Come away, come away, come away with me!
As summer breezes begin to blow, the temptation to embark on an adventure becomes irresistible (do you remember the Wind in the Willows?) Here is a menu to fuel the energy of your wanderlust and set you on a course for a wunderbar journey. (Approved by my Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetic Educator husband.)
Healthy and happy foods make for good traveling companions. If you eat mostly healthy food, you’ll feel better and will probably consume fewer calories than if you eat a lot of junk food.
The cold things should be in a cooler and the rest can be packed in a cute container with compartments or in a basket that’s easy to get to. A friend always packs her veggies in mason jars with ice water.
Tip: My sister-in-law makes her husband stop once a day for a sit-down meal on long trips.
Here are some of our favorites:
Drinks:
Water and fruit-infused water in bottles (lemon, strawberry, cucumber)
Vernor’s ginger ale for motion sickness
Caffeinated soda for drowsiness, can be diluted half and half with water so it’s not so sweet, or the diet variety
Fruit juices and nectars and V8
Mixed nuts
String cheese
Whole grain crackers
Popcorn
Trail Mix: I don’t like raisins and sticky foods in the car, but we do have a great trail mix made with mixed nuts, M&Ms, whole grain cereal and candy corn (I know but I’m addicted).
Beef jerky
Olives
Fresh fruits: grapes, apples, melon and bananas for less-messy eaters (plus baby wipes)
Fresh veggies: carrots, jicama, cucumber, grape tomatoes, celery, broccoli, peppers
Sandwiches, wraps and pinwheels (tortilla rolls with cream cheese, meat, tomato slices and lettuce)
Whole grain bagels and cream cheese
Long trips: A loaf of whole wheat bread and a jar of peanut butter
Yogurt in tubes
Bar cookies are usually thicker and more stable than round ones
Homemade granola bars
My boys liked to take a Frisbee or football in the car to play with at rest stops.
Bon appetit and bon voyage!
