ProudGrandma Posted October 19, 2011 Share Posted October 19, 2011 we are taking a little trip over the next week and I need some food ideas (other than sandwiches and cheese and crackers) for eating in the car, eating on the go between activities etc. I have to be able to keep it in a cooler or on the table while in the hotel. thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jennsmile Posted October 19, 2011 Share Posted October 19, 2011 Yogurt, fruit cups, puddings, nuts, trailmix, delimeat, granola bars Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nono Posted October 19, 2011 Share Posted October 19, 2011 Hard boiled eggs. Cold pizza. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justasque Posted October 19, 2011 Share Posted October 19, 2011 hummus yogurt muffins (healthy ones!) applesauce cups other fruit nuts cereal (plus individual boxes of milk, if you like) cut veg - peppers, carrots pasta salad cold pizza (with veggies!) mini-quiches stuffed pastry of various kinds - like take store-bought roll of buttermilk biscuits, spread them out, put scoop of filling inside, top with another biscuit, crimp edges, bake. Filling can be chicken with cheese and veggies, for example. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justasque Posted October 19, 2011 Share Posted October 19, 2011 I usually plan in categories - protein, fruit, veg, carbs. That helps me balance the menu. Peanut butter with apple slices. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProudGrandma Posted October 19, 2011 Author Share Posted October 19, 2011 thanks....keep the ideas coming please. I really need help for when we are in the car....can't have things that are too messy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denisemomof4 Posted October 19, 2011 Share Posted October 19, 2011 bring wraps, hummus or a condiment, cold cuts, lettuce, put altogether for wraps large shrimp, salad, toss with dressing before eating, sourdough bread quiches baked in muffin tins bagels, cream cheese, lox if the family likes it, salad cooked chicken, veggies and hummus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bang!Zoom! Posted October 19, 2011 Share Posted October 19, 2011 :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denisemomof4 Posted October 19, 2011 Share Posted October 19, 2011 definitely hard boiled eggs. buy or make your own bread, roll it out into a rectangle, cover half with sliced provolone and mozzarella, cover over and seal, top with egg whites and garlic powder, bake, serve. This is a favorite when we entertain cans of tuna/turkey/chicken, mayo, seasoning of choice, bread many hotels have microwaves for heating, but you could also bring a crockpot. Good for chili, spaghetti and sausage/meatballs, stew, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KRG Posted October 19, 2011 Share Posted October 19, 2011 We don't really eat healthy when we are on the road...we usually have trail mix, beef jerky, little debbie snacks and granola bars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProudGrandma Posted October 19, 2011 Author Share Posted October 19, 2011 snacks I have covered...it's mostly lunches that I need help with....we can do sandwiches once...but we really don't like to do that too many times....so that is why I am looking for other options for lunch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justasque Posted October 20, 2011 Share Posted October 20, 2011 We don't really eat healthy when we are on the road...we usually have trail mix, beef jerky, little debbie snacks and granola bars. I have found that eating healthy on the road helps keep everyone in a good mood, energetic (but not hyper), alert when needed (driver!), and free of assorted tummy troubles. It takes a while to get into the swing of it, but it is easier as you do it more, and as the infrastructure (like truck stops) gets better at offering healthy options. It helps to have a large cooler. Bring along some large zip-loc bags - these can be filled with ice from a hotel ice machine, or you can get ice anywhere they sell sodas in cups. Also, bring an assortment of plastic ware - spoons and such - so you can buy groceries on the road and have the means to eat them. Muffins can be made ahead of time and frozen; as they defrost they help other things stay cool. We like a low-fat banana muffin with walnuts; it gives some protein and a large piece is almost a meal; chocolate chips make it also a treat. Hummus does well with sketchy refrigeration. Throw some bread in the bread machine the night before to dip. Add a bit of cheese and some fruit to make it a meal. I have a little cutting board and a sheath knife that I keep in the cooler. (I cut the board out of the corner of one of those thin cutting boards; a friend was throwing it away because the center of it was thrashed. I cut the small one to be the right size to fit into my favorite lunch box.) I can throw apples in the cooler before I leave, and cut them up in the car. Add some peanut butter for protein, again, it's a meal. Water bottles are key. We all have reusable ones, and I get everyone to fill one (or two) before a trip. That makes drinks easy, cheap and healthy. To buy food on the road, bypass the fast food joints and stop at a supermarket or, if you must, truck stop. The truck stops will have fruit (bananas) and nuts (pistachios) and sometimes decent sandwiches. Truckers can't eat junk all day every day. Supermarkets will have yogurt, individual apple sauce or fruit cups (choose unsweetened versions), crackers, cheese, peanut butter, fresh fruit, raisins, bakery bread, deli meats, and increasingly better to-go food selections. We have some good sandwich shops nearby; sometimes we will plan ahead and stop there in the morning and stock up on lunch/dinner foods (hoagies!) for later in the day. We find the choices are healthier at our local shop than at a random road stop. Again, the cooler comes in handy here. We also sometimes use Google to find good restaurants along the way, if we will be eating dinner out. It's a gamble, of course, but sites like TripAdvisor have lots of reviews. It's a good way to find restaurants that cater to special diets as well - GF or vegan or whatever. You have to do your research ahead of time, but if it's somewhere you will visit more than once, the time is well-spent. A GPS is your friend when it comes to routing to the place. We avoid chain restaurants and seek out the places where they serve quality food, cooked from scratch. We've had some amazing meals, usually cheaper than the chains. So next time you travel, think about putting down the Little Debbie and picking up some healthy options! The more often you do it, the easier it will get. