It never fails that you finally get everyone in the car and someone is hungry. Then again maybe you’re going to be out all day and don’t want to spend a fortune on fast food, even the healthy choices. And maybe you’re going on a road trip and are wondering just how to stay out of the fast food lane.
Whatever the reason for eating on the run, if plan this type of food the way you would your family’s menu, you and the kids can be eating healthy even if you’ve got some long road trips.
If you know that a lot of time in the car is a given, why not keep homemade granola bars, fruit, dried fruit and nuts in your purse or a stash of this stuff in a bag you always take with you in the car—kinda like the diaper bag, but this one fully loaded with snacks. Buy some zippered baggies and fill them with a portion of dried fruits, whole grain cereals, nuts, and homemade granola mix.
No one says you have to eat lunch in a restaurant if you’re on the road. Just get out your cooler! Create wrap sandwiches using a whole grain tortilla, layering sandwich items like lettuce, meat, tomatoes and roll ‘er up! Wrap inside of aluminum foil or plastic wrap leaving the top easy to open, creating a pocket of sorts. Let kids make their own wraps using peanut or almond butter and jelly. They can spread it themselves, wrap them up and you might need to help them put it in the foil or plastic wrap. Either way, the accomplishment of making it will help them feel good about themselves!
To make sure that you always have cold drinks each night before being on the road, place water bottles and/or juice bottles in the freezer. Remove them before leaving. They will begin to melt and offer you a cold drink for the long hours ahead as it begins to thaw.
With just a little planning and preparation you can avoid fast food and restaurants even with a busy schedule or extensive road trip, with the payoff being a fatter bank account and healthier kids!