Good gas station foods?

WVmom24

I go out of town a lot of weekends with a couple local bands, and there is NOTHING healthy about any of their diets or anywhere we go to eat. It's either a gas station, fast food place, or if we're on a longer trip, a quick restaurant like Steak n Shake or White Castle (both are known to make my intestines simultaneously explode and implode, but who can resist those jalapeno burgers?). What are some better options to choose from on the road? I live on muscle milk shakes and protein bars when we go out, when I don't succumb to temptation, that is. I need more options because the protein crap gets old. It can't be an every meal thing. This past weekend I just gave in and lived on junk and alcohol like the rest of my skinny *kitten* friends, lol. Gained 6lbs. Not happy :P

fitbum19

I usually opt for 2 fresco style tacos from Taco bell,. Subway isn't bad if you get a veggie salad or sub. Stay away from their meat though. And I don't think there are any healthy options at any gas station....maybe Wawa or Sheetz if you have those.

SassyCalyGirl

Pack a cooler with healthy foods

BettyIW

For our part-time monthly travel job and for our personal vacations, we (my husband and I) often times pack an insulated lunch box and picnic basket with fresh fruit--grapes, strawberries, blueberries, melon, carrots, broccoli, kale, raw asparagus, boiled eggs, can or packet of tuna or chicken, Wasa light rye crisp,......................With our travel schedule for work, we got to the point of wanting to gag when we saw restaurant food and gas station food.
And chances are your skinny *kitten* friends won't be skinny *kitten* friends for long if they continue their chosen path. :noway: Be a leader not a follower.

MyJourney1960

if this is a lot of weekends as you say, then you need to get more organized. You lost a nice bit of weight already (:flowerforyou: ) it's a shame to go back to where you were.

Pack food for yourself in a small insulated bag. I don't know what kind of road conditions you have - do you stay at a motel or somethign where you might have a fridge? how many days are you away from home?

I would take fruit, veg (like cucumbers, cherry tomatos), canned tuna, natural peanut butter, whole grain crackers or rice cakes. for the first day you can make yourself a big salad, add some frozen chicken (chicken that you make and freeze) - this can stay out for a few hours at least and by the time you're ready to eat, the chicken will eb defrosted. or make a few healthy sandwiches (whole wheat bread or wraps, fresh veg, sliced chicken (homemade), or omelette or cheese (I would stay away from eggs and tuna unless you have a good a/c and can keep them in an insulated bag. take a few protein bars as well.

KateHill1981

I don't know if you have any Sunoco's or Kangaroo's on your journies, but both gas stations offer yogurt, fresh fruit, cheese sticks, fruit cups like ruby red grapefruit cups and water. And Kangaroo in my town offers a fresh brewed green tea that is fabulous! (not sure if it's diet- I think it is made with real sugar. But occasionally in place of a soda makes me feel good when I just don't feel like water.) I don't know how you feel about beef jerky but it's high in protein and available at most gas stations. Pack some Ziploc bags of your favorite healthy snacks. Takes a little longer to prepare but totally worth it! If you stop at a quick restaurant, enjoy your burger but if you get fries, share them with a friend or skip them all together.

Have fun this summer!

ValerieMartini2Olives

Why don't you just pack healthy snacks before you leave?

Vicki8524

I would pack snacks. Rice cakes, almonds, berries,applesauce, fruit. Gas stations have too many tempting foods and the calories would add up to quickly (not to mention the $$). You have lost a great amount of weight so far and don't want to go backwards. Good Luck!

krystina_letitia9

Beef jerky - higher in sodium but decent protein. Water. Most gas stations now have fruit and granola bars, protein bars, etc...

Also, pack food from home. It's your best bet.

chubby_checkers

Pack food for yourself in a small insulated bag. I don't know what kind of road conditions you have - do you stay at a motel or somethign where you might have a fridge? how many days are you away from home?

I would take fruit, veg (like cucumbers, cherry tomatos), canned tuna, natural peanut butter, whole grain crackers or rice cakes. for the first day you can make yourself a big salad, add some frozen chicken (chicken that you make and freeze) - this can stay out for a few hours at least and by the time you're ready to eat, the chicken will eb defrosted. or make a few healthy sandwiches (whole wheat bread or wraps, fresh veg, sliced chicken (homemade), or omelette or cheese (I would stay away from eggs and tuna unless you have a good a/c and can keep them in an insulated bag. take a few protein bars as well.

