Overview: Here are some of the best tips for eating while traveling for summer
Have you noticed that being on the road sparks up an appetite? The moment we hit the road, there’s one person who starts feeling hungry – usually within the first 10 minutes. Now imagine if we stopped every time someone wanted to grab a snack… it’ll take us forever to reach our destination. Plus, that’ll be a lot of money spent, too!
Summer is all about planning travel trips and treating kids to their long-due fun time. With lots of homework and other extracurricular activities going on throughout the year, these innocent souls should be driven out of their said zones. Now logging long miles with kids in the car gets overwhelming since they’d be asking you to stop by and get some snacks every now and then. With that being said, the best way to eat good food while traveling in the summer is to stay within a budget by pre-planning.
Eating Healthy:
We’ve had hard luck getting our kids to eat healthy, but it’s even more difficult when they’re out of the home, it’s summertime, and the rules are more relaxed.
Sugary treats and fast food could easily abound your kids on a family vacation. Although it can be tough to ensure the nutrition of your family on the go during vacation, it’s totally doable so long as you’re following these three tips to ensure the nutrient-dense eating habits of your family:
1. Get Their Taste buds Accustomed to Healthy Eating:
Remember one mild rule – it all begins with your creativity. The week before heading out for the vacation, start adding immune-boosters to your food:
Ground flax seeds and hemp are unnoticeable when you add them to the smoothies
Vegetables blend with the cheese when you boil and run them through the food processor – adding with mac and cheese
Zucchini also has the ability to disappear amidst the thick ocean of spaghetti sauce – and a little extra garlic would taste amazing in the teriyaki chicken. Sharp, aren’t we?
2. Pack Your Own Food:
Let’s all agree here – airline food options are rarely healthy nor tasty! Instead, pack an alternative picnic basket for your flight or road trip. Vacations take long, and you have to clean out the fridge anyway.
Pre-cut everyone’s favorite fruits and veggies and store them in small boxes that are easy to carry. If you’re running short on any vegetable/fruit and have a lot on your plate, hit Redlands Ranch Market for the freshest, most affordable produce in town!
We personally like cheese sticks, whole-grain crackers, oatmeal cookies (add grounded flax seeds and nuts), chips and dips, whole grain crackers, and some trail mix as great snack options – you’ll feel virtuous after eating some of these!
And don’t forget to pack your luggage with granola bars, nuts, dried fruits, and maybe some healthy baked chips. (Just make sure you aren’t packing some fresh produce.)_
3. Grab a Smoothie:
Blueberry and raspberry blend is high in fiber, keeps your stomach fuller for a longer time, and is also low in calories… not to mention these are tasty. Out of all other smoothie options, we prefer this one topped with pumpkin seeds and flax seeds. Besides, smoothies keep you energized, leaving a little space for a heavy meal.
Need some smoothie ideas? Check out our fresh juice bar – we won’t be mad if you borrow an idea or two. Just be sure to give us a shoutout or let us know if you do recreate one of our original juices!
Saving Money:
It can get nerve-wrecking when vacation planning, well, doesn’t go as planned and we end up paying a few extra bucks than anticipated. To ensure not to deal with this unfavorable situation, create a road trip budget ahead of time before deciding to predict what you’re going to do next. We know it’s a vacation and it doesn’t come often, but staying within a budget will save you some bucks for other expenses too! Try these three savvy tips to save money! You can thank us later!
Split the costs: Whether transportation, fuel expenses, emergency funds, entertainment, or something else, a decided budget will keep you on track, preventing you from overspending. Road tripping with friends saves a lot of costs when split between friends or family members. Make a list of everything you will do on this trip and split the cost with your crew. However, keep some extra in Venmo to help you in an emergency.
Be creative with car meals: As we said earlier, your creativity matters the most when saving money from food. Go for some stuffed avocados, chicken-filled wraps, tacos, or chicken nachos. Club sandwiches are an excellent option too.
Rather than eating at expensive restaurants, food creativity in the car will save you extra costs. Grabbing a snack, fresh juices, or smoothies at times is no harm – of course, you’re keeping a part of your finances saved for the food items, but having your meals is an excellent option for you to save money.
Below are a few road trip treats that are easy to make and even easier to carry.
Ham and Avocado Sandwich: A ham sandwich with a bit of Greek Yogurt or mayonnaise on the sides with some plump avocado – tastes terrific, eh? Kids approve of our idea too!
Raspberry Muffins: Featuring the best wholemeal flour, cottage cheese, nuts, and honey – these delicious muffins are an easy grab snack and a healthier option!
Low Sugar Fruit Jelly Bites: We’re giving kids that – it’s their time too; let them enjoy their jelly with a slight variation. Get some sugar-free gummies packed with natural nutrients – making them ideal for your kids.
There are so many healthy options to choose from; you can access most of them by reading “30 Snacks to Munch on the Family Car Trip.”
Explore accommodation options: Hotels are far from the only options for your road trip. Do some online research before heading out, and you may find promo codes that’ll save you cash. Willing to go another way around? Book a room on Airbnb, and boom – you’re all set!
>> Related Reading: 11 Ways You’re Wasting Money on Hotel Rooms – How to Save Instead
In Summary:
Packing some protein and granola bars never goes out of fashion, but the fun begins when you make sweet treats at home with excellently packed ingredients and organic food options. So when you decide it’s time to make strawberry/cherry jam, and you’re running out of time for groceries, reach out to us, and we’ll be glad to become a part of your vacation by offering freshly picked fruits and veggies from our own local farmers’ hands to you!
