How To Eat Healthy On A Road Trip: My Menu

On Saturday, I made the 10-hour international drive from Rhode Island, USA to Toronto, Canada. It’s no secret: Road trips can be diet disasters, and I was determined not to let this drive detour me from healthy eating.


Breakfast options at 6AM are fairly limited. I was terrified to discover that McDonald’s was my only choice. I opted for a bottle of water and an Egg McMuffin without butter or cheese. It was decent, and reasonably healthy with some good protein.


For snack, I stopped at a gas station and picked up some unsalted trail mix and water. Unsalted nuts are a wise choice; though high in fat, it’s the good kind of fat. And they are packed with protein. The bag that I purchased contained five servings. After 30 minutes of mindless munching, I realized the bag was almost empty. Ops.

For lunch, I ordered a veggie delight sandwich on wheat bread from Subway. When browsing Subway’s nutrition information, I was shocked at the sodium, caloric and fat content for many of the sandwiches. A foot long chicken bacon ranch sandwich, for example, has more than 1300 calories and an entire day’s worth of fat. To get some protein, I also drank a smoothie rich with real fruit and protein from a nearby shop that I was fortunate to find.

It wasn’t perfect, but I did alright. Here’s what I learned:

• Plan ahead. You wouldn’t take a trip without thinking ahead, planning for the weather and packing a bag. Add stocking up on healthy snacks to that list. Soy jerky, apples, portioned trail mix or unsalted nuts, and vegetable sticks make for good snacking options.
• Dodge road trip hypnosis. It’s really easy to overeat when snacking on the road. You’re bored (no offense, upstate New York). Eating brings pleasure. If you pack a large bag of trail mix, it’s easy to eat the entire thing. Alternatively, pack smaller portions or individuals baggies with a proper portion.
• Drink water instead of soda or juice. Staying hydrated is important! But don’t pack in extra and empty calories with soda or other sugar drinks. Go for water. Your body will thank you.
• Avoid the fast food chains, if possible. Let’s face it: It’s nearly impossible to make healthy choices at fast food restaurants. Even subway can be shockingly unhealthy (though their marketing machine will try and tell you otherwise). Make yourself a sandwich and throw it in a cooler. Avoid the fast food chains whenever possible.
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Follow these tips and you should steer clear of diet disaster while on the road.
What do you usually eat when on a road trip? Any great snack ideas or tips to share? Let us know in the comments below.