By Taylor Sutton, MS, RD
United Supermarkets’ Lifestyle Desk
Unfortunately, life isn’t like one of those road trip movies where you jump in your car, zoom into the distance and put as much space as possible between you and your troubles as the credits roll. The reality is, you’re gonna get cranky, tired, bored and hungry. The bright side? With these expert tips and a little extra planning, you can kick road trip pain points to the curb, and actually enjoy the majority of the ride.
STAY HYDRATED
The best version of yourself is the one holding a glass of water. Several symptoms that you may experience from your body being dehydrated include dry mouth, excessive thirst, dry skin, muscle cramps, decreased urine output, headaches, and darker yellow colored urine. All of these problems and a few others can be remedied by trying to get yourself to your best hydrated self. Everyone is different in the amount of water they need but generally for a healthy adult, we suggest aiming for half of your body weight in ounces per day. Beat fatigue on the road by staying hydrated with a few of our favorite summer beverages:
- Sparkling water
- HintⓇ water
- Vital ProteinsⓇ Collagen Water
- HummⓇ Kombucha
- Fresh infused water
- Unsweet tea
KEEP CALM AND SNACK ON
Along your journey try to avoid drive-thrus, instead, plan ahead and give one of these dietitian-approved snacks a try:
- Market Street snack packs
- Fresh-cut fruit
- SargentoⓇ snack packs
- Munk PacksⓇ
- Lorissa’s KitchenⓇ beef jerky
- RX Bars
- Good Culture Cottage Cheese Cups
- Chomps Jerky
- Signature Select Tuna Pouches in Water
Having snacks on hand will lessen your time on the road by preventing a few excess pit stops as well as keeping you fueled up and feeling your best. Something to take note of here as well is if you body is communicating it is hungry or thirsty. Try both and see which fits. We love the snacks listed above because some are higher in carbohydrates, proteins, fats, or a mix of two or three of these macronutrients which will be sure to keep you fuller longer. Be sure that if you are giving your child a snack that you limit food in carseats as that can be a choking hazard.
OWN YOUR STOPS
Not to sound like a fortune cookie, but sometimes, the journey actually is the destination. Break up your drive and make the trip more fun by looking for State and National Parks along your route. Here are a few of our faves in the Southwest:
- Hyde Memorial State Park
- Palo Duro Canyon State Park
- Caprock Canyon State Park
- Big Bend National Park
BEAT BOREDOM
You’ve counted all 99 bottles of pop on the wall and have spotted every license plate from here to Timbuktu—now what? Our go-to is a binge-worthy podcast or an audiobook from our summer reading list. Here are a couple we’re loving right now:
- Eat Smart by Niomi Smart
- Better than Before by Gretchen Rubin
- The Little Book of Cacti and Other Succulents by Emma Sibley
PACK FOR THE WORST
It’s all fun and games until you’re stranded on the side of the road with a dead phone and a flat tire. In short: When it comes to road trips, you should plan for the best, but be prepared for the worst. This means:
- Remembering to check your air pressure and get your oil changed before you leave
- Checking the status of your spare tire
- Packing a basic first-aid kit containing bandages, bug ointment, DramamineⓇ and TylenolⓇ
- Bring along your trusty car charger for long trip
If you’re in the mood to hit the road quickly, fuel up on the easy, low-prep breakfast to get you out the door in a jiffy!
Peachy Summertime Waffle Breakfast Delight
Ingredients
1 1/2 c. cherries, pitted and chopped
1/4 c. pistachios, roughly chopped
1/4 c. dried cherries
1/4 c. white chocolate chips
3 1/2 c. Flour
1/2 c. Sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 stick cold Butter, cubed
1 Egg
1 c. milk
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Sift together dry ingredients
3. Add butter in a incorporate until pea sized with pastry cutter or forks
4. Add in egg and milk and stir until loosely coming together
5. Add in cherries, pistachios, dried cherries, and white chocolate chips and combine but do not overmix
6. Lightly dust a clear surface with flour and turn out dough to knead for 1 minute
7. Form into a rough rectangle and roll out to 1/2 to 3/4 inch thickness
8. Cut into circles using a cookie cutter, jar, or glass cup about 3 inches in diameter
9. Bake for 30-35 minutes
