Healthy Eating, Healthy Living: Traveling While Eating Healthy

It’s the time of year that families are preparing for summer vacations, out of town trips for family parties, and even traveling for sports events. These are all fun events, but if you are anything like me, they are also a source of anxiety when it comes to maintaining a healthy diet while on the road. While it definitely takes some extra planning and isn't as “easy” as hitting up the nearest drive-through with golden arches, it is achievable!

I always remind myself of the saying “Failure to plan is planning to fail” anytime I get a little lax in my motivation to prepare foods. As we are preparing to go out of town this weekend I put together a quick and simple list to make ahead tonight and tomorrow to give us some healthy options. Here are just a few of the ideas that I have for my family this weekend…

Pre-made frozen pancakes. No, not the kind you get in a box at the store. Make some of your favorite gluten/grain free pancakes and put them into the freezer in a ziplock bag. They may thaw a bit in the cooler on the drive, but good news is they won’t go bad right away. We keep these on hand for the drive in case the little one gets hungry and for mornings at the hotel. (A great recipe coming soon made with plantains but we also love Pamela's Baking Mix... cook them in coconut oil and you will be amazed at good they are!)
Apple Chips. These are incredibly simple and always fun to snack on. Thinly slice a few apples and stick them in your dehydrator. There are also instructions you can find online for using your oven to dehydrate. Costco also carries a large bag of them! A picture is below.
Trail Mix. This old standby never lets us down. I get a big gallon sized bag and fill it with various nuts, Enjoy Life chocolate chips, raisins, and even Goji berries. It is easy to fill up on trail mix, but at least you won’t feel guilty about it!
Squeeze pouches make great travel food! You can buy organic squeeze pouches at the store. A few of the brands I like are Plum Organics, Peter Rabbit Organics, and Happy Family Organics. One great-but small-investment I made early on was refillable squeeze pouches from EZ Squeezees. These are very easy to use and wash out. The website has some great Paleo and Whole 30 recipes, too! I usually make a batch of food to fill the pouches and throw them in the freezer or fridge. The frozen ones get thrown in a cooler for the drive and the refrigerated ones stay in the car with us to eat along the way.
Chocolate Chip Cookies!! Eating healthier doesn’t always have to be boring-right?! I love this recipe from Zen Belly Blog. It really does taste like the chocolate chip cookies I loved before going grain free. Check them out! http://zenbellycatering.com/2013/01/05/chocolate-chip-cookies-like-you-remember-em/
When we need meals, rather than snack foods, we either allow enough time to go to an actual restaurant or search for a Panera or Jason’s Deli. Panera has a great “secret” menu and their new Broth Bowls are delicious!