Menus for a Vacation Without Restaurants or Processed Food

We're so busy, even Mia is multitasking! She's sorting beans while she has her snack!

It’s already ramping up to be a busy week here in traditional cooking land. We’ve got a vacation coming up and although it’s more of a long weekend than a full-scale getaway, I’ve got a lot of planning and packing to put in before our eat-at-home-away-from-home adventure.


For Brian and I, this is a trip back to our beginning. We’re going back the college town where we met, to celebrate the wedding of the person who introduced us! Every street will be full of temptation amplified by nostalgia. The old familiar diners on every corner (except that one that burned down), our favorite bar with its cheese fries, Buffalo wings, pizza, and bacon and brie burgers, and the Indian place (where we had dinner after a clandestine visit to the justice of the peace) will be calling to us as we pass by. But, we will pass them by. We’ll head for the park, or to campus to take get a picture of Mia by the giant clock face. Perhaps we’ll find an attraction we never explored while we were college students.

Dining has always been a big part of our vacations. Convenience foods are standard on our road trips. But, this time it’s going to be different. It’s not that I think we will never eat at a restaurant again. In fact, I’m sure we will, eventually. But, we have only just begun to break our addiction to the package and the institutionally-produced plate of food. I don’t want this trip to throw us off track. This won’t be another trip that throws us so off plan that it takes us weeks at home to get back into our cooking routine.

So, I have a plan. I’m making menus, preparing meals ahead of time, and we’re staying in a hotel with a kitchen. I’m already a full week ahead on our bread baking, and our crackers are in the oven as I type. Mia and I sorted beans this morning for the chili I’m planning on taking, and I froze the leftover meal of soup last night so we can reheat it in our vacation kitchenette. Thursday, Brian is going to smoke a turkey to serve to our friends the night before their reception, which is actually the night of their small, private ceremony. I’ll make popcorn ahead of time for in-car munchies. And, my sourdough cinnamon rolls will replace my usual truck stop honey bun—something I’ve eaten on every road trip since I was Mia’s age!

It’s a lot of work, but I think it’s going to be worth it!

Our Trip Menu:

Friday

Breakfast (at home before we head out): Sourdough cinnamon rolls, hard boiled eggs, mango smoothies; Lunch: Homemade bologna* sandwiches, crudités, and watermelon; Dinner (to celebrate a wedding): Smoked turkey, salad, fried squash, fried potatoes, fruit, rolls, and an undecided dessert; Snacks: popcorn, fruit, veggies, cheese/cream cheese and crackers, and yogurt dough cookies.

Saturday

Breakfast: Eggs, toast, and mango smoothie; Lunch: BBQ at the reception (I hope they won’t be offended that I’m packing my whole grain rolls in my purse); Dinner: Bean soup; Snacks: popcorn, fruit, veggies, cheese/cream cheese and crackers, and yogurt dough cookies.

Sunday:

Breakfast: Toast and eggs, mango smoothie; Lunch: Smoked turkey sandwiches, salad, fruit; Dinner: Chili and cheese, corn bread; Snacks: popcorn, fruit, veggies, cheese/cream cheese and crackers, and yogurt dough cookies.

Monday:

Breakfast (at the hotel): Sourdough cinnamon rolls, eggs, and mango smoothies; Lunch (on the road) homemade bologna sandwiches, crudités, fruit; Dinner (at home): chicken broth with sprouted quinoa, homemade rolls; Snacks: popcorn, fruit, veggies, cheese/cream cheese and crackers, and yogurt dough cookies.

In addition to this, we’ll have homemade blueberry lemonade, made without additional water so it takes up less space in the cooler. We’ll simply add water in the glass. I’ll build in a little menu flexibility by having grab bags of homemade snacks. We’ll also have some wine on Friday night to celebrate!

Now, I just have to make a list of kitchen/cooking items I need to bring with me!

(I’ll add some of our trip recipes, such as the one for sourdough cinnamon rolls, as I prepare them this week!)

*Our bologna is homemade, but not made by me. It is 100% organic, free range beef, with whey (and no chemicals) as a preservative. It is made exactly as I would make it, if I made it. And someday, I hope I do!