The kind of food you bring with you for a weekend getaway largely depends on where you're going and what you'll be doing. The type of food you'll bring with you for a backpacking excursion is likely to differ considerably from the food you'll pack for a romantic getaway to a high-end resort. To enhance your enjoyment of your weekend trip, consider packing healthy food from each of the food groups for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Breakfast
According to the Mayo Clinic, when you eat a healthy breakfast, you have a greater likelihood of consuming more vitamins and minerals, maintaining your concentration and productivity throughout the morning, controlling your weight and reducing your risk of heart disease. Depending on the facilities you have access to during your weekend trip, you can turn the food you have brought with you into a hearty breakfast that will help you meet your caloric and nutritional needs. Consider bringing the following breakfast foods with you during your weekend getaway: eggs; organic meats, such as turkey, pork bacon or sausages, or thin slices of chicken; lox; whole grain bagels or bread; butter and nut butters; cream cheese; yogurt; fruits, such as apples, oranges, bananas or grapefruit; cheeses; and vegetables for making an omelet, including peppers, mushrooms, onions and tomatoes. Consider also bringing some tea with you to help round out your breakfast.
Lunch
Lunch can be a challenging meal to prepare during weekend trips because of lack of facilities or the activities, such as hiking or bicycling, in which you or other family members might be participating. However, according to Dr. John Douillard, a Boulder-Colorado-based chiropractor, Ayurvedic medicine practitioner and author of "Body, Mind, and Sport," it's important for your health to eat the biggest meal of your day around noon, and you should place a special emphasis on making sure this meal, in particular, is healthy and substantial. Consider bringing the following lunch foods with you during your weekend getaway: sandwiches made with whole grain breads; pre-made salads; organic meat slices, like chicken, beef, turkey or ham; vegetables, such as carrot sticks, celery, broccoli and cauliflower; and hummus, fruits, beans and rice mixed with vegetables, rice crackers with cheese, sweet potato chips and dark chocolate. Consider consuming drinks such as water or tea.
Dinner
According to a May 3, 2005, article by Laurie Tarkan in the "New York Times," scientists have found compelling reasons for families to eat dinner together, including a lowered risk of smoking, drinking and drug use among teenagers. Although dinner can be another challenging meal to prepare while on a weekend trip, it's an important meal to help support family togetherness. And while it's common for families to eat out at restaurants during weekend trips, you can save money, eat healthier and bond with other loved ones by preparing your food as a family, if you have access to a kitchen. Consider bringing the following dinner foods with you during your weekend getaway: corn on the cob, chili, salad fixings, pasta and sauce, organic meats for grilling, sweet potatoes for baking and vegetables that can be steamed such as green beans, asparagus and broccoli. Pre-made foods, such as wraps, burritos and empanadas, are tasty and convenient, and they can be easily packed into containers prior to your departure.
