This month I am traveling quite a bit for work. I know I have shared some of my best tips and strategies for packing (see this post), so for today's post I wanted to share some of my travel best practices to help you have a comfortable and healthy travel experience.

When you get to your hotel room...

Bedrooms are very intimate and a place where I think people are the most vulnerable. There is no way to know the true cleanliness of your hotel room or how many people have recently used that room. While housekeeping does a great job laundering linens and maintaining an overall clean aesthetic there are still a few things that like to do upon arrival.

Disinfect the TV Remote, Phones, Door Handles, Light Switches and Toilet. *I suggest using either Clorox To-Go Wipes or Travel Lysol Spray
Take the decorative throw blankets and pillows off of the bed immediately. Those items tend to be laundered very rarely.
Use a luggage rack for your suitcase. Luggage (and handbags) can carry bedbugs and other germs, so its best never to place these items directly on your bed.
Pack slippers and shower shoes. This is optional, but its something that I most definitely do. Just like decorative bedding, hotel flooring is cleaned less frequently, so I prefer not to expose my bare feet to the hotel flooring.

Where to find travel size toiletries?

Travel sized toiletries are essential for saving on suitcase space and total luggage weight when traveling. There are a handful of toiletries that I parse out into travel items, but when it comes to items like toothpaste and hairspray, I spring for the travel size products. Here are my go to stores for finding all of my travel products:

Bed Bath and Beyond
Target
Amazon
Local Pharmacies (ex. CVS, Rite Aid, Walgreens)

Laundry & Clothing Care

Whether I am traveling for business or pleasure, I always want to look my best/polished, so I make sure to include the following:

Mini Tide to Go Pen- to treat small stains (usually due to a food or wine spill)
Travel Sized Downey Wrinkle Releaser- quick way to de-wrinkle cotton clothing that may have been crumpled/creased during travel.
Single Load Laundry Detergent - for hand-washing gym clothes, treating a stain or in the event I want to repeat an outfit during my trip.

Silicone Travel Bottles

Silicone travel bottles have quickly become a toiletry essential for me when traveling. Unlike traditional plastic travel bottles that tend to wear and break over time, silicone travel bottles can be squeezed, smushed, smashed and still retain their integrity. If that wasn't reason enough, these bottles are wide mouthed for easy transfer of liquids, BPA-free and eco-friendly! When it comes to packing liquid toiletries (i.e. shampoo, conditioner, body wash) silicone travel bottles are my recommendation.

Pack a Few Healthy Snacks

Packing a few healthy snacks and breakfast options is an absolute must for me. It's hard to gage what the food situation is going to be like on the road, so its nice to have a few healthy options tucked away in my suitcase for those moments when I need a little pick me up. Two favorite travel snacks I would highly recommend:

This week my husband and I are on vacation in Utah with my sister and her in-laws. The snow and cold temperatures in Utah are not to be believed (3 ft of snow this past week and a temperature of -2 degrees!). While my sister and I are not avid skiers, our husbands enjoy it and so we have kept ourselves busy by exploring the neighboring towns throughout the day.

Since we are part of a house of 14 people, teams of two have been assigned the task of cooking dinner for everyone on a designated night. This of course got me thinking about the various details/challenges of cooking away from home. Making a delicious meal is the goal, but what do you need to know in advance in order to set yourself up for culinary success while on vacation? After spending a bit of time researching and thinking through my own game plan for cooking dinner, I have compiled a list of my favorite tips and strategies for cooking a delicious meal in almost any kitchen.

Buy Disposable

For our assigned dinner night, my sister and I are going to make my favorite lasagna recipe. Understandably, the home we are staying in is not equipped with a lasagna dish. Instead of trying to amend the recipe/cooking times to fit one of the baking dishes on hand, we have purchased a disposable aluminum lasagna pan. This way we can accommodate the recipe as specified for an added cost of under $4 and clean-up is now a breeze!

Substitute Appliances

For our cocktail hour, my sister and I have decided to make Ina Garten's Tomato Crostini with Whipped Feta. The recipe specifies using a food processor to make the whipped feta. Unfortunately we do not have a food processor on hand, but we do have a blender. After about a minute of googling, I learned that you can indeed use a blender in lieu of a food processor for this recipe.

Pack a few favorite small kitchen tools

This was actually a lesson learned for me on this trip when I found myself needing to run out to the store to purchase a few essential cooking tools. Luckily I was able to find what I needed at World Market for a very affordable price, but in the future I will definitely plan ahead and pack those essential small kitchen tools in my suitcase to save money and the unnecessary time spent looking for the tools while on vacation. Here are a few small kitchen tools that I have found most helpful to pack:

Microplane - to use for zesting citrus, grating hard cheeses, chocolate and spices
Garlic Press- fresh minced garlic is an aromatic and as such, it's an ingredient is found in a number of recipes. Most likely, minced garlic will exist in at least one recipe during your trip, so pack a garlic press for added convenience.
Peeler- not always a guarantee that you will find a vacation home equipped with a peeler

Take a little time to explore your local area

Food sold at national grocery store chains can vary significantly. What you may be used to buying in your home grocery store could be totally different in a vacation spot. For example - My grocery store back in DC always carries an extensive collection of fresh herbs. In contrast, upon visiting my grocery store's Park City counterpart, I was very surprised to find that their fresh herb selection was extremely limited (just oregano, mint and lime leaves). My advice? Do a little research to figure out which local food sources come highly recommended at your vacation destination.

A Few Additional Tips:

Pack a portable spice kit (like this one)
Consider Altitude Changes- higher altitudes can cause moisture to evaporate quickly. In addition, lower air pressure can cause foods to take longer to cook, so temperatures and cook times may need to be increased

Whether you are assigned a night to cook for a group or merely looking to have healthier/budget friendly meals while on vacation, these cooking tips will certainly help you achieve culinary success in almost any kitchen.