Feature Articles Food, Fitness, and Travel
Road Food
By Linda S. Rellergert MS, Nutrition and
Health Education Specialist
University of Missouri Extension
Summer often includes travel as families head off on vacation. Whether
traveling by plane, train or car, leaving food choices to chance
can mean paying a high price in terms of health as well as cash.
While packing for your trip, give a few moments thought to
eating well along the way so you, like every good Girl or Boy
Scout, can be prepared.
1. Take it with you. By bringing along your own snacks and
possibly even meals, you will be certain to have food you and
your family want to eat when you want to eat.
- Keep food safety in mind when choosing foods to carry with
you. A cooler full of food is great for car trips, but
impractical for public transportation. On planes, trains or
buses, an insulated bag with cold pack keeps perishables like
meat, hard cooked eggs and vegetable salads fresh and safe to
eat for several hours.
- Vacations are a good time to do things a bit out of the
ordinary. A picnic breakfast fits that criterion, especially
if the driver likes to get an early start while passengers
sleep. Take along traditional breakfast fare like cereal and
juice, or more portable with muffins and fresh fruit to eat
out of hand.
- Fresh fruits and veggies make great snacks as well as
companions for sandwiches, even those you pick up at fast food
restaurants. Make sure all are washed and ready to eat.
Bite-sized veggies like cherry tomatoes, baby carrots, celery
and sweet pepper sticks are obvious choices. Grapes, apples,
cherries and blueberries are sweet and easy to eat. Dried
fruit like raisins, apricots, peaches, are also drip-free and
tasty.
2. Pick it up along the way. A bit of looking can
reveal healthful choices at convenience stores on the road or
in airports.
- Water, juice and milk are better choices than soft
drinks for staying well hydrated. Be sure to take along
bottled water when flying as recycled cabin air tends to be
rather dry and the beverage cart may take a while to get to
your section.
- Look beyond the candy bars and bags of chips for granola
bars, nuts and trail mix. Watch portion sizes, though, as
these snacks are rather high in calories as well as
nutrients. Take out a reasonable amount and put the
remainder out of sight, and out of mind.
3. Stop and stock up at a supermarket. Even small
communities are likely to have a grocery store where you can
pick up road food with greater variety and value than
restaurants. You’ll also get a taste of local life along
with your groceries.
- Pick up sandwich fixings, or even the sandwiches
themselves at the deli counter. Salads and sides may also
be available to round out the meal.
- Bagels, whole grain crackers and rolls are sturdy
enough to travel well and serve as sandwich bases or
snack.
- Salad bars offer a wide variety of washed, ready to
eat fruits and vegetables in addition to salads and soups.
- Many snack foods are high in fat, sugar or both. Choices like pretzels, rice cakes, popcorn, baked chips, and graham crackers can stave off hunger pangs in a more healthful way.
Last update: Tuesday, May 05, 2009
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