This is something that always happens. You get into your car for a road trip, and you get hungry the second you start the engine. Have you noticed it, too? For those moments, we’ll tell you which are the best and the healthiest road trip snacks!
Summertime means vacations, family, and road trips. When I was a child, I could hardly wait for the road trip to the seaside. It took just three hours for us to be there, on the beach, but our parents woke me and my brother up before sunrise, to make sure we would see the sun rising up straight from the sea. So, we had three hours on the road, and one snack break, when we were halfway there. Then, when we reached the beach, we usually had a kind of a picnic. That means we had to pack enough snacks for this experience.
At that time, there weren’t many fast food options, gas stations and shops opened non-stop, so we couldn’t buy all sorts of unhealthy foods. Happily! So, the day before the road trip, we usually decided on our road trip snacks. And we think you should do the same even these days when unhealthy temptations call out to you from any corner.
Healthy Road Trip Snacks Ideas
1. Sandwiches
For us, sandwiches are the best! If you’re planning a road trip with your family, try to make different versions of sandwiches. It would be nice to have one for every other person. Your child doesn’t like tomatoes? Then, just don’t add them to his sandwich! Make their favorite combo!
Choose egg salad, pickles, ham, fried bacon, cured meat, avocado, all kinds of cheese, fresh vegetables, or any leftover meat you have. You can practically put anything into your sandwiches, following this one rule: it shouldn’t be too juicy, because otherwise, it’ll soak the bread too much! Also, don’t exaggerate with the sauce!
As a vegan option, you can make hummus sandwiches. Or, if you like to be on the healthy side of things add tofu, tomatoes, avocado, cucumber, and roasted bell peppers to your sandwiches.
2. Nuts and Seeds
We think you should make your own nuts and seeds mix if you want to be sure you’re eating healthy stuff. You can serve them raw, soaked and dehydrated, or roasted. You can make both salty and sweet mixes. One simple recipe consists of coating the almonds with olive oil and sea salt and then roasting them to perfection. For a sweet tooth, add some dried fruit, like cranberries, raisins, apricots, or goji berries to the nuts and seeds pack.
3. Fruit
Think about fruit that holds their shape well: bananas, citrus, apples, plums, pears, peaches, and apricots. Of course, if you want, you can still have cherries, raspberries, strawberries, grapes, blueberries, or fresh cranberries. You just have to pack them in a snack box.
4. Granola and yogurt
If you love road trips, it’s a smart choice to invest in a cool bag. You can place anything in it, but keeping your yogurt cool is priceless. During one of your stops, you can have a refreshing snack by mixing homemade granola with plain yogurt. Yummy!
5. Crackers and cookies
When you make your list of road trip snacks, don’t forget to pack different types of crackers and cookies. You can eat them even in the car. They’re a smart choice, especially if you like to enjoy a cup of coffee and 2-3 cookies on the road! Plus, your kids will be quieter because they will have their mouths full for a while. It’s a win-win situation!
6. Drinks
If you bought a cool bag, use it for yogurt but also for drinks. We suggest you drink water most of the time, but you should also squeeze some fresh fruit to make juice or smoothies for the whole family. Again, make separate drinks for each person, depending on what they like most.
As for the coffee, use a thermos to keep it warm for a longer time! Unless you like ice coffee, and for that, you can use your cool bag.
Don’t forget paper towels and some hand sanitizer. If you pack some of the items above, then you’re ready to go! Enjoy the ride!
