Snacking on the Road
Well, holiday season is just around the corner, and for many of us, that means a road trip to visit friends and/or family members. Just because you are heading out on holiday, doesn’t mean you have to leave your healthy eating habits at home. A little forethought and a bit of extra packing will allow you to keep up your good nutritional work on the road, so you can afford to indulge here and there once you arrive at your final destination.
Snacking is inevitable, whether you are in a car, bus, or airplane. Be prepared by packing easily accessible nutritionally “safe” options. Here’s a list of suggestions: prepackaged (by you or the store) nuts—just a handful, low fat cheese sticks, a piece of portable fruit—such as an apple, some dried plums (I’m in love with the ones which have orange essence!), low fat or balanced nutritional bars, a can of vegetable juice, carrot and celery sticks, chopped broccoli, and plenty of water to drink.
If you know you’ll be on the road during a meal, and have the capacity to do so, pack a lunch made with a healthy fat, a complex carbohydrate, and a lean protein. Not only will this will keep you satisfied longer, but it will save you from the excessive calorie hit of a burger and fries at a road side stop, or a slice of airport pizza.
Calories should be enjoyed—especially when you’re celebrating the holidays! By using these preemptive eating strategies during the travel portion of your holiday trip, you will have some more “caloric leeway” once you get to where you are going. And I’m sure the home cooking or restaurant offerings that await you will taste much better than the fast food options you’ve bypassed along the way!