Growing up, the final step in preparing for family road trips was wedging our well-packed coolers behind the driver and passenger seats. With our blankets spread over the coolers to serve as a backseat bed, my brother and I would glance longingly at the various fast-food places, diners and truck-stops whizzing by. These obviously held no appeal for my parents who instead would take us to a rest area for a roadside meal of soggy tuna sandwiches, fruit roll-ups and Capri Suns.
Of course, forgoing the fast food makes sense to me now, yet I still find that it can be really hard to make good food choices on a road trip. During a recent weekend getaway, I decided that keeping a healthy snack travel pack of food items in the car would help make those good choices easier. A basic list of non-perishable items can be supplemented with fresh fruit and vegetables bought at local fruit stands or grocery stores. And if worse comes to worse and we do hit a roadside diner out of necessity, we can simply order a grilled chicken breast and a salad. Or, if the temptation is too great, surely we could indulge in a greasy cheeseburger and chili fries if we’re eating well the rest of the time. Right?
What are your tricks for eating healthfully on the road?
Healthy Road Trip Snack Travel Pack
In sealed container:
Mixed nuts
Dried fruit
Trail mix
Jerky
Granola/power bars
Rice crackers/pretzels
Salt + pepper
Coffee/tea/sweetener packets
In small cooler (start out with small supply, buy more on the road):
Fresh fruit and veggies (store cut-up veggies in small ziploc for easy eating)
String cheese
Makings of peanut butter (preferably organic) and jelly sandwiches (buy a good multi-grain bread)
Hummus
Makings for a quick veggie wrap (tortillas, hummus, sliced cucumber, tomatoes, sprouts)
Homemade healthy fruit bars
Bottled juice/water/soy milk
Non-food items:
Paper towels
Wet wipes
Ziploc bags (various sizes)
Plastic cutlery, paper plates, cups
Garbage bags
Picnic blanket for roadside picnics
Swiss army knife
Author by Kristi Anderson
