It’s that time of year again – vacation time….woohoo! Many people hit the roads traveling cross country. If you are like most people, you stop at a fast food joint or convenience store for a quick meal along the way. However, these foods can be really unhealthy for us and can also take a nice chunk out of our pocket book! With just a little bit of planning, you and your family can eat healthy meals on the go and save money. How do you do this? Here are a few tips that may seem obvious, but when you actually get packing are really helpful.
The following items are foods that can be mixed and matched to create complete meals or snacks. Of course this is not a complete list, so feel free to add other foods to your own list!
First, the items inside the cooler:
Berries
Yogurt (plain)
Cottage cheese (fat free)
Lunch meat (best to use meat you cooked, like chicken, and then cut or shred for sandwiches)
Light mayo
Tuna
Carrots
Raw broccoli
Lettuce
Light dressing
Next, the items outside the cooler:
Whole grain bread
Peanut butter
Nuts and seeds (unsalted)
Bananas
Apples
Raisins
Bottled water
And don’t forget those utensils and items needed for eating meals/snacks such as:
Forks
Knives
Spoons
Napkins
Plates
Bowls
If you didn’t pack enough food or don’t have time to pack food, here are a few tips when purchasing food from a convenience store. Select:
Mixed fruit packages
Raw vegetable packages
Raw vegetable and fruit mix packages
Hummus with vegetables
Unsalted nuts and seeds
Sandwiches – for example made with turkey on whole grain bread or tuna on whole grain
Bottled water
*Remember to check the Nutrition Facts Panel and watch out for foods high in sodium, saturated fat, and added sugars.