Joy Bauer MS, RD, CDN TODAY nutritionist and diet editor • Profile • E-mail

With the arrival of summer comes a season of fun, sun, and… road trips!! But while all-day car trips can be adventurous, if you're not prepared, they can often turn into food disasters. Here's Joy's recipe for a healthy road trip:

Keep Food Cool
Invest in an insulated cooler to keep perishables cool for your trip. Load in sandwiches, salads, low-fat dairy products, fresh fruits, cut vegetables and water bottles. Other, non-perishable foods, like pretzels, crackers, and snack bars, can be held at room temperature during the trip.

Prepare Healthy Meals In Advance
Keep all your food in containers that are easily accessible and spill proof. Sandwiches can be kept in baggies, and fresh cut fruits/veggies in Ziplocs or Tupperware containers

Choose Mess-less Snacks
When it comes to snack foods, finger foods are the easiest option for a car ride. Try to choose foods that are gone once you eat them.

Eat When Hungry… Not When Bored
Many people fall into the trap of eating too much during a LONG, boring trip. That said, do not pack excessive amounts of anything (with the exception of veggies). Set aside specific portions in small containers or buy prepackaged food items. For your kids; bring games, iPods, drawing pads, word finds, coloring books, books on tape, etc.

Beverages
Water and Unsweetened Iced Tea (with floating fruit): Avoid sodas, sports drinks and flavored sugar water. Go for pop tops that are easily opened and closed, and control the amount of the drink that comes out. Freeze water bottles the night before your trip. They'll stay cold for hours…and you won't have to use up room in your cooler

Breakfast
Peanut Butter Waffles: Go for toast two whole grain waffles, spread natural peanut butter on one and top with the other. Cut in half or in fours.

Hard Boiled Egg & Bag of dry whole grain cereal

Toasted Whole grain English Muffin with Canadian bacon in the middle

Lunch/Dinner
Lean Wraps: Turkey, chicken, ham or tofu wrapped with a variety of vegetables in a whole wheat tortilla. Reduced fat mayo, hummus, mustard, ketchup or bbq sauce.

PB and Jelly Sandwich: Whole wheat bread with natural peanut butter (or almonds butter) and low sugar jelly. For kids cut in fours, or cut out fun shapes with a cookie cutter.

Sabra® Hummus To Go: This pre-packaged product consists of two small containers. One holds hummus, available in a wide array of flavors, and the other holds crackers. The containers lock back together to save leftovers and the bite-sized crackers cause minimal crumbs.

Whole Wheat Pasta Salad with julienne vegetables/shredded chicken and light Italian dressing.

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