Three Rules for Easy Eating On The Go

I’m just about to head down to the South for my son Jeff’s wedding. I’ve been planning this trip for weeks (Ask the 5am, they’ve helped me pick my dress). I’ve organized all the kids clothing for that special day, the care of our animals, and hotel stays.

And believe it or not, one more big item I’ve planned for is my eating.

Now you may think I am crazy or wonder – “How do you plan for eating when you don’t know what is available?”

It’s not as hard as you may think!

I’ve been planning the meals I can control, so if the meals I am unable to control are a bit loose by PPW (Protein, Produce and Water) standards it minimizes the damage.  Not that I plan on eating cupcakes, cookies, fudge, and other sweets for 4 days straight, but we will be eating in restaurants where I can’t control quite as much as I can at home.

Here are my three rules to easy eating while on vacation. (Thank you Michael Pollan for the fantastic ideas in your book “Food Rules”- great read for anyone!)

1. Eat foods that you can visualize in their raw state. If I’m not able to identify where a particular food came from, I’m going to avoid it. At restaurants that means avoiding foods covered in goop and sauces. Where does that cheese like substance come from anyway? Fried food? Not happening. I don’t know what is in the coating or what they fry it in (not to mention the fat and calories). That leaves me with very few choices, so I’ll probably starve, right? No way! Think of all the grilled items, vegetables, fruits, fish, eggs and more I can have. There are thousands of varieties of vegetables and fruit alone. Open your mind and mouth to new possibilities!
2. Eat foods that spoil quickly. If a food like substance can stay on the shelf for years it is probably very low in nutrients. If a rodent will not even go after it, do we really want to put it in our mouth?
3. Eat foods your grandmother (great-grandmother?) would recognize. I love my grandmother; she was a wonderful cook. But I’m sure if she looked at a Go-Gurt  she’d have no idea what to do with it. What about Spam, Velveeta, or powdered drink mixes? She did her cooking with items readily found in her area, that she grew herself, or my grandfather fished or hunted. She didn’t have a whole lot shipped from other countries, or items found out of season in her area. I’m going to imagine sitting at her table each time I eat.

So that’s my plan. I’m going to eat fresh foods that are easy to recognize (before and after they are cooked) that my grandmother would enjoy.

That’s not so hard, is it?

Ask me how I did when I get back!

Make It Happen,

Coach Nancy