Viagemcast 🇺🇸

Dear Traveler,

You might have noticed a slightly different format on this blog. The truth is, I need to simplify blogging; otherwise, you won’t be getting updates from me at all. My current challenge has been meal planning since I’m pregnant, and many of the nutritious foods I’m used to aren’t readily available where I live.

So, I thought we could try meal planning together! I haven’t had much success with meal planning in recent months. Quite honestly, it just seems to add to an already enormous workload, and I seldom get it right. Most of the time, I end up cooking whatever comes to mind based on the ingredients I have in my pantry. The downside is that when I’m extremely hungry and can’t think of a recipe, I end up eating whatever’s on hand and sticking to my go-to staples. This isn’t usually bad, but it means my diet has become very restricted, with a high intake of foods I enjoy (like dairy) and a lower intake of other nutritious foods. For example, I really like spinach, but it’s hard to find in its fresh form here, so I usually only get the pre-washed varieties, which wilt quickly without roots.

Yesterday’s meal prep included rice and zucchini, since I had both on hand. It made lunch easier today because I only needed to season the beans I’d previously cooked and make a simple tortilla de patatas with leftover baked potatoes.

I’m planning to prepare some trout today, so I’ll have it ready for the next few days. It’s been in the freezer for a while, thanks to a generous friend who works in fishing and gifted us a few kilos. I’d been focused on red meat to meet my iron needs, but now I’m reconsidering whether that was the best approach.

I also feel like I’ve been trying too hard to create a nutrient-rich, perfect meal plan, which might be making things harder. Maybe I should simplify it and just meal prep when I have time, storing meals in the fridge or freezer to enjoy throughout the week.

Safe travels until the next update!

Vi