Deliciously Hit the Road this Summer

Whether you are taking a day trip, overnight road trip, or camping your way to a destination, packing a cooler healthfully is an art and a science.  Combining the know-how of these tips with your personal preferences is a sure fire way to feel your best and fuel your energetic needs for everything you want to do on your getaway. 

Begin with the staff of life.  Protein that pleases you creates energy to go farther.  Eating a little protein most every time you eat is the answer for energy + keeping your weight lean.  Travel worthy protein includes organic jerky, wild salmon and tuna pouches, hard boiled eggs, and yogurt.  Because protein and healthy fat are found together in nature, you will also get some protein value from nuts and seeds.  Adding a jar of good nut butter to your road worthy snacks is sensible.

Tuck in almond flour based cookies light on sweetener and high in antioxidants.  The book A Fresh Wellness Mindset [available on Amazon] has recipes including lemon scones, chocolaty cherry cookies, pecan shortbread cookies, and banana cake that fill the bill for delicious satisfaction morning, noon and night. 

Keep it cool.  Freeze what is freezable before you depart your trip.  Put everything else in the refrigerator the night before.  Keep the items that need not be cooled in cooler bags to preserve their temperature.  Replenish ice often.

Colorful variety is the basis of a yummy road trip.  Create a ‘road-side’ picnic with jarred artichoke hearts, olives, fresh fruit, crudité, hummus, and guacamole cups.  Add summer sausage and sliced turkey or other protein.  Large lettuce leaves, quality crackers or tortillas can be the wrap. 

Make treasured memories with the best ingredients.  Have Smores, hot dogs, and anything else that means summer fun to you.  Simply make it a habit to look at ingredient labels to be sure what you are purchasing appeals to your better sense to eat real lively food.  In other words, do not fall to overstated marketing that dominates food labels.  Rely on what is in it.  

Be Hydrated.  Use stainless steel and other flasks to keep your water cool.  Splurge with sparkling water or drop a piece of fresh cut fruit for a delicious infusion.  Plan where you are pulling off to fuel up or take a bathroom break and then drink up about an hour before arrival to avoid more bathroom stops.

Beware sugary drinks, juice boxes and energy drinks that create the opposite of your wishes.  Note sugar alcohol as an ingredient (erythritol, malitol, mannitol, sorbitol, xylitol, hydrogenated starch hydrolysates HSH and isomalt) can be labeled as ‘sugar free’.  If you consume alcohol (once you reach your destination) accommodate for the dehydration alcohol brings on by drinking more H20 for Cheers! 

These ideas for fun road tripping will spark summer memories you want to keep forever!