Vacation Eats!
My Vacation Eats: Behind the Scenes of Eating mSCD on the Road 🥗🌴🍫
Hi friend 💜
I just got back from a little getaway, and I wanted to share some of my favorite SCD and mSCD vacation eats with you — because nourishing your body while traveling can feel tricky, but it’s definitely possible (and even enjoyable!).
As many of you know, I always like to be prepared. A few staples I packed this trip:
🍌 Muffins + fruit for easy, on-the-go breakfasts
🍗 My homemade chicken salad for travel days or quick hotel lunches
🍓 Dessert is non-negotiable — I brought my mSCD peanut butter blondies (with 100% cocoa chips!) and grabbed fresh strawberries at a restaurant to pair with them back at the hotel. So good!
Eating Out: My Go-To Strategy
Before we head to any restaurant, I pull up the menu online and pick 2–3 things that look like they might work for me. I’m always scanning for:
Clean proteins like grilled chicken, salmon, or steak
Whole veggie sides
Simple salads with oil & vinegar on the side
Since expanding my diet with my dietitian’s guidance, I now include things like chocolate, potatoes, oats, rice, and soy — all still gut-considerate for me, but not part of strict SCD. However, being able to add more food groups back into my diet has opened up even more options and been a good transition for me.
This trip, I enjoyed:
🥗 A Chick-Fil-A salad (with my own grilled chicken & dressing)
🥔 Two kinds of potatoes — roasted and baked!
🍚 A beautiful rice, kale & wheatberry (GF!) dish that was an absolute favorite
💭 Real Talk: Progress, Not Perfection
The omelet I had likely had dairy in it as I forgot to confirm, but…
Even with the surprise dairy exposure, I only experienced mild indigestion. No panic attack. No spiral. No day ruined. Just curiosity, compassion, and trust — in my body and this healing process.
That’s been one of the biggest wins of this journey: learning that food freedom doesn’t have to mean going “off track.” It can mean trusting yourself, honoring your body, and moving through challenges with grace.
Expanding my diet has been both scary and freeing. I’ve come such a long way from where I started, and sharing this part of the journey with you feels like a natural and important next step. Healing isn’t just about restriction — it’s about reconnecting with food, learning to trust your body, and finding joy again in meals, even on vacation.
✨ Takeaway Tips for Traveling While Gut-Healing
Here are a few things I’ve learned that might help you, too:
Prep simple staples: Muffins, salads, and a treat go a long way.
Preview menus ahead of time: Look for whole foods and build your plate from what’s available.
Ask questions — but be kind to yourself if you forget (been there).
Celebrate your wins, no matter how small. Tolerance, flexibility, and feeling normal on vacation? That’s huge.
Thank you so much for being here — whether you’re just getting started or years into your own journey, I’m honored to share mine with you.
More deliciousness and updates coming your way soon,
💜 Abigail Marie the Chef with IBD
