One of the things you can do to make your workplace suck less is to detach from it every once in a while. Going off the grid is one thing that does just that. Yeah, not only the hippie millennials will get a high off of the detachment from technology.

The problem is, while the idea of spending a weekend in the forest or on top of a mountain is delightful the thought of having bland and boring food does not sound like fun. Luckily, that does not always have to be your case. There is a workaround to this that allows you the joys of being with nature while you still have access to delectable and comforting food.

Plan and prep your meals

What is the trail or the environment like? How long do you intend to stay? Do you have access to clean water that you can use for cooking? Does the trip allow you to bring a cooler? What sorts of activities do you intend to do?

Going off the grid can be physically demanding. You need to be sure that your body is properly fueled with the right food, so you get the most of your trip. Feeding yourself well also has a lot of benefits to your mood. Want to enjoy the trip, to breathe in all the good you can take from it? Well then plan, prep and pack hearty meals by considering your answers to the questions above.

If you are an absolute beginner, it will be helpful to spend enough time to read up on or ask about the place you are headed to. Blogs are a great place to start as they provide firsthand experience on what it is like having to plan out and make meals out there.

Stick with your favorite food items

Dehydrated vegetables, meat substitute, beef jerky, trail mix, cereals, drink mix, caffeine gels and protein bars are not the only food items that are fit to have for camping. You can bring ingredients for "real meals" too!

In fact, you can plan your meals around ingredients and food items that you enjoy given that they are packable, lightweight and won't spoil quickly.

Going someplace where you have to stick with food you have is no time to experiment on your palate. So think of food that you enjoy eating and incorporate these into your meal planning.

Photo credit: Trail.Recipes

A good example of a comfort food that is healthy and great to bring to the outdoors is pasta. Here is a quick Orzo Al Pesto recipe for the outdoors from Trail Recipes that you might want to checkout.

Choose smart sugar sources

While gummy bears and chocolate bars are great-tasting sources of energy, you might want to opt for healthier alternatives. Commercialized sugar sources are often less in nutritional value and are mostly unhealthy calories.

You might consider switching to fresh fruits or sweet potatoes instead. They are filling, they contain lots of nutrients and are excellent sources of complex carbs which the body will turn to fuel.

Another food item that you may want to tag along during your trip is coconut meat. It is loaded with healthy calories at 187 kcal per ounce, and it contains a lot of potassium, manganese, copper and sodium. These minerals regulate electrolyte balance in the body which is highly beneficial for days when you are involved in strenuous physical activities.

Vary your protein sources

Protein may not be the heart of your meals off the grid. However, you need to pack adequate amounts of protein sources. The daily average protein requirement for sedentary people is 56 grams for men and 46 grams for women.

Now given that going off the grid will entail a lot of trekking, wood chopping and a lot of time on your feet, you need to increase your protein intake. Bringing cured meat, jerky, sausages and foil packed fish are common food items for the outdoors. Nut butters, protein powders, whole milk powders and foil packed cheese are great to have as well.

Consider your Cookware and Food Containers

For starters, it is ideal to invest in a camping cookware set for that homemade food feel without the hassle on trail. A lot of cookware sets are designed to fit together allowing a lot of ease when carrying and stowing the set when not in use.

The ideal food containers to invest on for off the grid trips are those that are lightweight & easy to clean. Of course, they have to feature secure food storage with the most dispensing ease.

See? There will always be ways to enjoy great food in the heart of nature. And while the end of this year's summer is near, it is never too late to pack your bags, your food, and your gear and go off grid. That is even for just this weekend.