130 million Americans will road trip at least once this year.
On average, a family of four will spend $1,200-2,000 per week dining out while on vacation.
Trimming that number down to $500-700 per week not only benefits your budget but your nutrition health as well.
Road tripping has some budgetary and nutrition advantages – and packing your own food tops the list.
It doesn't happen spontaneously, so Trish Brimhall, RDN, CD, CLE, joined us with three tips to make road trip nutrition affordable and tasty.
Plan Ahead
1 restaurant meal per day (breakfast at hotel, picnic lunch, eat-out for dinner).
Take a small cooler or insulated bag.
Don't pack just snack foods – think meal building blocks as well.
Convenience stores can fill in some gaps but beware of garbage-gut from overdoing it on snack foods.
Involve Everyone
Let everyone choose some snack or food items.
Consider including some exceptions – maybe some cereals you don't usually buy, or maybe some fun, exotic items that you don't usually splurge on. Vacation eating should be fun.
Be creative with your picnic meal ideas – hit a grocery store occasionally to refresh your lunch supplies.
Stock Up
Keep plenty of water on hand and avoid drinking too many sweetened beverages.
Intentionally include fiber and protein foods such as fruits, veggies, cheese, jerky, nuts, seeds, etc. These will help keep your full without that garbage-gut feeling. If possible, include whole grain breads, cereals, or crackers.
Road trips already demand plenty of time and money. With a little planning, eating well can become part of the adventure instead of another expense.
You can get more advice from Trish at nutritiousintent.com.
