X

Get FREE Email Updates

Sign Up

Dave's Travel Corner

Seeing the World One Step at a Time

  • Home
  • Blog
  • Guides
  • Journals
  • Photos
  • Videos
  • Links
  • Interviews
  • About

journals

Visitor submitted travel journals. Submission guidelines


How to Eat Healthy on a Road Trip

August 28, 2016 by Tonya DenmarkLeave a Comment

“Summer time and the livin’ is easy,” or so the lyrics go. Summer time usually means road trips and eating healthy on the road isn’t always easy. I’ve come up with a few ways we like to eat healthy on a road trip that also saves you time and money.

Side note: Can I just tell you I love driving versus flying? I know you can bring your own food (within reason) to the airport. But I much prefer to have a cooler full of my own food or be able to stop at a grocery store rather than be stuck with the options from a food court. And, what I bring tends to be much healthier or at least less expensive than what you’ll get at the airport too.

So, with that, here’s how we eat healthy on a road trip:

Picinic-Time

Pack a cooler

Pack a cooler for easy access to munching on the road. When driving long distances, we make eating times flexible and allow for snacking in between meals. For snacks and food eaten in the car, we try to avoid anything that might make a mess, mostly in the form of crumbs. Save crackers, granola bars and the occasional cookie for rest stops. Pack in individual disposable bags (I don’t want to do dishes on the road!) Bring along some wipes to clean hands before and after.

Some good cooler items

  1. String cheese
  2. Grapes
  3. Hard-boiled eggs, peeled
  4. Water
  5. 100% Juice – limited to 1 or 2 per kid per day.
  6. Yogurt (don’t forget plastic spoons!)

A list of dry snacks that are not messy

  1. Bananas
  2. Milk – Chocolate, white or strawberry. In the dry milk aisle of the grocery store they sell individual servings that do not have to be refrigerated. (a treat in our house!)
  3. Nuts
  4. Blueberries
  5. Apple slices –either the pre-cut kind from the store, or make your own and sprinkle with a little lemon juice to prevent browning
  6. Dried Cranberries, raisins or cherries

Eat Heathly on a Road Trip

Plan a picnic

We usually plan to stop at a rest area along the way for a picnic lunch, dinner or even breakfast and it is an ideal way to eat healthy. Not only do I know what is going into my family’s tummies, it is less expensive and often takes less time, allowing us to get back on the road and on our way.

Many of the rest stops along the interstate have shaded picnic benches and plenty of space for little ones to run off some energy away from the parking lot and traffic. Some of the larger welcome centers are often beautifully landscaped making it a nice place to take a break.

Picnic items

  1. Homemade hoagie or sub sandwiches – hoagie bread won’t get as mushy as traditional sandwich bread
  2. Make your own Lunchable – cheese cubes, pepperoni or salami and whole wheat crackers
  3. Veggies – cherry tomatoes, baby carrots, cucumber slices

Eat at the Fast Food Chain

They’re everywhere and inevitable. And there will be times where you’ve run out of food. But the good news is many of the fast food chains are trying to appeal to the health conscious eater. Salads, smoothies and fruit cups are options. However, if you can’t pass up the “I want fries with that” for yourself or the kids, keep driving on.

Additionally, if you want to get out of the car (a good time for a stretch anyway) you can pop into one of the healthier sandwich shops for a quicker healthier bite to eat.

Don’t forget to plan for the return trip home. Bring extra plastic baggies and give yourself enough time to stop at a grocery store the night before you leave.

What does your family eat on road trips?

Related posts:

First Time Road Tripping: The Ultimate Guide A Car Road Trip Travel Guide for Cincinnati, Ohio The New American Road Trip MixTape Dreaming of a One Week Road trip in Nova Scotia The Road to Everywhere: Why You Can’t Put Off That Trip Any Longer

Filed Under: Other · Tagged: Airport, Chocolate, Food and Wine, Road Trip, Shopping Mall, Traffic

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Want an avatar to show with your comments? Get a free Gravatar

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Dave's Wines Logo

The Official Wine Club of
the Napa Wine Project!

Your personal membership to the
finest Napa Valley artisan wineries.
Learn More
Follow @DaveDTC

Get FREE Email Updates ▶

Categories

Journals — Home

  • Africa
  • Antarctica
  • Asia
  • Australia
  • Caribbean
  • Europe
  • Middle East
  • North America
  • South America
  • South Pacific
  • Other

Latest Posts

  • The world’s largest LED planetarium opens in Pragu…
  • Tarlac: The Heart of Central Luzon
  • Destination Wedding Planner Checklist | Questions …
  • 10 Best Places to Visit in Jeddah
  • Plan your Perfect Day Trip, Road Trip or Local Adv…

Explore

  • Above the Clouds
  • Guides
  • Highlight of the Month
  • Interviews
  • Journals
  • Press Releases
  • Videos

Prepare

  • Book Reviews
  • Pack List
  • Quiz: Geography
  • Quiz: Travel
  • Tour Booking
  • Travel Insurance
  • Travel Products

Share

  • Contribute
  • Forums
  • Links
  • Photos

About

  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Contributors
  • Email Dave
  • Media Coverage
  • Media Kit
Hi I'm Dave. After a life changing trip in 1996, I began this site as a creative outlet to educate, inspire and share travel experiences. Read more...
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • Vimeo
  • YouTube

Return to top of page
Copyright © 1996–2025 Dave's Travel Corner · All Rights Reserved · Log in

7ads6x98y