Raw on a long trip

[Lunar*Fey]

I will be going on a week long vacation with my friend and her family. Her family gets very worried about my eating habits. They are healthy eaters themselves and their mom cooks with love (she was a nurse and is into organic and feeding her children nutritious/satisfying/good tasting food)
Anyway, in my everyday life I eat mostly tons of fruit with some greens all day and then some sort of greens and a good amount of fat source later in the day. Somtimes sprouted legumes (and very occasionally sprouted grains as well) too. But I am not all raw when I am with them, because I know they worry a lot and its very uncomfortable. So I am just vegan, which is not my first choice but ok with me because of the fact that they cater to my veganism and cook with love.)
soo on the trip they want me to bring food in case there aren't many choices at the restaurants to which they will go...any suggestions for what I can bring? It needs to seem somewhat "normal" but still raw

So here are the dry ingredient type things I have in the house to work with:
chick peas
lentils
apple cidar vinegar
pine nuts
sesame seeds
oat groats
flax seeds

thats it...I like to eat really simply too as I have poor digestion and I enjoy tasting foods as they are. Plus the budget is low, so I keep it simple. The pine nuts we found super on sale! I might be able to purchase a few more foods with my own money if necessary :)

otherwise bananas are pretty easy I guess. But I can't really bring enough fruit for 7 days...and I need to make somewhat normal looking meals hahaa

thanks for any ideas!! Any help will be greatly appreciated :)

[mommyliz]

if i were you, i'd make up lots of trail mix, and make a baggie of it for each day. i usually just use sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds and organic raisins, because it's super nutritious, and a lot cheaper than nuts. i'd also take lots of dried figs (love these) and maybe i'd take a bag of raw cashews if i had some.

i'd take a massive bag of fruit, mostly apples and clementines, because they're super portable. i'd ask the family if you could take a quick trip into a grocery store if your fruit stock got low, and just buy more portable fruit. that would pretty much cover everything you need, except for greens, so what i would do is just order a salad whenever you're eating at restaurants or sharing meals with your friends family, and you'd be all set. you can just eat trail mix or fruit before or after the restaurant if you're still hungry. if you can manage to bring along some avocados to put on top of those salads, then even better. mmmmm...i love travelling when raw. i eat a lot more simply, i find. good luck!

[iluvmangos]

Maybe I'm mean, but I say let them worry. Eat what YOU like.

[Aleesha Sattva]

if i were you, i'd make up lots of trail mix, and make a baggie of it for each day. i usually just use sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds and organic raisins, because it's super nutritious, and a lot cheaper than nuts. i'd also take lots of dried figs (love these) and maybe i'd take a bag of raw cashews if i had some.

bring along some avocados to put on top of those salads,

i leave for girl guide camp tomorrow for a week. this is exactly what i have in my suitcase.

5 organic avos
a bag with cashews, chia seeds, cocoa nibs, hemp hearts (seeds), pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and shredded coconut.

i agree with those choices... :D

[LilacLavender]

Flax crackers and raw granola. Easy to transport and even looks like it "could" be cooked.

[sprouts2go]

i leave for girl guide camp tomorrow for a week. this is exactly what i have in my suitcase.

5 organic avos
a bag with cashews, chia seeds, cocoa nibs, hemp hearts (seeds), pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and shredded coconut.

i agree with those choices... :D
I thought you weren't suppose to eat chia seeds plain because the swelled when they got wet. Sorry for my question but I thought it was a must to soak them. Please educate me as I have yet to eat them.

[Lunar*Fey]

thanks for the ideas! :)

mommyliz,
dried figs are a great idea. I lovvvve figs :) If I can find some dried figs to bring I definitely will. I have been staying away from raisins though as I tend to get bloated and stuff for some reason. But those are some good ideas. I was thinking of bringing some avocados if I can get any. :)

Iluvmangos,
I know I know, I mean I agree. It is just that they think I have an eating disorder...even though I eat a ton and am a healthy weight (although on the lower side). But they are so considerate about providing me with vegan food when I am over their house that I just feel horrible being like noo I wont eat that even though you cooked it special for me. But anyway, when I am at her house I often do just have big fruit smoothies or fruit salads for breakfast and, whenever possible, salad with an avocado for lunch, fruit for snacks, and sometimes they have coconut larabars (which are deliciousss) and fresh coconut. so they are a very vegan friendly house haha. But if her mom saw me eating ONLY fruit or something like that she would get really nervous and feel really stressed since she feels responsible for me while I am with her. And my mom thinks I have an eating disorder too and therefore told her mom that, which is why her mom thinks that, and in turn worries. but I agree with what you are saying, I am generally not one to change in order to please others. It is just in this situation I try to be more cautious and flexible.

