One of my favorite passions is kayak fishing. And the kayak fishing community rocks! You can meet people at tournaments, boondoggles, trade shows, Facebook, and at many other places. These events usually include a road trip but then we may take a trip to go visit our friends and fish with them. That calls for…. you guessed it! A ROAD TRIP! As we drive on the concrete river to our destination we start to snack. Sadly, many convenience stores don’t have the healthiest options. So here are 5 snacks you can either bring from home and/or pick up at a gas station. (This was originally posted at www.spencermjones.com)
-Apples
These tasty fruits are a great way to stave off hunger and get a fruit in your diet. A medium apple is just shy of 100 calories and counts as 1 of the 2 daily recommend cups of fruits adults should get every day. On top of that they are a great source of soluble fiber, vitamin C, and are suggested to help lower the chance of a stroke.
-Jerky
Beef Jerky is a great snack while on the road or water. It is packed with protein and doesn’t raise tell your body to store fat by raising insulin levels. Many people think that it isn’t healthy for you because of the preservatives and high amounts of sodium that can be found in many packages. This is true to an extent. There are a number of preservative free and low sodium options out there. Give them a shot and get some protein while on the road.
-Nuts
I can’t think of a better snack while I’m driving than nuts. I can literally go through an entire can in a 4 hour drive without even thinking about it. I really need to measure out how much I’m going to have in one sitting. I do this by putting the nuts in the lid, taking one handful, or if I’m smart and thinking ahead pre-pack them in a container or bag. Nuts are great because they are packed with protein and filled with the right kind of fat. Depending on the nuts, they have unsaturated fats, Omega- 3 fatty acids, Vitamin E, Fiber, and much more. Remember you do need fat in your diet, just the healthy kind of fat! And as far as the sodium goes, look for unsalted or slightly salted nuts. I have just recent found Planters NUT-rition to be a delicious and healthy treat.
-Bananas
Unless you are on the water (bad juju and all), then bananas are a delicious and easy snack for your road trip. Already set for easy handling, just unpeel and eat! Besides being easy to eat bananas are great for you. They have numerous essential nutrients, fiber, and several antioxidants. So grab some of these yellow beauties and enjoy!
-Baby Carrots
I mean really, baby carrots. How can you go wrong! Colorful, crunchy, and super nutritious health food that’s easy to handle! These little guys are packed with Fiber, Vitamin K, antioxidants, and so much more. You could almost call them a Super Snack! Grab a bag of rinsed baby carrots from the store and start snacking away. Instead of dipping them in ranch or something not as healthy, try peanut butter. A fun and different way to have these amazing roots. Give it a try, it may become your favorite food!
Want more? Check out this video I did for my LIVE Cooking Show: