Travel tip #10 - Snacks

Travel tip #10 is all about the food.

If you are traveling by plane, confine your snacks to one ziplock bag. Try to bring items that are not easily crushed and that contain some protein such as beef jerkey and protein enriched granola bars. By choosing something with protein it will help you go long periods between meals if necessary. This comes in handy when you are dealing with plane delays and long airport waiting periods.

If you are traveling by vehicle, you have the luxury of packing a little heavier. Your goal is to find a happy medium with this - you don't want to pack the entire kitchen, but you don't want to pay full retail for something you have at home either. Consider packing 1 grocery sack with snacks and/or food. This can include snacks for the road as well as items that can be easily prepared using only hot water. Keep in mind what kitchen type items might be available in your room, even the most budget hotels typically have a coffee pot wich heats water just fine. Pack a cooler full of water or pop into the vehicle with you, and replenish from a local store after you arrive to your destination. Drinks can be a lot of extra weight to carry, and typically won't be much more expensive at your destination as long as you buy them by the case.

Here are some suggested travel and hotel items that come in handy on vacation when it comes to food -

• Beef jerkey
• Granola bars
• Raisins (these are a natural laxitive to combat the vacation "stop-ups")
• Nuts
• Granola
• Carrots and celery sticks (keep these in the cooler)
• Grape tomatos, pre-washed (keep these in the cooler)
• Apple slices (quickly rinse with lemon-lime soda before bagging, keep in cooler)
• Grapes, pre-washed (keep these in the cooler)
• Dried fruit such as bananna chips or papaya
• Canned fruit cups (cans don't crush as easy as plastic cups)
• Instant oatmeal (just add hot water)
• Tea bags (for hot tea)
• Instant mac & cheese, get the one in the cup (just add hot water)
• Dry cereal (you can buy milk at the store upon arrival)
• Peanut butter and "fruit basket sized" jelly (you can buy bread upon arrival)
• A package of disposable silverware
• Disposable plastic bowls (get plastic so you can only pack a few and then wash/reuse)
• Roll of paper towels (these can be used as napkins as well as cleaning up spills in the car)
• Travel sized bottle of dish soap (the hotel has wash cloths)
• Pocket knife (comes in handy to open packages, cans etc)

Here is a fancy version of instant oatmeal (using the plain version) by "Good Eats" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FZ2VXskdMU&feature=player_embedded