When it comes to parenthood, food is one of the things that causes me the most amount of stress. I won't get into it since this is not the point of this post. Let's just say that getting meal ideas from the internet has helped me a lot at a certain point in my life and I want to contribute to this simple, but such an important topic.
Travelling and camping have their restrictions when it comes to cooking. You can't always manage to make the same things you make at home. You can't eat as much and as often as you could in the comfort of your house. Also, if you are like us and you like exploring other countries, you might find yourself in a place that doesn't sell all of the things that you're used to eating.
Today I wanted to give you some ideas on what you can do with food specifically in Mexico (cause that's where we went on our last camping trip).
We'll divide this into three categories: cooking, snacking and restaurant food.
Keep in mind that I often aim at calorie-dense meals, especially when it comes to restaurants, so if you're trying to lose weight, not all of the things here are going to suit you. By all means, adjust it to your liking.
Let's start with Snacks.
Mexico is full of convenient stores, some are nationally known, some are local but there is no shortage of snacks - that's for sure.
When it comes to preferred car snacks for the road, we stick to nuts and fruits like apples or tangerines. Spinach is also one of our favourites since it comes pre-washed.
Peanuts and pumpkin seeds are always a must. If we're actually hungry but don't have time to stop for lunch, we'd get a sandwich or a burrito from OXXO.
Yoghurt is also a great option if you can afford a 5 minute stop. Don't give them to your kids while you're driving, don't put yourself through this mess.
We're coffee lovers all the way, so that's an obvious must. OXXO is your best friend here - they sell exceptionally good coffee that's super cheap compared to your other options.
If we're in the mood for them, we'd grab some cookies. We try to go for the ones that don't crumble too much, cause we all know that kids get it absolutely everywhere. Canelitas is a very bad example, but those were my husband's favourite when he was little, so we had to get them.
Gamesa, however, is a great crumbless cookie. Parent approved.
There are tons of options to choose from so get adventurous.
A lot of convenient stores will have some freshly baked goods that are to die for. That section often has vegan options such as oatmeal cookies. They're delish.
Coyotas can also be found there, although they're a bit rarer.
They have a bunch of flavours, but Cajeta is a classic one.
If you are trying to lose weight, this is not for you.
If you've got a bit more time, you can go for something more fun, of course. There are tons of options. Mexicans love good snacks.
Alongside touristic roads, you might find coconuts, which make for a great Southern 'travely' snack.
We found this guy in one of the Miradores.
Let's move on to Cooking.
It's no secret that I'm a big fan of porridge (oatmeal). It's such an easy dish that can be modified in so many ways with the help of spices, fruits and nuts. No-brainer. I bring it with me every chance I get.
However, not everyone can eat porridge every morning, so there is always peanut butter, jam, fruit - you name it.
Salads are super easy.
You can do so much with them. Incorporate sweet corn, chickpeas, even jalapeño goes well in them.
If you have a bonfire, you have an easy fun way to get rid of some of your food scraps.
Eggs are another great ingredient to bring along. Boiling them is just 10 minutes, scrambling them is 2-3 minutes. Great if you're in a hurry.
We are very fond of 'put as much as possible in' pasta as well.
I cook the veggies separately, add them to the pasta with some sauce, put two cans of tuna in and voila. Proteins, calories and nutrients.
Lentils are a must for us as well. It's hearty and filling. It's hella nutritious. It's a great way to hide some disliked vegetables. You can't mess it up. And it only needs an occasional stir, otherwise, you can practically forget about it for 40-60 minutes and it'll be just fine.
Another quick but filling thing that we frequently buy in Mexican stores are beans. They go with everything.
We also love to prepare some basic ingredients and let everybody make their own meal accodring to what they like.
Now, let's talk about Restaurants.
Mexican restaurants never disappoint, although if you're trying to watch your weight and/or trying to avoid animal products, this can get tricky. Personally, I avoid animal products to the best of my ability, but I also get anaemia quite frequently either from Iron or B12 deficiency. I do eat meat sometimes to avoid malnutrition, especially during camping trips so, naturally, this part will be a bit meatier than the previous ones.
Mexican soups are hearty and packed with nutritious goodness.
You can find some awesome sandwiches as well.
Omelettes are super customizable. I normally go for vegetables and cheese.
Chilaquiles is a guilty pleasure breakfast. If you haven't tried it, you're missing out.
Machaca de res is quite traditional. A great way to satisfy your meat craving and get a taste of the culture.
Of course, let's not forget about tacos. There are a billion of them out there.
Some fancier than others.
Fajitas.
Some kind of Taquitos, probably.
Plato Mixto or Combinacion Mexicana is a great one to go for if you're not sure of what to get or what to try. This one has some rice, beans, enchilada if I'm not wrong, chile relleno and a sope. All of those are very Mexican dishes compiled into one.
Have fun with it. Camping and travelling is a great way to mix things up, do what you've never done before and experience new flavours. Enjoy your getaway. Get out of your comfort zone. It'll be worth it.
