Real Food on the Road: Texas to Georgia (Part Three)

Continued from Real Food on the Road: Texas to Georgia (Part Two)...

While in Georgia, we at loads of wedding food. We attempted to use the Happy Cow database -- A Compassionate Eating Guide -- to locate an organic restaurant near our resort in Big Canoe, but we had no luck.

We did find there two be two health food stores in tiny little Jasper, GA. (population 2,167), but one store was closed (on a Saturday!) and the other was too small to have a ready-made or quick-cook food section (though they were hosting a cooking class I felt like crashing. Chili prepared with grass-fed beef and organic ingredients was the menu of the day. Yum!) We had the space to cook in our Treetopper at Big Canoe, but all the wedding festivities left us with little time. Needless to say, we relied heavily on the products we brought from home, but felt left to eat at regular ol' restaurants for the majority of our meals.

Other than just having the forethought to pack a better snack bag, our journey to and from Georgia was really no more revolutionary than any other trip we've ever taken. I felt like I struggled all along the way finding healthy food options for my family. The very best meal we had along our journey, healthfully speaking, was comprised of an organic salad kit and a bag of organic kiwi I purchased in a grocery store in Mississippi, products I purchased only because we've discovered it to be virtually impossible to get a reliable meal through a drive-thru and we had no time to go to a restaurant for dinner. (It was Superbowl Sunday and a certain Mr. Budget Organic had a game to watch.) Interestingly, our organic salad kit eaten straight out of the bowl it was sold in was quite possibly one of the tastiest meals we had all along the way.

I felt frustrated when we returned home again -- frustrated that this process isn't easier. Shouldn't it be simple to find organic foods when it's the fastest growing sector in the entire food industry? Is finding real food this challenging everywhere, or were my efforts stifled because of the states I found myself in -- states known for poverty, obesity, and a general lack of good health? I think perhaps. (We're traveling by car to Washington this summer, and I'm quite curious to test my theory. We're driving north through the Midwest, but home again along the California coast. We'll see which states have more to offer in the way of good, healthy food.)

Since our return, someone I follow on Twitter saw Michael Pollan speak and asked what he ate while on the road. He said he's found it best to embrace a more vegetarian lifestyle when traveling. Not knowing where his meat was coming from was most troubling to him, and I concur. Organic salad kits are widely available at grocery stores -- grab a fork from the deli and you have a whole meal, ready to go. While it's not organic, if in a pinch you can pick up a decent salad from the $1 menu at McDonald's. But, if you just can't bear another salad, be informed. There are some restaurants (like Chipotle) that pride themselves on using organic ingredients and free-range, all-natural meats. I'm hopeful more restaurants will follow suit. The Happy Cow database could be a big help along the way.

I think when we travel again, we'll be sure to pack a small ice chest instead of just our snack bag. Having a space to keep things cool will be beneficial. I will also put together a small "picnic kit" with plates and flatware so we will be prepared for whatever deliciousness comes our way. Lastly, I will pack a small selection of vinegars. That way if we are stuck eating a non-organic salad from McDonald's or another drive-thru, we can at least skip the HFCS-based dressings and the accompanying calories and cravings. Vinegars don't spoil, they don't have to be chilled, they come in a variety of flavors and they taste remarkable on all manner of produce.

I believe preparation and planning are key. I'm ready to hit the road again!