The Essential Vacation Grocery List
- Jul 10, 2025
- 2 min read
I often stay abroad for long periods of time and eating out every meal gets daunting and fattening. I used to always stay at hotels but I got tired of that "never-at-home" feeling. I've now taken to using a combination of accommodation types: Hotels.com and TripAdvisor for shorter trips, and AirBnb or HomeAway to make my adventures feel more like home on lengthier stays. So what can you easily buy to stay healthy, happy and fit while you're away from home?
The keys are keeping it simple with fresh, (hopefully) organic ingredients and making sure the house you rent has a nice, fully- equipped kitchen. I make sure they have a blender and all so I can still have my protein shakes.
Shopping at the colorful and unique markets is also a pleasure in it's self and avoiding that eating-out-too-much bloat is a welcome bonus!
Here's the English (Spanish) version of The Essential Vacation Grocery List:
Tomatoes (TomAToes)
Onion (Cebollas)
Garlic (Ajo)
Olive Oil (Aceite de oliva) **may be provided by the house
Cilantro (Cilantro)
Basil (Albahaca)
Rice (Arroz)
Beans (Frijoles) *whatever type is available or looks best
Tortillas (Tortillas)
Eggs (Huevos)
Lemons (Limones)
*Pro Tip: Lemons are green in many countries.
Fruit (Fruta)
Coffee (Cafe)
Water (Agua)
Salt (Sal)
Pepper (Pimienta)
Optional/Depending on location:
Chicken
Shrimp
Or other desired meat variety that looks fresh and sanitary
Pro Tip: Avoid fruits and vegetables that are not peeled, skinned, boiled, or cooked in areas where contamination may be a concern. At home, I am a relentless spinach eater but you do not see it appearing on the list. Although, I sometimes will eat it abroad, I will not eat it raw. Some people always urge caution on tomatoes as well. I always get them but I choose wisely and wash thoroughly. See my blog on Avoiding Traveler's Diarrhea for more helpful tips on what NOT to eat when traveling outside the United States.
With beautiful, fresh ingredients you can fix a wide assortment of different dishes anywhere in the world. These staples are available in markets worldwide and can have you eating delicious, healthy food in no time!
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