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Ideas for healthy road trip snacks

Posted at 3:03 PM, Dec 03, 2014
and last updated 2014-12-04 16:01:36-05

If you're anything like me, the planning of your next epic road trip involves a lot of food. Half the fun of traveling is trying out new restaurants and new foods. 

But if you're going to be adding all those extra calories to your diet, it's especially important to at least keep the snacks in the car healthy. So leave the Doritos and Coca Cola behind (my particular drug of choice) and bring these healthy snacks on your next road trip.

For early departures: Bring a home-made smoothie. They're quick to make, delicious, and good for you!  Squeezable yogurts and granola bars are another healthy option.

Seasonal fruit. Anything that's easy to peel and eat is a good idea. Fruit is light and refreshing, and it will help keep you hydrated without the constant bathroom breaks. Berries are especially portable, and you aren't obliged to finish them in one sitting like you would an apple or banana.

Nuts and seeds. Get your salty, crunchy fix with a handful of sunflower seeds or almonds. They'll sustain you much longer than a bag of chips, and they're full of nutrients.

Raw veggies. Baby carrots, sugar snap peas, sliced cucumber. Any veggie finger food will do. If plain veggies don't appeal to you, fill a baby food jar with dressing. You can toss it in a recycling bin when you're done.

Water. Water is always the healthiest drink option. Flavored water or carbonated water works too, but try to avoid soda or sugary juice drinks. Why waste those empty calories on a bottle of soda when they can go to much better use on the banana bread french toast you'll want to try at the next diner?