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Since I just came back from a trip to Haiti, where I was kind of forced to 'travel light,' I thought I'd write about two of my favorite topics--quilts and food--and how I fit them together while traveling.
While Haiti was not a quilting expedition (you can read about it here and here,) food was a concern for me. I'm in losing mode right now, and I didn't want to go off the rails, as can so easily happen when you travel. The only food I brought with me was protein bars, and boy howdy, did they come in handy. I chose bars that did not have any melty coating because I knew it would be warm there. So it was easy to grab a bar for lunch or breakfast and take it along as we traveled. At dinner, I enjoyed the native cuisine, and just ate moderate amounts.
But what I really wanted to share with you is how easy it is to go to quilt shows or retreats, and still eat good healthy food and NOT gain weight! When I travel, I try to choose hotels that have a mini refrigerator and a microwave. I can either pack an ice bag with some of my favorites (cottage cheese, yogurt, fruit, baby carrots) or I can just hit up the grocery store on arrival. I do know some of the restaurants that have healthy choices available, and plan to eat out once or twice during a long trip (Baha Fresh and Chipotle have some really great salad choices, and Jamba Juice includes calories on all their offerings. They also have really great irish oatmeal.)
If you are just making a day trip, like I sometimes do when going to Pacific International Quilt Festival, you can still very easily pack a nice lunch. I have a couple of those little blue ice packs in my freezer, and I just pop one of those in the bottom of a plastic bag and put in a container of cottage cheese and fruit, and maybe some baby carrots, and a protein bar for a snack later in the day. It will stay plenty cold until lunchtime. And its so nice to find a chair and enjoy a good lunch without wasting time waiting in line for food that is too expensive and not that good.
Do you have some tips for "traveling light?"
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