s filling and yummy, which is one of the reasons I add it to my suitcase for vacations. The fact that you can purchase it in small packages, also means that I can add it to my carryon for a long flight and have a gluten-free snack on the airplane. It also makes a good protein addition to a boring deli salad.
Peanut Butter and Crackers
Peanut butter makes all food taste better. Okay, that’s not necessarily true, but it is one of my favorite foods, and I pack it for my vacations for many reasons.
One of my favorite snacks is peanut butter and fruit. The peanut butter I enjoy, once stirred, can be scooped from the jar like a sauce and added over the top of fresh fruit. It’s a great combination of flavors and allows for protein in my system along with the sugar and fiber from the fruit. Alongside that bacon, fruit and peanut butter will round out breakfast on the fly.
Of course, you can add the peanut butter to crackers and have a nice little snack that way as well!
Additional Options
Meat (already cooked and frozen)
Canned Fruit
Anything else you can come up with
How to Pack Your Food
Having all of the items you plan to take is only half of the process. You also have to figure out how to get those items safely secured in your suitcase. You definitely don’t want to show up on the other end, only to find you have to make a run to the laundromat to get olive juice out of all of your clothing. Trust me, it’s not worth it, and you do have a couple of great options to prevent that from happening.
Option 1: Freezer Bags
My favorite method for packing food in my suitcase is to use freezer bags. I prefer the Ziploc brand because I’ve found them to be stronger and with fewer leaks over time, but you can choose to use whatever brand you prefer.
Each item goes into a Ziploc bag. If it may break and really cause a mess (I’m thinking about olives and peanut butter), then I will double bag the item. Don’t worry, once those bags are empty you can always use the clean ones to bring your wet swimsuit or dirty underwear home when the trip is over.
Option 2: Use a Vacuum Sealer
If you prefer not to use the freezer bags, you can always choose to use a vacuum sealer. This is especially helpful if the item you are taking will be frozen first or may create a smell. For example, I plan to take some freshly smoked meats, so rather than placing them in a bag that might leak, I vacuum seal them so that they remain fresh and odor free.
Option 3: Containers
Another option to use, although I prefer to steer clear of it, is the idea of using plastic containers to store servings of food. My only concern with this method is the fact that I typically stay in hotels and would rather not have to wash out those dishes in the bathroom sink or haul them back empty at the end of the trip.
Ultimately, it’s up to you to choose which option you’ll use.
Restrictions
Keep in mind that the TSA (Transportation Security Administration) has special guidelines regarding how much liquid you can take on a plan. Creamy solids, for example, peanut butter, also have restrictions, so double check before you go. I prefer to check mine, just so I don’t have to worry about unpacking it all at security, but if you are carrying on only, you’ll want to check the full list of items here.
Final Words
Planning for a vacation on a budget, or with dietary restrictions, should not be difficult. This list was specifically geared toward travelers who are flying, however, if you are driving and have the luxury of taking a cooler filled with ice, your options are nearly endless.
What is your favorite food item to take on vacation?
Have an awesome week!
Tip: Grab my Vacation Planning Worksheet to help keep you on track with your upcoming vacation expenses. Find it HERE.
