Syd and Becky’s Nutritious Dishes and Healthy Switches: Juggling Meals While Traveling

Whether you’re also a family that enjoys showing livestock, or you prefer a week spent at the cabin, navigating meals can be difficult no matter the travel destination. The Zehnder family’s destination this summer was Hutchinson, Kansas. From the drive down to meals throughout the week, I was able to find healthier swaps for every meal. 

We left bright and early on Saturday morning – meaning our breakfast would be found at the first gas station stop. I decided on grapes, beef jerky, and a bottle of water. An odd combination, I know, but it filled me up and was a smart choice too! Beef jerky is high in protein and low in calories, fresh fruit is always a favorite of mine, and the bottle of water is a no-brainer. Smart gas station choices can require a little more searching, but these items can be found in almost every convenience store. 

Another tricky spot to make smart choices is a hotel breakfast. Using portion control and keeping it simple will give you a great start to your day. Most days I opted for fresh fruit; we were lucky that our hotel had bananas, watermelon, grapes, cantaloupe, and peaches available every day. I’d follow this up with a Starbucks coffee on the way to the fairgrounds. My drink of choice is an Iced Skinny Mocha Latte, where the venti size only totals at 190 calories, making it one of the lowest calorie coffee options there. This combination usually kept me full until lunch, but these options aren’t always available. When fresh fruit and Starbucks aren’t convenient, toast with peanut butter, yogurt, or a low sugar cereal at the hotel are also great options. 

My mom has become a whiz at whipping up a delicious meal wherever we go. She bought an Instant Pot right before this trip, hoping it would make preparing lunches for ten people, in a barn, a little easier. She used it for everything from corn on the cob to shredded beef, and she loved it. We also brought along a small Weber camping grill. The only food we packed was the meat, all other food was purchased when we got to Hutchinson. This made packing food for the trip easy and limited-space friendly. Our first lunch was grilled pork chops, corn on the cob, and Hawaiian rolls. You wouldn’t even know this meal was cooked out of the back of the truck on a small grill! I had one pork chop, half a corn on the cob with no butter, and a wheat Hawaiian roll. Portion controlling helped keep this meal down to 290 calories, while still filling me up for the rest of the afternoon. 

Another favorite lunch of the week was burrito bowls (or tacos) with shredded beef. I chose to keep it simple with rice, shredded beef, and bell peppers with pineapple on the side. This was a great light meal, which was perfect considering the high temperatures in the 90’s that day (this Minnesota girl can only take so much heat). 

Most nights we went out to eat; our restaurant choices included pubs, Mexican restaurants, and barbecue joints. The pub we went to was called Oliver’s Beef and Brew, so obviously the name alone attracted our crew. I chose steak kabobs with a side of sweet potato fries. Filling up on the steak and grilled veggies before diving into my sweet potato fries served as a little carb control. 

The next night we went out to eat was to a Mexican restaurant – my favorite. I ordered the Fajitas Cancun, which consisted of veggies, pineapple, steak, chicken, and shrimp all served in a half of a pineapple. As if that wasn’t enough food, it also came with the classic sides of rice, beans, guacamole, and pico de gallo. It was so good that when we came back to the same restaurant at the end of the week, I ordered the same thing. My mom and I decided to share this, which is always a great option for restaurants you know to have large portions, and it saves some money too. 

Most Junior National cattle shows conclude the week with a banquet. Large crowd, buffet-style meals usually offer similar choices no matter the event: a meat, cooked vegetable, salad, dinner rolls, and a dessert. I chose to fill my plate mostly with salad, steak, and a dinner roll with no butter. Not going to lie though – I ate the chocolate cake that followed in three seconds flat. In my world, turning down chocolate is a crime. 

You don’t have to be a livestock family to appreciate these tips; they can also be used for trips to the cabin, sports tournaments, or family reunions. Though I have to say, livestock shows are my favorite part of the summer. It is at these shows that my family sees our closest friends and makes our favorite memories. It might be cheesy, but cattle shows are truly my “happy place.” I hope you find the time to enjoy your happy place this summer with food that makes the experience even better!

Beef and Best Wishes,

Sydney