Between boredom and changing time zones, it is very common to feel extra hungry on a road trip. The road trip inevitably lands many families in an overpriced snack aisle at the nicest gas station you can find with the cleanest bathrooms available.
Road trips make you hungry because of boredom and changing time zones. When you move between time zones your body gets stressed and wants to eat. Plan to eat a variety of foods to stay full and satisfied and keep regular meal times.
Eating is a huge part of some vacations and it’s ok to embrace eating more than usual and enjoying new and exciting foods while traveling. No shame.
Fortunately, with a little knowledge and a little planning, you can avoid overeating and junk foods, splurge on purpose or stick to healthy snacks that satisfy your travel tummy tendencies.
This printable list of all the best ROAD TRIP SNACKS will give you endless ideas.
Why Does Car Travel Make You Hungry?
Car travel can make a lot of people feel snack-y.
You’d think it wouldn’t, right?
You’re not moving so if you aren’t spending calories, why does car travel make you hungry?
Boredom
It’s because you’re bored. With fewer things to engage your attention on a road trip (streaming, games, etc.), you’re forced to be more attentive to what’s happening in your body.
So what seems to be elevated hunger levels may just be your body recognizing more quickly that it’s hungry.
Fight boredom with an exciting audiobook or turn up your favorite podcast while rolling down the road.
Time Zones
Another possibility happens if your trip takes you across time zones. Even though you may be going back or forward only an hour or two a day, that can be enough to confuse your body about when it’s supposed to eat.
You may be sleeping less which also raises hunger cues in your body!
Travel can upset your regular eating schedule, so be sure to eat regular meals! This may sound obvious, but with all the planning, packing and driving you may have skipped a meal without noticing.
Having set meal times can also help your body adjust to these time changes. If you are just passing through a time zone, do not try to adjust.
What Should I Eat On A Long Road Trip?
Plan to eat a variety of foods to stay satisfied while traveling.
This can help keep you from snacking on less filling things like sweets and junk food.
Protein
Protein keeps you full. Protein usually means grilled salmon, ground beef, or beans, but these generally do not travel well.
Beef Jerky and Trail mix are time honored road trip favorites and are usually available at gas stations.
Cheese sticks are great for all ages.
Peanuts and almonds have a decent amount of protein in them and often come in packaging convenient for traveling. Grab a big travel pack at a grocery store.
If you have a nut allergy, there are some other options out there. Puffed water lily seeds are excellent plant protein sources that avoid many common allergy problems. They’re harder to find in grocery stores so I usually order mine online. Bohana, available on Amazon are very tasty.
Fiber
Fiber is important while traveling. It helps keep you hydrated and regular.
Fiber is tricky. It can be hard to get on a road trip and you do not want too much.
Get fiber on a road trip from berries, oatmeal and even dark chocolate. Fiber supplements, granola bars, and whole grain chips also travel really well.
Be sure to eat enough fiber leading up to your trip as well so you are not leaving constipated.
Carbs
Be careful with these. Carbs give you energy, but too many carbs can lead to the so-called food coma.
Fruit and the oats found in granola bars provide some of the most travel-friendly healthy carbs.
Cookies, brownies, doughnuts and other sugary carb choices can be more satisfying if they are paired with protein like a cheese stick or beef jerky.
Caffeine
It is totally reasonable to drink some coffee or soda to get some caffeine while driving.
Do not drive when you are too tired to do so. The energy from coffee can help keep you alert, but once you start to feed drowsy, plan to stop in the next hour or two.
We all know about the crash that can happen after too much caffeine.
If your normal work day involves two cups of coffee before 10 a.m., one cup of coffee before a road trip isn’t going to cut it. Keep your consumption mostly the same to avoid an unexpected reaction.
In between normal cups you may consider a coffee substitute. I like to drink MUD\WTR.
It’s basically a mushroom-based chai-esk beverage with a seventh of the caffeine of coffee and with natural ingredients so I don’t experience a crash or the gastrointestinal distress that coffee can sometimes create.
How to Manage Overeating On a Road Trip
The main reasons for overeating on a road trip are boredom and time zone changes.
If you will be traveling through a time change, plan to adjust your meal times and do not skip meals.
Road trips make this difficult because sometimes the change is just an hour or two, you can keep your home time eating schedule, but shifting a few hours may help you sleep.
For itinerary-oriented road trips, an eating schedule can help manage overeating. Plan to stop for a normal breakfast and lunch and arrive before dinner.
For the spontaneous go-with-the-flow travelers, you could be sure to pack a variety of snacks so you can eat at normal times without stopping.
Boredom can be tricky.
Be sure that you have a plan for the day, and grab some activities.
The driver can enjoy an audiobook or podcast. Be sure to choose something engaging. This can be a great memory for the whole car.
Passengers can also beat boredom by keeping hands busy with knitting, crochet, coloring, or sudoku.
If you know boredom eating is something you want to avoid, you can also pack yourself a bag for the day. This lunchbox strategy works well for kids too.
3 Tips To Avoid Road Trip Hunger
- Plan ahead with enough food to last but not so much to make overeating a problem
- Include foods that give your body the variety of nutrients it needs
- Eat the right kinds of food ahead of time to minimize stomach problems during the trip
