Healing with Hillary Blog & News
12/16: Traveling with Kids? Put the "Merry" Back in Merry Christmas and the "Happy" Back in Happy Holidays
Posted on: Thursday, December 16, 2010
Keywords: Travelling, Kids, Christmas, Snack, Foods, HFCS, Fructose, Food, Hydration, Dehydration
Pack up the car with all the luggage and electronics, squeeze in the kids and don’t forget the snack food and beverages. In between the DVD’s, 
Marios, Luigis, and Sonics, the kids are going to be hungry; sometimes they may even get thirsty too. We as parents need to be prepared for these tests of our travel talents.
Before you fill a bag with mass marketed fast foods and sugary or HFCS (High Fructose Corn Syrup) filled drinks; take a moment to plan ahead and pack some snacks that nourish and boost energy without sending kids through the roof.
Most of the food items that I suggest can be carried in a medium sized soft sided cooler that fits nicely on the floor of the back seat. This is great because when closed it functions as a shelf for the DVD player and when its snack time, the "fridge" is right there. All of these items can be packed as either individual servings (with each kids name on them) or as a family bag that everyone takes from as needed. Generally, I find that the name on the bag works the best, sometimes they like to help out packing the bags if it's theirs only.
- Hard boiled eggs, peeled in a re-sealable bag,
- Apples, sliced with a splash of lemon (this keeps them from getting brown) in a re-sealable bag,
- Oranges, wedges in a re-sealable bag,
- Bananas,
- Pretzels (any shape, however rods work well for sandwich roll ups), dip them in peanut butter or hummus,
- Cheese, sticks or sliced in a re-sealable bag,
- Veggies-carrots, celery, colored peppers, broccoli,
- Single serving sized ranch dip and peanut butter (let's face it, there aren't too many of us that eat veggies without a cover up!). I suggest packing your own dip in individual size containers with re-sealable lids. This is my choice because I choose dips that do not contain partially hydrogenated anything, or MSG and they are more difficult to find in individual re-sealable containers.
- Nuts-almonds, peanuts, cashews, pistachios…any kind the kids will eat are good,
- Yogurt sticks-NO CUPS (they spill!),
- Turkey/ham/roast beef roll ups with cheese. (Roll the meat around a pretzel rod, roll the cheese around the meat and put in re-sealable bags. This avoids soggy bread and contains most of the pretzel crumbs and they are fun to eat.)
Hydration/Dehydration is a factor in all modes of travel. The best choice for a drink is water. The human body is made up of about 60% water, the brain itself is between 70 and 80% water, and the blood is about 80% water. Our bodies are NOT made of soda, Kool-Aid, Gatorade, lemonade or anything else in this category. Water crosses the blood/brain barrier, provides instant hydration, doesn't stain and isn't sticky. Other advantages to water are that it costs less than most other beverages and is eco-friendly.
A case of water can be purchased for almost the same price as one bottle at a rest stop and it also fits nicely on the floor in the back seat. The best option for bringing water is a re-sealable, refillable, stainless steel water bottle that fits nicely in a cup holder, this also makes them self-serve. If the kids absolutely can’t make the entire trip without a sugary beverage you can save them for a treat when you stop for lunch or at a rest area. That way they can run around for the 20 minutes it takes for the rush to wear off. If you choose caffeinated beverages, which I do not recommend, you will be waiting a lot longer.
All of these foods/beverages provide a quick and nutritious way for everyone to stay happy while traveling. The key words to remember are:
- Re-sealable,
- Self-serve,
- Low sugar, and
- No caffeine
- Crackers-if you want a mess, then go ahead with this one, but it's #1 on my no-no list (pretzels are the lesser evil),
- Anything that stains (for example, any red beverage), and
- Anything that requires a spoon or other utensil for consumption. (You may think older kids and adults can handle this one, but believe me, accidents do happen.)
These foods are also great for busy adults too! They are perfect for a quick lunch and also to ward off that late afternoon slump that so many people encounter. Don’t ever be afraid to pack some food from home. It costs less, it’s better for you and it sets a good example for the kids.
Happy Travels!
Eat well,
Dr. B
See Dr. Botta's Practitioner Page
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