Help! I'm feeling terrible after my vacation... (Travel Blues)

Coping with Travel Blues (Food-Edition)

The “travel blues” can hit hard—coming back to routine after a dream vacation feels like a major letdown. You’ve just been living in the moment, exploring new places, indulging in good food, and soaking up beauty, and now it’s all… gone. But you can…

Turn that post-travel slump into something meaningful!

One of my favorite ways to ease the blues (apart from planning my next trip) is to:

Bring It Home: Recreate your favorite dishes, playlists, or little traditions from your trip.

1. Cooking your favorite Food

Recreating a slice of your trip at home can be surprisingly comforting and keeps the magic alive.

Cooking is especially fun because it’s such a sensory experience—it brings back the smells, tastes, and even the feeling of being in that place.

Try making that dish you couldn’t get enough of. Whip up a creamy carbonara from Rome, or experiment with Pad Thai like you had in Bangkok. If you loved the croissants in Paris, why not bake some at home?

Tips:

Here are some tips and ideas to make it feel authentic and fun:

Start Small: If you’re not an experienced cook, pick a simple dish that stood out, like bruschetta from Italy or a French omelet. The simpler the dish, the easier it is to focus on the flavors that made it special. Play your favorite music from the country in the background while you cook.
Shop Like a Local: Visit a specialty grocery store or an international market to find authentic ingredients. It’s all part of the fun process and using the right ingredients makes all the difference.
Create the Vibe: Set the table to match the theme. Use a beautiful set of chopsticks for your Japanese dinner, serve paella in a big pan, or add a little candlelight for your French-inspired meal. These small touches make it feel like more than just cooking.
Pair It Right: Pair your dish with a drink from the region. Think sangria with Spanish tapas, chai with an Indian curry, or an Aperol spritz with an Italian pasta.

That is exactly why we started to share our favorite travel recipes. Those travel blues get to all of us, and this is one of the team’s favorite ways to cope with those bottled up feelings…

Online is your best friend – for your best friend:

Re-Live and Learn: Another fabulous option is to go online and join a cooking class or culinary experience. It’s fun, informative and brings back those good memories.
The perfect gift to help a friend: Keep in mind that online experiences, like those offered by Eatwith, make an excellent gift for a girlfriend who struggles with the travel blues after returning from her vacations.

3 Things we love to shop and gift:

Beautiful unique chopsticks make great gifts and can be reused
A stunning Moroccan Tagine
An elegant Stonewashed French Linen tablecloth

2. Music is a time machine

A beautiful song or happy music can instantly transport you back to those special moments from your trip.

Did you discover a local artist, hear a street musician, or have a song that seemed to follow you everywhere? Add it to your playlist!

Put it on while cooking, relaxing, or even during your commute, and let the melodies take you back to that café in Paris, that sunset on a Greek island, or that bustling market in Istanbul. You can also explore curated playlists online for specific countries or cities to recapture the vibe.

Bonus: sharing your playlist with friends lets them experience a piece of your journey too!

3. Traditions

Sometimes, it’s the small daily rituals from your travels that leave the biggest impression. Maybe it’s enjoying an espresso after dinner the Italian way, savoring every sip without rushing. Or perhaps it’s taking an evening stroll, mimicking the Spanish paseo, where locals leisurely wander the streets, catching up with friends or simply enjoying the fresh air. You could try starting the day with a French-style breakfast of a croissant and coffee or setting aside time for an afternoon siesta like they do in parts of Greece or Mexico. Adopting these little traditions doesn’t just bring a piece of your trip into your routine—it also helps you slow down and embrace the joy of living in the moment, just like you did while traveling.

What is “travel blues” and why do I feel this way? Read more…

Click and Shop Travel and Home’s Favorite Italian inspiration for your home

In Conclusion:

Recreating your favorite dishes from your vacation isn’t just about cooking—it’s about keeping the spirit of your travels alive. Each recipe is a memory brought back to life, each flavor a reminder of the places you’ve been and the joy you felt. So, roll up your sleeves, gather those ingredients, and let your kitchen transform into a little corner of the world you love.