Looking for Travel Snack ideas
Our family just gave up meat about a month ago, mostly for health reasons. We're trying to cut out all animal fat but will use skim milk and Egg Beaters/whites. My wife and I have 3 kids.
Over Christmas, we'll be traveling, spending a total of about 20 hours in the car. So here's what we need:
1. Meals. We're trying to save money, and while I know vegetarian food can be found at the fast food places along the highway, most of it's fried, and all of it's expensive. We'll need a total of 4 meals we can either prepare in advance that will travel without the need for heat or cold (preferably few or no sandwiches) and can be eaten in the car.
2. Snacks. I snack in the car to help stay alert. I'm looking for low-calorie snacks that can be eaten while driving. Again, nothing that needs to be heated or kept chilled.
Still getting used to the change in lifestyle, especially not planning meals around a meat. This site has been immensely helpful. Thanks.
Hi! VeggieBoards may be able to help you, too.
100% juice boxes, soymilk boxes, water bottles, soy jerky, dried fruit, fruit leathers, nut butter, tahini, crackers, pretzels, nuts, chips, fresh fruit, small cooler of hummus & dippable veggies.
"No sandwiches" is a tall order since PB&J & bread are so suitable a road trip. Would PB&J wraps work?
Thanks.
We're not big fans of PB&J. Other sandwiches might work, and we're considering Tofurky's various deli selections, but only for the first meal.
Only cooked food I know that can stay fresh for that long is bread. But considering that you consume dairy milk, how about buying instant milk powder? Soaking dry oatmeal in Chocolate/Strawberry Nesquik, Milk Powder, and Water, makes a cheap and easy meal.
It doesn't have to be cooked, and it could even be a bread-like food. I just want to have something besides the snack food to offer.
The oatmeal is an interesting idea, but not so much for the car.
Appreciating all the suggestions.
A can of boiled peanuts (not really for during driving, but if you stop.)
Peanut butter and anything
Clif/lara/whatever bars
Dried fruits
Fruit cups
Protein heavy things are what I lived off of when I used to take really long car rides. I'm going to think more about more meal type foods.
One thing that has worked for me really well on long trips is making a whole lot of savouries - vegetarian sausage rolls (with shop bought sausages or make your own), mini pot pies or vegetable/tofu/anything you like mixtures baked in pastry triangles or bread pockets (put slices of bread in muffin tins, fill with curry or mixed cooked vege-pie-mix or thick creamy mushrooms, bake), mini crustless tofu quiches etc.
I love the savouries for travelling because they are portable and self contained so no need for plates and cutlery, they can be as healthy or "road trip treat" like as you choose, they feel like real food rather than empty snacks and they are a lot tastier than anything you can buy along the way. You can make a variety so they aren't all the same and boring. They are also in small portions, so easy to hold and snack on as you go, or you can eat several at once for a meal.
Other things are a bit difficult without refrigeration, but do you have what we NZers call a "chilly bin"? http://www.fishing.net.nz/asp_forums/uploads/72730/rub40.jpg They are an absolute saviour for trips and camping and would mean you could have a lot more options about what to take as they could keep things (pre-cooked food, salad ingredients etc) cool.
For other snacks on the go I like plain pita breads to tear up and dip in hummus, fruit (fresh and dried), nuts and pretzels and wasabi peas and a lot of water.
:)>>>Theo, honey, that's a "cooler." ;)b
I knew it would be a different name, just didn't know what! Haha
We have very limited space, not enough for a cooler, but I like the idea of wrapping things in dough.
BAHAHAH CHILLY BIN
I read it as chilly bun. Ahahaha. Awesome.
BAHAHAH CHILLY BIN
I read it as chilly bun. Ahahaha. Awesome.
haha.
and those silly Australians call it an 'Esky'.
I guess cooler makes sense, but I like chilly bin best : )
What don't you like about sandwiches?
What about a pasta salad? it could last for maybe a little bit without a cooler, but I highly recommend buying a cooler. My husband I always take one when we go on trips, we live in central europe where finding veggie food in highway places is slim.
I always pack:
bread
veggie sticks
hummus
pretzels
dried fruit
fresh fruit
clif bars
homemade oatmeal and dried fruit bars
soy yogurt (in the cooler of course)
You can't expect full, huge meals when you're traveling, you have to make do with what you can. I really thinkg you should reconsider sandwiches.
What about canned things? You can buy canned beans and scoop them out onto tortillas for burritos or onto rolls for "sloppy joes" (obviously you'd want to stop the car for this). Lots of sauces don't really need to be refrigerated, so bring some BBQ/hot sauce/mustard/whatever to add flavor. And you could bring tomatoes and other toppings as well. A can of dolmades makes a good quick meal for one, or can be shared as a snack. Small jars of antipasto + bread or crackers, or just eat it with a fork if you prefer. Individual fruit cups/applesauce cups. Instant soup packets in a travel mug (if you don't mind having soup at room temp).
For snacking, things like dried fruit, crackers, pretzels, wasabi peas, nuts, trail mix, granola bars, and fresh fruits that travel well (apples, citrus) are probably your best bet. You could bring things like grapes or bananas for the first day or 2, but they wouldn't last much longer than that.
Check the lunchbox aisle and the canned food aisle at your grocery store. Also, maybe you could check a camping store for prepackaged meals and/or dehydrated food.