©Exploramum and Explorason – filling empty tummies

Tips for Feeding a Growing Boy whilst Traveling

“OK!”, so my friend Jakki says to me “and exactly how are you going to feed this growing son of yours while you are traveling on a tight budget?”  What tips for feeding a growing boy whilst traveling do you have?

Very good question Jakki, and worth a thought before I go. Thus today’s article.

I am sure if you ask me after we have been on the road for 6 months, this will not be such a tricky question. What is tricky, is that we will have limited oven and stove facilities, and sometimes no refrigeration, and probably definitely no freezer. I will also have to figure out how to work with luxury travel experts while on this single parent travel since family travel entails a lot.

So here we go.

©Exploramum and Explorason – eating in our trailer/caravan

Breakfast – is easy.

Fresh fruit, cereals, long life milk etc are usually readily available.

Snacks – again, easy.
Fruit, packets of crisps, nuts and dried fruit, cookies & biscuits, chopped up veggies like mushrooms, carrots etc, and even dried cereals can make good munching food and can be prepared in the morning and place in zip-lock bags for the day.

We also have reusable plastic cereal bowls with lids that will be handy for carrying snacks.

Drinks –

Lunch – reasonably easy and my son can make in the morning for us.

It will usually be sandwiches and fruit.
We will be buying bread and I have a tiny chopping board and a sharp long knife that has a blade long enough to slice a loaf. Most countries have cheap bakeries, and bread rolls in places like Mexico can be 5 – 20 cents.

We will be taking Vegemite in a tube too. Margarine and butter may not last long without refrigeration, so that could be an issue.

Mind you if it is a salad sandwich then you can use mayonnaise or avocado as a spread instead of butter.

Dinner – Now that’s the tricky one!

Salads will have to be the go some nights.
In most places, you can have power, but few have stoves.
An immersion water heater can be the go.
I bought this great one and had fabulous service from
http://milendeals.com/category/13-travel-heater-element.aspx

Then I also found this great invention.
I can boil the vegetables and cook on this.

I recommend one that can fry, or be deep enough to boil, so a quality base is required.
Or buy a frying pan and small saucepan or billy, but then you have to carry more stuff.
Again we will only buy this when we get there as it is usually cheap enough at the market, or you might even borrow one.

1 tablespoon oil
1 brown onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped – optional
500g extra lean pork mince or chicken
mushrooms, thinly sliced – about 4 – 6
1 carrot, peeled and finely sliced
1 zucchini, finely sliced
2 tablespoons Hoisin sauce or local sauce
lettuce leaves if you can get them

Toast – So is making toast on a stick and you can make your own grill.

Damper or Twisties – I am sure there are stacks of camp recipes too.
My sister BJ has sent me her damper recipe – thanks BJ.  You just make it and wrap on a stick.
Then take it off the stick, and fill with butter and Vegemite, or your favorite filling.
‎1 cup self-rising flour
A pinch of salt
1 teaspoon of sugar (optional)
A big blob of butter (approx 1 tablespoon)
1 cup milk (Longlife is fine)
Honey, jam and/or vegemite
Large clean sticks (one for each person)
Campfire

(This is enough for about two people, so double the amounts as needed.)

Rub the butter into the flour until it’s all crumbly.
Mix all ingredients together and knead into dough.
Roll out into long ‘snakes’, one for each person.
Twist around the end of your stick – don’t make it too thick or the inside won’t cook.

Long Life Dinners

©Exploramum and Explorason – picnic

Memories are made at meal-times
Mealtime is a great time to bond with your child.
My son’s goal is to get to the Eiffel Tower, and I most certainly know we will be packing a French-style picnic with Brie Cheese and Baguettes and other goodies that we can share on the grass, with the awesome tower structure looming over our heads – well near enough with a good camera angle!
Where you eat can make a boring meal into a life-long memory.
A campfire under the stars eating a hot spud, sharing a sandwich next to a cascading waterfall, fish and chips on the beach – simple foods and great memories.