Whether for business or leisure, packing the right snacks for a long drive is essential for staying focused and energised behind the wheel.
Nutritious and tasty snacks not only boost alertness but also make the journey more enjoyable. So, what are the best snacks to bring on a road trip to sustain energy levels and wellbeing?
Select Car Leasing has teamed up with Nutritional Therapist Lucia Stansbie to provide exclusive insight:
“A great snack for long journeys would be something easy to digest, as well as being protein rich in order to keep you fuller for longer. While sugary snacks can quickly increase energy and attention, they can quickly leave you crashing.
“The perfect snack would be carrots and hummus, as the latter is a great source of protein, or an egg sandwich, as the carbs in the bread will provide sugars to keep our brain alert and the protein in the egg will keep us fuller for longer.
“Green tea can also help increase concentration, alertness, and wellbeing as L-Theanine in green tea promotes balance in the nervous system. Green tea is also a great source of antioxidants, specifically EGCG (epigallocatechin) which can help fight off inflammation and reduce oxidative stress as well as balance the immune system.”
Below, Lucia delves deeper into which nutritious snacks are best to pack into your road trip picnic that provide a wealth of benefits when driving:
// Fresh fruit and vegetables
“Raw peppers are one of the richest sources of vitamin C - even more than oranges! They are an excellent snack choice, even more so if combined with a protein-rich dip such as hummus or bean.
“Berries are also a great snack as they travel well and are both rich in fibre and antioxidants. Contrary to many fruits, they have a low glycemic index, meaning they won’t spike your blood sugar levels.”
// Homemade snacks
“Homemade energy balls can be a good snack, providing plenty of energy, protein, and fibre. The only downside is that they tend to be very calorie dense, and if snacking mindlessly, it is easy to exceed the recommended calories for snacks having almost the same as a meal but with less satisfaction.
“Homemade dips such as hummus, bean dips and guacamole can be a better option than the shop-bought ones and are ideal with vegetables or oatcakes. I would also recommend making your own sandwiches or wraps, as they will be more nourishing and healthy than shop-bought ones, as well as tastier as you can customise them to your own taste.”
// Dairy and protein
“Boiled eggs are an excellent snack, providing proteins that will guarantee constant levels of energy. Cheese is also a source of proteins, but it is important to be wary that cheese is a source of saturated fats, so it should be limited if suffering from high cholesterol.”
// Crunchy delights
“Popcorn is a great source of fibre and a better alternative to crisps. Homemade popcorn is very quick to make and will allow you to customise the amount of salt or sugar, as well as choosing a better oil (olive or avocado) than a shop-bought one, which is usually made with pro-inflammatory vegetable oils such as rapeseed or sunflower.
“Rice cakes may seem like an ideal option, but they are highly processed and can have a very high glycemic index, meaning they can quickly spike blood sugar levels, making you crash shortly afterwards.”
// Sweet treats
“Dark chocolate can be a good snack, as long as the quantity is limited, as there is a big difference between a couple of squares and a whole bar. A great option if craving something sweet is oatcakes with some nut butter, as this will provide fibre and healthy fats, providing stable levels of energy for longer.
“Also, preparing home some chia-seed puddings can be a good option to eat on the go, as they are a great source of proteins and healthy fats.”
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