When thinking about a road trip and the food you will eat, you might not just need some quick snacks, but actual full and well-balanced meals.
Perhaps you don’t want to eat another McDonald’s chicken sandwich, or you simply don’t want to stop at a restaurant and spend too much time there. These options include foods you can eat in the car, with some that do require finding a local rest stop to heat it up.
1. Tuna With Crackers or Bread
As long as you don’t mind the smell of tuna in a can or a foil package, this is a great meal to bring with you! It is particularly useful in your hotel room when you need a quick meal but don’t have access to a kitchenette or nearby restaurant offering a healthy option.
Get your tuna in the foil packages so you don’t have to mess around with a can opener. If you don’t have a cooler with mayonnaise, you can still use a little travel-size bottle of olive oil, some seasonings in a baggie, and some sliced olives to put in the tuna salad, then spread it on some bread or crackers.
2. Salads in Jars
You might not have access to all the dishes and containers you need to prepare salads from scratch while on the road, but you can certainly open a jar and stick a fork inside! Make some salad jars before your trip, then keep them fresh in the cooler.
Mason jars are perfect since the vegetables stay fresh and don’t wilt quickly. Make sure the heavier, crunchier vegetables are at the bottom and the lettuce is at the top, since it tends to wilt more easily. Keep dressing in a separate container.
3. Taco Salad
Yes, you can have taco salad right in your car! This is good for the first day, or second day if you have a cooler.
Brown some meat and put it in a freezer bag after it has cooled.
Bring along bags with lettuce and vegetables, and put those in the cooler as well. When you are at the rest stop, take out your ingredients, put them in a paper bowl or on a plate, and you have yourself a delicious taco salad.
4. Breakfast Burritos
This is something you can make if you have access to a cooler in the car, and a microwave in your hotel room or at rest stops. Even convenience stores often have microwaves you can use.
Make the burritos before you leave by scrambling the eggs and making burritos with your choice of healthy toppings, such as vegetables, cheese, and diced ham. Wait for the burrito to cool, then wrap it tightly in tin foil and keep it frozen until you leave. Put it in the cooler when you leave for your trip, then take it out and open it to microwave when you’re ready.
