On the Road Again

Finally! The snow has melted and it’s time to hop in your car and enjoy the beautiful outdoors. The nice part of living in Boston is that we don’t have to drive too far to get to a lake, ocean or mountain! Growing up in the ‘60’s, my mom used to prepare for family road trips by filling our metal Coca-Cola cooler with ice and bologna sandwiches. Today, we have many more convenient, portion-controlled and appetizing options to toss into our coolers while traveling during the summer.

Don’t Get Detoured:

Relying on food sold at highway pit stops, while occasionally necessary, should not be your complete plan. It’s always best to pack your car with balanced snack options when traveling to support your nutrition goals.

Travel with foods that are pre-portioned. Avoid a tug-of-war over snacks among your passengers by filling the compartments of a plastic tackle/craft box with items like cereal, cheddar bunnies, pretzels, dried cranberries or peanut butter and crackers. Label each one with a passenger’s name so there will be no arguments in the back seat.

Carbohydrates Call Shotgun:

People are always talking about carbs. Keep in mind they are your body’s primary source for energy. Look for complex carbohydrates, like baby carrots, cherry tomatoes, grapes, bananas and sliced apples, which are rich in antioxidants, vitamins and fiber. Pair these items up with lean proteins like string cheese or sliced turkey roll-ups, and monounsaturated fats, like assorted nuts, to make a nutritious snack that lasts for miles.

Pack Portable Protein:

Dipping blood sugar levels can lead to cranky passengers! Here are some other protein-packed ideas to bring along:

· Yogurt: freezing yogurt tubes keeps them cold and makes them easy to eat. Chobani also has squeezable Greek yogurt pouches that have 8 grams of protein per serving.

· Peanut butter: there are a variety of portable options including tubes, single cups and powdered.

· Hummus: Cedar’s has snack packs that combine pretzels and dip in single-serving containers that are perfect for the car.

· Tuna fish: bring along tuna sold in foil packages. It’s drained of fluid, so it’s ready to eat. Combine it with whole-wheat crackers or add to a garden salad that you can pick up at a mini-mart or grocery store along the way.

· Smoothies: make smoothies the day before your trip. They will stay cold when put into stainless-steel thermos bottles. Bring plenty of straws!

· Mini quiches or omelets: there are lots of recipes online for these mouthful gems that get baked in mini-muffin pans.

Sightseeing Snacks

Idle hands are always looking for munchies on long car rides. If car karaoke won’t keep your passengers busy, then bring some of these snacks along for the ride.

· Brown rice cakes topped with peanut butter and sliced apples

· Animal crackers

· Homemade mini muffins

· Granola bars with at least 3 grams of fiber and 4 grams of protein

· Trail mix (homemade): granola, nuts, pumpkin seeds and raisins. Dark chocolate chips can satisfy a sweet craving, but watch the temperature on the day of the trip; otherwise it can get real messy.

· Baked tortilla chips

· Dried fruit: small boxes of raisins or Sunsweet Ones, which are individually wrapped prunes.

Sip ‘n Ride Beverages:

Drinking is also part of balanced snacking and there are a variety of on-the-go favorites to choose from such as bottled water and individual containers of milk - which are also a great source of protein, carbohydrates and calcium.

To mix up your on-the-road beverages, and for more variety, consider bringing flavored water enhancers along for the ride, or - at 90 calories each - packing perfectly-portioned mini cans of Coca-Cola.

Of course you’re going to make a pit stop along the way so make the most of it by getting out of the car to stretch your legs and walk around before you get back on the road. And don’t forget to enjoy the view!

Sophia Kamveris, a registered dietitian based in Arlington, MA, is a consultant to The Coca-Cola Company and provides practical nutrition information on behalf of the Company. She is also in private practice.