With Christmas creeping up, more of us will be spending more time on the road. Going on the road doesn’t need to be a cheeky default to the closest Macca’s drive through! With a little preparation you can have a really healthy road trip down to the coast or up to the mountains. So, let’s take a look at some options for a day on the road!
Breakfast
If you are on the road before the sun rises than I recommend tucking into items that are more perishable early. Dairy products are a great go-to as a morning food. A small tub of yoghurt and a banana combined with a few nuts is a great option. If you prefer something a little more savory, pre-shell some hard boiled eggs and enjoy with some cherry tomatoes and a slice of wholegrain bread.
Lunch
A roast chicken can go a long way on a road trip. If you need to resort to a shop bought one from Coles or Woolies, than peel the skin off and pat dry with a paper towel to get rid of any excess oil. This roast chicken can be put into a wholegrain bread roll with a pre-washed salad mix – flavor with some grainy mustard. Alternatively, throw your chicken into a bowl to make a salad by tossing through a small tin of corn with your salad mix. Vegetarians could use some hard-boiled eggs in their roll or some tinned legumes in a salad instead. Give the kids the chicken drumsticks – great hand food for them!
Snacks
Fruit like apples and grapes are great in the car as they don’t drip everywhere! Dried fruit like pears and apricots are delicious and far better than lollies. Savoury snacks like nuts are OK, but watch your portions. I suggest bagging up small serves of dried fruit and nuts into zip lock bags to manage your intake. Packets of Chic-Nuts, sultanas, small tins of baked beans and healthy muesli bars are handy ‘extras’ to have for especially hungry kids, also.
Dinner
If (heavens forbid) you are still on the road by nightfall, there are some fabulous tinned options you can go for. There are some great tuna products on the market that contain rice or beans. Thrown into any leftover salad, they can make a fast dinner in a park or at a rideside stop. Alternatively, pop all your left over salad, chicken or eggs into a wholegrain wraps and make up some roadside ‘burritos’!
Drinks
Make water your number one choice. Bottles of frozen water will also keep everything cool. Freeze up some vegetable juice ‘Poppas’, I know as a child I just loved sucking on those. Remember to have regular drinks of water and stay hydrated.
Now you are armed with some healthy ideas and strategies to survive any road trip! Stay safe on the road in these warmer months and have fun!
Lisa Donaldson APD
www.FEEDinc.net
4 Kennedy St, Kingston
