It’s a long weekend and for many of us, that means a family camping trip or driving excursion. The car rides can be long and often our food selection looks like a hungry, unsupervised, eight-year-old did the shopping. Try a healthier approach with our road trip hacks!
- Instead of chips and cookies, fill your cooler with fresh vegetables and fruit
- Apples and carrots last quite a long time, and hummus makes a flavourful dip
- Pack some hard boiled eggs for a quick snack
- Instant oatmeal can give you – and the kids – an energy boost in the morning before heading out for a hike
- Tuna is convenient, especially in the packet versus a can. You don’t even have to worry about finding the can opener!
- For a sweet treat, try grilling pineapple for dessert, instead of indulging in another s’more
- Freeze your drinks before you pack them in the cooler. They’ll help keep everything cold
Our INLIV INmates have also put together a list of their personal tips and road trip hacks for your long weekend travel.
- When planning a road trip, be mindful of where you’re going and how long it will take. If you know it’s a long drive with limited access to anything other than gas station snacks, try packing a small lunch box with healthy snacks like protein bars or bananas. Be careful when choosing your protein bars – make sure the grams of protein are always higher than the grams of sugar! – Zoë Saunders, Client Co-ordinator, INLIV Operations
- Pre-portion everything. Cutting up vegetables in advance and packing them in small sandwich bags works great. – Physician, Total Health Management
- I let my kids pick the snack for each other. And playing a game like ‘what’s behind door number one’ works well. All the doors might have broccoli behind them, but they don’t know that! – Steve Reynish, INLIV Client
- I pack lots of healthy fats and fibre to hold me over longer while I’m out camping. Almonds are great for that. – Omar Ibrahim, Personal Trainer, Fitness
- There are always ways to make your favourites slightly healthier! For your burger, wrap it in lettuce instead of a traditional bun. Skip the fries and choose veggies instead – and you’re good to go! – Zoë Saunders, Client Co-ordinator, Operations
- It can be tough to keep kids entertained in the car, On our road trip this summer, we played ‘count the trucks and name the colours’. We got to about 50 trucks before our little guy lost interest. – Ryan Hamilton, Innovation
- Sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat. Physical sunscreens are great – they don’t absorb into the skin, but sit on the surface and protect against both UV-A and UV-B rays. (Click here for more tips on sun safety) – Dr. Wendy Smeltzer, Medical Director at INLIV
- Don’t overlook the basics – water, a first aid kit – and bear spray! All great items to make sure you enjoy your time outdoors safely – Cary Bohnet, Business Development
- When I go hiking I always carry a knife, tape and first aid supplies, just in case anything happens. With these items in your bag, you can tape a sprained ankle or make a splint if you need to. – Cole Elliot, Personal Trainer, Fitness
- After your hike, stretches are a must. You want to be able to walk tomorrow! Click here to see a video demonstrating some suggested stretches for after your hike.
Wishing you and yours a happy, healthy, safe, long weekend – from everyone at INLIV.
