Cross-Country Drive- Food Tips?

lindsabe11e
lindsabe11e Posts: 24
edited September 28 in Food and Nutrition
This Saturday, my husband, two cats, and I will be driving from California to New Jersey (finally moving home! :bigsmile: ). Because of the cats, we will take 4-5 days to complete the trip, staying in hotels most nights. I'm bringing along my laptop and exercise DVDs in hopes that I can find the energy for 45 minutes every night.

I'm worried about what to eat on the road though. My husband has no qualms about eating fast food, which makes it sooo tempting to "just have a small serving of fries" (ahh!). I've already packed some fresh fruit and lots of water for the car ride. I'm worried if I pack anything else I might fall into "eating mindlessly while driving" and take in too much. :embarassed:

Does anyone have some tips for avoiding temptation annnd staying food-conscious?


(Thanks in advance for reading :) You guys are the best!!)

Replies

  • SimplyDeLish
    SimplyDeLish Posts: 539
    I used to drive from LA to Utah often. I'd plan what I wanted to eat and keep it in the back seat. That way I had to stop to eat. So every time I'd stop for a break - I'd grab what I wanted - jerky, fruit, carrots, cheese sticks, etc.

    Drive safe and enjoy your new home!
  • Heatherbelle_87
    Heatherbelle_87 Posts: 1,078 Member
    Ia mindless eater while driving, sugar free mints and apples help alot (I avoid citric acid foods... I get car sick though not as the driver) the apples give you that crunching and chewing with high amounts of natural fiber to help keep you full, Baby carrots are another good option but I have to have mine with dressing, not a good idea in the car! Burker King (and I think McDonalds now) offers grilled instead of crispy chicken with their salads, get that with italian dressing and youll do pretty well calorie wise. You can also get grilled chicken sandwhiches at wendys without killing your calorie goal (obviously tons of water to help flush fast food sodium)
  • NeuroticVirgo
    NeuroticVirgo Posts: 3,671 Member
    I'm interested in the answers for this. I always have long trips and get crazy munchies.
  • tammywho327
    tammywho327 Posts: 54 Member
    Place snacks in the trunk if possible. . .lots of veggies, gum, water! Most Fast food places offer under 500 calorie meals/options! Subway has some good options and BK has apple fries (Never tried them but its a healthier option). Good luck and drive safely.
  • 1nsands
    1nsands Posts: 27
    There are two ways I'd approach it. First, I'd pack some healthy foods in an ice chest, and keep it somewhere that isn't too easy to get to and snack too much. Plan your meals to the best of your ability, that way. Second, look up some of the healthier items at your husband's favorite fast food places, and know what the calories are for each item ahead of time. This will help because it will prevent you from eating things that are just ridiculously high in calories AND help you to pick healthy items that you can budget for within your calories.

    Good luck and have fun!
  • bonesfan
    bonesfan Posts: 9
    You could bring pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds to snack on, takes some work to eat those : )
  • justavoice1989
    justavoice1989 Posts: 132 Member
    everyone has the great idea of stashing snacks somehwere you can't reach. i find 100 calorie snack packs to be satisfying when i want that "sweet treat". also though for the fast food stops, definitely check out the healthier option menu, but if your like me (i love fast food) youre gonna want your burger sometimes so ask for a chicken burger lettuce wrapped and add any condiments yourself (so you can keep track). i find that lettuce wrapped anything tastes even better than with the bread... and i LOVE bread.
    have fun!
  • TheLaser
    TheLaser Posts: 338 Member
    I'm driving from LA to Boston soon and I've got a few strategies. First, I'm preparing a few things in advance and keeping them along with my yogurt and cheese in a small cooler. I'll also be bringing along quick-cooking healthy cereals that I can make with hot water from a hotel coffee machine, like the Bob's Red Mill cereals. I'm not one to snack while driving, but I plan to have fresh fruit and vegetables in case I do feel hungry. The key is planning ahead!
  • magicmama
    magicmama Posts: 19
    I used to drive between Maryland and west Tennessee every two weeks. Drink lots and lots of water. Add some lime juice or a bit of ginger to the water to give it some zing. Peel and slice some cucumbers every morning for that day's travel. When you eat meals, make sure that you STOP and eat. You get better variety that way (since you can choose something you'd need to eat with a fork or spoon), and eating at a table is significantly more emotionally satisfying than eating in the car.

