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Shipped off on a business trip for a few weeks, or just planning a long stay for vacation? While some hotel rooms are nice and includes a fridge and a microwave, that’s a bit short in terms of cooking, especially if you don’t see yourself eating out for 2 weeks in a row. What are some ways to eat healthy with that in mind? Follow this quick appliance guide so you can cook as normally as you would at home.
Groceries
The first night, go to the grocery store and get some fresh fruit and whatever else catches your attention: veggies, meat, rice, pasta… Don’t be tempted to buy food in bulk or you’ll risk to throw a lot of it out. You can plan ahead and bring a certain spice or condiment from home, like garlic powder or bouillon cubes. Get things like yogurt, milk, bottled water, microwaveable noodle bowls, cheese, crackers, one or two avocado. Avoid frozen foods unless you have a full-size fridge available; the freezers in mini-fridges don’t work properly and do not hold much anyway. Grab plastic silverware and salt & pepper packets from the breakfast room in the hotel and you’re set! Now let’s have a look at some cheap and space-saving appliances you can bring with you.
Portable Cooktop
Bring a simple hot plate with you along with a small skillet and a pot. Buy what you need daily at the grocery store and cook up some meat or fish and steam some veggies.
Small Crock Pot
If you’re driving to your location instead of flying, you might bring a small crockpot and some spices (since they can end up expensive if you have to buy them every time). If you use an adapter, you can even have it working for you in the car. After a quick trip to the grocery store, you’ll be able the cook a regular meal as you normally would in your hotel room. You can also cook for your coworkers and they can eat healthy too!
Travel Blender
We can’t recommend a simple blender enough. It will take care of a healthy breakfast every morning. Go for fresh berries and you’ll have energy packed smoothies to keep you on tracks through the day.
Electric Skillet
If slow-cooking isn’t really your thing, an electric skillet might be a more versatile option for you. Fry, boil, steam and maybe bake… From breakfast eggs to seared steak, this one will never let you down! It is generally large enough to cook a handful of veggies like diced zucchini and two chicken breast at the same time.
Rice Cooker
Less messy than a pot of boiling water, a rice cooker allows you to do many other things such as risotto, oatmeal, slow cook, steam, soup, yogurt, baking, or browning. It is a nice addition to a single electric cooktop.
One last tip: The coffee maker which sits usually in your room can boil water for you, so you can enjoy your instant noodles while your steak is cooking!
