Road Travelers' Healthy Food Guide

Most road trips begin early in the morning. After years of fulfilling this tradition, I find that foods that I eat before the road trip as well as snacks that I bring in the car are as important as diversions to keep me from getting bored during the trip. If I am the designated driver, then what I eat or drink is even more important.

The Issue of Caffeine

Some travelers could not stay alert without a dose of caffeine in the morning. It works for me, but it has a really annoying side effect. As we all know, coffee is diuretic. Just like tea and soda, coffee distracts from steady driving to frequent bathroom breaks. Even non-drivers will get so uncomfortable sitting in the car waiting to get relief at the next gas station that is probably still 20 miles away.

No Donuts?

Nutrition experts tell us that sugar has the effect of hyperactivity, then a sudden drop in energy. Eating donuts for breakfast before the road trip is something I do not recommend. I find that if I substitute a bowl of chocolate-flavored oatmeal and a small fruit (apple, banana or orange), I don't feel hungry until lunch time. If you feel like eating something sweet, resist the temptation of sugar-coated donuts and similar stuff.

Packing Healthy

When anticipating a long road trip, my family and I always prepare snacks the night before we leave. I make sandwiches with slices of Deli ham or peanut butter and jelly. I also cook hardboiled eggs because just like oatmeal, eggs can fill you up and keep you from getting hungry before lunch time. They are also a good source of protein. Although potato chips are hard to avoid, we bring only one bag or a stack of Light flavored Pringles. There is also room in the cooler for fresh fruits: a bag of oranges, grapes, apples, and plums to much on.

Stopover Foods

At the end of the day, when all other packed snacks are gone and everybody in the family fancied stopping over at a convenience store, my husband and I encourage light snacks such as microwave popcorn or a bag of mixed nuts. Instead of buying sodas, we bring a jug of water or buy orange juice bottles instead. Especially healthy is the V8 brand.

Restaurant Options

It may be lunch time or dinner time and the whole family has to pick a restaurant to dine in. If you are pressed for time, why not grab a tuna sandwich at Subway? If you are not too hungry, a salad or a soup from Schlotzky's can be very filling. Schlotzky's has a great menu for road travelers on the go. If fast food is your idea of a satisfying lunch, try my strategy: Since McDonald's, Burger King, and Arby's all serve chicken sandwich, I always opt for the grilled rather than the fried. McDonald's also now serves small snack wraps that are very tasty, affordable, and healthy and comes in different flavors.

Some people think eating healthy is corny, because it deprives them of all the savory taste greasy foods bring. Who doesn't like eating French fries every once in a while? Kids are especially not crazy about the no-donuts policy. In a road trip, strict and fast rules should be applied. The reason is that diet affects everybody's mood and energy in the car. If everybody ate healthy before and during the trip, it will prove to be a stressfree travel for the whole family.