Trusty Travel Spork

As a professional active traveler, my suitcase is filled with items that can get me from epic bicycle journey to Michelin-starred restaurant, to the opera and back to the trailhead. This said, when asked "what's in my suitcase," the contents certainly depend on the trip I'm about to embark on with one small, culinary-inclined exception: my trusty travel spork.

This Swedish-designed Travel Spork from Light My Fire is with me wherever I go, no matter the adventure. Lightweight, multifunctional and sturdy, this is the utensil you'll want for traveling, fast packing, camping and general eating on the go. I am the type of traveler who absolutely believes in bringing homemade snacks along when I travel, and I love picnicking wherever I go. Earlier this summer, this spoon-knife-fork came in very handy when I was cycling the Tuscan hills and decided to turn a farmer's stand into a picnic lunch. Make-your-own-panino with fresh cheese is suddenly an option when you have your own way to cut bread, spread pesto and slice mozzarella and tomatoes!

Piece of mind is a big part of packing a spork. I can remember at least one occasion on the streets of Thailand when I felt empowered to enjoy a Som Tam salad from a street vendor because I wouldn't have to eat it with my fingers. I can't even begin to count how many times I have forgotten to pick up a utensil to eat a yogurt or a home-packed salad. Perhaps most importantly, I feel the quality of the food I eat on the go is better when I include the option of eating fresh-from-market items, not to mention that I feel a little less wasteful because I won't be using a hundred disposable utensils on a long trip. The travel spork comes in several colors, sizes and materials; if you're like me and put one in each of your bags, the BPA-free plastic four-pack is handy, but so too is the titanium version. They make sporks in all shapes and sizes, and all the colors of the rainbow. So which spork will you carry?