Stay healthy on your next road trip! Get these 8 expert tips from registered dietitian nutritionists, plus simple recipes for eating well on the road in your car, RV, camper, or tent.
Healthy Road Trip Eating Tips from Dietitian Nutritionists + Easy Recipes
Planning a road trip and wondering how to eat healthy on the go? Whether you’re traveling by car, RV, trailer, or pitching a tent at a campsite, it is possible to stick to your nutrition goals while enjoying the open road. In this guide, registered dietitian nutritionists share their top healthy road trip eating tips—from smart snack ideas and meal prep hacks to easy, nutritious recipes that travel well. Keep your energy up, avoid fast food fatigue, and stay on track with these expert-approved strategies for eating healthy while traveling.
The great outdoors is calling! What better way to take a vacation, while saving money and seeing more of your own beautiful country. I love taking road trips in California, and I always bring along my husband and two dogs, as well as my favorite healthy foods to prepare yummy meals and snacks along the way. No matter what your method of recreation—car, RV, trailer, camper, or tent—road trips can be super fun, but also a bit of work when it comes to being organized for delicious, healthy food without too much stress. That’s why I asked some of my favorite nutrition experts for their best tips for healthy, delicious eating on the road. I’m sharing some of my own too. Plus you’ll find some of my favorite road trip recipes. Have a great journey! Please share some of your own tips for eating on the road in the comments section.
Eat and Live the Goodness,
Sharon
8 Healthy Eating Tips for Road Trips
1. Plan Meals Ahead
It’s a good idea to write out a meal plan for your road trip in order to be organized, and reduce your stress level when you’re hungry and low on supplies, or even kitchen tools. “My family just moved cross country in a RV. Our RV had a fridge and pantry, so we planned out our meals and snacks and we bought everything before we left. We had peanuts, peanut butter, rice cakes, granola bars and fruit in the car. Our meals included frozen pancakes, red beans and rice, fresh fruit and frozen steamable veggies. I had prepped roasted sweet potatoes to reheat for meals as well,” says Betsy Ramirez.
2. Hit Supermarkets on the Road
It’s hard to get everything you need before your road trip, so make sure to strategically shop along your journey, especially when you see a well-stocked supermarket on the horizon. “We stock up at markets along the way, especially ethnic, regional, or markets like Wegmans and Whole Foods Market with good prepared foods,” says Mindy Hermann, MBA, RDN of Hermann Communications.
“My favorite veggies for road trips, because they can actually last for days with no refrigeration and can be easily popped into the mouth without a lot of fanfare, are sugar snap peas, carrots, and cherry tomatoes. Lastly, avocados, which can come with their own little portable shell, are great for travel and easy to smear on flaxseed crackers which offer a hearty chunk of healthy fats and protein,” says Mary Purdy, MS, RDN, Integrative and Eco-Dietitian.
Preload Healthy Snacks
Don’t wait until your in the middle of nowhere to look for healthy munchies. Plan ahead and load up! “We find ‘snacky’ meals easy and fun for on-the-go so we bring filling fruits, nuts, trail mixes, and whole grain bars. Fruit is a great source of fiber, antioxidants, and so many vitamins and minerals. We usually bring more durable fruits like apples and oranges. Nuts are a fantastic on-the-go protein ‘snack’ meal full of healthy fats, antioxidants, and fiber. Walnuts are also a nice plant-based source of omega-3s. Whole grain bars provide sustained energy for your family adventures. We enjoy parking somewhere with a nice view and snacking while sitting on our tailgate. If we can, we like to find a spacious spot so that we have room to stretch our legs and move around a little. Maybe even throw a ball or frisbee around for a few minutes before we hit the road again,” says Lacy Ngo, MS, RDN, author of The Nourishing Meal Builder.
“The combo of a variety of mixed nuts or seeds and dried fruit is always a winning combo for easy-to-snack-on-the-road nourishment. Try dried cherries and hazelnuts to shake it up!” says Mary Purdy, MS, RDN, Integrative and Eco-Dietitian.
“I am ALL about the snacks. Finger foods are perfect with a mix of cold and room temp options, such as veggie trays, apples, bananas, halo oranges, dried fruit/trail mix packets, and bars,” says Michele Fumagalli, RD, LDN of Fit Plate Nutrition.
