Last month we had a Buddhist meditation course at a Christian camp. That’s not uncommon at all, Christian organisations seem to have good venues all over the world and they’re always keen on renting them out. Our deal included all meals; given that our group had a number of health concerns they did their best to try to accommodate for all of them.

Breakfasts were the trickiest meal in general. Regular items included assorted cereals, milk, yoghurt, tinned fruit, porridge, breads and spreads. Every other day there was either hot food (ham and bacon or sausages, plus rubbery eggs) or pastries. That meant that every other day there were no Paleo/diabetic-friendly options, just a one way ticket to a nice sugar high/crash just in time for a long day of teachings and meditation.

Breakfast cereals

Breakfast breads & spreads

Breakfast danishes

We knew about the alternating breakfasts so we were prepared. Our supplies included coconut chips, shredded coconut, sun-dried tomato & basil and zucchini & almond Flats, lúcuma powder, whey protein powder, beef and beef & pork sticks, fish oil, Super Greens, nori sheets, avocados, wild Canadian smoked salmon, tins of tuna in springwater, tuna in olive oil and wild salmon, macadamias and dark chocolate.

Our supplies

Lunches were better than breakfasts (no alternating scheme here) but some items were quite unappealing. The salads bar was often comprised of iceberg lettuce, sliced tomato, cucumbers and onions, plus some jarred artichokes, and tinned beetroot and beans. I heard several complains about the cold meats served with them. Ham and roast beef were fine, but the dry fridge-cold skin-on chicken drumsticks were not that great. I heard complains about the lack of proper vegetarian food, too.

Lunch

Lunch

As usual, huge amounts of bread were available, just because we humans love those sugar crashes.

Lunch bread

On the bright side, heaps of fresh fruit were also available.

Lunch fruit

Dinners were usually significantly better than the other two meals. All meat and veges were cooked and served hot, and while there wasn’t a particularly exciting variety, most dietary requirements were, in my opinion, well dealt with.

Dinner

Dinner

Dinner

This is what my plate looked like. Very similar to the meals I eat at home. Real butter was provided along with all sorts of man-made spreads. Alvaro and I ate liberal amounts of butter with all meals and gained zero grams. Because good fat doesn’t make you fat. Even bad fat doesn’t make you fat, just inflammed and sick.

My dinner

More bread for the masses…

Dinner bread rolls

…and a final insulin spike…

Dinner dessert & fruit

Lutanda Mt Victoria
3-6 Eltham Park Avenue
Mt Victoria NSW
lutanda.com.au/mtvic