Road Trip! How will you prepare for a much-needed long trip? Will you be heading North, South, East or West? Now that COVID seems to be subsiding, we are all itching to get on the road and take an adventure right? I know I am. I have several people and places in mind that I would like to drive and see.
Being a foodie, I am already thinking about what I will be eating along the way. I keep myself on a budget and I want to keep my costs down during my road trip too. Gas will probably be my biggest expense. Have you seen the prices of gas lately? Even food prices have escalated recently. I do not plan on stopping by popular chain restaurants and ordering a $15 lunch or having an even costlier dinner before I get to my destination. That is why I plan on being quite clever with packing my cooler with homemade sandwiches and delicious to-go snacks. The added benefit will be more money in my pocket because making my Road Trip food at home will only cost me a fraction of what I will pay at a restaurant.
I have some suggestions for you when Preparing for a Road Trip. The easiest sandwiches to pack on the road are turkey, ham or tuna. You can get as creative as you want with your spreads and vegetables. I am simple. I like a turkey sandwich, already sliced in half on whole wheat bread with lettuce, tomato and a little bit of mayonnaise. I will snack on chips, carrots, celery sticks and water. Of course, I must have a dessert. It might be as simple as a cookie or brownie already in a baggie.
I have a small cooler or an insulated bag for my sandwiches that I keep on ice. I tend to pack just enough for about two helpings if I am travelling alone. Of course, if you have kids, you have to pack all of their favorites and throw in a little extra. Kids tend to have a hearty appetite and lots of energy. If travelling with young kids, in addition to keeping them fed, you will need to play some fun car games as a family. I loved road trips as a young child. My mom would pack sandwiches and yummy snacks. She limited our liquid intake because she and my dad did not want to have to stop every hour. We would play all kinds of games. Then we would fall asleep for a few hours and wake up in a different state, still not our destination, but close. I miss those days.
Our long road trips were usually about 8 hours away to visit my mom’s family. We would stop off in Richmond, Virginia to rest for an hour or so at my dad’s mom’s house. Grandma always had a good meal and plenty of hugs and kisses waiting for my sister and me. The bonus was more road trip food to take with us for the three-hour car ride to finish the last leg of our southern road trip. Those were the good old days and I still remember them as if it was yesterday. My sister and I loved snacks. Fruit rolls up were our absolute favorite. We enjoyed seeing our tongues turn purple and pink. By the time we arrived in North Carolina we were already on a sugar high. Wherever you go and whatever you do in preparation for your road trip, know that you are creating a lifetime of memories. Enjoy!