See Parts 1, 2, 3, 4

It doesn't matter how well organized you are when you travel if you are having problems cooking and storing the food you’re preparing. 

Facilities can vary so widely and you may be in a rental cottage with a deluxe kitchen one week, the next you may be stuck in a cheap motel with a tiny fridge. And hostel kitchens? They're the most challenging of all!

Keep the following tips in mind when you buy and prepare food as you travel:

In my last posts (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3), I focused on how you can make your travel food delicious and simple. Whether it’s bringing along homemade spice mixes, always having key ingredients in your pack, or knowing what to have on hand when you fly, you can stretch your budget, make your meals more versatile, and escape from cheap, greasy fast food joints.

Now it’s time to look beyond instant oatmeal and start making real, hearty, satisfying, delicious food. While travelling, you may be staying in one place for a few days, weeks, or months. You may be faced with limited kitchen supplies, unfamiliar ingredients, or time restrictions. Even if you are a bad cook – you can do this. Here are some simple, delicious, friend-making, soul-soothing dishes to make in your home away from home.

In my previous post, I talked about 5 foods I always have in my pack, no matter what. Of course, that’s not all the food I take with me! Depending on my destination, activities, or modes of transportation, I also might take the following:

1.) Homemade trail mix 

I’m fussy and don’t like a lot of the usual ingredients. Banana chips are gross! I did a honey roasted cashew, dried cherry, and Smarties mix for my road trip to Vermont. It’s not meant to be very healthy, but rather satisfying and filling, resulting in fewer snacks on the road. Plus if you are stuck in an airport or are forced to miss a meal, some trail mix can really keep you going.

In my last post, I spoke of making travel meals easier, more diverse, and more delicious using 5 simple spice blends to toss in your pack. I want to start taking these with me on every trip! However, I do always take the following – every single trip! 

Not much has changed since I first lived in England when I was 20. These basics have come with me around Europe, Africa, and North America - with one exception. The quantity and quality of coffee has skyrocketed since getting married, but it’s utterly indispensable now!

For a long time I’ve been advocating that you can save money and, frankly, eat better if you cook some of your own meals when you travel. How many soggy sandwiches, stale pizzas, and greasy, thin burgers can you really stand? I’m putting together a 5 part series of top 5 lists relating to travel and food- both cooking and eating. First up: glorious, exciting condiments!

I like to travel with some basic condiments and I’m thinking of making this a must-pack item for every trip. Spices and herb mixes can really save the day when you are on a budget or travelling where there is a lot of bland food. You can get camping sets, but I find it easiest to assemble my own using little plastic vials, so I can customize to my own preferences. Besides, commercial mixes are very high in sodium and much more expensive. I like to use: