There are many reasons you might want to cook while travelling. You can save money; eat healthier, cater to food sensitivities; save time, and eat local ingredients.
We love travelling and have learned some tricks from buying groceries in many countries. Here they are:
Do your research
Is food cheap and easy to access? If not, you may want to make room in your suitcase to pack some extra food to save money/hassle. What food is common?
- Bananas? You can make banana muffins or pancakes.
- Avacados? You can make fish tacos or corn chips and guac.
- Cheese? In some countries it’s plentiful, in others it’s very expensive.
- Eggs? These seem pretty easy to find and are economical almost everywhere.
- Bread? If there’s a local bakery on every corner, you know what to add to your list!
Make a basic plan
Be ready to be flexible once you get there and see what’s on sale/local… But having a basic plan is helpful. Here are a few simple ideas:
- Pancakes
- French toast
- Yogurt and granola
- Bread/pita + jam, Nutella, peanut butter or whatever is local
- Chicken
- Chicken broth/Noodle soup cups
- Banana muffins
- Brownies or chocolate mug cake
- Protein bars
Pack smart
There are rules about what food you can/can’t travel with, so you need to do your research. But it’s handy to pack a few essentials (if allowed) to minimize what you need to buy there, especially if you only need a teaspoon or so. Here are some suggestions:
- Reusable grocery bags
- Baking soda
- Baking powder
- Vanilla
- Cocoa
- Salt/pepper
- Spice mixes
- Coffee
- Coffee whitener
- Dark chocolate (for snacks or baking)
Shop and adapt once you arrive
Once you arrive at your destination, Google where you can find a good grocery store, or ask a local.
Check the flyer and store sales and revise your plan as needed. If you were planning to cook chicken, but beef is half the price, change your plan. If you had gin and tonic in mind but tonic is way over-priced, tequila is on sale and the limes are cheap, it’s time to Google a good margarita recipe. (Thanks for the memories Costa Rica.) Often, things that are cheap at home are expensive in other countries. For example, in Australia, chips were expensive and we wanted some crunchy snacks, so we switched over to cheese rice crackers (bonus: way fewer calories).
Remember, if you’re moving from place to place, don’t buy a lot of perishables.
Here are just a few examples of economical food we’ve eaten in different locations:
- Australia – Rotisserie chicken sandwiches; chicken soup made with the bones; kombucha.
- Costa Rica – Fish tacos; BBQ chicken; margaritas
- France – Baguette and cheese; fresh bakery items for breakfast
- Honduras – Banana muffins; guacamole
- Israel – Pitas and humus; eggs and pancakes for breakfast
- Italy – Pasta and fresh veggies; buns, meat and cheese for breakfast
Enjoy your trip. I can’t wait to hear about it and see what you cooked!
historyinthebaking 