How To Stay Healthy On The Road (Without Eating A Single PB&J)

February 16, 2015

Love to travel but worried about costs We've got some tips to cut food costs on your next road trip! Pin this before your next trip

 

While road trips have the potential to be an entertaining and exciting adventure theoretically, often times it’s easy to get antsy and frustrated when you’re stuck in a car for numerous hours. This is especially true when you’re functioning on nothing but greasy French fries and depressing bags of trail mix (why so many peanuts?!). To combat your desire for another Auntie Anne’s pretzel with dipping sauce, of course, here’s a list of clean alternatives to keep your belly (and your wallet) full. Whether you’re gearing up to commute across the country or simply driving a few hours home to visit family and friends, it’s more than possible to stay healthy while crossing borders.

 

Plan Ahead So You Don’t Get Stuck

Preparing for your trip is essential. As they say, failing to plan is planning to fail! While a loaf of bread and jar of peanut butter will get you by, where’s the fun in that? My favorite road trip foods include baggies of sliced veggies and fruits for an easy to snack. Even better, I bring along a bag of whole wheat wraps to stuff with whatever goodies I have. You can even prepare wraps ahead of time and keep them rolled in tin foil for an easy meal! My favorite combos are almond butter with banana or fresh veggies with hummus or beans.

Avoid Costly Caffeine

Many folks turn to coffee to power through their night time drives. Since I gave up that overly priced brown water years ago, I turned to stocking up on boxes of my favorite tea bags to tote along with me. Rest stops will often give you hot water for free and you can make your own caffeine-enriched beverage of choice. The extra antioxidants in there won’t hurt ya, either. You can also use the hot water to make some low sugar oatmeal, so throw in a box of your favorite (apple cinnamon mmm) to have along the way.

Fluids are Your Friend

To eat while on the go, I’m a huge fan of Vega protein powder (or powder of your choice). Just dump a scoop into an empty water bottle and fill it with water whenever you’re at a rest stop. Not only will it fill you up with necessary nutrients, it’s also easy to drink while driving and will keep you hydrated.

Bars and Beyond

Store bought trail mix is typically filled with filler foods and extra salt. To ensure you know what you’re eating, make your own mix ahead of time and portion it out into plastic baggies. My favorite mix includes almonds, cashews, dried apples and some dark chocolate chips. All about balance.

 

Unprepared? Try This:

If you’re in a bind and stuck at a gas station, look for a snack bar that has pronounceable ingredients. Any ingredient unrecognizable to you is most likely processed and void of natural nutrients. Kind and Lara bars stick to whole foods and are always a good bet.

While roadtrippin’ might seem cost effective, the extra goodies we tend to pick up along the way can add up quickly. A little time spent planning beforehand will guarantee that you’re not compromising your health or your gas money. Happy travels!

 

What’s your go-to snack while on the road?

 

I always have bananas and a Tupperware of almond butter with me. My friends often tease me for never being without some sort of snack!

 

JULIETTE

15 comments so far.

15 responses to “How To Stay Healthy On The Road (Without Eating A Single PB&J)”

  1. Michelle says:

    I usually eat so unhealthy when traveling. Seriously, it’s just McDonald’s every few hours, which I hate! I will definitely take some of these tips for my long road trip this weekend 🙂

    • Juliette Kopp says:

      Those McDonald’s flurries always tempt me! I always need to have a replacement snack so I’m not munchin on fast food all.the.time 🙂

  2. I try to keep a balance when I am on road trips. On one hand, one of the best part about road trips is being a bit lax about my foods and trying some new things. On the other hand, I try not to go just completely crazy. I always take some healthy snacks with me though, so that I have them as an option if needed.

    • Juliette Kopp says:

      Love this idea! Especially if I’m traveling somewhere new…I always like to try a local fav (healthy or not)!

  3. Gretchen says:

    Road Trip! I’m pinning this for future reference. We’re heading on a road trip this summer with a 18 month old, so feeding her things that won’t put her on a sugar high and that are convenient is essential!

  4. shalama says:

    If I don’t take full meals with me to eat on the road, I snack on almonds, apples and/or homemade trail mix

  5. On our last road trip we lived off of apples, hummus, and trail mix. And one McDonald’s sausage sandwich (the shame!).

  6. Jane says:

    Eating healthy on the go is always difficult, and having Celiac only make it more so 🙁 I usually stick to fruit, homemade trail mix, and granola/protein bars. SO happy that Kind bars are gluten free!

  7. Flonnie Louise says:

    I always pack a bunch of fruits for road trips. It is both healthy and gives you a refreshing feeling to keep you awake during long drives.

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