Healthy Foods To Eat On The Road

Whether you commute to work or make a drive across the country, eating in the car is necessary. But meals on the road don't have to mean a diet of fast food, soda and chips. If you plan ahead, you can continue your healthy eating plan while traveling and prevent any unwanted weight gain.

Fruits

Whether brought from home or purchased as you go, fruits make a healthy food you can eat on your road trip. Pack a cooler and fill it with some of your favorites, such as apples, pears, oranges, grapes and bananas. Canned fruit packed in its own juice and dried fruit also makes a healthy choice, and keeps well without refrigeration. Fruits are low in calories and loaded with essential nutrients including vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium and fiber.

Vegetables

Vegetables also make a good choice. Cut up carrots and celery sticks before you leave, or look for a grocery or convenience store that has baby carrots, and keep them in the cooler to snack as you go. Grape tomatoes also make a good road trip snack and do not need to be kept in a cooler, but they can spoil if left in a hot car. Pack some dips such as individual packets of peanut butter or low-fat ranch dressing to go with your vegetables.

Cheese and Yogurt

Include some low-fat cheese sticks into your cooler as a source of protein. Protein delays stomach emptying and can help control hunger in between stops. Small containers of low-fat yogurt also travel well in your cooler, and provide plenty of calcium.

Crackers

To satisfy your need for crunch and to limit your stops for salty chips while traveling, pack some whole grain crackers, a good source of fiber, B vitamins, iron and magnesium. Rice cakes make another healthy low-calorie crunchy snack to bring on the road with you. Two regular rice cakes contain about 70 calories.

Healthy Drive-Through

While planning and packing your own food can help you stick to your healthy meal plan, it is also possible to make healthy choices at rest stops and drive-through restaurants. Choose meal items that focus on vegetables and lean sources of protein, such as salads, stir fries, grilled chicken and plain hamburgers. Instead of french fries, order a side salad or some fruit with your meal. Skip the soda and instead stay hydrated with a tall glass of water. For dessert, try a small ice cream or a yogurt parfait.