Have you been traveling this summer? Family trips can involve a lot of driving. Loading the family into the car for a long trip can raise stress levels for all involved. Our summer travels included three long drives to visit out of town family – one 10 hour trip, one 5 hour trip, and one 7 hour trip. Long rides in the car present a variety of challenges, including how to occupy kids stuck in one place for an extended period of time, how to entertain the driver(s) during the drive, and how to maintain energy and focus by eating healthy snacks and meals along the way. We enjoyed each of these drives this year and advance planning had a lot to due with that result. The key part of that planning involved what we would eat along the way. Giving your body the right fuel enables you to respond to the challenges of a trip with plenty of energy and flexibility.
Packed in the car along with the luggage was a cooler with water and all the food we would be eating along the way. Packing water and food for the family pet is important too (our dog often travels with us). Each trip started with a healthy breakfast before we hit the road. Each of us had our normal breakfast – which includes a breakfast shake containing a blend of soy and whey protein, some complex carbohydrates, and a variety of vitamins and minerals, a piece of fruit, and a cup of green tea (for extra energy and focus). Having a routine breakfast allows us to start the trip with our bodies geared up and prepared for the day. Feeling relaxed and prepared reduces stress too.
Snacks for the trip included grapes, apples, and pears (because they hold up well for travel and are not too messy in the car.) We also packed some goldfish and crackers for something crunchy. We drank plenty of water during the day to help prevent the swelling that often occurs while traveling.
Lunch was also packed in the cooler. We had a variety of healthy sandwiches and some fruit for lunch. Also some juice for the lids and some cold green tea for the adults (again for an energy boost.) Packing lunch in the car prevents the need to seek out salty, fatty fast food on the way and helps to keep the overall time for the trip lower. We like to stop at a rest area for lunch which allows a chance walk around and release some energy after riding in the car for a while.
If we are still on the road at dinnertime we generally look for a place to get a light, healthy meal. Fatty, salty, heavy meals can cause sluggishness so we try to avoid them en route. Salads, light sandwiches, and soups are the types of food we look for when driving into the night. More tea for energy and lots of water to maintain hydration is very important as well.
In addition to eating healthy along the way, regular rest stops are important. We stop every 2 to 3 hours to walk around and stretch. This helps keep circulation moving and reduces swelling. These are the some steps that help our trips go smoothly.
What things to do you to eat healthy when traveling? Would love to hear from you in the comments below.
