One of my home cooking edicts is “don’t force takeout or a restaurant visit.” Let these be choices you make out of desire, whimsy, illness, or exhaustion rather than poor planning. This is obviously easier said than done, especially when you come home from a trip, whether short or long. 

The key strategies are ones I’ve already written about, like weekday meal plans that you can just plug into based on what you have around and what you’re in the mood for, as well as things like stocking your pantry at Costco (wherever you go, its principles stand). And if you’ve read my Grub Street Diet from 2023, you know that I’m also a master of eating what will go bad before a trip. They’re twin habits. These are specific tips for stocking before a trip so that you don’t come home to a barren fridge and pantry.