What to eat for a healthy road trip

In 2007 I drove from North Carolina to California mostly fueled by Cinnamon flavored Poptarts. I had a super box of 6 little boxes from Costco behind my seat of the Penske moving truck. I would reach behind me, grab a crinkly shiny silver packet of two poptarts, rip it open with my teeth and happily chomp on them while I drove. I would feel high for about...oh, 30 minutes, before I needed MORE SUGAR!Soon the (mega box of) Poptarts were gone so I stopped at Dairy Queen and ordered a Blizzard (milk shake with candy pieces) #sugaronsugar. That entertained me for another 30 minutes of my drive. But the Drive from Asheville, North Carolina to Pismo Beach, California is 37 hours of driving!That's a lot of sugar highs and crashes.Since quitting sugar on January 1st, 2016, I've taken many road trips, including the 1555mi road trip from Pismo Beach, Ca to Austin, Tx I started ON January 1st, 2016!My road trips don't have sugar highs and lows anymore, just constant, steady energy and focus.

Here are some of the things I pack:

• Sugar snap peas
• Blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, raspberries
• Carrots
• Celery
• Nuts like pecans, walnuts, almonds, or pistachios
• Unsweetened dried mango or other dried fruit like apples or raisins
• Parsnip chips (from Trader Joe's)
• Popcorn (I like pickle popcorn from Trader Joe's and any kind of white cheddar popcorn)
• Plenty of water - even if you have to stop and pee a lot, nothing will keep you more alert on the road than being well-hydrated.
• Handheld fruits like apples, peaches, or bananas
• Lara bars or Rx bars
• Lily's Stevia-sweetened chocolate

What to buy at gas station and travel station stores that doesn't have sugar?

• Little bags of nuts
• Some types of unflavored chips
  • It is a roadtrip after all! If you're craving junk, go for some chips. But check the ingredients for sneaky sugar.
• Sparkling water
• Some will have Lara Bars
• Smoothies
  • Some have sugar in them (the creamy chocolate type ones) so read the ingredients. Some can be quite sweet with mostly concentrated fruit juice (which isn't the best) but if you are desperate for food, most gas station stores have Naked or Odwalla juices.

What to prep at home?

• Make cookies or brownies at home with blended banana and/or dates instead of the sugar cane and pack them with you.
• A cooler if the trip is longer to keep fruits and veggies fresh. If you bring a cooler you can bring healthy refrigerated items like full-fat cheese, hummus, or guacamole.
• Wash and chop vegetables like broccoli or celery so they're easy to eat in the car.

Is there any fast food that's okay to eat?

• No.
• But the long answer is...maybe In'n'out as long as it's not every day. The main thing is to have fun AND feel as good as possible. Find what feels best for you. Try a lettuce bun to avoid a carb crash in energy while driving. Skip the fries.
• Mexican food is usually a healthy option because they don't add sugary sauces to everything

My road-trip go-to

• I almost always find a Whole Foods in a city along my route.
  • I get a salad or prepared food or a slice of pizza.
  • I also love Lavva no-sugar-added yogurt, LaCroix sparkling water, Kevita probiotic drinks (only some are sugar-free, check the ingredients), and 365 brand White Cheddar popcorn

Two hard-core road trip hacks:

• If I am on a tight budget and don't want to buy any meals out, I bring my camping propane stove with me and make my own coffee on it and my own food from scratch. Packets of Indian food from Trader Joe's are great for this. So is rice and beans.
• Magic bullet blender comes with me on a lot of road trips. Then I can make a smoothie with banana, spinach, protein powder, and almond milk where-ever I go.

Resource:

• Here's a speadsheet meal-planner for your next road trip
• Planning ahead of time is key!

A road trip is a special occasion for me so I love bringing Lily's Stevia-sweetened chocolate.