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KatieJ Posted October 20, 2011 Share Posted October 20, 2011 Can you make soup ahead of time, travel with it frozen and put in crockpot in your room while you are gone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest IdahoMtnMom Posted October 20, 2011 Share Posted October 20, 2011 our favorites are snack packs of: celery, baby carrots, bell pepper sticks, and snap peas grapes and blueberries granola cheese and salami cubes pretzels and goldfish dried apples, cranberries, and raisins and the storebought cups of: mixed fruit mandarin orange peaches Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NancyNellen Posted October 20, 2011 Share Posted October 20, 2011 We always bring a large container of homemade trail mix (peanuts, cashews, almonds, raisins, M&M's, coconut, pumpkin seeds). I keep a handful of small plastic cups in the container for dispensing. We also bring dried fruit, dry cereal (Cheerios, Chex, etc.), and beef jerky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KRG Posted October 20, 2011 Share Posted October 20, 2011 I have found that eating healthy on the road helps keep everyone in a good mood, energetic (but not hyper), alert when needed (driver!), and free of assorted tummy troubles. It takes a while to get into the swing of it, but it is easier as you do it more, and as the infrastructure (like truck stops) gets better at offering healthy options. It helps to have a large cooler. Bring along some large zip-loc bags - these can be filled with ice from a hotel ice machine, or you can get ice anywhere they sell sodas in cups. Also, bring an assortment of plastic ware - spoons and such - so you can buy groceries on the road and have the means to eat them. Muffins can be made ahead of time and frozen; as they defrost they help other things stay cool. We like a low-fat banana muffin with walnuts; it gives some protein and a large piece is almost a meal; chocolate chips make it also a treat. Hummus does well with sketchy refrigeration. Throw some bread in the bread machine the night before to dip. Add a bit of cheese and some fruit to make it a meal. I have a little cutting board and a sheath knife that I keep in the cooler. (I cut the board out of the corner of one of those thin cutting boards; a friend was throwing it away because the center of it was thrashed. I cut the small one to be the right size to fit into my favorite lunch box.) I can throw apples in the cooler before I leave, and cut them up in the car. Add some peanut butter for protein, again, it's a meal. Water bottles are key. We all have reusable ones, and I get everyone to fill one (or two) before a trip. That makes drinks easy, cheap and healthy. To buy food on the road, bypass the fast food joints and stop at a supermarket or, if you must, truck stop. The truck stops will have fruit (bananas) and nuts (pistachios) and sometimes decent sandwiches. Truckers can't eat junk all day every day. Supermarkets will have yogurt, individual apple sauce or fruit cups (choose unsweetened versions), crackers, cheese, peanut butter, fresh fruit, raisins, bakery bread, deli meats, and increasingly better to-go food selections. We have some good sandwich shops nearby; sometimes we will plan ahead and stop there in the morning and stock up on lunch/dinner foods (hoagies!) for later in the day. We find the choices are healthier at our local shop than at a random road stop. Again, the cooler comes in handy here. We also sometimes use Google to find good restaurants along the way, if we will be eating dinner out. It's a gamble, of course, but sites like TripAdvisor have lots of reviews. It's a good way to find restaurants that cater to special diets as well - GF or vegan or whatever. You have to do your research ahead of time, but if it's somewhere you will visit more than once, the time is well-spent. A GPS is your friend when it comes to routing to the place. We avoid chain restaurants and seek out the places where they serve quality food, cooked from scratch. We've had some amazing meals, usually cheaper than the chains. So next time you travel, think about putting down the Little Debbie and picking up some healthy options! The more often you do it, the easier it will get. Yeah a road trip or 2 a year and a little debbie snack once or twice a year...I'm good with it...thanks anyway :blink: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaithManor Posted October 20, 2011 Share Posted October 20, 2011 We make mini-wrap sandwiches with corn tortillas that I've fried in oil, or flour tortillas. I put out a mixture of toppings, each child makes up as many as he/she thinks they need, roll them up, take two or three bottles of dressings or condiments along so you can top it off at the stop instead of letting the tortilla get soggy from too many hours soaking with dressing, and place inside ziploc baggies. I second the hard boiled eggs. Those are really convenient. Faith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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