Need Help - Long Drive

hayleyclare34
hayleyclare34 Posts: 35 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I have a trip coming up that's going to take 14 hours (driving) there and back, so 28 hours total. That in itself is going to be a challenge because I'm doing it by myself. Anyway, just looking for suggestions/advice on what to eat/drink. Obviously I'm going to need energy and don't want to stop too many times. My biggest fear is that I'm going to get hungry and pull up to the nearest mickie d's and destroy everything I've been doing. I will definitely have water with me, I drink 2L a day anyway. Any help is greatly appreciated, thanks in advance :)

Replies

  • mindidily
    mindidily Posts: 196 Member
    Pack your own stuff in a cooler. That's what I do on road trips.
  • BarackMeLikeAHurricane
    BarackMeLikeAHurricane Posts: 3,400 Member
    Easy! Protein shakes, nuts, and seaweed. If you need/want carbs just bring a few apples.
  • tracywaz
    tracywaz Posts: 53 Member
    Easy! Protein shakes, nuts, and seaweed. If you need/want carbs just bring a few apples.

    Did a long road trip in February with my family and actually did better on the road than I did at the destination!
    Protein bars, lots of water, apples, nuts, etc.. We did stop for a real meal once on the way and it was fast food. If you have a smart phone, you can plan your meal by looking up nutrition info on an app. Technology rocks!
  • hannakengu
    hannakengu Posts: 79 Member
    Either do what mindidily said and pack your own stuff, or preplan your stops. Seriously, pull out google maps, estimate how far you'll be when it's lunch time, see what's available there and make plans to go to a certain healthier restaurant/check out the menu beforehand and decide what you'll get/see if there's subway available/whatever fits your way of eating. Do the same for dinner, and so on. And pack snacks that don't go bad without a cooler, like fruits. And plenty of water!
  • hayleyclare34
    hayleyclare34 Posts: 35 Member
    I was trying to stay away from things that needed to be in the cooler. I only have a little one and would like to keep that for water. Also trying to stick to things that are easy to eat while driving (yes I know it's bad). Nuts, fruit and protein bars it is! I was thinking of having a protein shake in the morning before I hit the road.

    I hate Google maps, it says it'll take 9hrs. I've done this trip before (not driving/by myself) and we've never done it that quickly. Only people who have do it over night and don't stop. I will at least try to plan a general area though.

    Destination will be easy because I'll be going home and my mom is a health nut lol

    Thanks!
  • 2FatToRun
    2FatToRun Posts: 810 Member
    Subway is a good stop and go, even if you had to eat at a fast food place for breakfast lunch and dinner if you make the right choices you will be in your calorie goals and macros. it is 2 days not forever. Drink a ton of water to counter the higher sodium if you choose to eat fast food.
  • jenns1964
    jenns1964 Posts: 384 Member
    My husband & I drive 28 hrs from TX to CA and back. We always take a case of water, beef jerky, fruit, pretzels for him and nuts for me. We do stop for a good meal about 1/2 way.
  • lilred806
    lilred806 Posts: 195 Member
    I eat sunflower seeds while driving long distances. The activity of getting the seed out helps keep me awake.
  • 2FatToRun
    2FatToRun Posts: 810 Member
    McDonalds:
    Breakfast:Fruit and maple Oatmeal 290 cals
    Fruit and yogurt parfait 150
    Banana 90 calories

    Lunch: 2 grilled wraps 500 cals
    apple slices 15 cals

    Dinner: Grilled chicken sandwich 350 cals
    small fries 230cals


    Total= 1,625 calories


    Banana you have to bring with you :drinker:
  • kimberly6106
    kimberly6106 Posts: 11
    I pack protein bars and fresh fruit for road trips. I also listen to audio books as it helps keep my mind occupied and off thinking about food. I find I snack half as much if I listen to book vs listening to the radio.
  • TigerPawsSC
    TigerPawsSC Posts: 20 Member
    I make the drive from Texas to South Carolina and back a few times a year. Mostly by myself. So I understand how hard this can be.

    Know that it is possible to eat fast food on a trip like this would destroying your calorie goals.

    Try Wendy's and their grilled chicken flatbread with a baked potato or with chili. In the alternative, plan your rest stops around meal times, and if you have the time, stop at a place where you can sit down and order a salad of some kind. This will give you the ability to refuel. I've always found nutra-grain bars to be a nice, filling, healthy snack on the road.
  • FoodandFitness
    FoodandFitness Posts: 502 Member
    Beef jerky
  • 2FatToRun
    2FatToRun Posts: 810 Member
    I have a trip coming up that's going to take 14 hours (driving) there and back, so 28 hours total. That in itself is going to be a challenge because I'm doing it by myself. Anyway, just looking for suggestions/advice on what to eat/drink. Obviously I'm going to need energy and don't want to stop too many times. My biggest fear is that I'm going to get hungry and pull up to the nearest mickie d's and destroy everything I've been doing. I will definitely have water with me, I drink 2L a day anyway. Any help is greatly appreciated, thanks in advance :)

    Am I missing something? I keep seeing ppl post snack items when it clearly says you will be driving for 14 hrs a day. Are you needing14 hrs worth of just snacks or meals and snacking?
  • ILoveTheBrowns
    ILoveTheBrowns Posts: 661 Member
    i find stopping at a cracker barrel or hooters for a nice hr break for a meal does wonders for moral...mix it up with the locals somewhere youve never been.
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
    Nuts, seeds, fruit, protein shake/bar, dry cereal, even chopped up veggies (they wouldn't take up too much room in your cooler, just put them in a bag or small container with a little water). You can get little to-go cups of peanut butter or make your own.

