AP Photo/Paul Sakuma

Your family road trip doesn’t have to derail your healthy lifestyle. Getting everyone packed and ready to go out of town can be hectic and we often look for ways to save time and money. With just a little planning, you won’t have to cave in to the temptation of fast food or suffer the consequences of inactivity.

Start with water. Be sure you have a bottle of fresh water for everyone. Don’t pack sodas or energy drinks. They’re full of empty calories, sugar, chemicals and God only knows what else. Plus, the caffeine is a diuretic. Not only will you have to stop more frequently to use the restroom, sodas won’t quench your thirst. Instead, buy a large jug of bottled water and keep it in the cooler so you can refill everyone’s bottle as necessary. When you’re getting low, refill it from a drinking fountain, set it back in the cooler, and you’re good to go.

Pack smart snacks. Avoid the urge to cruise the snack aisle the day before your trip and load up on prepackaged bags of garbage! It takes a little time, but it’s worth it to make your own. A cheese stick or two per person is a great way to get some protein. So are Tiger Milk bars. Keep them in a self-seal bag inside the cooler, so they won’t melt, until ready to eat. For more protein, fill sandwich bags with a few handfuls of almonds or other nuts. (Avoid anything too salty.) These are also easy to eat and will give everyone a little protein to sustain them on the drive.

Next, some fruit and veggies. Throw in an apple for everyone, and pack self-sealing bags of rinsed grapes, carrot and celery sticks, cherry tomatoes, cucumber slices, and cherries. (Don’t forget to pack an additional bag for spitting out cherry pits!) These are easy to eat on the road, fill you up and provide plenty of nutrients.

Finally, carbs are easy to pack since they don’t usually need refrigeration. Just don’t go overboard. Whole wheat or graham crackers are good choices. So is trail mix. You can make your own by mixing up healthy cereals, dried fruit, nuts, coconut, even a few handfuls of carob chips. Or go a little wild and throw in some candies like M&Ms or Reese’s Pieces. Everything in moderation. Just make sure your kids aren’t picking out the candy and only eating that!

Give everyone their own bag. This helps minimize the mess of spilling stuff that gets passed around the car. If you’re going on a long trip, consider packing a large storage container for each person—Gladware is perfect—and filling it with individual bags of snacks. You can put a fun, color-coded label on the top or write their name on each bag with a marker, and the container keeps everything neat so you don’t have garbage all over the car. As an added bonus, at the end of the trip, you can take a look at the leftovers and see who ate what so you can plan more efficiently on your next trip.

If you need something to make a meal, bring sub sandwiches. Quick, easy to eat in the car, and everyone can customize to their liking. No more greasy chicken nuggets or fattening burgers to upset your stomach.

Move and stretch whenever you can. Whenever you need to stop, be sure that everyone gets out for a quick exercise break. Take a few laps around the gas station, do some simple stretches, maybe a few squats or lunges, or even jumping jacks if your family is up for it. Tell yourself that those people who are staring at you at the rest area really need to lighten up and think more seriously about their own health!

For more info: Dangers of soda

How to do some simple stretches

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