Or, how the struggling wannabe author affords to travel. I am a (fairly) devout follower of Alton Brown, whom I think should be named Patron Saint of Travel food for his insights in shows such as Feasting on Asphalt. For me, the difference really has been a couple of his tips, which, unfortunately, I have been unable to find on Youtube. One was from the show Feasting on Asphalt, and the other just a commercial snippet.
Now, there's two parts to this, and the first is the equipment. I think that this gizmo: http://www.amazon.com/Max-Burton-Stove-To-Go/dp/B000G6S8Z2 makes a big difference. The ability to cook while driving simplifies things immensely. I was able to cook up some beef stew and polish sausages with ease, all while driving. I only had to load it up, plug it in, and drive.
That's only part of it, though. The second part is mindset. This one is somewhat harder. Okay, a lot harder. Putting my brain into a mode where I plan out what my meals are while on the road is pretty difficult. It's one more thing to think about when it comes to going on a road trip. In the past I had simply driven, and then stopped when hungry to get some food, or, even if in a cook my own mood, would resort to simple sandwiches in a cooler. Now, I can actually cook on the road, and the morale boost alone makes it well worth investments in money and time. More than that, I look forward to road trips even more, now. For me, travel equals a recharge of the brain, and as an excellent source of inspiration to fuel writing. Well, back to my trip. And don't forget some good audiobooks for the drive!