Nutrition Tips for Car Trips

Car trips are a great way to bond with your loved ones and create lasting memories. However, they can be challenging if you have dietary restrictions. You can spare a lot of frustration and greatly increase your happiness factor by being prepared!

Spring is here and it is the beginning of car trip season!! Car trips are a great way to see the sights, bond with your loved ones, and create lasting memories. For people who value eating healthy, or have dietary restrictions, car trips can be challenging as you pass through long stretches of greasy diners and convenience stores. You can spare a lot of frustration and greatly increase your happiness factor by being prepared. Both kids and adults will enjoy these food suggestions. 

You may have food allergies that I haven't addressed in this post, but I hope you feel inspired to make whatever foods you need to feel good, and get out and travel. An added bonus of having your food with you, is being able to pull over for a spontaneous picnic when you find a beautiful location!  I hope after reading this post that you pack an ice chest and hit the road! Please note that GF stands for “gluten free.”

Beverages:

• UHT milk or milk alternatives in small cartons (doesn’t require refrigeration)

• Home brewed iced green/mint tea in a thermos

• Mineral water--add cut up fruit

• Jugs of filtered water to fill your own water bottles

Food:

•  Tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce for sandwiches

• Cut up broccoli, mushrooms, peppers, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes for dipping into hummus

• Berries, grapes, cut-up melon, bananas, oranges, apples

• Nut butter (sunflower, almond, cashew, peanut)

• Jelly or raw unfiltered honey

• Organic lunch meat or your own cooked meat to use for sandwiches

• Pre-sliced cheese, baby bell or cheese sticks (or cheese alternatives)

• Tuna Salad kits or homemade salmon salad

• Condiments (we prefer hummus, avocado and/or pesto as sandwich spreads instead of mustard or mayo)

• Avocados or guacamole

• Homemade GF morning glory muffins

• GF Bread and Bagels

• GF pretzels

• Organic Popcorn

• Pistachios, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds

• GF trail mix (make your own with GF nuts/seeds, GF dried fruit, GF chocolate chips, GF pretzels or cereal).

• GF Dried fruit-mangoes, apples, blueberries

• Organic yogurt

• GF Granola

• Brown Rice Cakes

• Whole Grain Crackers

• Hummus

• Olives

• Rice, veggie and seaweed hand rolls (kids love them)

• Cottage Cheese (you can make a high protein veggie dip out of this)

• Hardboiled eggs (these last 5 days)

• Pesto for sandwiches

• Tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce for sandwiches

Other Essentials:

• For long hikes or bikes: Healthier sports drink powders (like Skratch) that can be dumped in water bottles.

• Non-leaching, nonBPA lined stainless steel water bottles

• Knives, spoons

• Wipes for dirty hands

• Wax food storage bags (or ziplock bags) for food storage and sandwiches, etc.

• Reusable plastic food containers

• Napkins, small paper plates or cups

• Small travel bottle of dish soap, sponge and dish towel to wash containers and water bottles in hotels or campsites.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The products or dietary suggestions mentioned in this article are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.  The information in this article is not intended to replace any recommendations or relationship with your physician.  Please review references sited at end of article for scientific support of any claims made.