TRAVELING

I always laugh how, at an airport, you can tell who’s part of the tribe.

That fellow with the compact backpack with a single protein bar in the side pocket? Not one of us. We all come with our bulging carry-ons and bags of all shapes and sizes overflowing with food. Bringing food with us on trips seems to be encoded in our DNA! On Pesach, that gene erupts in full force. Think Chol Hamoed outings and you probably envision canvas bags and coolers heaped with macaroons, matzah, hard boiled eggs, and cucumbers. Jewish traveling is inexplicably linked with food preparation.

At Full ‘N Free, one of my favorite mottos is, “Fail to plan, plan to fail.” Before you go anywhere this summer, you will inevitably be preparing food. You’ll be deciding on your food prep according to your and your family’s needs. The key is to figure out in advance what those needs are and then prepare accordingly. Think back to past travel experiences. Did you feel satisfied and energized over the days of your trip? Did you come back feeling refreshed and rejuvenated? If so, stick to the plan you had then. But if you remember always feeling hungry and drained, or you kept choosing foods that don’t work well for you due to lack of options, it might be time to tweak the food prep plan.

Fills-ins and backups When my family goes somewhere with kosher restaurants or catered food, or someone else’s home, I prep fill-ins and backups like fruits and veggies, wholesome breakfast foods, and healthy, filling snacks. I specifically bring along fruits and vegetables that don’t mush easily: baby carrots, mini cucumbers, mini peppers, apples, pears, and whole oranges. My banana-nut muffins or healthy rolls with nut butter are both easy breakfasts, and they don’t require refrigeration. I aim for non-perishable snacks that also deliver a protein/fiber kick, like dried chickpeas, trail mixes, or Freedom bars. If we’re going somewhere with a fridge, I bring snacks up a notch in satiation power by adding hard-boiled eggs and mini guacamole and hummus packs.