A love for life and traveling often go hand in hand. To those consumed with wanderlust, staying cooped up in their comfort zone makes no sense. Such folks are usually willing to travel forever, searching for other states, souls, and lives.
In 2024, America’s travel volume will considerably increase. At the beginning of the year, 40% of Americans admitted to expanding their travel plans. Many are still heading out on road trips, cross-country tours, and international travels.
Besides gaining a new perspective on life, travel enthusiasts love to explore the local cuisine of their destinations. Some find themselves in a tough spot between cooking on the go and enjoying the local cuisine. Why not find a middle ground?
In this article, we will discuss the benefits of cooking while traveling and how to balance it with exploring the local cuisine.
Benefits of Cooking While Traveling
There has been a significant rise in culinary vacations across the world. According to a recent study, 70% of travels in 2024 are focused on food and wine. That is a good thing as one gets to understand different food cultures and expand their repertoire of favorite dishes.
However, cooking at least once a day could be a good idea if a trip is about to be longer than two weeks. The following are the benefits of cooking during travels.
It’s Healthier
The number one reason to cook while you travel is the health factor. As you prepare your meals, you have greater ingredient control and know exactly what’s in your food. While grocery shopping, you can purchase products or produce that are organic and clean.
The issue with dining out all the time is that many eateries do not follow strict hygiene practices. Many are running on overworked chefs and lean profits. They scarcely have time to look for your highest interest.
Moreover, the food packages are often lined with harmful chemicals like per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances or PFAS. They are toxic and can lead to conditions like hypertension, preeclampsia, or even cancer.
Cost Savings
If you’ve booked an Airbnb with a modest yet functional kitchen, that is all the more reason to cook while traveling. In the process, you will save a few hundred dollars.
Ingredients bought at a grocery store are way cheaper when compared to restaurant meals. Moreover, you can meal-plan to save more. For instance, if you decide to cook breakfast each day during a two-week trip, you can plan your meals in one-week segments.
Whichever ingredients coincide, purchase them in bulk to get increased discounts. Additionally, you won’t have to worry about what to eat as soon as you wake up.
Time for Respite and Reconnection
Be it a solo trip, a couple’s vacation, or a family tour, holidays spent traveling can be busy and exhausting. You have a well-planned list regarding where to visit and what to do.
In a rush to tick all items off, it’s natural to lose the essence of going out together – relaxation and respite. This is something cooking even a single meal at your vacation rental can provide. You don’t have to start hunting down a local eatery yet again. Everyone gets to relax a bit and may even join hands to prepare the meal.
What About the Local Cuisine?
Now, let’s jump right into the local cuisine part. We understand that one prime reason you may desire to plan an itinerary is to understand the local food culture. By all means, do so, and don’t just dine at restaurants.
If possible, visit one of the local families and step inside their kitchen. See how traditional dishes are prepared traditionally. As you do so, you begin to understand the local cuisine better.
This is something that can be done at a restaurant, too. Now, how about you try a few local dishes and love something so much that you wish to prepare it at your place frequently? The best thing would be to note the recipe and try it out at your vacation rental.
That’s a unique way to absorb the local cuisine. Plus, it will give you a greater appreciation for the place’s food culture. Furthermore, you may find it monotonous to search for authentic local food options three times every day.
What most of us do in a rush is skip the hunt and settle for generic food options once or twice a day. Your experience of the local cuisine will enhance when you stick to dining out once or twice a day. The remaining meals can be cooked at your vacation rental.
Previously, we discussed the cost savings that come with cooking while traveling. Well, these savings can be utilized to explore better local cuisine options every time you plan to eat out. Those are pretty solid reasons to strike a balance.
How to Strike a Balance?
Simply knowing why doesn’t work unless you know how. If you plan on cooking during your travels this year or beyond, there are some investments you must make.
In other words, you may have to carry along certain equipment, if not a stove. It will only make the whole process easier and quicker. One good example would be the trusty electric cooker.
This appliance is best known for its nutrition retention, one-pot meals, and less cooking time. Depending on the size, it’s easy to prepare meals for two to three people in a single go. The only thing is you must practice some caution with it.
Suppose you plan a cross-country trip to the city of Chicago for a three-week-long vacation. Fret not; this place has such a reputation for impressive architecture, brewing scenes, and brilliant chefs that you may still require repeat visits to get through your to-do list.
It was awarded the title ‘Best Big City’ for the eighth year in a row. While there are plenty of dining options, you can cook at least one meal yourself for the reasons mentioned above. Your hardy cooker is what you carry along with you.
Before you start using it, check thoroughly for any defective parts or loose seals. Moreover, do not use the appliance for deep frying and add only the required volume of liquid. Even minor negligence can prove to be very costly.
In other words, failure to follow safety guidelines could result in a fire. Now, you might wonder, can a pressure cooker explode? Absolutely, and it usually happens due to reasons like overheating, overfilling, and faulty mechanisms.
The scenario can be gruesome in some cases. According to TorHoerman Law, people have suffered injuries like third-degree burns, lacerations, blindness, disfigurement, and more. Just by following a few basic safety rules, it’s possible to enjoy delicious, easy, and healthy meals even while traveling.
Even if your rental has no kitchen, you can still carry a portable stove, compost pan, electric cooker or Instant Pot, and a few basic utensils to serve and eat in.
Easy and Healthy Recipes You Can Try
Now, the recipes you can try while traveling, be it a pressure cooker or otherwise, will depend on what’s famous from the local cuisine. Taking from our previous example, one dish that is top-class from Chicago’s local cuisine is the deep-dish pizza.
It is a tavern-style pizza with a high edge that offers ample room for a variety of toppings. It is so filling that two to three adults can enjoy a 10-inch pizza easily. Usually, it is enjoyed during lunchtime.
If you decide to sample this local delicacy, consider preparing it for lunch at your vacation rental.
For breakfast, cheese frittatas, breakfast casserole, and flavorsome quinoa are some healthy and easy options to try.
Similarly, if you decide to try out a famous local dish that happens to be eaten at breakfast, try lunch options. Good examples would include wild rice vegetable soup, risotto, burritos, club sandwiches, fajitas, and pressure-cooked red beans with rice. If there are leftovers, simply store them in the fridge and reheat or repurpose them the next day.
Based on our discussion, what have you decided? Perhaps it is time for you to embark on a culinary or sightseeing vacation soon. As you do so, don’t forget to make your trip more affordable and healthier with rental cooking options.
What say you?
Thoughts on Cooking on the Go?
Let’s hear it!
