If you keep kosher, planning a trip requires more than making transportation and sleeping arrangements. It also requires meal planning, especially if you are going to an exotic destination.
But with a little preparation, you can enjoy any trip on a full belly. Here are our tips for keeping kosher on the road:
You can try to find the kosher hotels and restaurants. If you want to eat prepared meals on your trip, then perhaps the easiest option is to seek out a vacation at a kosher resort or on a kosher cruise.
There you will be fed three kosher meals per day and have nothing else to plan. But even if you’re staying at a regular hotel, there may be kosher meal options — you can find out by calling the hotel and asking.
If you don’t necessarily want to eat where you sleep, use a kosher restaurant directory or app (for example: KosherNearMe or Kosher GPS) or even a Facebook group to find the kosher restaurants nearest your destination.
You can try to look for vegetarian and vegan options. Some Jews who generally eat only kosher-certified food will eat at a non-certified establishment but only eat foods that contains dairy and pareve ingredients.
Others will only eat out at strictly vegetarian or vegan restaurants that do not have kosher certification. Consider if one of these is a comfortable option for you, and if so, plan a meatless vacation.
You can cook your own meals. You can do a lot with a small refrigerator and a single burner or a microwave. Consider renting a hotel room or apartment that has some cooking appliances, and plan to cook your own food.
You can kasher (make kosher) the microwave or oven and then use it to cook your own meals. We recommend bringing your own basic kitchen supplies, including a thin cutting board, two knives (for dairy and meat), scrubbing sponges, a can opener, a frying pan, and a sauce pan.
