Eating IN on Vacation

Many years ago before we even thought of Eden’s Market – our youngest Eden wasn't even in the picture and we were expecting our 3rd child we bought our first “timeshare”. Figuring out the in’s and out’s of how to get the most out of it is another story but I want to share with you why owning or renting a condo or vacation home can be a lifesaver for those of us with special dietary needs, particularly gluten. In the beginning we bought in because with two small children and more on the way we knew we had outgrown a hotel room. The benefit of not paying for food that wouldn't be eaten was a plus as was saving money by eating most of our meals at the condo. This also freed up money spent on expensive restaurant meals for other activities. Now imagine you're on vacation and your choices are severely limited barring cross contamination to salads and perhaps a burger if you want to pay extra for that gf bun. Finding things to eat as an adult is hard enough but the basic kids menu at most places is chicken fingers, mac & cheese or pizza!

Having a kitchen fully stocked with everything but food has made our family vacations and trips a pleasure. A little bit of menu planning to make sure you've got all my the ingredients needed and don't end up

with food to cart back home is essential. Taking a suitcase full of dry goods and staples make eating on vacation not only cheaper but eliminates the worry of someone being sidelined due to cross contamination. We usually stop at a Superstore or local grocery on our way to our destination to pick up fresh fruit, salad items and perishables. As time has passed finding good gluten free and dairy free items has become easier especially in areas near larger populations so you may find that you can do most of your shopping at the destination. Some resorts also offer grocery delivery services.

We now take one or two family trips a year. As our kids have grown older we’ve added in friends and extended family to these trip. We own timeshare but it is very easy to rent anything from a hotel room with kitchenette to a deluxe four bedroom apartment or vacation home. Next time you're planning a trip think about not having to worry about finding safe, healthy and tasty foods that everyone can enjoy by bringing your own.