Eat Sustainably on Vacation

As we've already touched on here at Re-Nest, staying green on vacation requires some extra effort. But there's one thing that requires very little deviation from the norm: eating sustainably. We've found that over the last year, our focus on food has become priority number one. So it makes sense that if we're headed out for a vacation, keeping our sustainable diet in check is one way to make sure we're living up to the green standard...

When traveling, keep these things in mind:

• Ask the locals where they eat. Chances are, locally-owned spots will have a higher likelihood of serving up local foods.
• Do your research before you go. Here, the search engine is your friend: make yourself a list of eateries that have organic or local menu options.
• If you get to a place that doesn't have free-range/grass-fed/organic options, choose the path of least resistance. To us, that means going vegetarian when a sustainable meat choice isn't available.
• Turn to local publications. Our trip to Chicago last year wouldn't have carried quite the punch if we hadn't found a regional magazine highlighting the area's best local eateries. We ate in season, even on vacation, and couldn't have had a better experience!
• Find out if there's a Farmers' Market in the city, and make it a point to visit on your stay. Eating fresh, local fruits and veggies and interacting with the local food artisans will truly give you a sense of place.

Do you have tips for eating sustainably on vacation?

(Image: Amber Byfield for Re-Nest.)

I'm going to Hawaii and then Portland in September to visit friends. Eating out is something that I cannot do for 100% of my meals. I'm lucky that I'm staying with friends instead of a hotel because I can use their kitchens (and save some dough). So I'm going to try to cook most of my meals and shop for local ingredients, like I always do. Anthony Bourdain always says that you can learn more about a culture by visiting their local markets. Then I can go out to eat at a few special places where I can splurge a little more money. Plus, nothing says "thank you for having us" like cooking yummy food for your host. :-)

posted by graciela on July 28th 2009 at 11:11am
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