meal bar for a hot car?

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55in13
55in13 Posts: 1,091 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I will be headed on a vacation that will involve a lot of driving in a little over a week. When we are on the road, I usually let the kids pick stops for food and it isn't always healthy or may have limited appeal to me even if there are items I could work with. Anyway, I sometimes grab a box of meal bars to keep in the car for these trips. One problem I have with that idea is that a lot of them are not heat tolerant and I end up with a gooey mess or something that has melted and rehardened and doesn't want to budge out of the wrapper. This trip will be longer than usual in miles and days and it is likely to be particularly hot where we are headed. Any good meal bars that tolerate heat well? I do IF fairly often, so I am pretty tolerant of things that aren't filling as a meal; having decent nutrition and withstanding heat are tops on my list. I have tried to always remember to take them inside and back out, but I forget and they get left in the heat or left at someone's house.

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  • javajunco
    javajunco Posts: 81
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    Kind bars do pretty well in the heat, since they are mostly nuts and berries.
  • lisamarie1780
    lisamarie1780 Posts: 432 Member
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    I will be headed on a vacation that will involve a lot of driving in a little over a week. When we are on the road, I usually let the kids pick stops for food and it isn't always healthy or may have limited appeal to me even if there are items I could work with. Anyway, I sometimes grab a box of meal bars to keep in the car for these trips. One problem I have with that idea is that a lot of them are not heat tolerant and I end up with a gooey mess or something that has melted and rehardened and doesn't want to budge out of the wrapper. This trip will be longer than usual in miles and days and it is likely to be particularly hot where we are headed. Any good meal bars that tolerate heat well? I do IF fairly often, so I am pretty tolerant of things that aren't filling as a meal; having decent nutrition and withstanding heat are tops on my list. I have tried to always remember to take them inside and back out, but I forget and they get left in the heat or left at someone's house.

    don't you have a cool bag/box you could keep them in?
  • 55in13
    55in13 Posts: 1,091 Member
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    don't you have a cool bag/box you could keep them in?
    Not that would last for several days. I will readily admit that the best course of action is to take better care of them, but realistically that isn't going to happen.
  • MyChocolateDiet
    MyChocolateDiet Posts: 22,281 Member
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    slim fast has a fruit and yogurt bar that has very little white yogurt on the outside, so less melty. Detail_Mealbar_FYTM464-110281.png

    they have a chocolate crisp with almonds one too that's similarly lighly drizzled with chocolate so less melty too. Detail_Mealbar_SSCA464-110276.png

    kind bars are nearly all nuts. and though they are not called MRB this particular one is close in macro's to slim fast meal bars. 10 g protein, 200 cals, and some fiber.
    almond_walnut_macadamia.jpghttp://www.kindsnacks.com/kind-store/buy-kind-bars/kind-plus/kind-plus-almond-walnut-and-macadamia.html

    https://www.google.com/search?q=insulated+lunch+bags&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=dszKUZ6UKMTJiwKlsoCoAw&sqi=2&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1360&bih=655
  • daffodilsoup
    daffodilsoup Posts: 1,972 Member
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    The fruit-based Clifs should hold up well in heat - apricot, banana bread, oatmeal raisin - since there's nothing in there or drizzled on top to melt. Not sure what your ideal nutrition content is, but Kind Bars and Larabars would likely do well in heat.

    Also, you might try freezing the bars (if you have access to a freezer over the course of the trip) before putting them in the car in the morning - at least that way they'd take a little longer to melt.
  • newlifeforlucas
    newlifeforlucas Posts: 36
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    nature valley bars? :)
  • MyChocolateDiet
    MyChocolateDiet Posts: 22,281 Member
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    don't you have a cool bag/box you could keep them in?
    Not that would last for several days. I will readily admit that the best course of action is to take better care of them, but realistically that isn't going to happen.

    when I put anything in my ice chest it stays cold for a couple days with ice in it. that's what we did on vacay road trip with our snacks. we replaced the ice once in awhile and took the food into the fridge at the hotels. it worked out. my ice chest will still have ice unmelted in it a couple days later. also the ice packs that are like big bricks stay cold a long time and you could just take those in and out every once in awhile.

