Never worry again about staying healthy on vacation. Just read all of the comments left yesterday re: “Healthy-eating on Vacation.” Thank you all for taking the time to leave such a plethora of good advice.
Yesterday, I mentioned some portable snack ideas for healthy eating when you’re not at home. But sometimes—especially on vacations—circumstances call for portable meals as well as snacks.
That’s where tupperware comes in!
And coolers. Coolers are your best friends. Basically anything can be turned into a portable meal if put into a tupperware container (and then, optionally, a cooler). Okay, maybe not anything. Leave the Vita-Mix ice cream at home! Another good idea is to bring part of a meal and supplement the rest with something you buy while out. And even more options are open to you if you’re strange lucky like me in that you actually prefer most foods at room temperature or cold.
Some of my favorite portable lunches include: Soups, salads, sandwiches, blended grain puddings, and stir fries. Sometimes, it’s easier to “picture” meals when there are actual pictures (go figure). So I put together a photo essay with some ideas:
Starting with the Banana Butter
And then there’s also: Strawberry Shortcake Sandwich
Either savory or sweet Love Muffins
Soups, such as “No Cream” Cream Of Broccoli Soup
Pasta salads (w/veggies and dressing, like Newman’s sesame) or any cold pasta dish
“Somewhere over the Rainbow” Sandwich
And finally, salads, such as “Colonel Mustard” Salad
I could go on and on with my portable meal photos, especially with soups, salads, and leftovers. But everyone knows what a stir fry looks like, so I’ll spare you.
Photos in order of appearance:
- Banana Butter
- Carrot Cake sandwich
- Strawberry Shortcake sandwich
- Love Muffins
- All the Way Arame Salad
- “No-Cream” Cream of Broccoli soup
- Pasta stir fry
- Somewhere over the Rainbow sandwich
- Colonel Mustard salad
.
wowowowowow that “strawberry shortcake” sammie looks amazing!!!
🙂
I must say, banana butter makes THE BEST grilled peanut butter and banana sandwich. Everyone should try that. 😉 And for portable options, I’ve been packing up my mango salsa to the pool. It’s easy to put into tupperware, and it’s excellent with corn chips. 🙂 http://ateenagegourmet.wordpress.com/2010/06/27/christmas-mango-salsa/
my new favorite portable lunch is sprouted quinoa tabbhouli…amazing stuff
I’m with you on the salad thing. I like wilted lettuce, so I’m always happy to pack my salads in the AM. But I could go down with that carrot cake sandwich too!
I love veggie wraps with goat cheese! Yumm:)
My favorite portable lunches are probably Clif bars or something like that, so my clumsy self doesn’t end up with a handbag full of noodles or salad… 😀
You’re so sweet to even care about not being able to reply while you’re on vacation!
I love your food 😀
I like big salads as portable lunches..and the occasional sandwich, but I’m really not a sandwich person 🙁
Aw do NOT NOT worry about getting back to my email (or any others) anytime soon. Just enjoy your vacation and get back to me when you can :).
Oooh, your carrot cake sandwich looks like a great lunch! I think I’ll try that next week.
I like eating most things cold or room temperature as well, so it’s not uncommon for me to take leftovers to work for lunch. Otherwise, our favourite portable meals include celery with peanut butter and raisins (celery canoes/ants on a log), quinoa mixed with fruit and veggies with a light dressing, muffins, fudge babies, cold pasta salad (sans mayo), pita pizzas, cold pancakes, veggies in a rice paper? wrap, and baked beans alone or in burritos.
JCD,
Yay! I’m not the only crazy one who doesn’t like hot foods! Actually, it’s not that I don’t like hot foods, it’s just that they get cold so quickly that I’ve just learned to like the foods cold because it’s such a pain having to get up between courses all the time to re-heat food!
Sarah,
I will get back to ya soon, I promise :).
I love the photo essay! You should do more of those because your pictures always look so yummy. 🙂
I love salads as portable lunches, and i’m addicted to tupperware! What a life saver. Is it weird that I often like to eat my lunch out of a tupperware lunch box even when I’m at home?
For example, see
http://www.glutenfreetriesvegan.com/2010/05/18/sick-as-a-dog-and-salad-dressing/
and
http://www.glutenfreetriesvegan.com/2010/03/05/its-friday/
Thanks for the amazing ideas! I usually pack some kind of sandwiches, salads, or maybe some kind of stir fry, grains and veggies. I always try to make something yummy, that tastes good cold and won’t spill in my backpack 😀
OOOhh some really creative and delicious looking ideas, i’d never have thought of a few of them! (espescially the over the rainbow sarnie!) i don’t think i really have a portable lunch fave as i don’t tend to eat on the go! but i would never say no to a delicious wrap xx
Hey Katie, this is going to be a totally off topic comment, but I wanted to ask you for a favour.
Can you please recommend me some beauty (make up stuff), that is cruelty free – ones that are sort of readily available?? I recently looked up the brands of most of my favourite make up stuff and I am so sad/angry that they carry out animal testing (i.e: not Bobbie approved) 🙁
Thank you so much for your suggestions, it will be greatly appreciated 🙂
Cecilia,
Aww poor Bobbbie!! It’s hard to believe that companies are allowed to force chemicals and needles and toxic products into little guys like Bobbie :(.
My favorite make up products are by Urban Decay and Clinique. But if you go here, you can find a whole list: http://www.caringconsumer.com/