Traveling: Don't Forget to Pack Healthy Snacks
By Stephen R. Farris
When it comes to eating healthy and traveling the challenge can be extremely difficult, especially on long trips with your kids. The last thing we want to do is give in completely and plunge ourselves into the pits of the fast-food gods. Plus, it can get rather expensive and cut into our traveling budget.
However, if you plan ahead for long trips, you can do both; save money and make sure everyone eats as healthy as possible. One of the things you can do is pack healthy snacks for the family to enjoy while on the road.
Drinks
You know all of those plastic bottles that get tossed out. If you know you're going to be traveling with the family, save those bottles. Clean them thoroughly and refill them with water. They can be stored in the refrigerator until it's time to switch them into the cooler and loaded up in the car. No need to stop at every gas station convenience store and spend money on unhealthy sodas.
Snacks
Since you will be taking a cooler, why not fix a few baggies of cut up fruits and/or vegetables to take. There's plenty to choose from such as berries, pineapple, apples, oranges, cucumber, carrots, celery, broccoli, etc., and all of these are loaded with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that can keep energy levels up and are good for us. Other snack items to consider are dried fruits, popcorn, granola bars, whole-wheat muffins and many more different items to choose from that are also healthy.
Don't Forget the Proteins
When considering all the snacks you need to take, don't forget about the proteins. There are several proteins available at the grocery store to snack on when traveling. Some of them include meat and cheese sticks, yogurt, hard-boiled eggs and hummus to name a few. Come to think of it, with all these different snack items you may not ever have to stop at a restaurant for a meal.
Pack More Than Needed
Always pack more than you need. If your cooler is full when you leave the house, take along extra water bottles to put in later. Most of the snack items mentioned don't require refrigeration, so pack up as much as you can. There's nothing worse than getting 50 to 100 miles into your trip and you run out of snacks. So much for keeping a tight budget if that happens.
To learn more about your health, wellness and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Casa Grande, Ariz.