Eating Healthy on the Road

Eating Healthy on the Road
Eating healthy while traveling is a challenge. Fast-food restaurants line the highways, and high-fat, high-sugar vending machine snacks wait at every stop. The solution: BYOF — Bring Your Own Food. Healthy meals are not only possible, they’re delicious and affordable. Try these on-the-go food tips.
Plan Ahead

  • A cooler is a road-trip essential. Flat-top designs are easy to open and double as a miniature picnic table. On long trips, stash a well-stocked, large cooler in the trunk and a small cooler with snacks and drinks up front.
  • Forget ice cubes — they take up space, melt quickly and leave a watery mess. Purchase small, reusable freezer gel packs. They thaw slowly and keep the cooler cold. Frozen sugar-free lemonade, fruit juice and water bottles do double duty. They keep food cold and turn into ice-cold slushy treats once thawed.
  • Place non-perishable snacks and supplies in a sturdy tote bag. Don’t forget paper plates, cups, paper towels, plastic utensils, a wipe-clean vinyl tablecloth, antibacterial hand gel, wet wipes and trash bags.
  • Pick up reusable food storage containers and plastic bags the next time they’re on sale.
  • Scope out your travel route in advance. Map websites let you locate parks and sightseeing stops along your route. Did you find the perfect picnic location? Pack a Frisbee and let the gang run off pent-up energy while Mom sets up the picnic.
  • Don’t overlook Fido or Fluffy. Pack a water bowl, pet food and treats — they’ll keep your traveling family pet happy and full.
Choose Healthy Travel Eats

  • Hit the morning road early and bring breakfast along. Kids love individual cereal boxes, or store some bulk cereal in a large plastic bag. Then, serve it in paper cups (don’t forget to stock milk in the cooler). Purchase banana or apple muffins, or bake and freeze homemade muffins before you travel.
  • Flour tortillas make great roll-up sandwiches and don’t get smashed and soggy like regular sandwich bread. Time to stop for lunch? Create a mini-buffet. Include peanut butter, veggies, low-fat deli meats, cheeses and small condiment packets. Then, let everyone assemble their own healthy masterpiece. If time is tight, pack individual lunchboxes. Add a tiny toy in each box — it’ll give them a nice surprise!
  • Healthy finger-food snacks clean up easily. Eat fruits, baby carrots, string cheese, baked chips, raisins, pretzels, popcorn, nuts and low-sugar treats. Want to save money and space? Buy snacks in bulk and dividing them into small, individual plastic bags.
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