Why I Always Travel With Parchment Paper

This plate right here?

This is one of my favorite kinds of travel meals.

Not because it’s fancy.
Not because it’s complicated.

But because I can make this almost anywhere.

What you’re looking at is a simple roasted dinner—chicken, carrots, onions, and bell peppers. That’s it. Nothing special. And honestly, that’s the point.

The carrots and peppers were actually leftover from travel snacks. I almost always bring raw vegetables with me—things like carrot sticks and sliced peppers—because they’re easy and they travel well. The onion was half of one I already had. The chicken was just a basic cutlet you can find at any grocery store.

This isn’t a “recipe.”

This is just real food, made with what’s available.

And the reason it works so easily?
Parchment paper.

I always travel with parchment paper.

Not because it’s fancy.
Not because I’m trying to be extra.

Because it makes everything easier.

Here’s what this looked like in real life:

Most places we stay—condos, rentals, even extended stays—have an oven and a sheet pan. That’s all you need.

I line the pans with parchment.

This time, I used two pans because the chicken breast cutlets were huge and took up a lot of space. But if you’re cooking for fewer people or using smaller pieces, you can absolutely do this all on one pan.

The chicken went on one pan.
The carrots went on another.

If you’re using one pan, the chicken and carrots can go on together—they take about the same amount of time.

Everything got seasoned (I used Kinder’s The Blend) and a little avocado oil.

Into the oven at 400 for 12 minutes.

Then I pulled both pans out, flipped everything, and added the onions and peppers.

Those went across both pans—over the chicken and into the open space on the carrot pan.

Back into the oven for another 12 minutes.

That’s it.

Dinner.

A quick note on timing—carrots and chicken can handle that full cook time, but onions and peppers really only need about 12 minutes. Any longer and they start to get too soft or burn, and we don’t want that.

If your chicken is really thick, you can cut it into strips or chunks so it cooks more evenly with the vegetables.

But here’s where this really matters.

It’s not just about this meal.

It’s about what this meal can become depending on where you are.

If you’re in a condo or rental:
You’ve got an oven. This works exactly like you see it.

If you’re camping:
Same meal—just make it in a foil pack.

And I always put parchment between the foil and the food. It keeps things cleaner, and I prefer not to have my food sitting directly on foil.

If you’ve only got a stovetop:
Same ingredients, different method.

Sear the chicken first and set it aside.
Cook the carrots until they start to soften.
Add the chicken back in.
Top with onions and peppers.
Cover it so it steams.
Then uncover at the end so everything gets a little color.

Same meal. Different setup.

That’s really the whole point.

I don’t build meals around a kitchen.

I build meals that can adapt to whatever kitchen I have.

And parchment paper is a big part of that.

Because here’s the honest truth:

I don’t want to scrub pans.

Vegetables like onions, peppers, and carrots release natural sugars when they cook. That’s what gives you that good caramelization—but it also bakes onto a pan like glue.

Without parchment, you’re soaking and scrubbing.

With parchment, you’re done in seconds.

Throw it away and move on.

It’s a small thing.

But small things are what make travel easier.

So yes—this is why I travel with parchment paper.

Not because it’s bougie; but because it lets me cook simple food anywhere without turning it into a whole ordeal.

Good food.
Minimal effort.
Less friction.

No matter where I am.

If you want a structured way to plan your food for travel, start with my Travel System Workbook.