These 5 Simple Strategies for Cooking in a Vacation Rental are easy to implement. I love traveling, but eating when traveling does not always like my waistline or my budget. Cooking in a vacation rental can really save the day. When we travel to Italy, food is a highlight of the trip. Even when we are cooking in a vacation rental, we do not want to sacrifice the amazing food experiences we always enjoy in Italy.
This is our first “off-season” trip to the Mediterranean and our goal is to enjoy it more like a “local”. Instead of booking several hotels rooms and moving throughout popular destination on the Mediterranean coastline, we are staying in a condo on the Amalfi Coast in the quieter town of Ravello. It is March and many places are still closed for winter. This is the perfect time to employ the 5 simple strategies for cooking in a vacation rental.
The 5 Simple Strategies for Cooking in a Vacation Rental
- Incorporate Leftovers in the Food Preparation
- Plan a Tapas Night
- Recreate Meals Enjoyed at Local Restaurants on Your Trip
- Shop for Prepackaged Foods at the Supermarket
- Use Fresh Ingredients from Local Shops (My favorite strategy for cooking in a vacation rental!)
Before I get into the details of the listed strategies, I do want to point out, some of the strategies are easier in some locales than in others. Traveling to the Mediterranean, especially Italy, buying good and healthy food is affordable and is an expectation held in high regard. Italians have a higher life expectancy than we do in the United States. In 2023, the current life expectancy in Italy is 84.00 years with the United States lagging almost four years behind at 79.11 years. Many believe it is t he eating habits in Italy that lends to a higher life expectancy. According to Lorena Calise of VisitItaly.eu, “A large part of the population can easily bring fresh and healthy food to the table, regardless of social status and income.”
Wanting a longer life with higher quality, my Sweetheart and I have adopted the Mediterranean Diet. We currently live in Florida. Florida is great for having fresh produce and seafood readily available all year. Also, Florida is not so great because most restaurants and even food in the supermarket cater to unhealthy eating practices. Cracker Barrell is one of the only chain restaurants in my town if that helps paint the picture. Wherever you are traveling, I do realize some of these strategies may be easier to employ than others. But it is possible to enjoy eating and cooking in a vacation rental on the Mediterranean Diet!
Strategy #1 Incorporate Leftovers in the Food Preparation
Since my Sweetheart has retired, I find we are traveling to Europe more often. Two things have changed in the five years we have been traveling to Europe. One, portions have gotten larger. This is not necessarily a good thing. Portion control is a crucial component of the Mediterranean Diet. It is challenging to have portion control when the food is amazing. Two, restaurants offer to package food to go. That was not something I remember on past visits. I spoke to a restaurant owner, and he shared a possible reason. During the pandemic many restaurants started offering “take-away” options. This option means most restaurants now have packaging enabling them to offer leftovers to be boxed.
The good news is that you can manage your portions AND not waste delicious food! I find incorporating leftovers is a really helpful when cooking in a vacation rental. I often order two or three vegetable dishes, or i contorni, in Italian restaurants for the table to share. These leftovers are AMAZING in a nice omelet with a side salad and a glass of Italian white wine for a lighter dinner. I enjoyed a VERY large plate of pumpkin risotto one night. Dividing the portion in half, rolling the risotto into flour with pieces of cooked shrimp makes a delicious plate of frittatine to enjoy at lunch time. Pile leftover chicken with fresh tomatoes on a soften roll for an easy lunch. Working with leftovers you do not need all of the seasoning and it saves time when cooking in a vacation rental.
Strategy #2 Plan a Tapas Night for Cooking in a Vacation Rental
Every meal does not have to be a full dinner when you are cooking in a vacation rental. One of my favorite nights is just to enjoy a series of tapas. By a loaf of crusty bread from a local bakery and use it as the base for delicious tapas. When you are meandering through the local shops look for locally made items like honey, spices, jams, pesto, olive oils, muffulettas, and other pantry items. Cut up fresh tomatoes and garlic and make a bruschetta. Open a bottle of local wine and presto, you have an easy and delicious meal. Buy a nice bar or two of local chocolate and you have a second course!
