Post: #1

When I am on the go I prefer to cook for myself. It is cheaper, more convenient, healthier, and I don't have to sit in a restaurant on my own like a loser. I hate Mcdonalds and Pizza places, these are always last resorts when I can't find anything else or hanging like a bitch from the night before.

So I wanted to start a thread for things that you cook yourself when on the move, because I am running out of ideas.
Obvious limitations are kitchen appliances, so let's just assume we only have a hob and a couple of sauce pans to work with. Also the meal must not consist of too many ingredients. Most countries I have been just don't have the same produce I am used to back home... so we need to work with just the basics.

I always carry a salt and pepper grinder so I don't have to keep buying it every time I move. This is probably the only thing I use to add flavour. I don't have time to experiment with herbs and spices. I also buy Olive Oil to cook with.

So here is one I cook the most:

Pasta, chicken, chopped tomatoes + garlic and spinach.

It's got everything I need in there, takes about 10 minutes, and I know I can get the ingredients I need. Sounds boring but its pretty delish.

If I can find a can of lentils I will make:
lentils, some weird sausage that the country is famous for (chopped) & spinach.

If I can find Salmon and I have an oven (I never fry fish cos it stinks the house out) I will bake it in tin foil and have it with a mountain of broccoli.

Nom : )

Post: #2

cooking is great when you have a place to do it, but when I am on the go, I prefer eating out and try new local/good food.

Post: #3

Very easy, cheap, delicious, lots of protein and carbs:
-Tortellini (or any meat stuffed pasta)
-Tomato sauce (or any sauce you prefer)
-Cheese (mozzarella, parmesan)

After the tortellini is boiled, add the the sauce and put everything in a ceramic/glass recipient. Make a layer of cheese on top of it all and put the recipient in the oven for 10-20 minutes, creating a delicious cheese crust on top.


Also, I used to buy a lot of "pre-mixed" salads from the supermarkets, and then just buy some kind of protein to go along with it (bratwurst, chicken breast).

Post: #4

Culinary game is an extremely powerful weapon. It's worth paying up for a furnished apartment to have access to a kitchen.

Post: #5

after a while I get sick of eating out while travelling. There's nothing better than making some scrambled eggs and toast if you have access to a kitchen.

Another thing I like to do is get some of the local charcuterie (i.e. jamon iberico) and eat it with high quality bread and cheese. buying from the local market/farmer's market makes a huge difference too and is a great way to acclimate into the culture.

Post: #6

(10-08-2012 10:52 AM)avantgarde Wrote:  cooking is great when you have a place to do it, but when I am on the go, I prefer eating out and try new local/good food.

According to OP you're a loser for eating on your own. But don't worry me and a lot of others here are losers too.

Post: #7

(10-08-2012 12:09 PM)Neil Skywalker Wrote:  

(10-08-2012 10:52 AM)avantgarde Wrote:  cooking is great when you have a place to do it, but when I am on the go, I prefer eating out and try new local/good food.

According to OP you're a loser for eating on your own. But don't worry me and a lot of others here are losers too.

Lol, I eat out by myself too... but I do understand feeling uncomfortable about it. In Nigeria there is a saying: "He who eats alone, dies alone."

Eating out is fun, but many times I cook too.
Seasonal fruits/veggies along with pork is what I usually make. It gets a bit dull after a while, so you spice it up sometimes with curry, or make a stew.

Post: #8

(10-08-2012 10:52 AM)avantgarde Wrote:  cooking is great when you have a place to do it, but when I am on the go, I prefer eating out and try new local/good food.

ln Ukraine I mostly eat at home. Most Ukrainian food is terrible and sometimes dangerous.

I travel the world with a George Foreman grill.

Post: #9

I was being facetious. You are not actually a loser if you want to eat in a restaurant on your own! I do it all the time. But I cant do it 7 days a week. Maybe once... on a Sunday, when the place is empty

Post: #10

Right now I am eating beef mixed with rice and broccoli. Its pretty bland. I do not recommend.

Post: #11

How about using culinary game at a hostel where you have access to a kitchen and a lot of traveling young women?
Whip up a big (but simple) meal and I bet you have the ladies eating out of your hands...literally.

Post: #12

I like eggs. They are usually cheap and tend to be pretty versatile.

Post: #13

Veal marsala-easy to do in one dish. saute some sliced up mushrooms w/ a small amount of butter and olive oil, remove them. saute veal cutlets (dredge them in a bit of flour first-will help thicken sauce later) same pan for one minute per side. re-add mushrooms, throw in a few basil leaves, and add some marsala wine. reduce the liquid by 1/2. -bam! awesome meal!

