This week is all about car food. I will be making the drive from Spokane to San Diego, and who doesn't love a good car snack. I've graduated from Sour Patch Kids and Milk Duds to more nourishing - and dare I say more delicious?! - snacks. Those who ride with me are grateful as well. I am pleeeeenty energetic without being on a sugar high.
One of the questions I get asked often is how do you travel with so many diet restrictions. I find that this can be either incredibly easy or incredibly difficult. The one differentiating factor? Planning.
When I don't plan out snacks before traveling a long distance, I am hungry, cranky, and at the mercy of whatever allergy-friendly fare I can find on the road. Most of the time this means french fries which aren't even a safe bet as they can be cross contaminates with gluten. When I do take the time to make and take along snacks, it is always worth it.
Here are my snack packing tips:
1. Pack along a meal.
You never know what you are going to find out there on the road - usually it isn't pretty. I like to take along a small soft shell cooler if I am traveling by car. I pack a sturdy salad that keeps well and is filling. For me this is usually a combination of grains and veggies, nuts and seeds. I have packed my Grilled Fiesta Salad (sans avocado), Asian Quinoa Salad, and Lemon Asparagus Pasta Salad before and all travel perfectly. A fork is all you need for an easy and nourishing lunch.
2. Pack snacks.
I am an admitted car snacker. Traveling just calls for munchies. I pack along energy bites (this Cherry Apricot recipe is coming with me and this one would be a great option too), or nutritious cookies like my Grain Free Thumbprints or my Pumpkin Apple Breakfast Cookies. I stay away from anything that needs to be kept extra cold or served warm.
3. Scope out some restaurants along the way.
It's great to have a meal option on hand, but if you are traveling over multiple meal times, it is a life saver to know where you can stop to get an allergy-free bite to eat. I usually look for smoothie shops and plant based restaurants along the course. Checking out their menus ahead of time and charting their location really helps me when I travel. Plus, as a bonus you can try out some new restaurants on your road trip! I will be stopping here for sure!
Cherry Apricot Energy Bites
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 16 -20 bites 1x
- Category: Snacks
- Cuisine: dairy-free, egg-free, gluten-free, grain-free, no nightshades, raw, refined sugar-free, soy-free, vegetarian
Description
With only four ingredients these tasty bites can be whipped up in a jiff! They are perfect for packing as a an energizing snack.
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsweetened dried cherries
- ½ cup dried apricots
- 2 cups raw walnuts
- 1 tablespoon honey
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients to a food processor fitted with an S blade. Process until the ingredients are broken down into small pieces and hold together when pressed. You may need to scrape down the food processor once or twice to achieve this consistency.
- Press the dough into round bites. Store in the refrigerator.
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