^^ I agree with this and this vv

don't know if you have any Sunoco's or Kangaroo's on your journies, but both gas stations offer yogurt, fresh fruit, cheese sticks, fruit cups like ruby red grapefruit cups and water. And Kangaroo in my town offers a fresh brewed green tea that is fabulous! (not sure if it's diet- I think it is made with real sugar. But occasionally in place of a soda makes me feel good when I just don't feel like water.) I don't know how you feel about beef jerky but it's high in protein and available at most gas stations. Pack some Ziploc bags of your favorite healthy snacks. Takes a little longer to prepare but totally worth it! If you stop at a quick restaurant, enjoy your burger but if you get fries, share them with a friend or skip them all together.

Most gas stations will have a few healthier options. Look in the cold cases. String cheese, veggies with dip, and sometimes yogurt. Beef jerky isn't bad if you don't mind the sodium. Drink water instead of soda. If you have a smart phone, you can look up healthier alternatives for fast food. Get a cheeseburger and apple slices at McDonald's, or the fresco tacos at Taco Bell (like already mentioned). You can make it work, it just takes a little more effort.

99clmsntgr

Meat pressed to look like riblets sammich. Cold.

There is nothing else you need to buy.

For serious.

melindasuefritz

tickets and the beverage wall. In fact, we found 10 of them!
1.Seeds – Most gas stations sell sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds, also known as pepitas, which make for a high-fiber, nutritious snack when portions are kept in proportion.
2.Nuts – Think like a squirrel and look for cans of peanuts, walnuts, almonds, cashews or macadamias to nibble on. If possible, choose a low-sodium variety in a small handful.
3.Cereal – Single serving boxes of whole grain cereals, such as Cheerios®, Chex® or Wheaties®, make a great crunchy snack. Or, add some…
4.Dairy – Look around the dairy section for cartons of milk, cheese sticks, low fat cottage cheese, or single serving containers of yogurt, such as Yoplait® Greek.
5.Fruit – Some gas stations may carry a limited variety of fresh fruit, such as apples or bananas. If not, dried apricots, raisins, dried cranberries and prunes (dried plums) are all a good snack option.
6.Bars – For a more nutritious alternative to candy bars, grab some of those Fiber One® Bars or Nature Valley Granola Bars® instead.
7.Jerky – While you wouldn't want to eat it every day due to its high sodium content, beef/turkey/venison jerky is a relatively lower-calorie, higher-protein snack option.
8.Milk – Half-pint cartons of low fat milk are a good way to quench your thirst and increase your calcium and vitamin D intake.
9.Juice – Skip the soda and look for 100 percent fruit juice for a tasty and vitamin-C rich way to hydrate.
10.Water – Need we say more? Drink as much water as you wish!


When you're stopped at a gas station and snacks catch your eye, don't default to whatever looks tastiest. While on the eatbetteramerica roadtrip, Andy and Alli discovered there ARE healthy food options at the gas station, so be selective about what you decide to grab on the go! Check out the video and tips for healthy gas station eating
this is from livebetteramerica.com

melindasuefritz

energy bars/Protein bars

TheRealJigsaw

Pack a cooler with healthy foods

maddymama

Go Picnic has shelf stable meal options. Pack some of those, maybe some fresh fruit in a cooler.

CherylP67

I any gas stations have healthy options, fruit cups, those little hummus and pretzel crackers, veggies and dip.

If I needed a meal at a gas station I would select; packaged almonds, beef jerky, fruit or veggie cup (probably fruit because I would be self conscious crunching in a car full of people) and Greek yogurt to dunk my fruit in.

JusticeGirl25

Corn nuts?

thewordwarrior

Hey! I live in Arizona, but my family is in California, so I'm often on the road to visit them, so I know just how you feel! Sometimes the trips are impromptu, so I don't always have the forethought to pack. My favorite on the road meal is probably Subway. I like the flatbread breakfast sandwiches with egg whites, avocado, and a lot of veg. The flatbread, egg whites, and avocado (no cheese!) comes in at about 400 calories.

thewordwarrior

Oh, and AWESOME tattoos, by the way!

ldrosophila

In a bind grab some cheese sticks, some kind of nut packet, and/or beef jerky. Sure it's loaded with salt, but you get some good protein. I've seen some good and questionable fruit in gas stations too.