Guest Post by Frank:
When travel includes a road trip, the right healthy snacks can keep everyone onboard satisfied, as well as energized for the destination ahead. Healthy munchies for the road need to be portable and ready-to-eat. Snacks need to satisfy a variety of cravings, from sweet to salty, light to hearty. You will want to pack food that will enhance your vacation experience, without leaving you feeling deprived. The best snacks for the road won’t just be healthy, they will taste great, too. Here are five healthy snacks fit for the road.
1. Trail Mix. While packaged trail mixes sold in store are often overloaded with sugar and fat, you can create your own trail mix, then store portions in sandwich-sized bags for easy eating. Start with a couple cups of whole grain cereal, then add two cups of dried fruit, such as raisins, apricots and cranberries. Add a cup each of sunflower seeds, nuts and dark chocolate chip. All these foods have powerful antioxidants, the nutrients that repair and prevent damage to the body’s cells.
2. Popcorn. A cup of plain popcorn only has 122 calories, and contains Vitamin B, folic acid, magnesium, selenium and zinc – all nutrients the body needs. For most people, however, plain popcorn fails the taste test. Pop the corn the night before the trip in canola oil – canola is one of the “good” fats, with healthy omega-3 fatty acids – then enhance the flavor with Parmesan cheese for a salty taste. While the popcorn cools, place servings in individual plastic bags.
3. Nuts. With protein, fiber and that all-important “crunch” factor, a handful of nuts goes a long way towards satisfying hunger. Besides tasting delicious, nuts contain a number of healthy nutrients, including vitamin E, folic acid, magnesium and copper. Nuts can help lower bad cholesterol levels while raising the levels of the good type of cholesterol.
4. 100-Calorie Packs. When it comes to satisfying a sweet tooth, portion control is key. Sweets like cookies that are available in 100-calorie snack packs help keep travelers from overloading on sugar. The packaging makes them a convenient choice for the road, too.
5. Berries. Berries top the list of antioxidant-rich fruit, making them some of the healthiest snacks around. Sweet, juicy, and loaded with vitamin C, keep them at the ready in plastic containers on ice to quench your travelers’ thirst, instead of reaching for sodas.
Bio: Frank blogs daily, particularly about cars. He works for a company that pays cash for cars fast, making it easy to sell a car for money.
