# 10 Tips for Snacking on Summer Road Trips *By James Hills — Updated December 2016* If you are anything like me, road trips and snacking are synonymous and that can either be a fun experience for everyone involved ... or like I found out a couple years ago, not so much! See, normally I'm pretty straight-edge and go for cookies or crackers, and maybe some *Twizzlers* Twists or other candy that doesn't melt. During a stop in Maytag, Iowa though I was overcome by how cheap Maytag blue cheese was and so I just had to buy some. Let me tell you - after a few hours sitting on the dashboard a few things happened. First - the car smelled really bad. Second - I started to feel sick (eating blue cheese in a hot car during the summer is just dumb). Third - my brand new car earned it's first "love mark" since the cheese melted a bit and the enzymes and grease ate a spot on the dashboard that two years later I still can't get rid of! Don't do that! Be smart! Here's some tips to make sure your summer road trip snack plan goes smoothly for everyone (including your car!). ## Choose Snacks that Don't Crumble Choose snacks that don't crumble is a key thing to consider when putting together your shopping list. This doesn't mean that cookies are completely out, but let's go for sandwich cookies vs  chocolate chip since the later is more likely to break apart and leave crumbs and dust that are a pain to clean up later. ## Fresh Fruit from Road-Side Stands Is a Great Option Part of the fun of traveling is trying new things and one of the healthiest options is fresh fruit such as berries and apples. 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Sometimes it's for health - other times it's for convenience. For instance, even though you could probably eat 10 pounds of baby carrots and still be healthy, it's just not a good idea. My solution is to create portioned snacks using sandwich baggies. This way you can put carrots, trail mix, or whatever in them and only eat what you need instead of just having a big bag open to graze from. To twist things up a bit - instead of going for baby carrots, try carrot chips like I did instead - it adds a bit of extra fun to your snacking. ## Eat Regular Meals You are in the car for a long time, but honestly it's not healthy to skip meals. So make sure to have a good breakfast and lunch and use snacks as a "filler" instead of a meal replacement. You'll be much happier and so will your body. ## Drink Lots of Water! While not technically a "snack", staying hydrated is critical and so you need to make sure to drink plenty of water during your road trip. Water will help with concentration as well as digestion and since there are no artificial colors there's nothing to worry about if it spills. I even find that sometimes when I am "hungry" I am really just thirsty, so after drinking some water that's all I need and I can avoid the unnecessary calories. Honestly I always recommend re-usable bottles and while that's not always practical, what I like to do when traveling is buy a gallon of water and pour that into the individual cups. It's typically cheaper and better for the environment too. ## Pack a Cooler for Perishable Items Even though I generally don't like to have perishable items with me on a road trip, sometimes there are things such as hard boiled eggs that are better when "cool". Plus, having a cooler for water means you won't have to stop to re-hydrate as often. ## Protein is King If you can, pack protein - it will keep you going longer and keep you more full. Great protein snacks that I recommend include mixed nuts and hard boiled eggs. Both of those travel really well and are easy to eat. However, in regards to the eggs - either de-shell them before the trip or buy a de-shelled bag. You don't want to mess up the car with pieces of eggshell everywhere! ## Pick Foods That Improve Concentration Along with making sure you pick foods that will keep you hungry it's important to choose snacks that will help your concentration. This is especially true for the driver. Great choices here include Blueberries and dark chocolate. However, dark chocolate tends to melt at a lower temperature compared to milk chocolate, so leave it in the cooler until you are ready to consume it. Top Picks Flow Voyages ### Book your next cruise with Heather at Flow Voyages Flow Voyages is a travel advisor specializing in cruises and resorts. [Contact Flow Voyages](https://ads.flowmediamarketing.com/go/LLIhHyW0QDRLSmA7rqzGkQ.617) Promoted by FlowAds Details Written by: James Hills Published: 14 July 2015 Last Updated: 04 December 2016 ### 🚢Ready To Book A Vacation? Let us help you plan a cruise, all-inclusive resort, or tour for your next guys trip, family vacation, or romantic getaway. Click here to [**Book Your Next Vacation**](https://www.mantripping.com/vacation-planning.html). #### Which Style Of Amazon Cruise Should You Pick To Explore World's Largest River? 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