Guest Blog by Sarah Thomas Pilcher
Summertime is road trip season! Whether it’s a family trip or girls trip, we all have to stop for food. That’s one of the best parts! Trust me, I know it’s hard eating healthy on the road. Hopefully these healthy hacks will keep your stomach happy as you journey. Don’t forget the sunscreen!
Before hitting the road, stop at your favorite coffee spot to get your caffeine fix and maybe protein or a snack. Coffee, tea, espresso and cappuccino are all great, healthy options. If you’re really watching your overall calorie and sugar intake, use healthy add-ons like cinnamon or nutmeg to give it some punch. Avoid sweeteners at all costs and try to stick to the 60-100 calorie range.
Some light breakfast options from Starbucks are Classic Whole Grain Oatmeal, Egg & Cheddar Breakfast Sandwich, Spinach with Feta & Egg White Sandwich and Reduced-Fat Turkey Bacon & Egg White Sandwich. Remember, you can have breakfast at any time of the day!
Some healthy lunch options can be found at Chipotle. Try a Burrito Bowl with sofritas, white rice, fajita vegetables, and medium tomatillo green-chili salsa – with a total of 365 calories, 14.5 grams of fat, 1355 milligrams of sodium, and 12.5 grams of protein. Right?! Another great Burrito Bowl option is to load up on steak, black beans, fajita vegetables, romaine lettuce and mild tomato salsa. That combo packs a wallop of protein—around 40 grams—with only 360 calories and 8 grams of fat.
Believe it or not – Wendy’s has some good options, too. Try Apple Slices with a startling 40 calories, 0 grams of total fat, 0 miligrams of sodium, 9 grams of carbs, and 0 grams of protein. For your sweet tooth, the Small Vanilla Frosty only does a little damage with 280 calories, 7 grams of fat, 4.5 grams of saturated fat, 135 milligrams of sodium, 47 grams of carbs, and 7 grams of protein. Even the Jr. Hamburger isn’t bad at 250 calories, 10 grams of fat, 4 grams of saturated fat, 650 milligrams of sodium, 25 grams of carbs, and 15 grams of protein. You won’t find many burgers at Wendy’s with a calorie count this low. This one is filling, easy on the fat and provides a good balance of protein and carbs. Or get some green with an Apple Pecan Chicken Salad at only 350 calories, 11 grams of fat, 7 grams of saturated fat, 950 milligrams of sodium, 30 grams of carbs, and 35 grams of protein. If none of those appeal to your taste buds, remember the Small Chili option with only 210 calories, 6 grams of total fat, 2.5 grams of saturated fat, 880 milligrams of sodium, 21 grams of carbs, and 17 grams of protein.
Drive Safely and Remember to Eat Healthy!
