Nuts: Provided you aren't hindered by a related food allergy, nuts can be a frequent traveler's saving grocery grace. They can tide you over during a long airport delay, serve as an impromptu picnic snack or be a basic part of a bagged lunch. Dry roasted peanuts can be eaten by the handful with fruit and a bottle of water, added to fried rice, or chopped and used as a soup garnish. Similar strategies can be implemented with almonds, cashews and pistachios.
Bread: While tortilla wraps may have garnered the greatest attention when it comes to whipping up breakfast burritos and easy lunch sandwiches, my money's on English muffins. An unsung hero of the baked goods aisle, these cost-effective, calorie-conscious goodies can be used to create everything from a vegetarian eggs Benedict to miniature toaster oven pizzas. Other ideas include basic breakfast sandwiches and an alternative to avocado toast. Whether your vacation food shopping options include a high-priced gourmet grocer or you only have access to a discount store, this flexible bread item will ring in at an affordable price point.
Artisanal loaves can also elevate simple meals while traveling. Sliced into toasted bread sticks, cubed as a salad add-in, or sliced for elegant open-faced sandwiches, choosing a great loaf from the farmers market can make you feel like you are living large for less.
Potatoes: Inexpensive, flexible and able to be transported on road trips without a cooler, potatoes bring a great deal of variety to the traveler's dinner table. Serve fresh from the oven with a topping bar for a family of picky eaters, slice and bake for a casserole, shred for hash browns or chop up for a chowder. The options are extensive, and the price tag practically perfect.
Figuring out your short list of favorite food items for stocking your vacation rental is about more than keeping your travel budget on track. Having fun, easy meals to prepare in your cabin kitchen means you can spend more time enjoying the place where you have paid to be. Whether the purpose of your trip is to enjoy the slopes or splash in the surf, having easy-to-prepare groceries you can predictably access at numerous locations around the world will help keep meal prep on autopilot.
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(Lifestyle and travel expert Myscha Theriault blends thrift and luxury to live well for less around the world. She has sold her home, all her furniture and most of her other belongings to travel the world full time with her husband. You can follow her adventures on Instagram via @MyschaTheriault.)
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