Eating Out and In

I go into Thrift Mode when it come to food and work-related travel, such as attending conferences: packing granola bars from home, saving my lunch apple juice can for later, bringing a small container in case there are leftover takeaway snacks. I do this in part because in new places the easiest food to find is often fast food or restaurant food. The other part is the small thrill of coming home having spent as little as possible on meals.

I’m away at a conference right now, staying in a small suite at a large university that is outside the downtime area. By dinner time it was dark and rainy, so I had to decide whether to stay in and have three granola bars and a can of apple juice or venture into the cold to buy a meal.

Then, a third option presented itself when I got to the food commons and spotted a tiny grocery store. Make dinner! Assembling a tasty meal with a small selection of ingredients is a fun night at home for me. So creating a makeshift dinner in a borrowed tiny kitchen seemed even better.

With a few items purchased for less than $20, I ended up with enough food for dinner, breakfast the next day, and plane snacks for the way home. Cooking for myself let me eat what my body wanted (warm soup on a cold night), without being limited to a restaurant menu.

I’m not saying everyone should cook when they are away from home. For some, travel offers a welcome break from the daily grind of meal planning, shopping, and cooking. Others may feel that grtting fast food on the road is a special treat. Also, restaurant meals can be lovely, especially when shared with others and someone else does the dishes!

But when I get tired of deciding whether to scrimp or splurge on food while I’m away, if any kitchen stuff is availabke I’ll try to assemble a home away from home-cooked meal.

How do you manage cost, convenience, and eating good food when you travel?