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Summer Road Trip Tips: Feeding the Beasts
Jun 17 2008 by Emily Hansen
6/17/08
Think Twice About Packing Junk Food
As promised in the last installment of the MotherProof family road trip series, today we’re talking about roadkill, I mean road food. When traveling with kids, it’s wise to think ahead and plan for food stops as well as snacks inside the car.
A little research can make meal-stops almost as memorable as the stop at the Paul Bunyan statue in Bemidji, Minn. Using an application such as Google Earth is a great way to locate restaurants along your route. While fast food may seem like an obvious choice, choosing something local can be an adventure in itself. I like to use Roadfood.com, which lists places with regional color and in many cases a diner atmosphere. A premium membership to the site allows downloads to portable navigation systems or a mobile phone. When all else fails, finding a reliable chain restaurant offers consistency and a reasonable price.
As mentioned, a good selection of munchies in the car makes everyone happy. Pack a small cooler with “neater” fruits such as grapes or apples and quick protein like string cheese or portable yogurt. Be careful about throwing caution to the wind when it comes to junk food; Cheetos smeared on fawn-colored leather is just sick and wrong. Not to mention that too much junk can upset little tummies, especially when motion is involved. Some good (read: tidy) dry snacks include wheat crackers, sunflower seeds and, when living large, Bugles or SunChips.
The other major snack group I will caution you about is chocolate. It just isn’t a great choice in the car because of its meltiness, but a little sugar can perk up spirits when the road gets long. So what’s a mom to do? Licorice and jelly beans are good (read: not very sticky) sweet treats that can be passed out in small quantities. But my favorite treat solution is gorp (also known as trail mix). Buy a package or mix a container of your own. Use nuts, dried fruit and, of course, a healthy dose of M&Ms, which are the least messy — and most fun — chocolate candy around.
By far, the best choice for a drink in the car is water. The most environmentally sound way to pack water is in reusable, BPA-free containers. But if convenience is your gig, you can pack a case of disposable water bottles. Count the number of bottles distributed so you can time potty breaks appropriately. Save the soda for the meal stops, if you are so inclined.
Always expect the unexpected when on the road. Try not to get so locked into a schedule that you act like the Griswolds in “National Lampoon’s Vacation,” barely looking at the bridge to nowhere. Remember, you are on vacation, stop to see the World’s Largest Bail of Hay and the scalp of Custer’s nephew.
Next up, the final installment of the 2008 MotherProof road trip series: Wrap up your plans, travel journals, pictures and videos.
Having fun on a summer road trip can be so fun and make a lot of great memories! Some of these tips are really going to help make anyone’s road trip the best it can be. I agree that lots of rest breaks are helpful to keep everyone’s spirits up! Jack in the box has come up with a great promotion this summer perfect for anyone on a road trip. You love those tacos from Jack in the Box, don’t deny it.—the crispy goodness with the melted cheese, hot sauce and crisp lettuce on the inside. With gas becoming more and more expensive, Jack wants to help you fill your stomach. Bring any gas receipt to Jack in the Box next Thursday, June 26th, and get TWO FREE TACOS. No gimmicks, no hidden fees, no purchase necessary—just two free tacos! Let all your friends know if they like taaaaacos