Today is day 60 of AIP!
While I feel very confident about eating what I cook at home, nothing quite strikes as much fear in the heart of those of us on AIP than knowing that a situation will come when we HAVE to eat away from home! My husband and I are taking a trip to Louisiana this weekend. We will be volunteering at an event called the Returning Hearts Celebration at Louisiana State Penitentiary. This will be our 5th year in a row to participate in the event and it's something that is very dear to our hearts. Check out this video to see what the day is all about:
Oh, I probably should have warned you to have tissues on hand... Sorry about that.
This day is so very important to us. We could not imagine being able bodied and not going down to help out. That being said, I am slightly terrified of what I will eat during our trip. We will fly from Pittsburgh to New Orleans, where we will join a group of volunteers. The group travels together on a bus, stays in the same hotel, and eats in the same restaurants, all predetermined by the gracious people who organize the trip. We leave early tomorrow morning (Thursday) and don't fly back until Sunday afternoon. That's almost 4 full days of meals that are out of my control.... Yikes.
So, I decided to focus on what I CAN control. I have a suitcase and there will be room in it for food. I did a little recipe research, asked some fellow AIP'ers, and took a trip to Whole Foods and Trader Joe's. I'm happy to say that I found some things that give me hope that I won't throw my health out the window this weekend!
Trader Joe's did not have as much as I was hoping they would, but I did purchase a couple packages of dried fruit. I don't have a dehydrator (but there's one in my Amazon wishlist!) and I don't eat much dried fruit, but I was looking for ANYTHING that passed the strict AIP standards.
Dried Apples and pineapple will give me something chewy and sweet to help keep me on track!
If you don't have a Trader Joe's near you, you can order these off of Amazon. They are cheaper in the store, but in case you're desperate, click the pics below to take you to Amazon...
Whole Foods gave me more of what I was looking for. First off, Epic bars! Epic bars contain only the simplest of ingredients and they make a few varieties that are AIP compliant!
The three varieties that are shown here are Bison, Bacon, and Cranberry
, Apple Bacon, and Uncured Bacon. These are a little pricey (around $3 each) but you can buy them cheaper online.
, Apple Bacon, and Uncured Bacon. These are a little pricey (around $3 each) but you can buy them cheaper online.
I also found Dang Coconut Chips!
These might not be everyone's favorite, but SeaSnax makes Wasabi seaweed that is pretty tasty! These are also only a little over a dollar a pack, so a cheap and safe snack!
You can also find SeaSnax on Amazon here!
Now these are just dangerous...
Jackson's Honest Sweet Potato Chips
are cooked in coconut oil and dusted with sea salt. They are SO GOOD but a little pricey...
are cooked in coconut oil and dusted with sea salt. They are SO GOOD but a little pricey...
I also made some plantain chips.
These will be a great traveling snack! I went off of this recipe but added thyme as well. Delicious!
Last, but not least, I made cinnamon coconut macaroons. I used this recipe as the base, but instead of orange zest, I added a TBSP of cinnamon. YUM!
I have these in the freezer and am hoping they make it the few hours of flight without falling apart.
Hopefully I'll be able to supplement with lots of untainted veggies and meats during our trip, but since I can't be sure, I'm glad to have these foods to lean on!
