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!