Thank you for reading.
Travelling and camping have their restrictions when it comes to cooking. You can't always manage to make the same things you make at home. You can't eat as much and as often as you could in the comfort of your house. Also, if you are like us and you like exploring other countries, you might find yourself in a place that doesn't sell all of the things that you're used to eating.
Today I wanted to give you some ideas on what you can do with food specifically in Mexico (cause that's where we went on our last camping trip).
We'll divide this into three categories: cooking, snacking and restaurant food.
Keep in mind that I often aim at calorie-dense meals, especially when it comes to restaurants, so if you're trying to lose weight, not all of the things here are going to suit you. By all means, adjust it to your liking.
Let's start with Snacks.
Mexico is full of convenient stores, some are nationally known, some are local but there is no shortage of snacks - that's for sure.
When it comes to preferred car snacks for the road, we stick to nuts and fruits like apples or tangerines. Spinach is also one of our favourites since it comes pre-washed.
Peanuts and pumpkin seeds are always a must. If we're actually hungry but don't have time to stop for lunch, we'd get a sandwich or a burrito from OXXO.
Yoghurt is also a great option if you can afford a 5 minute stop. Don't give them to your kids while you're driving, don't put yourself through this mess.
We're coffee lovers all the way, so that's an obvious must. OXXO is your best friend here - they sell exceptionally good coffee that's super cheap compared to your other options.
If we're in the mood for them, we'd grab some cookies. We try to go for the ones that don't crumble too much, cause we all know that kids get it absolutely everywhere. Canelitas is a very bad example, but those were my husband's favourite when he was little, so we had to get them.
Gamesa, however, is a great crumbless cookie. Parent approved.
There are tons of options to choose from so get adventurous.
A lot of convenient stores will have some freshly baked goods that are to die for. That section often has vegan options such as oatmeal cookies. They're delish.
Coyotas can also be found there, although they're a bit rarer.
They have a bunch of flavours, but Cajeta is a classic one.
If you are trying to lose weight, this is not for you.
If you've got a bit more time, you can go for something more fun, of course. There are tons of options. Mexicans love good snacks.
Alongside touristic roads, you might find coconuts, which make for a great Southern 'travely' snack.
We found this guy in one of the Miradores.
Let's move on to Cooking.
It's no secret that I'm a big fan of porridge (oatmeal). It's such an easy dish that can be modified in so many ways with the help of spices, fruits and nuts. No-brainer. I bring it with me every chance I get.
However, not everyone can eat porridge every morning, so there is always peanut butter, jam, fruit - you name it.
Salads are super easy.
You can do so much with them. Incorporate sweet corn, chickpeas, even jalapeño goes well in them.
If you have a bonfire, you have an easy fun way to get rid of some of your food scraps.
Eggs are another great ingredient to bring along. Boiling them is just 10 minutes, scrambling them is 2-3 minutes. Great if you're in a hurry.
We are very fond of 'put as much as possible in' pasta as well.
I cook the veggies separately, add them to the pasta with some sauce, put two cans of tuna in and voila. Proteins, calories and nutrients.
Lentils are a must for us as well. It's hearty and filling. It's hella nutritious. It's a great way to hide some disliked vegetables. You can't mess it up. And it only needs an occasional stir, otherwise, you can practically forget about it for 40-60 minutes and it'll be just fine.
Another quick but filling thing that we frequently buy in Mexican stores are beans. They go with everything.
We also love to prepare some basic ingredients and let everybody make their own meal accodring to what they like.
Now, let's talk about Restaurants.
Mexican restaurants never disappoint, although if you're trying to watch your weight and/or trying to avoid animal products, this can get tricky. Personally, I avoid animal products to the best of my ability, but I also get anaemia quite frequently either from Iron or B12 deficiency. I do eat meat sometimes to avoid malnutrition, especially during camping trips so, naturally, this part will be a bit meatier than the previous ones.
Mexican soups are hearty and packed with nutritious goodness.
You can find some awesome sandwiches as well.
Omelettes are super customizable. I normally go for vegetables and cheese.
Chilaquiles is a guilty pleasure breakfast. If you haven't tried it, you're missing out.
Machaca de res is quite traditional. A great way to satisfy your meat craving and get a taste of the culture.
Of course, let's not forget about tacos. There are a billion of them out there.
Some fancier than others.
Fajitas.
Some kind of Taquitos, probably.
Plato Mixto or Combinacion Mexicana is a great one to go for if you're not sure of what to get or what to try. This one has some rice, beans, enchilada if I'm not wrong, chile relleno and a sope. All of those are very Mexican dishes compiled into one.
Have fun with it. Camping and travelling is a great way to mix things up, do what you've never done before and experience new flavours. Enjoy your getaway. Get out of your comfort zone. It'll be worth it.
Thank you for reading.
No comments:
Post a Comment