    There's nothing wrong with McD's, just check the nutritional info online, pick a few things that sound good and aren't too high in calories/fat. I tried one of their McWraps last weekend and it was delicious! Grilled sweet chili chicken for only 350 calories! The other two grilled McWraps are a little over 400 calories.

    And like someone else said, Subway's a good choice too. Same deal with them - there are some bad choices there too so just go to their website, pick a few options and you're good to go.

    I'm sure there are several other options but those two places are just about everywhere. You could also try stopping in at grocery stores but that could be a crap shoot. A lot of them have salad bars, rotisserie chicken or even sushi but if you're in some small town in the middle of nowhere your options will likely be limited.

    For breakfast, if you can find a Dunkin Donuts, their egg white flatbread with turkey sausage is yummy and only about 300 calories. They also have wrap versions of most of their breakfast sandwiches which are low cal. Again, check the website if that sounds interesting.

    And off the food topic for a moment...I'd encourage you to take a short walk every time you stop. A person can get mighty cramped up sitting for that long! Have fun!
  • kdfrands
    kdfrands Posts: 2
    Subway is a good stop and go, even if you had to eat at a fast food place for breakfast lunch and dinner if you make the right choices you will be in your calorie goals and macros. it is 2 days not forever. Drink a ton of water to counter the higher sodium if you choose to eat fast food.

    Agree with Subway. Take some bits of dark chocolate for that sweet craving.
  • RedneckMomma77
    RedneckMomma77 Posts: 85 Member
    Go to the grocery store, and buy the food like you would normally eat, and take it with you. Make sure you have plenty of water, fruits, veggies, nuts, or what ever type of eating plan you have been on. Road trips really aren't that hard. I make them every other week, and this is what I do.
  • erikmsp72
    erikmsp72 Posts: 137 Member
    When my mom drives long distances, she takes a little container of nibbly foods. On a long trip you could take several tupperware containers with the sorts of things that keep you going. Figure out the calories ahead of time so all you have to do is punch it in to MFP, you know?

    So, what she takes along in a smallish tupperware is:

    Ry-Krisp crackers
    carrot sticks
    Granny Smith Apple slices (they don't go brown fast like other apples)
    prunes (or whatever dried fruit you love-- raisins, cranberries, etc)
    A few nuts -- cashews, smoked almonds?
    You might even be able to put an olive or two on the bottom (so any oil didn't mess up the crunch of the crackers)

    All of what's in there is finger food and is reasonably low-calorie and would stave off hunger pangs (along with water).

    The other thing that I've become fond of are the 3-ounce, single-serving cans of tuna you can get now. Only 70 calories, LOTS of protein, no refrigeration required. You'd need a fork though. And tuna is improved with some hot salsa, I think. . . . but that may just be me.

    Finally, Amazon sells these little meals-ready-to-eat called St. Dalfour Gourmet on the Go. They come packaged with a little mini-spork, they are about 200 calories per can, and they're actually pretty tasty. It's not a fab meal . . . but it means you don't stop at McDonald's and get tempted by the fries!
  • hayleyclare34
    hayleyclare34 Posts: 35 Member
    I have a trip coming up that's going to take 14 hours (driving) there and back, so 28 hours total. That in itself is going to be a challenge because I'm doing it by myself. Anyway, just looking for suggestions/advice on what to eat/drink. Obviously I'm going to need energy and don't want to stop too many times. My biggest fear is that I'm going to get hungry and pull up to the nearest mickie d's and destroy everything I've been doing. I will definitely have water with me, I drink 2L a day anyway. Any help is greatly appreciated, thanks in advance :)

    Am I missing something? I keep seeing ppl post snack items when it clearly says you will be driving for 14 hrs a day. Are you needing14 hrs worth of just snacks or meals and snacking?


    You're not missing anything, I've noticed that too. It may be because I said I don't want to be stopping too many times and also mentioned somewhere that I wanted foods I could eat while driving. I do need both though, even if it's mostly snacking and at least one decent meal.
  • hayleyclare34
    hayleyclare34 Posts: 35 Member
    I make the drive from Texas to South Carolina and back a few times a year. Mostly by myself. So I understand how hard this can be.

    Know that it is possible to eat fast food on a trip like this would destroying your calorie goals.

    Try Wendy's and their grilled chicken flatbread with a baked potato or with chili. In the alternative, plan your rest stops around meal times, and if you have the time, stop at a place where you can sit down and order a salad of some kind. This will give you the ability to refuel. I've always found nutra-grain bars to be a nice, filling, healthy snack on the road.

    I live in SC and going to PA! I think sitting down for lunch (hopefully half way) will probably be a good idea. Also planning my day ahead of time so I don't just pull up and eat crap will be the best.
  • BoomstickChick
    BoomstickChick Posts: 428 Member
    We just had a nearly 20 hour trip. We bought sandwich meat and bread. Refused to stop at fast food places. Also got a lot of fruit to keep in the cooler and a couple gallons of water we'd keep refilling. Got the kids juice boxes.
  • run_way
    run_way Posts: 220
    Sugar-free gum in a few different flavors, pack a cooler with some turkey, cheese & crackers (but not the whole box!) and some fruit. Looks like you've got the water taken care of :)

    If you don't want to pack your meals, plan on places to stop and eat. Use Google maps to find a Subway or somewhere with healthy choices along the way, log your calories ahead of time, so that you know exactly what and about when you're going to eat. Pick a place that you will be passing through right about lunch time, or whenever you think you'll be getting hungry.

    Happy trails!
  • DeeVanderbles
    DeeVanderbles Posts: 589 Member
    Honestly, I'd buy a decent sized lunch box (there are some that will hold about a 6pack of soda and only cost $8-$10) and make some sandwiches or wraps to stick in there for the meal. That way you've got the cooler for the beverages, and a small lunch box for any food you may want to keep cool.

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