Aleesha,
mmmm I wish I had all that to bring! lol I lovvvve avocados so much so I am hoping I can get some. anyway, what you are bringing sounds delicious! I have never had chia seeds as I haven't been able to find them. Do you shred the coconut yourself or do you buy it that way? Thanks so much for the input!

LilacLavender,
good ideas! I definitely want to make some things like that that can appear somewhat "normal" and not "just fruit" or whatever. do you happen to have any granola recipes I can make with the listed ingredients? I used to dehydrate buckwheat to make a cereal on occasion, but I haven't been able to find raw buckwheat any more.
thanks :)

soo here is what I am thinking right now...

I'll bring a few bunches of bananas
whatever fruit I can find on the reduced produce rack (how I usually get the vast majority of my food)
Avocados if I can get any cheap enough
flax wraps (anyone know how to make it a wrap rather than a cracker?)
super simple dehydrated lentil "patties" to go in the wraps with greens or whatever
few larabars (I usually don't eat these much but my mom got a few for .75 cents each)
maybe a bag of frozen coconut

in which case I would probably eat:
lost of fresh fruit for breakfast/morning
snacks would be mostly fruit
lunch-avocado and salad
dinner-flax wrap with greens and lentil patties

pretty different from how I usually eat, but healthy? I also have to be sure to eat at least 2000 calories as I lose weight so easily...but I don't want to just eat all fats either.

thanks again everyone

[iluvmangos]

thanks for the ideas! :)
Iluvmangos,
I know I know, I mean I agree. It is just that they think I have an eating disorder...even though I eat a ton and am a healthy weight (although on the lower side). But they are so considerate about providing me with vegan food when I am over their house that I just feel horrible being like noo I wont eat that even though you cooked it special for me. But anyway, when I am at her house I often do just have big fruit smoothies or fruit salads for breakfast and, whenever possible, salad with an avocado for lunch, fruit for snacks, and sometimes they have coconut larabars (which are deliciousss) and fresh coconut. so they are a very vegan friendly house haha. But if her mom saw me eating ONLY fruit or something like that she would get really nervous and feel really stressed since she feels responsible for me while I am with her. And my mom thinks I have an eating disorder too and therefore told her mom that, which is why her mom thinks that, and in turn worries. but I agree with what you are saying, I am generally not one to change in order to please others. It is just in this situation I try to be more cautious and flexible

But the thing is, when she cooks something special for you, she's not really respecting you. She knows you want to eat raw, but still cooks for you. It seems like a method of control to me. SHE doesn't think a raw diet is healthy and smacks of an eating disorder, so she cooks for you. SHE assumes responsibility over you while your with her, so she tries to make you eat how she wants you to eat by cooking for you. I'm sure she loves you, but she has no reason to feel responsible for you while you're with her. You're a grown adult.

She shouldn't be expected to cater to your raw diet, but she shouldn't be trying to make you eat cooked food either just because she thinks it's healthier. If it were me, I'd let her know that I'd still like to have meals with her, but I'd be bringing my own food and would be willing to bring enough to share if they'd like to try some.

Now, if you want to eat cooked food, that's fine, but I don't think it's a good idea to give in to people just because they think there's something wrong with it or think you have an eating disorder or something crazy like that. And that IS crazy to think you have an eating disorder just because you eat raw food. Your mom and your friend's mom are the ones with the problem, not you.

[LiveLife]

Wow! Everyone has posted such great answers and suggestions! :) The only thing I can think of to add is maybe some comfort food so you don't feel deprived or they don't feel like you are deprived and offer you something you don't want to eat if they are eating desserts or junk food (for example, you could bring kale chips ...yummy!)

[Lunar*Fey]

Iluvmangos,
I do agree with you and thank you for your helpful input. I will definitely have to continuously step back and re-evaluate the situation. thank you :)

LiveLife,
are kale chips just dehydrated kale leaves? That is actually a good idea as it is a way to get greens in without bringing a bunch of kale haha.
I am also probably going to bring a few larabars, which I'd consider to be like desserts. I use them when I realize I probably haven't eaten enough in the day and need to eat extra even tohugh I am not hungry. I know that sounds bad, but I am trying to make sure I am eating enough since I was malnourished for a few years.
anyway, thank you!! if you have any other ideas/easy recipes please let me know :)