What Should You Eat Before Travelling In A Car?

Road Trips are always a fun way to travel. However, finding nutritious food in convenience stores, petrol stations, and rest areas during your trip might be difficult. Because driving for long periods can cause digestive difficulties like bloating and constipation, nutritious snacking is more crucial. As a result, look out for nutrient-dense snacks that you can either bring with you or buy on the way. When you’re on the road and travelling to tourist places in India, and you are likely to be less active than usual, bear in mind that several portable and shelf-stable snack selections are high in calories. Eating out at questionable places can cause further harm, therefore, ruining your travel experience.

Check out this list of nutritious road-trip snacks.

1. Nut butter and fresh fruit

Fruits are not only a great source of nutrients, but they can also be conveniently carried. Keep your bowel motions regular by snacking on high-fibre foods like fruit while driving, and you may avoid constipation due to inactivity. Adding almond or peanut butter to fruit like apples, strawberries, and bananas creates a filling snack. A variety of nut butter is available in convenient single-serve packets in most tourist places in India, making them ideal for on-the-go snacking. Organic, unsweetened nut butter squeeze packets are available easily in the market.

2. Trail mix

The classic road trip snack is trail mix, and for all the right reasons. Refrigeration isn’t necessary, and it’s packed with healthy fats and fibre to keep you going on those long drives. You may also find low-sugar options at most gas stations and rest areas. It’s best to stick to dried fruit that hasn’t been sugared or hasn’t been sweetened with cane sugar or honey. Making your own is another option. Add your favourite unsweetened dried fruits to a base of roasted seed and nuts or you can have them raw as well. Keep in mind that trail mix contains a lot of calories, even if you don’t include any candy. Trail mix can, however, be eaten in place of a meal when there aren’t any other food options, as is often the case. One strategy to reduce the calorie density of trail mix is to combine it with low-calorie fresh vegetables or fruits.

3. Granola bars with protein and oats.

Most protein and granola bars do not need to be refrigerated, making them ideal for road trips. It’s vital to choose bars made from natural foods like almonds, oats, seeds, egg whites, and dried fruit instead of those that are filled with sugar and other unhealthy additives. Nutritious bars can be purchased online or at your neighbourhood supermarket or most tourist places in India.

4. Energy bites

Often referred to as energy bits or balls, these tasty morsels are packed with protein and fibre from a variety of nuts, seeds, and dried fruit. Small in size, they carry a powerful nutritional punch. If you have a cooler, you can make them at home and bring them along. They are also easily available in tourist places in India, online or at your nearby supermarket.

5. Seeds and nuts

Even when eaten on their own, nuts and seeds are a delicious complement to a variety of other road trip snacks, such as dried or fresh fruit. Protein, good fats, and fibre abound in nuts and seeds. Eating more of these foods can reduce the chances of getting heart diseases and lower your blood sugar levels. There are plenty of healthy nuts and seeds that you can take along on your road trip to keep you energised and satisfied along the way.

6. Veggie and fruit chips

In an effort to satiate their hunger, a lot of people on the road trips rely on processed food items such as potato chips. Because of their high calories, salt, and additive content, these chips should be avoided. An alternative to this can be chips that are healthy and are made from dried vegetables and fruits if you’re craving a salty snack with a crunch. Or, if you prefer, you can prepare your fruit and vegetable chips at your house.

7. Unsweetened yoghurt

If you pack a cooler, you’ll have more options for snacks on the road. Make sure to pack your cooler with ice or ice packs to keep your unsweetened yoghurt fresh, since it is an excellent snack meal and a quick breakfast option when your options are limited. If you’re concerned about your sugar intake, steer clear of the flavoured yoghurts. As a rule of thumb, opt for unsweetened, unflavored kinds, and then add your toppings like dried fruit or nuts and seeds. Because it’s high in protein, unsweetened Greek yoghurt is a great way to stay satiated throughout the day.

8. Roasted Chickpeas

Chickpeas are packed with protein, fibre, magnesium, folate, and zinc, making them an excellent source of nutrition. For those who don’t want to carry about a can of chickpeas when driving or navigating, dried chickpeas are an excellent alternative. It’s also possible to purchase canned chickpeas in various flavour combinations in health food stores or online.

9. Fresh vegetables and a healthy dip

Freshly picked vegetables like carrots, peppers, celery, cucumbers, and broccoli are delicious, low in calorie snacks for your next road trip if you bring a cooler. In addition to satisfying your cravings for a crunchy snack, eating vegetables can lower the risk of developing a variety of diseases, such as obesity, and some malignancies.

Fresh vegetables can be paired with nutritionally dense dips like Greek yoghurt or hummus dip to increase the protein level and flavour of this snack option.

10. Hard-boiled eggs

In addition to the above, you can keep yourself energised on long road trips by eating hard-boiled eggs. They’re packed with nutrients such as protein, healthy fats, vitamin B12, antioxidants and choline, which makes them a very nutrient-dense snack option.

It’s important to keep it in an ice pack-filled cooler and consume it within one week of purchase.

11. Drinkable soups

It may seem strange to bring soup on the road, but with high shelf life, drinkable soups are an excellent choice for long road trips. Also, if fresh produce is unavailable, vegetable-based soups will help you hit your nutrition goals. 

In many cases, soups are packaged in containers that do not need to be refrigerated.

12. Avocados

Avocados are an excellent low-carbohydrate snack because of their high fibre and high-fat content. Plus, they’re packed with vitamins E and C, potassium, and folate. If you’re on the road for an extended period and need something to eat, these buttery fruits are ideal.  

13. Crackers and cheese

Anyone on the go can’t go wrong with cheese and crackers as a go-to road snack. Choose whole-grain crackers when shopping for them. Cheddar, brie, or your favourite cheese can be added to crackers for a delightful and nutritious snack. If you want to sweeten it up a bit, throw in some fresh fruit. This popular snack item is available across all tourist places in India. 

14. Almonds and chocolate

Don’t succumb to the temptation of sugary snacks and beverages at gas stations and rest stops when you’re on a lengthy road trip. As an alternative, consider bringing dark chocolate in your car as a healthy treat.

Polyphenol antioxidants are found in abundance in this delicious treat, which has anti-inflammatory qualities and is good for the heart. As a bonus, chocolate consumption in moderation can help prevent illnesses such as stroke and type 2 diabetes. 

Conclusion 

To plan your trip smartly, you ought to plan your meals. This will allow you to indulge in healthy snacks that can help keep you nourished and satiated while you’re on the road. To know more about such tricks and tips for travelling, visit the Cleartrip website and check out the extensive list of blogs related to anything and everything about travelling. You might also find some of the best deals on hotel bookings and other travel-related bookings. Visiting the best tourist places in India is now easier than ever, thanks to Cleartrip.

FAQs

Should I eat before getting in a car?

If you want to keep your stomach happy and your body healthy, the best thing you can do is bring a snack or small meal with you.

How long can food sit in a car?

Generally speaking, it is two hours if the outside temperature is hot.

How do you avoid fast food when travelling?

You can avoid fast food while travelling by packing a box of healthy snacks with you.

How can I eat more vegetables when travelling?

Try selecting your favourite vegetables and eating them in small quantities. You can also eat them with a healthy dip.

What should I eat after a long trip?

If you’re looking for something high in protein, eggs or fish are good options.

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