No road trip is complete without the usual road trip snacks. But if you want to eat healthier on the road, here are some things that will help you stick to better food choices.
During a road trip, many people tend to abandon their regular eating habits and eat practically whatever they want. Suddenly, potato chips become an acceptable breakfast, and a ‘snack’ is a large bag of M&Ms eaten in one go. And when you stop for a sit-down meal, it’s usually fast food or some other easy, greasy, and sodium-rich equivalent.
Before we talk about how to eat healthy on the road, let’s find out why everyday road trip foods are not recommended, especially for people going through binge-eating disorder treatment plans:
- Foods high in sugar, salt, and fat give only short-lived energy
- These foods can drain your energy even further when you are already tired from being on the road for hours or days
- Fatigue caused by unhealthy food choices can lead to irritability, which is never fun for everyone else in the car
- If you are the driver, energy-zapping foods can easily make you sleepy, which is dangerous while you’re on the wheel
- Overeating can lead to tummy aches and more frequent restroom stops
If you want to avoid these adverse circumstances, here are the best ways to eat healthier food during your road trip:
1. Pack healthy food
Instead of armfuls of junk food, bring healthier alternatives like:
- Cut-up fruits and vegetables
- Trail mix
- Seeds
- Hard-boiled eggs
- Precooked meat
- Sandwiches, wraps
- Multi-grain crackers
- Low-fat cheese
- Yogurt cups
- Homemade chips
- Light popcorn
- Multi-grain bread and pastries
These foods will give you more energy that can last longer and won’t lead to a crash. Moreover, having an abundant supply of healthy foods decreases the tendency of picking up junk food at gas stations or stopping by fast-food establishments.
2. Find healthy food stops
Plan out your food stops before hitting the road. Find restaurants that serve healthier options than your regular fast food joint or greasy spoon. In doing so, you can rest assured that your next meals won’t consist of unhealthy foods while you’re out on the road.
3. Stick to regular mealtimes
As much as possible, eat during your regular mealtimes while on a road trip. Otherwise, you might become too hungry before your next meal, which increases the chances of overeating. If you can’t find a restaurant yet, eat just enough snacks so that your hunger is sated until your next meal.
4. Choose healthier junk food
Sometimes, eating at a fast-food joint is inevitable, especially when there are no other options in sight and everyone is already hungry. In cases like this, try to choose the healthier options on the menu (pro tip: look up calorie meals on the Internet, if possible), and stick to a regular serving instead of upsizing. You can also modify your meal to make it a little healthier, such as omitting sausages from your pizza, asking for unsalted fries, and drinking water instead of soda.
The idea of eating healthy is usually thrown out the window during road trips. But if you want to maintain your healthy eating habits, avoid the negative consequences of junk food binges, and make the most out of your road trip, use these strategies and plan your trip accordingly before hitting the road.