Post: #14

I have JetBoil, it awsome, its a very light compact coking devise designed for hikers. I will prob take it to south america with me. Obviously not needed when in furnished appertements, but those in between times, long stints in hotels etc, its great, although just a cheap electric frypan would do the job to in most situations.

Most of the people with money know how to travel tight ass, why waist your money on eating out when there are way more important things to save it for, ie, beer, vodka and puta friendly hotels.

Post: #15

I don't do any cooking when I'm abroad or travelling as I tend to go to places where it's cheap to eat out and I'd rather do that and get a taste for the local food than spend time knocking up some basic (and probably not too tasty dish due to lack of ingredients, spices, herbs) dish. I wouldn't say no to a girl coming over and cooking for me though. I don't care about eating alone but I don't exactly go to fancy restaurants, just small cafe / restaurant type places or some food on the street.

Post: #16

(10-08-2012 12:24 PM)gadabout Wrote:  I was being facetious. You are not actually a loser if you want to eat in a restaurant on your own! I do it all the time. But I cant do it 7 days a week. Maybe once... on a Sunday, when the place is empty

I guess taking a girl to a restaurant can be better than alone if you are the one choosing, I mean you pick the restaurant that you're familiar with the style of food, you decide on the food, you get your food and steal her food, you are in control and it will be fun for her.
Often when I cook, I can spend more money than I go out, because I want to try a new cool dish, I got fork out to buy good ingredients and spices that way more than I needed.
I like to marinade to steak or Galbi with various sauces and wine, and simmer it on the pan. A pasta dish with it is good too.

Post: #17

yeah, spaghetti with a herbed wine sauce with seafood such as clams is really easy to make and pretty cheap.

Post: #18

Buy Chicken breast.
Buy Rice
Buy Pasta.

If you wanna go hardcore get some lemon juice,pepper,salt, seasonings


I saved alot of money doing this while traveling. Even going as far(simply) as to buy some tupperware dishes to put my chicken an rice in.

When I was traveling real fast or shit was super expensive. I would buy a loaf of bread and lunch meat..maybe some fruit.
These things are all normally very cheap

Post: #19

I have never cooked while traveling but I have thought about it but it seems to be more of a hassle carrying all the stuff alot of the time.

I usually dont mind eating alone but some nicer places where its all couples and stuff I would never go there alone haha

Post: #20

there no need to carry it. if you're on the road hard.buy enough for your stay. if you are in a hotel, they have fridges. You can hold a couple things easy

Post: #21

Half the fun of being abroad is eating out and trying new dishes though.

Post: #22

This clue to the theme of this thread in is the title Wasn't supposed to be a debate about whats better - eating out or staying in. I can assure you if were on the road for as long as I am you would not be sampling the local cuisine every night. Especially in Moscow!
Have discovered Jamies 20 minute meals app! Perfect for the long term traveller. Highly recommended.

Post: #23

Ok I will share with you my bad ass daily eating routine. This will save, money, and give you rock hard erections and the stamina of a wild beast. (And hopefully counteract your weekly drinking binge )

Obviously you will not consume all of these but what ever you can get your hands on in the supermarket. All the ingredients include the best things you can possibly put into your body on a daily basis.

breakfast
- oats cereal / yogurt / blueberries / melon
- daily multi vitamin and cod liver oil tablet

drink
- apple juice / carrot juice / pomegranate juice

lunch
- salad (avocado / cherry tomatoes / leaves / brown bread)

snack
- almonds / brazil nuts

dinner
- spinach, chicken and tomato
- prawn linguine (if I can get de-shelled prawns)
- broccoli, salmon, potatoes
- lentils, sausage, tomatoes, spinach

drink
- green tea (decaf) / peppermint tea

desert
- dark chocolate

smoothies if access to a juicer and or blender:
- carrot, beetroot, spinach and ginger
- carrot,beetroot, celery and ginger
- 1 banana, 1/2 cup of blueberries, yogurt

Post: #24

The question is, how do us Paleos get our grass-fed beef (preferably organ meats) and healthy fats like coconut oil and rendered beef tallow, in, say, the FSU?

Post: #25

You can't hence the need to come up with the best way to eat with only the basics available to you. When I first started travelling it was all too tempting to stroll into Mcdonalds.

(10-10-2012 02:11 PM)RebelLibertarian Wrote:  The question is, how do us Paleos get our grass-fed beef (preferably organ meats) and healthy fats like coconut oil and rendered beef tallow, in, say, the FSU?