Snacking, although vital to balance in your day, can quickly become a tool for managing boredom and become a mindless element of even the most well-thought-out road trip menus. However, this does not have to be the case if you maintain a few key principles when it comes to making good decisions with snacking on the go.
Eat Balanced Meals
Nothing can contribute to cravings more than skipping meals or choosing foods that will not satisfy you for at least 2-3 hours. Prior to hitting the road, make it a priority to have a balanced meal which includes a source of protein, grain or starch and a healthy source of fat. Additionally, if you are going to be on the road for several hours, plan your meal stops ahead of time so that you are regularly fueling your body with complete, balanced meals. Snacks are called snacks for a reason—they do not replace meals.
Stay Hydrated
A common mask of dehydration is hunger. When you are not hydrating yourself throughout your travels, your body will often misinterpret your thirst cues for hunger, resulting in you digging into the snack bag sooner and more often than you need to. Carry a large water jug with you so that you can continuously refill your water bottle without needing to buy bottled water every hour, and set a goal of drinking 1-2 cups/hour along your journey.
Snack Well
When you do choose road trip snacks, the best thing you can invest in is a cooler. This will provide you with many more options and cut down on the amount of packaged foods you need to bring along. For example: individual cups of Greek yogurt, cut up vegetables and hummus, and cheese strings are easy and convenient to eat on the go. Perhaps you can try making your own sweet and salty nut mixtures (check My Viva Plan Recipes for Sweet and Spicy Nuts), or portion baggies of beef jerky. Alternatively, mix oats, hemp hearts, honey, vanilla extract and peanut butter into small balls to make your own on-the-go granola bites. Remember that most snacks should ideally include protein and a fruit/starch or vegetable. Also remember that you still only require snacks 2-3 times per day, which should remain the case even when you are on the move.
