As the warm weather approaches, are you looking to get out and do some exploring this spring and summer? One way to do so is taking a road trip! It allows you to have the flexibility that traveling with a car allows, while also being the safest option available. The key to staying on track with your wellness journey is to be prepared as being prepared does two things:

1. Puts you in control of what you are eating.

2. Eliminates the “I’m starving, and the only option is fast food”.

To combat this, I have put together some recommendations:

· Bring a large cooler. I just recently purchased this one in preparation for a trip this summer.

· Pack re-freezable ice packs.

· Pack proteins 👉 peeled hard boiled eggs in a ziploc bag, peanut butter, cheese sticks, hummus, deli turkey (low sodium), chicken salad, and even meatballs.

· Pack washed fruit 👉 berries, grapes, apples, melon, and bananas.

· Pack washed/prepped veggies 👉 celery, carrots, cucumber, pepper, and olives.

Having everything washed ahead of time allows you to easily grab food while on the road.

Other ideas that do not have to be kept cool are:

· Seed crackers, small high fiber wraps, bananas, roasted chickpeas, mixed nuts, low sugar Kind bars, and applesauce.

If you are traveling to a place that has a kitchen, you may want to pack more staples. If it’s a hotel, then you can use the cooler to help save leftovers (stock with ice from hotel) from a meal or the leftovers of your travel snacks. The other thing to look into is what type of shopping is close to where you are staying. Is it a local store or a big box store? Curbside pickups can be a nice option to restock before you leave. Remember, stores will often carry pre-prepared vegetables and you can always wash produce in a kitchen or hotel room. If that is not ideal, you can pick up precut fruit. Remember to bring extra ziploc bags to help with packing. Keeping spare napkins, bowls, and cutlery also help make eating in the car much neater!

Safe travels!