Any good road trip requires some effort and preparation.  Getting the car organized, planning your route, and packing the necessary supplies.  Now that you are trying to eat healthier, the food you pack is important.  The better prepared you are with food, the less likely you are to be tempted by those big signs luring you in for DQ Blizzard or the $1 menu food items.  I’ve even found that if I start getting cravings for unhealthy foods and I eat veggies instead, I can suppress those cravings.  

1.  Cut veggies.  Peppers, carrots, and broccoli.  We started eating veggies with dip (hummus or ranch) and then I finally came far enough along with my healthy food changes that I no longer needed dip with veggies.  My kids made that transition much easier than I did.  Dip free means mess free (well, kind of). 

2.  Popcorn.  Air pop some popcorn before you leave and have your kids fill up bags or containers for themselves.  This keeps them busy for a few minutes also! Did you know that popcorn is not genetically modified?  Popcorn comes from a different seed.  I toured the Shallowford Farms Popcorn Farm and they explained that there just isn’t enough monetary incentive for an investment in genetically modifying popcorn.

3.  Trail mix.  Make your own mixture of nuts, dried fruits, shredded coconut, and maybe even a few dark chocolate chips.  Making your own helps you avoid any unnecessary ingredients and saves you money.

4.  Fruit and berries.  Sometimes I will cut fruit up into small Tupperware containers and other times I just bring whole apples, bananas, and oranges.  Oranges can be messy to peel in the car.  Pre-peeling or slicing is the way to go!

5.  Sandwiches and Salads.  I try not to overdose on grains and I’m not a big fan of lunch meats–they usually contain fillers and other nasty “extras”.  Sandwiches are extremely convenient when it comes to road trips though.  Homemade egg salad, chicken salad, and the good ole PB&J sandwiches are still MUCH healthier than stopping off at anything that ends in “Drive-thru”.  Packing a salad in a Tupperware container is a fantastic healthy option!  Keep the dressing separate to avoid soggy lettuce.

Don’t forget to bring plenty of water!  I also bring a few organic juice boxes to give the kids when my husband and I stop for a coffee fix along the way.  🙂