4. Don’t Forget a Great Breakfast and Lunch
You may be focused on snacks and dinner time, but those breakfast and lunches are equally important to plan for. “Start your day with a filling, nutritious breakfast high in fiber, whole grains, plant protein, and unsaturated fats. We have left as early as 3:30 am for trips, so it is important to have everything ready to heat up and eat efficiently,” says Melissa Altman-Traub, MS, RDN, LDN. MEd, RDN.
“We pack our favorite sandwiches for lunch in a big cooler with cut up veggies, easy to pick up fruit (apple slices, grapes, blueberries) and healthy snacks like whole grain crackers and nuts. We also bring refillable water bottles and a few cans of seltzer to stay hydrated,” says Lisa Andrews, MEd, RD, LD of Sound Bites Nutrition.
5. Pack a Water Filter
The last thing you need to do is buy cases of bottled water on your road trip! “We really dislike buying endless plastic bottles of water, so we bring along a Brita or similar filter pitcher, and filter our water on the road, refilling our non-plastic water bottles,” says Jan Patenaude, RDN, CLT, LEAP Mentor.
6. Pack Essential Kitchen Gadgets
“I pack my immersion blender, or one that plugs into the car, to make smoothies. I’ll either pack in a cooler or buy on the road frozen fruit, plain yogurt that I’ve frozen, peanut butter and chia seeds. This way, I know my kids will at least have something healthy each day from my concoctions,” says Theresa Gentile, MS, RDN of Full Plate Nutrition.
“My travel must-have food gadgets are stainless steel water bottles so water remains cool while on the road, especially in summer, and an Instant Pot, which makes meals quick easy and less messy. We always keep pocket-size hand sanitizer, paper towels and picnic blanket handy for any impromptu quick bite at a picnic area,” says Tejal Pathak, MS, RD, CDCES.
“The Instant Pot mini is my favorite for our road trips! I can make meals quicker than going out, and with today’s epidemic it’s our only choice. We do oats or breakfast breads for the morning,” says Wendy Jo Peterson, MS, RD, CSSD.
7. Practice Proper Sanitation
The last thing you want to do is get sick on the road. “Road trips are tricky, even before the pandemic. You never know how clean a rest stop or a restaurant may be until after the fact. Handwashing is the key to keep you safe. Rule of thumb is to wash after entering and before leaving. It’s also a great idea to have a disinfectant to wipe down your area if you choose to dine in as well. Stay safe and wash your hands,” says Jaymar Saniantan, RD of Nutrition Phitness.
8. Keep Your Food at Safe Temps
Another important part of food safety is appropriate food storage temperatures, which can be difficult in warm weather. “Keep foods cool. Below 41 degrees F. Use a cooler thermometer to be sure. Better to stash cooler in an air-conditioned back seat than a hot trunk. Never use cooler ice in your beverages. Leaks happen,” says Mary Angela Miller, RDN.
Check out my other tips for healthy traveling:
15 Healthy Road Trip Recipes
Try these easy, healthy recipes ideal for your road trip. Make them at home before you hit the road, or whip them up easily on your trip.
Rosemary Whole Grain Crackers
Healthy Trail Mix Oatmeal
Ginger Peach Sunflower Granola
Southwest Black Bean Quinoa Mango Salad
Hearty Chickpea Stew
Summer Vegetarian Chili
BLTA Sandwich
Healthy Tuscan Farro & White Bean Veggie Burgers
California Burrito Bowl
Easy Tofu Scramble Wrap with Vegetables and Dill
Farmers Market Tempeh Has with Sweet Potatoes & Zucchini
Zucchini Lentil Curry
Vegan Chili Mac Skillet
Vegan Cowboy Cookies
Vegan Lemon Blueberry Muffins
Healthy Travel Tips
Discover more tips for healthy traveling.
Plant-Based Eating to Fuel Cycling
Plant-Based Eating on the Hiking Trail
Healthy Road Trip Food for the RV + 40 Vegan Recipes
30 Vegan Camping Recipes
9 Tips for Plant-Based Healthy Eating While Traveling
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