Advice for eating while on the road?

Nerdlover12

A month from now I'm going on a road trip which involves eating at a lot of fast food places. If i was going alone i could chose the healthiest places but we like mcdonalds, cracker barrel, bob evans and ponderosa. I don't want to come home and have gained 5 pounds!

I can bring healthy snacks for the car ride but when i'm at a restaurant i don't usually want healthy foods. Can i still enjoy these foods? I won't be sitting constantly, we take hikes and sight see and when we go to rest stops theres usually places to run. So i will get exercise.

We usually eat ice cream a couple times as well.

I gained 4 pounds last year during my trip and i don't want that to happen!

gokate1

Honestly, I don't see any way for you to avoid this. Just exercise a lot before you go and cut back on what you eat so then you don't feel as bad on the trip. Also just try your best to not eat as much junk but don't feel bad if you do. This is a vacation...have fun!

themommie

You should look up the restraunts nutritional info before you go and write down the best choices then when you arrive at the restraunt dont look at the menu just order one of the best choices that you wrote down. This helps me alot when I go out.and when you go out for ice cream see if there are some lowcal choices or sorbet. I hope this helps. Have fun on your trip

rileamoyer

Went on a two week road trip in November and made it without gaining. Hamburger joints - skipped or shared fries, no condiments or cheese on burgers, no sodas - water or plain tea. Salads every chance I got!!! Most have quite a few good choices these days.. Managed a few nice meals at sit down restaurants (eating what I wanted) and a Thanksgiving dinner at my neice's without blowing the whole trip. PS: Even had waffles a couple times at hotel breakfasts (but usually stuck with oatmeal).

iamhealingmyself

Pack more than snacks for your trip. Bring a cooler and put in your favorite lunch meats or cooked meats like chicken, turkey etc., veggies, foods you normally eat. Pack things like milk and yogurts in smaller containers so they have more surface area to keep cold. Save the restaurants for your breakfast this way you can eat well and then burn it off on your excursions rather than eat it at night and then go to sleep.

With 3 kids, I can't afford to eat every time we stop so I always have a cooler with me. Some times you can get ice at places like McDonalds or one of the restaurants. Here in NC some McDonalds sell a 10lb bag for a buck and that's way cheaper than the stores. I also stopped at one in Florida last summer and they didn't sell the bags of ice but they were happy to fill my cooler for me. It will not only save you money but will save your sanity since you'll know exactly what you're eating. You order eggs or oatmeal or something you think is simple at a restaurant and you have no idea how they cooked it or how much of their "restaurant butter oil" (not really butter at all) they used for your portion.

Nerdlover12

Thank! This helps a lot. I think I'll just plan ahead. We usually stop at the same places so I know what to expect.