    Finally, in a pinch I will get a slim fast shake and pour it over ice and stir it around and it tastes okay, so that's an option too. They are better cold but shaken with ice or stirred they are still ok. I don't know if it got too hot how watered down they'd be when you put them on ice, but it's worth a try.
  • Lindaspencer
    Lindaspencer Posts: 226 Member
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    i love clif mojo bars - i get the chocolate almond and coconut ones - so even though it does have some chocolate chunks in it - at least it isnt surrounded a coating on outside which would melt more - otherwise - nature valley - ones seem to not melt - also belvita biscuits are so yummy - my favorite is blueberry - they wouldnt melt and have some nutrition as well :) have fun - we are goin on a family vacation next week so will be in the same boat
  • MyChocolateDiet
    MyChocolateDiet Posts: 22,281 Member
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    oh also I found on vacation that all the sightseeing burned more cals than expected. So maybe you could just have healthy snacks at those stops with the kids and afford cals for dinner and other meals.

    we also took actual nuts like pistachios and almonds on the trip and now that i remember I put my slim fast shakes in the ice chest and they were cold when I needed them.
  • lisamarie1780
    lisamarie1780 Posts: 432 Member
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    don't you have a cool bag/box you could keep them in?
    Not that would last for several days. I will readily admit that the best course of action is to take better care of them, but realistically that isn't going to happen.

    ah I see .... sorry that was my only idea haha :laugh:
  • krissynicole787
    krissynicole787 Posts: 121 Member
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    you can get a cooler that you plug into the outlet where you charge your phone! Also I HIGHLY recommend getting a windshield reflector. The car still gets warm but not as stifling as when you dont use anything.
  • Lesa_Sass
    Lesa_Sass Posts: 2,213 Member
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    We travel a great deal. What I pack when traveling is:

    Fruit, bananas and apples
    Nuts
    Kale chips (I make them home made)
    A large hunk of cheese
    Loaf of bread, either sliced or not.
    Peanut butter


    I carry zip lock baggies and refill them with ice in the Hotels we stay in for our cooler. I also bring water bottles and refill them in hotel gyms because they have cold filtered water in there.

    But I am in the United States and we have those options.
  • krissynicole787
    krissynicole787 Posts: 121 Member
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    but to answer your question....KIND bars!
  • 55in13
    55in13 Posts: 1,091 Member
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    kind bars are nearly all nuts. and though they are not called MRB this particular one is close in macro's to slim fast meal bars. 10 g protein, 200 cals, and some fiber.
    almond_walnut_macadamia.jpghttp://www.kindsnacks.com/kind-store/buy-kind-bars/kind-plus/kind-plus-almond-walnut-and-macadamia.html
    That one really appeals to me and a quick search found them at a good price with free shipping at Puritan's Pride. Hopefully they will make it to me before I leave (on the 4th). 12 should be more than enough.

    I go back and forth as to whether it is a good idea to keep something in the car nearly all the time. My old self would sometimes eat the emergency snack on the way to Burger King...
  • javajunco
    javajunco Posts: 81
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    another thought, although it's not the most affordable way to go. most gas stations carry at least a couple of different brands of meal replacement bars now. pack fewer, and buy as you go?
  • 55in13
    55in13 Posts: 1,091 Member
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    But I am in the United States and we have those options.
    I am also US and have options, but I am just bad about not taking the time and/or remembering. I will have a cooler with other drinks and snacks for the kids. The Kind bars would be gone in an hour if I put them in there (I will have 3 teens with me). :grumble:
  • trisH_7183
    trisH_7183 Posts: 1,486 Member
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    another thought, although it's not the most affordable way to go. most gas stations carry at least a couple of different brands of meal replacement bars now. pack fewer, and buy as you go?

    My idea also.It's hard to get away from Walmart.The truth is,very little holds up well in a hot car,including me :grumble: Whatever works,enjoy your vacation.
  • Lesa_Sass
    Lesa_Sass Posts: 2,213 Member
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    But I am in the United States and we have those options.
    I am also US and have options, but I am just bad about not taking the time and/or remembering. I will have a cooler with other drinks and snacks for the kids. The Kind bars would be gone in an hour if I put them in there (I will have 3 teens with me). :grumble:

    Put one of the kids in charge of it, problem solved. Responsibility is good for children. I can also state that I am betting a trip to the ice machine to fill up baggies would be fun for a couple of them as well.

    But I will say that because I have made doing things like this a major part of our lifestyle it is easy for us. I do not like to waste money and eating healthy, especially on the road, is very important to us.

    If you have a smart phone, download Evernote. You can make a note with lists in it. You can make a check list for each day and boom, there you go.

    If you happen to be traveling 77 south from where ever you are, there are a few farmers markets not far off the interstate at Galax and Charlotte. Of course there will be a host of road side fruit and veggie stands. Like I said before, we travel so often we have it down to an art form.
  • corgicake
    corgicake Posts: 846 Member
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    I can't remember the brand at the moment, but they're the dirt cheap ones at the grocery store. They come in a green box in dire need of a graphic designer and texture of chipboard but they're tasty and practically immune to heat. Also, there's the apple slices and ice water way to refill a cold bag - go to McDonalds, order one bag of apple slices and an ice water for each person in the car, and when folks have drank the water they can empty the ice into the cold bag.

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