    Long-lasting mints or mint gum will help as well. I'm also fond of the ginger chews from Trader Joe's. They are 20 calories EACH, so the calorie cost can be high, but they are big, so I just take a tiny bite and savor it until I need another tiny bite. It takes me an hour to eat one piece. :smile:
  • bruceseverson
    bruceseverson Posts: 35
    Here are some things I do when ordering fast food to stay within my Calorie goals (and balance my fat/carbs/protein):

    1) When ordering a sandwich, get GRILLED!

    2) Breaded, deep-fried chicken is worse than a hamburger.

    3) Skip the cheese.

    4) No mayo, dressing, or ketchup. Only mustard, salsa, or other low-cal toppings.

    5) Add tomato slices or lettuce if you can.

    6) Ask for only 1/2 the bun, or else just throw away the top half of the bun when you get it. This eliminates at least 50-100 Calories, depending on the size of the bun.

    7) Ask for a wheat bun, if available.

    8) Substitute for the fries - fruit cup, vegetables, "apple fries" (Burger King), cole slaw (drain the mayo), etc.

    9) Bring lots of water. Drink at least 12 oz. about 30 minutes before eating.

    10) Watch out for high-calorie "traps", like restaurant salads, baked beans, pasta dishes with cheese and cream sauce, etc.

    Hope this helps some. Good luck!

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  • Cytherea
    Cytherea Posts: 515 Member
    Take tons of snacks with you. My husband and I made the opposite trip a few years ago- from Massachusetts to California. At the time, I wasn't concerned with my weight, but we were concerned about money! Go to a Costco or Sam's Club and buy some foods in bulk. Get 100 calorie packs, if you want, or get large packages of whatever healthier snacks you eat normally (trail mix and pita chips are always good). My husband got some jerky and snacked on that the whole trip. We also had a huge box of fruit. My aunt baked us some zucchini bread, and that was such a life saver. Do something like that, bake some treats for yourself so that you can have the homemade, healthy version on hand. Bring tons of bottled water. You will inevitably stop at fast food restaurants, so just make the best of it and make the healthiest decisions you can. But you should go out to some of the local places that you'll be, too, to get the full experience! :smile:

    When people are in situations like that, my recommendation is to put yourself on maintenance mode. It will give you a higher calorie allowance, while allowing you to enjoy yourself and not be as stressed out, and you won't gain weight! I've done this many times when I've been away on vacation, or visiting home, or even when I have visitors come to see me and we eat out a lot. I've always been able to maintain, and find that sometimes, when you go back to the weight loss calorie allowance after that, you'll end up losing even more- just like what happens when you first start!

    Best of luck on your trip home! How are you transporting the cats? Just in the car with you? In carriers? What if they have to go to the bathroom? lol... I'm curious, because we have 2 cats too, and if we end up moving home someday, we are going to have the same situation that you are in!
  • lindsabe11e
    lindsabe11e Posts: 24
    Thank you all for your suggestions!! We made it home a few days ago and are living with family until we find a place to live.
    The grapes and carrots were awesome "munching" foods, and I took the advice for fast food stops too- grilled chicken or a light sandwich from subway.
    I'm happy to report I have maintained my weight and even got a few workouts in, but now it's back to work :) Thanks again!!

    Cytherea- I'll message you the details about the cats!
  • kew736
    kew736 Posts: 28
    I did a similar road trip earlier this month.
    We popped into a produce depot and got like 3 bags of various fruits; oranges, apples, bananas, peaches, plums.
    As well we had fiber 1 granola bars, and the special k new kind of bar (great for bkft or a treat)

    It was convienent because if you were hungry, you could just grab an apple for lunch lol...

    So it cut down on the amount of fast food places we went to dine out to.....and feeling gross since you can't exercise sitting in a car all day.
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