Making Healthy Choices on Family Road Trips
If you are planning on a road trip with your family, you may be concerned about making healthy choices along the way. After all, pulling into a fast food restaurant is not only expensive, but the poor quality of food can leave you all with a sense of dissatisfaction at the poor nutritional content. You will also want to plan plenty of physical activity during the road trip to give your bodies a break from the monotony of sitting. Here are some ideas for making the healthiest choices possible during your drive.
Consider Packing Healthy Snacks
Instead of reaching for processed foods out of vending machines, it is a lot cheaper and easier to pack a cooler full of healthy snacks. Whole fruits can be cut up and shared, and veggies will go great with some low-fat ranch dip. Home-made trail mix and even dry cereals can all be healthy options that far outstrip vending machine and fast food offerings in terms of both price and nutritional content. If you are feeling ambitious, you could also make healthy salads and sandwiches to take along for the ride.
Make Planned Exercise Stops
Stopping to stretch your legs is great, but are you really getting any exercise? Pack a Frisbee or a soccer ball. Time your stops throughout the day to allow plenty of time for recreation. If the weather is warm, you may even like to plan stops along the way to go swimming at a state park or beach. In cold weather, playing in the snow can be a welcome diversion as well. This will make your drive a little longer, but it will definitely cut down on crankiness and sore muscles from hours spent sitting.
Keep Everyone Hydrated
The temptation to drink sodas and fancy drinks while on a vacation is huge. While those choices can be fine, in moderation, they can also lead to a disappointing sugar and caffeine crash as well as dehydration. Stop at a grocery store before you leave and grab a case of water. If your family needs flavoring, there a ton of sugar- and caffeine-free options to choose from. Should the weather be warm, you may want to keep another cooler full of ice to put water in, as cold water often encourages children to drink more.
Make Time for Adequate Sleep
A lot of people make the mistake of powering through long car trips in a monotonous stretch of driving, sometimes switching out driving duties to keep the car in motion. While it is possible to sleep in a car, your body isn’t able to completely relax. This can have a negative effect on your muscles, your immune system and your well-being in general. Make a schedule and keep to it.
Making healthier choices on family road trips will ensure that you and your family arrive at your final destination without soreness, upset stomachs or dehydration. With a little bit of planning, your trip can be fun and healthy for the whole family!
