Healthy Food Will Travel

Living in Atlanta we are lucky to be able to get to many beaches along the gulf coast and Atlantic or to the mountains in less than six hours driving time.  I love driving on trips when possible.  That way we have our own car, can make our own schedule, and I can pack food, water, and even our Vitamix!  Since the only thing to fill up on at fast food stops is artificial ingredients and fillers, I always pack enough food for the drive.  Here is a picture of some items that made the trip to the beach with us last week.

Not only are these healthy options, but they can also help save driving time by avoiding extra stops.  Here are my top 10 favorite snacks to bring along!  These require no refrigeration, no prep and will hold up well in the car, or on a plane.   This list is also perfect for school lunches, and things to keep in the car to snack on while driving home after a long day at work.  Skip the drive-thru and fill up on these healthy snacks instead!

• Justin’s Peanut Butter or Almond Butter packs – These are great since they are not damaged easily, and make no mess!  I can open the packs and squeeze it straight into my mouth, or on my next favorite food listed below.  JIF also makes individual sized packs of their natural peanut butter. (vegan and gluten-free)
• Rice Cakes – Yes, they may not be the most appealing snack but they hold up well on trips and with a little peanut butter on top they are actually tasty! I find on a long trip I always have food on my mind.  I guess since we are sitting still for so long, so these are good to give you something to crunch on without filling you with lots of fat, calories, and sugar. (vegan, nut-free, and gluten-free)
• KIND bars / Larabars / Pure Organic Bars / Enjoy Life Foods Cocoa Loco bars – These will all hold up well on a road trip, and they can stand up to heat better than most.  Packed with protein, and fiber they will help fill you up and keep you full.  (vegan and gluten-free)  Clif Bar makes a line of kids bars, Z Bars.  Most of those are nut-free if you need a nut-free option, but they do have gluten and are not vegan.
• Revolution Foods Fruit Mashups – These squeezable fruit containers are great for travel.  They are organic, use real fruit, and no added sugar or artificial ingredients.  They have a new line of fruit & veggie mashups.  (vegan, nut-free, and gluten-free)
• Apples, Oranges, and Bananas – They all travel well and are full of vitamins and fiber.  I would add berries to the list but they stain easily so unless you are sure they will not get mashed into the seats, I would avoid them in the car.  I see apples, bananas, and oranges in airports and even gas stations.  I would probably avoid apples in the airport and gas station since they are likely dirty from all the people who may have touched the skin but the oranges and bananas are great choices.  I like to pack my own apples.  They hold up well on trips, since they do not bruise or mash easily like bananas, and are less juicy than oranges.  (vegan, nut-free, and gluten-free)
• Bag of Baby Carrots and Celery Sticks – I always seem to have extra of both when I’m cleaning out the refrigerator before a trip.  They are both firm, and will hold up well while traveling and will keep good in a cooler all day, or they will be fine out of a cooler for several hours.  The packs of peanut or almond butter would be great on the celery sticks! (vegan, nut-free, and gluten-free)
• Mi – Del Ginger Snaps – This is our favorite treat when we are traveling.  They come in both regular, and gluten-free and don’t break easily like most crackers and cookies. (gluten-free and nut-free)
• Dried Fruit – I usually bring a pack of dried fruit for the girls to snack on.  It’s not as messy as the real thing but still provides good nutrition.  Their favorites are dried cherries, blueberries, apricots, raisins, and mango.  This is also a great base for making your own trail mix.  Just add your favorite nuts, dried fruit, granola or low-sugar cereal together.  You could even add some chocolate chips for a treat.  We make “C” trail mix often with cashews, cherries, cheerios, and chocolate chips!  Also, remember that Peeled Snacks fruit fruit can be found at Starbucks.  (vegan, nut-free, and gluten-free)
• Air Popped Popcorn – This is always a hit on a road trip!  My biggest problem with popcorn in the car is it can be a choking hazard, so be sure to have someone keeping an eye on kids.  (vegan, nut-free, and gluten-free)
• Peanut Butter Rollups - I always have extra tortillas on hand in the freezer and this is a great way to use them.  Tortillas are great for road trips since they will not leave crumbs, and will not smash like bread.  If you travel with the peanut butter packs, all you have to do it squeeze on onto the tortilla when you are ready to eat!  If not, just before you leave spread a thin layer of peanut butter, on a tortilla and roll it up.  You could even slice up some banana, and add chia seeds for something a little more filling!