What Snacks Should You Pack for a Long Road Trip Across America
Summer’s here, so it’s time to hit the open road for a good old fashioned American road trip! From coast to coast, travelers will traverse thousands of miles over days or even weeks. Such an epic journey requires careful planning and packing. At the top of the list? Road trip snacks!
Selecting the right snacks helps keep you fueled, saves money versus buying at gas stations or restaurants, and prevents the dangers of distracted or drowsy driving from hunger pangs. Consider these tips when stocking up on munchies for your cross country excursion.
Prioritize Portability
While you may crave grandma’s homemade lasagna or juicy burgers from your favorite diner, such items aren’t ideal for the confines of a car. When lack of refrigeration and reheating access limits your options, choose snacks that hold up outside a fridge.
Favor individually packaged portions you can easily eat with one hand. Things like protein bars, nuts, dried fruit, jerky, and popcorn check the boxes. Or assemble homemade trail mix from nuts, seeds, coconut flakes, chocolate chips or anything else you fancy. Separate servings into sandwich bags or portable containers.
Seek Sustained Energy
A road trip differs from your average daily routine. You may spend hours in the seat without breaks to stretch your legs. The limited physical activity means you burn fewer calories.
Yet long highway stints without food can lead to distracted driving when hunger hits hard. Choose snacks that provide a steady release of energy to stave off growling stomachs. High protein and fiber options help you stay satiated longer. Some smart picks include:
Hummus and pretzels or veggie sticks
Cottage cheese and fruit
Nut butter sandwich squares or wraps
Oatmeal or granola bars
Apple chips
Carrot sticks and guacamole
Hydrate Healthily
Dehydration exacerbates both road trip sluggishness and hunger. But massive sodas and sweetened coffee drinks eventually cause energy crashes. For hydration that revitalizes, pack a cooler with chilled water and coconut water.
To jazz things up, bring powdered drink mixes or fresh fruit to infuse your water with flavor. Just avoid sugary powder options – they can dehydrate rather than hydrate!
Allow Some Indulgences
While nutrition matters during lengthy drives, don’t forgo comfort foods and treats entirely! Enjoying foods you crave helps stave off the temptation to detour your trip for restaurant pit stops.
Just practice portion control. Indulge your sweet tooth with a small bag of chocolates or cookies. Pack a few of your regular soda cans versus massive fast food cups. Build a cooler supper with a small portion of lasagna or your favorite casserole. A sane serving of junk food beats going overboard when hunger strikes hard.
Prep For Multiple Dietary Needs
Don’t forget individual passenger preferences when provisioning your mobile pantry! Provide options for various tastes and diets like vegan, gluten-free, peanut-free, etc.
Accommodating unique needs prevents cranky travelers. Plus it helps avoid unnecessary food stops that slow your journey and drain your wallet. A little consideration ensures everyone stays happy and well-fed.
Practice Food Safety
Extended travel times and potential lack of refrigeration boosts the risk of foodborne illnesses. Perishable items like dairy, eggs, sandwiches, casseroles and anything with mayonnaise become hazardous after sitting out too long.
Take safety precautions like these to keep snacks from spoiling:
Use a high quality cooler with ice or ice packs and avoid opening it frequently.
Consider a thermoelectric cooler that plugs into your car outlet to keep food safely chilled.
Discard anything that smells or looks spoiled.
Keep wet items in spill proof containers to prevent contamination.
Wash fruit thoroughly before packing it.
Bring food-safe sanitizing wipes and hand gel to clean hands before eating.
Stock Up Strategically
Shopping for road trip eats requires strategy for keeping costs low. Check weekly store flyers for discounts on shelf-stable items. Bulk bins provide cheaper options for things like granola and nuts.
Dollar stores offer individually packaged snacks at budget prices. And don’t forget your Sam’s Club or Costco membership for serious savings on bulk snacks.
Cook Ahead For Custom Meals
Preparing homemade snacks ahead lets you control nutrition and ingredients. Bake granola bars, protein balls or muffins to enjoy later. Grill chicken for wraps, cook hard boiled eggs for protein, or prepare Mason jar salads.
Make a big batch of trail mix or puppy chow for grab-and-go snacking. Work assembly line style to fill portioned containers with nuts, crackers, dried fruit, squeeze pouches of nut butter, and anything else you want on hand.
Top It Off With a Cooler Dinner
After hours behind the wheel, sitting down to a refreshing meal from the cooler feels heavenly. Pack foods that require minimal prep like:
Mason jar salads with dressing packed separately.
Pasta salad with veggies or chicken.
Cold sandwiches and veggie sides like carrot sticks.
Wraps or sandwiches with hummus and sliced veggies.
DIY taco kits with chips, canned chicken or fish, salsa, guacamole, shredded cheese, etc.
Good old hot dogs and chips.
Get creative with cooler meals to give road dining an upgrade. Just be mindful of food safety!
Stay Fed and Focused
When your epic American road trip approaches, give your snack packing strategy some attention. A well-stocked mobile pantry prevents the road trip pitfalls of money waste, unsatisfactory food, energy crashes, dehydration and safety hazards from distracted driving.
With the right snacks on board, you can stay pleasantly fueled for taking in magnificent sights as the miles roll by. Now get ready to hit the road well-provisioned for adventure!