Eating Healthy... without a fridge?

[Wild Vulpix]

So, going on vacation soon... which will be fun, BUT I have NO idea how I'm going to eat! I'll probably have to live off fruit, nuts, and yogurt because I haven't a clue how else to without a stove or fridge.

Any advice? Yogurt is the only thing I can think of to get protein... Nuts for fat, and fruit for carbs, but it seems so boring and incomplete!

[grrrkgrrrl]

tuna tins?

[LotusMama]

Don't you need a refrigerator for yogurt?!

I agree with grrrkgrrrl, Tuna is a good idea. Also, there are cans of wild caught salmon that might be good, if you like salmon of course! Also, you can get rice cakes and take a jar of almond butter.

And, of course, don't forget veggies!

Good luck and have a fun trip!

Cheers,

J

[nelie]

there are lots of veggies that don't need to be stored in a fridge, but you might need more frequent trips to the store. You could also look for dehydrated beans and reconstitute only what you need. Couscous and bulgar are also easy to cook with just hot water. Also whole grain breads don't need to be refrigerated.

Also, where are you going on vacation? are you sure you can't get access to a fridge? or just a grocery store salad bar? or ?

[treepeters]

I know there are tons of "protein bars" but I really like these ones called "good on ya bars.
They're not too high in carbs and really pretty good food quality, I think.
In a pinch... easy to carry.
I liked the idea someone had about tuna too. Stinky, but such a great low cal option.

good luck!

[ringmaster]

you'll probably have access to some food places... even a McDonald's,.. get a grilled chicken salad or the yogurt parfait, not the greatest option but it won't hurt if you stay within your calories. If you have Wawas or 7-11s around they sometimes carry the ready to drink Muscle Milk protein drinks.. I drank them a couple of times in a pinch for a lunch.

[kschatterbox]

I was thinking of Almond butter but it will need to keep cold. While I was on vacation a few weeks ago I took almond butter and kept it in a cooler. Also saved money by taking fruits with me also.

[EmmaD]

Can you bring a cooler? I ask because we just got back from a camping trip, mostly in tents. I brought two big-ish "blue ice" packs and they were awesome! They lasted two days, then when they weren't cold any more, we added ice to the cooler and the blue ice kind of recharged and kept things cooler than ice alone.

Anyway, if you can bring a cooler or buy one when you arrive at your destination, here are some cooler ideas: boiled eggs, various block and sliced cheeses, smoked salmon, light cream cheese, carrots/celery/cauliflower/broccoli crudites, hummus, cold cuts for sandwiches or roll-ups... We also brought things to grill on a charcoal grill - ahi tuna steaks, burgers/sausages (mine were veggie), etc (nothing too messy).

My cooler has an outside pocket to keep things cool, but not ice cold. Also I have an insulated bag that keeps veggies OK as long as they are not in the direct sunlight or in a roasting hot car. In there I had: tomatoes, onions, peppers, cucumbers, yellow squash/zucchini, mushrooms, olive oil, vinegar, some basil leaves (to make caprese salad with tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, olive oil and basil)
For snacks: grapes, apples, cherries, bananas, peanut butter
For "bread": tortillas or pita bread. Reduced-fat Triscuits
Pouches (easier when on the road than cans) of tuna and salmon.

I didn't bring all of the perishable stuff at once - we did re-stock when we found stores. I guess another question is: are you going to have to bring everything to where you are going, or will you have a chance to go to stores occasionally?

Could you bring a small propane stove? I love mine. We mostly use it for heating water when camping, but that means coffee, tea, oatmeal, whole wheat couscous, instant brown rice, instant black bean soup, etc. etc.

And some kind of protein/nutrition bar might be a good idea for times when there is truly nothing healthy around and you are starving. I bring Kashi GoLean bars for emergencies. They're reasonably healthy and better than what I might choose otherwise.

Hope any of this helps your situation. Good luck and have fun on your trip!!

[Dawn415]

We have a cooler that stays fridge temp for up to 5 days with initial ice packs. If we are in a hotel, we tend to refil the cooler with ice every couple of days.

It allows us to have some milk and cereal for b-fast for the kids and anything else for us.

Dawn