What I Actually Ate While We Were In Florida

Now that we’re home, I thought it might be helpful to share what I actually ate while we were away — not the plan, not the grocery haul, just the real week as it unfolded.

We arrived Saturday evening, tired but happy to be there. Shane ran over to the clubhouse on the golf course and brought dinner back to the condo. I had broiled cod with a baked potato and green beans. We carried our plates out to the balcony and ate overlooking the lake as the sun went down. Almost every meal that week was eaten out there. The weather was beautiful, and it felt like exactly where we were supposed to be.

Sunday night we used the grill at the resort and made chicken wings, seasoned with Kinder’s “The Blend.” I had mine with hot sauce; Shane went with sweet chili sauce. We paired them with leftover travel vegetables — carrot sticks, celery, cucumbers. Simple food. No stress. Later that evening we went to a Super Bowl party, but we had already eaten. It was mostly pizza, and I don’t play roulette with that. Shane enjoyed himself; I was content.

Monday night we grilled burgers, again using the same seasoning. I put mine over lettuce and topped it with tomato and banana peppers because I forgot pickles. It worked just fine.

Tuesday we stepped outside our comfort zone a little and went out for Puerto Rican food. I asked as many questions as I could, working through a slight language barrier, and decided to keep it simple. I ordered mamposteao — rice and beans — served as a bowl with lettuce and pico de gallo. I opted out of protein that night because most of it went through a fryer. It was flavorful, filling, and felt like a safe choice.

Wednesday I wasn’t very hungry and ordered blackened gator tail as an appetizer for dinner. I hadn’t had it in years. It wasn’t remarkable, but it satisfied the curiosity.

Thursday night we went out again and I had bacon-wrapped barbecue shrimp, grilled, with a side salad dressed in olive oil and balsamic vinegar and a baked sweet potato. No drama. Just food.

Friday we went to Shane’s parents’ house. His dad grilled smoked chicken, and I made a salad with spring mix, sliced Plant City strawberries, goat cheese, and raw walnuts. I dressed it with black pepper–infused olive oil and a cara cara orange and vanilla white balsamic vinegar we picked up at a specialty shop. It may have been my favorite meal of the week.

Breakfast was light most days. I’m not much of a breakfast eater. I found raw milk at a health food store nearby, and on mornings I was hungry, I had a glass. On mornings I wasn’t, I had peppermint tea. One morning we went out for bacon and scrambled eggs at a favorite local spot.

Lunches were usually easy sandwiches on SAMI’S gluten-free pumpkin bread with blackened turkey and, of course, tomatoes — because when you buy a six-pack of organic tomatoes, you commit. Other days I grazed. Fresh strawberries from Plant City. Red navel oranges from a roadside stand. A handful of granola. A few chips. Nothing dramatic. I eat when I’m hungry and stop when I’m not.

We hiked local trails at the state park on a couple of days — once just the two of us, another time with Shane’s dad. There were plenty of resort activities we didn’t do. No kayaking. No lounging by the pool. I had meetings Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, so some days were quiet. But the food never felt complicated.

Looking back, what stands out is not restriction. It’s normalcy.

We cooked.

We grilled.

We ate out thoughtfully.

We adjusted when plans changed.

And I felt good the whole week.

That’s the point.

Travel doesn’t require perfection. It requires planning, flexibility, and knowing yourself well enough to make decisions in the moment without panic.

That’s what this week looked like.