Easiest Ways to Eat Healthy and Cheap on the Road
The travel season is approaching. Do you know what you will eat? There is nothing wrong with getting into your car with the hope, the dream and the assumption that the fast food restaurants of the world will surely take care of you. But if you’re looking to cut your food budget and eat more than just burgers and store-bought food, try these tips.
Stop at grocery stores
There are more options than just fast food restaurants and rest stops along the highway. We’ve already told you about the wonders that truck stops are , which usually have the best selection of, well, everything. But if you really want good, cheap, healthy food, go to the grocery store.
Grocery stores are excellent when you are on the road. They are needed not only to pick up products before checking into a hotel, although this is also a great option. They are also a good place to stop when you need a break from the highway. Many have good public bathrooms and prepared meals like sandwiches at a better price than the gas station at the end of the road. If you’re lucky, they even have a small cafe where you can sit down and eat. In addition, you can buy bananas, chips and many other snacks for the next leg of your trip.
Get to know the grocery chains that are in your area, either by visiting a few and researching them on the go, researching them online, or by asking friends who live in the area. Some networks are more complete, others are simpler.
Pack up cheap and healthy travel snacks
You may be used to munching on cookies and chips while driving, but there are many more options you can take with you from home.
Fresh fruit transports well and can help balance out the processed foods you end up eating. Bananas, apples, and oranges keep well in their skins and don’t get damaged too easily (if you think a little about how you pack them).
Cheeses and jerky also keep well for a while in the refrigerator or even at room temperature. Pair them with crackers or bread for a lunchtime meal.
Sandwiches are classics for a reason. If you have a cooler, make them with deli meats and cheese; if not, go with PB&J. I have been known to travel with loaves of bread and jars of peanut butter and jelly so I can make a sandwich for the kids or for myself at a moment’s notice. Honey is a good substitute for jelly if you don’t have a refrigerator to keep the jelly fresh.
We’ve got more snack ideas on the go in this travel nutrition guide .
Check out the kitchen before you book
There is a huge difference in dining options when you stay in an AirBnB with a fully equipped kitchen compared to a hotel room that has an ice bucket to chill your drink and nothing else.
If you are staying at a hotel, check the room descriptions before booking; sometimes there are rooms with and without a fridge and microwave in the same building, or maybe even a kitchenette option that is within your budget.
I also check the breakfast situation in the lobby. If you’re going to be loyal to a certain chain, choose it based on which one has the best free breakfast. For example, I know the Hampton Inn always has eggs, a meat option like bacon or sausage, and a big vat of oatmeal in addition to more typical carb baked goods.
Buy foods that require minimal preparation and keep well
Our guide to cheap, healthy, no-cook foods is indispensable when planning your hotel room meals. Don’t tackle anything that requires refrigeration until you’ve checked to see if your hotel fridge is cold enough to store groceries. (Many are only meant to keep drinks slightly chilled .)
In addition to those things you’ve packed for your driving snack, like sandwiches and impromptu cheese boards, think about shelf-stable pouches, canned food, and even packaged salads.
Consider bringing small appliances with you.
You don’t have to depend on the microwave and refrigerator in your room; You can bring kitchen appliances with you. If your appliance isn’t a fire hazard and you’re not creating a huge mess for the cleaners, this is a perfectly acceptable option.
An electric frying pan is a great option for cooking in a hotel room. You can sauté vegetables, toast, or scramble eggs. I also know people who travel with a George Foreman grill or rice cooker .
In the same vein, I came up with a brilliant coffee hack the last time I traveled. Instead of relying on the mini coffee maker in the room with its small pods, I just brought my own funnel, filters, and a sachet of ground coffee. I still used the coffee maker to heat the water, but this way I had an almost unlimited supply of coffee of my choice.
Bring or improvise a cooler
If you don’t have a decent fridge in your accommodation, you might think you’re out of luck when it comes to storing food in the fridge. But coolers are an underrated tool and can be used in a variety of ways.
One way is to buy a really good cooler. The better it is insulated, the longer it can keep food cold and the less ice melts. Replenish the ice regularly, and it may well replace the refrigerator. I do this when I travel by car: I freeze meats or anything perishable before leaving home (packing them in double zippered bags, of course) and keep the ice topped up over the weekend. In a day or two the meat will be thawed, but still cold, and then I’ll cook it. Things that need to stay at refrigerator temperature will usually be fine all the way through.
Instead of loose blocks of ice, consider freezing your water bottles ahead of your trip. These ice bottles will keep your food cold, and when they eventually start to melt, you’ll have ice cold water to enjoy. You’ll probably need to buy ice later anyway, so pack a few gallon-sized freezer bags. Fill the bag with ice, then fold it in half for an airtight ice bag.
The other extreme is halfway through realizing that you really should have brought a fridge with you, but you didn’t. At the next grocery stop, buy a thermal bag; many shops sell them near the cash registers for a few dollars. While you’re there, grab frozen foods that you can enjoy after they’ve thawed. (Frozen fruits and vegetables are good for this, and they are cheap, but you can choose whatever you like). This way your sandwich ingredients will be fresh.