Vacation Prep The Intentional Way

Summer is nearly upon us and y'all know what that means, vacation! Whether you're going to the beach, the mountains, your grandma's, or to timbucktwo, you will have the same basic needs. Of course, the primary one is..... FOOD. Since you're engaged with our farm, that likely means that you care about what you are putting into you and your family's bodies. Vacation doesn't have to be a free for all where you let go of all your sensibilities and indulge (which let's be real, that only leads to tummy aches, bad attitudes, restless nights, and nothing ultimately good). Yes, fast food and gas station snacks can be easy in the moment, but the longterm effects really outshine any potential short-term benefits. So, what's the answer?

FOOD PREP. 

It is no different than being at home. Yes, it takes planning ahead, organization, and dedication butttttt what it offers is the freedom to enjoy your vacation because you don't have to scramble for what to make for dinner after everyone is wiped from a day of fun, the opportunity to enjoy your time away without volatile blood sugar spikes and crashes, consistent nutrition to fuel you and your family, and peace of mind that you are nourishing your bodies and not having to explain all the choices away as part of your "20." 

Now you may be thinking, ok cool, prep the food but what does that actually look like? Start with the number of days you will be gone - knowing which are travel and which are actual vacation days. Note any important events that might necessitate specific foods, like a long day of hiking where you need on the go, portable nutrition. Then consider how many people you will be feeding, do you want leftovers for the next day, etc. I also like to look and see what grocery options are near where I will be staying for vacation - any health food stores, local farms or produce stands, and of course, where can I find some raw milk because some trips end up being BYORM. 

So, as an example, for a family trip for half a week with 8 adults and 2 kids, I would prep the following: 5 pounds of taco meat, 10 cups (cooked) of Mexican rice, 2 pounds of refried beans, 3 quarts of meat sauce (about 3 pounds of meat), triple batch of fresh milled waffles (you could also prep some sheetpan pancakes or make some fresh), 4 loaves of FM bread, FM tortillas, a double batch or so of muffins, and a triple batch of FM hamburger/hotdug buns. I would additionally pack 4 pounds of butter, a few pounds of cheese, sour cream, salsa, tortillas, produce, some real salt, basic seasonings (the redmond's salt blends are delicious and seed oil free), yogurt, dried pasta, ground beef and hotdogs for grilling out, whatever other meats for cooking, PB&J, lunch meat, condiments that you want to be particular about the ingredients in - like mayonnaise or ketchup, eggs, and whatever other snack foods you might want. The days of eating could look like: 

- breakfasts: waffles, muffins, pancakes 
- lunches: leftovers (which I always find I enjoy in a hot sandwich of sorts), hamburgers/hotdogs, deli sandwiches, chicken salad (either mayo based or sliced leftover grilled chicken on a salad) 
- dinners: pasta, tacos, grill out, leftover smash 

Other great and easy options to consider are: meatballs, meatloaf, lasagna, falafel, hummus, hardboiled eggs, sausage, quiche, cinnamon rolls, banana bread, bagels, pimento cheese, granola bars, make your own pizza (you prep the crusts), pot roast and mashed potatoes, fried rice, pulled chicken or pork, shredded beef, the list goes on and on and on!

In a day or two before your trip, you can knock all of that cooking out and then freeze it into containers to bring with you. I have found that freezing everything I prep is the best way to go about it because then I have the freedom to eat as much or as little of what I brought as I want and I worry less about things going bad. Being frozen also helps with keeping everything cool while traveling. A few other necessities to pack include cookware - we all know any place that you stay with cookware is only going to have nonstick or if there is something that is metal it will likely be aluminum or the most warped and uneven pan you have ever used in your life. So in an effort to protect your sanity and preserve the nutrition in your food, bring your favorite utility pan, something great for making grilled cheese, and something you can boil pasta in. While you're at it, pack your favorite pan washing supplies too! I promise, you will be SO THANKFUL. 

You guys, it really isn't that difficult to do and honestly this style of living is a win-win-win scenario because you have less time to worry about cooking which means maximum outdoor and relaxation time, guaranteed nutrition and noursihment throughout the duration of your vacation, and by having most everything sorted out ahead of time you are absolutely saving yourself money. There is nothing to lose here! 

So, leave a comment on what you're planning to prep for your next family vacation. I look forward to hearing about how you are going to nourish your family on the go!