This past Thanksgiving, I drove down to Arizona. I always battle with what I will eat on a 15-hour drive. I do not necessarily want to stop for a full-on meal each time I need to eat, so what kind of snacks can I take to keep me full and awake?
My drive starts so early that I do not want to eat a meal at 4 a.m., so I tend to snack on fruit or breakfast bars like That’s It bars and Nature’s Bakery bars. Sometime after entering New Mexico, I will take out a meat and cheese tray like a Private Selection tray with pepperoni, cheese, olives, and chocolate. The protein from the cheese and pepperoni fills me up, and the fat from the olives helps me stay full longer. Chocolate is a nice, sweet dessert. Then, if it is open in Hatch, NM, I stop at Sparky’s for a Hatch chili burger and fries. Fresh Hatch chilis are so delicious and sometimes too spicy, but worth it. Once I reach my destination in AZ, I usually have a homecooked meal (this varies but is always a great way to end the long drive).
Let’s not forget beverages, I usually start the morning with Earl Grey tea and have my Owala cup full of ice water for the day. I pack sparkling water, and sometimes Guayaki Yerba Mate for a midday energy boost.
Some things I think about when I am driving long distances are:
- What snacks will keep me full for a while?
- What can I take that I can eat while driving? (One-handed foods)
- What travels easily in a cooler?
- How will these follow the Balanced plate (snack or meal) that I talked about in my first post?
- What drinks are hydrating and will not cause sugar crashes?
Takeaway: While traveling, we need to think about how we can still stick to our normal eating patterns as best as we can. I do not eat fast food because it makes me sick, but you may be able to. When you stop for something quick and easy like that, think about what easy and non-distracting is and what has the most long-term filling components like healthy fats and protein. Think about your drink as well, if you want a soda, maybe choose a small instead of an extra-large and supplement with water or sparkling water from your cooler.