Feeding your family on a car journey
Oh food, glorious food, hot sausage and… milkshakes spilt all over the car seats. Yes, indeed – it’s all very well packing something to quell the appetite on long car journeys, but there’s a knack to doing it the easy way.
Eating out
Stopping at a roadside diner or fast food restaurant does have some advantages, as many offer playrooms for children to burn off all that excess energy – and there’s also the adventure and fun associated with eating out.
However, the quality of food isn’t always the best, and high levels of fat, sugar and salt can leave children over-excited and a nightmare to share a journey with. There’s also the cost to think about, which tends to be excessive at motorway service stations.
Packing
A sensible alternative i to pack some healthier, homemade food for longer journeys. Invest in a cool bag and a sturdy picnic basket, which protects food from being crushed and comes pre-packed with all the eating utensils you’ll need. There’s also plenty of space for lots of food, which can be stored in Tupperware containers and flasks.
Also pack a small bag for the cabin, containing light snacks like fruit, flapjacks and some bottles of water or juice. Tell the younger children that you’ll be stopping for something to eat at a particular time and that you have a surprise picnic in the boot.
If the journey is fairly short then you probably won’t need the picnic basket. Instead, fill the cabin bag with something a little more filling, but fairly easy to eat on the move without making a mess.
Places to eat
Plan your journey before setting off and identify some nice places to stop along the way. Aim to take a break every two hours or so. It makes sense to stop at a place that the kids will enjoy, and that provides the opportunity to go to the toilet.
There are many fantastic picnic spots around the UK offering stunning views and, whether you’re sitting in the middle of the 4000-year-old Avebury circle in Wiltshire, or enjoying London’s Kew Gardens, the choices are plentiful. Just don’t forget to bring a nice rug to sit on, and check the weather forecast before you set off.
Food and drink on the move
Keeping the family hydrated during car journeys is important, so don’t forget the water. The secret is to drink enough but not too much, unless you want to stop every 20 minutes for toilet breaks!
As for food, here are some things your passengers can eat on the move:
Author Bio:
Oh food, glorious food, hot sausage and… milkshakes spilt all over the car seats. Yes, indeed – it’s all very well packing something to quell the appetite on long car journeys, but there’s a knack to doing it the easy way.
Eating out
Stopping at a roadside diner or fast food restaurant does have some advantages, as many offer playrooms for children to burn off all that excess energy – and there’s also the adventure and fun associated with eating out.
However, the quality of food isn’t always the best, and high levels of fat, sugar and salt can leave children over-excited and a nightmare to share a journey with. There’s also the cost to think about, which tends to be excessive at motorway service stations.
Packing
A sensible alternative i to pack some healthier, homemade food for longer journeys. Invest in a cool bag and a sturdy picnic basket, which protects food from being crushed and comes pre-packed with all the eating utensils you’ll need. There’s also plenty of space for lots of food, which can be stored in Tupperware containers and flasks.
Also pack a small bag for the cabin, containing light snacks like fruit, flapjacks and some bottles of water or juice. Tell the younger children that you’ll be stopping for something to eat at a particular time and that you have a surprise picnic in the boot.
If the journey is fairly short then you probably won’t need the picnic basket. Instead, fill the cabin bag with something a little more filling, but fairly easy to eat on the move without making a mess.
Places to eat
Plan your journey before setting off and identify some nice places to stop along the way. Aim to take a break every two hours or so. It makes sense to stop at a place that the kids will enjoy, and that provides the opportunity to go to the toilet.
There are many fantastic picnic spots around the UK offering stunning views and, whether you’re sitting in the middle of the 4000-year-old Avebury circle in Wiltshire, or enjoying London’s Kew Gardens, the choices are plentiful. Just don’t forget to bring a nice rug to sit on, and check the weather forecast before you set off.
Food and drink on the move
Keeping the family hydrated during car journeys is important, so don’t forget the water. The secret is to drink enough but not too much, unless you want to stop every 20 minutes for toilet breaks!
As for food, here are some things your passengers can eat on the move:
- Cleaned and sliced raw vegetables with a tasty dip.
- Apples, oranges, bananas and grapes.
- Snack-size dried fruit.
- Bottles or tubes of easy-to-eat yogurt.
- Rice cakes and healthier crisps.
- Reduced fat biscuits.
- Mini boxes of fruit juice.
- Sandwiches – choose filling favourites like cheese and pickle, or try something new & give them exciting names for the kids, like the New Yorker or the Crunchy Muncher.
Author Bio:
Jules Anthony loves his motors and estimates he has owned more cars than he’s
accumulated years. When not driving or tinkering with something mechanical, he
writes for the Sainsbury’s Bank Money Matters blog on a range of topics from car mechanics to car insurance
And he’s not revealing his age!
