As we head into Memorial Day, many of us will be on the road – including myself. The hardest part about traveling is always the food. When we were little, we would often pack a cooler full of water, sandwiches, fresh fruit, and crackers & cheese. Of course, we couldn’t always eat it while we were driving, but it made for a fun pit-stop at a nice rest area along the way. If this would work for you, go ahead and try it! It’s a great way to split up the drive, get of our the car to stretch your legs, and of course, save some money. 

For those travel plans where you may not have the time to fully stop and eat, try some of these easy and mess-free snacks for the car. They’re great for the whole family and will keep you feeling better throughout the trip. This is a great alternative to fuel yourself with good nutrition right from the start of your trip. All you’ll need is a cooler with ice packs, a bag or bin for the non-refrigerated items, plastic bags, a role of paper towels (trust me, it’s always good to have with!), and of course some wipes and hand sanitizer are always a good idea. 

Here’s my list of Nutritious & Mess-Free Road Trip Snacks: 

• Pre-cut fruit or vegetables – apples, celery, sugar snap peas, orange sections, broccoli, cauliflower, strawberries, etc.
• Dried fruit – look for dried fruit with no sugar added in the ingredients list. Raisins are a great example!
• String cheese
• Nuts and seeds
• Popcorn/crackers/chips – try Angies Boom
  Chicka Pop (the yellow bag!) as well as Beanitos or Beanfield Chips. Beanitos and Beanfields are made from beans and have such great flavor with added protein and fiber. 
• Whole grain granola bars – try Kind Bars or Belvita Breakfast Biscuits
• Lower sodium jerky (Try Vermont Jerky sticks)
• Bottled water (try adding Food Club or Crystal Light packets to add flavor without added sugar)
• 100% fruit juice (limit to 4-6 oz of juice)

 Of course, there are so many other items we could add to this list! Let us know which foods you like to bring along with you on your road trips.

Happy & Safe Travels, 
Amy
Supermarket Registered Dietitian