How To Pack Fruits For Travel
How to pack fruits for travel can be easy if you use a proper way. As you know, fruits are fragile, especially during their travel. Therefore, packing them requires a little more care than packing dry food or other edibles. Your biggest concern when it comes to packing fruits for travel will be spoilage if they get crushed or damaged. Fruits that have been bruised or squashed lose much of their taste and quality; they also start rotting quickly.
Packable Snacks for Your Road Trip
Ah, the family road trip! We’ve started south, to Florida. Car traveling is fun with kids, stopping to see the sights and vistas of this great country like Mammoth Cave, and traveling Natchez Trace. The next vision was something I hadn’t planned for: My husband and son walking out of a gas station carrying soda, bags of chips, and those cheese-stuffed-pretzel combination things. It doesn’t end there, that was just a snack. Now it’s time to stop for lunch at one of the myriad fast food restaurants lining the interstate. I took a misstep and didn’t plan the snacks for this trip …
How do we avoid the pitfalls of fast food, gas station snacks, and vending machines? As a dietitian, I have accumulated a wide variety of snack choices to fill the void. My portable snack ideas will take the guesswork out of what to bring on your next road trip, a day at the beach, or a trip to the zoo.
We don’t have much room in the cooler, so let’s make some good choices!
3 Key Characteristics of a Travel Snack
- It’s able to be stored in a cooler or the car with little risk of spoilage.
- It’s easy to consume with little preparation, cleanup, or utensils.
- It includes a fruit and veggie, protein, and minimal but healthful fat.
Fruits and Vegetables, Prepackaged
Before your trip, cut fruits (like melon) and vegetables (like carrots and celery) then pack in cooler-ready containers. Blanch vegetables (like green beans and carrots) and then shock in an ice water bath for a vibrant color and better texture. For a quicker option, most supermarkets have pre-cut, and packaged fruits and vegetables that travel well.
Don’t be a Drowsy Driver!
Driving can be tiring, and metabolizing carbohydrates will make the driver sleepy. Instead of sugar or carbohydrate, choose vegetable and protein choices to stay awake and alert. Give the kids more carbs, because drowsy can be a good thing for them!
Trail mix and nuts are great choices for increasing a sense of fullness. Hard cheeses travel well, but keep cheese serving sizes to 1 oz. for a snack. Include a piece of fruit and as many vegetables as you like. Turkey jerky or beef jerky have changed to become a little healthier. Although these aren’t a daily snack choice for this dietitian, they do travel well!
Stay Hydrated
Hydration is another important factor for keeping alert during that road trip. In addition to carbohydrate, dehydration can also cause drowsiness. Take along refillable filtered water bottles to replace sugary beverages. Colas with added sugar and caffeine will increase bathroom stops, and drowsiness. Include 100% juices, either straight or diluted.
Snack Menu
Here are some of my snack menus from trips in the Chicago area. I hope they’ll help tie all snack components together, with great options for kids and adults.
Snack Recipes for Your Next Outing
Carrot Pecan Energy Bites
(makes 60, 1 tablespoon bites)
Ingredients (makes 60, 1 tablespoon bites)
- 1 ½ cups old fashioned oats
- ½ cup pecans, chopped
- 1 Tbsp. flax seed, ground
- ¾ cup almond butter
- 3 Tbsp. agave nectar or honey
- ¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
- ¾ cup carrot, grated and packed
- ¾ cup tart cherries, dried
- ½ cup pecans, ground
Preparation
- In a food processor, blend together the oats, pecans, cherries, grated carrot, and flax.
- Pulse the almond butter, agave nectar and cinnamon until well combined.
- Using a scoop or tablespoon, roll the mixture into bite-sized balls. Spray hands with cooking spray to stop the mixture from sticking.
- Role balls in ground pecans, then place on a baking sheet, cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Serve or store remaining in airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or freeze.
Nutrition Facts: 50 calories, Total Fat 3.4g, saturated fat 0g, monounsaturated fat 2g, polyunsaturated fat 1g, sodium 3mg, carbohydrate 4g, fiber 1g, sugar 2g, protein 1g
Peas and Ham Mini Corn Muffin
(makes 36 mini muffins)
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup whole wheat flour
- 1 ½ cup corn meal
- ¼ cup sugar
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 1 cup skim milk
- ¼ cup canola oil
- 1 egg, beaten
- 2/3 cup frozen peas, partially cooked
- 8 oz. Canadian bacon, small dice
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 400°F and paper the muffin tins.
- Combine dry ingredients. Form a well in the center and stir milk, oil, and eggs. Don’t over mix.
- Fold in peas and Canadian bacon.
- Scoop batter into mini muffin tins and bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
Nutrition facts: 51 calories, total fat 2g, saturated fat 0g, monounsaturated fat 1g, cholesterol 7mg, sodium 117mg, protein 2g
How to Keep Food Fresh on a Road Trip
When you’re going on a road trip, the last thing you want is to run out of food because it went bad. That’s why it’s important to know how to prepare food properly for your road trip. Then, you need to pack your cooler the right way to keep your food fresh as long as possible. Make sure to plan out your meals so that you bring the correct amount of food, use a high-quality cooler, and use a separate cooler for beverages to preserve your perishables for the duration of your trip.
Part1Preparing the Day BeforeDownload Article
-
1Pick foods that are easy-to-prepare and will last for your road trip. Things like deli meats, cheeses, pre-cooked hot dogs or sausages, fruits and vegetables, potato salad or pasta salad, and other premade and precooked items are good choices. Plan out easy-to-make breakfast, lunch, and dinner meals for each day of your trip and bring the necessary ingredients.
- Limit the amount of raw meats and other highly-perishable items to just what you plan on making in the first 1-2 days, since these foods will go bad the fastest.
- Things like sandwiches and wraps are easy to throw together on the road, and their ingredients will last a long time in your
- You can pre-make things like pasta salad, potato salad, baked beans, and other side dishes. You can also precook some chicken or other meat to use for sandwiches or wraps on the first day or two.
- If you are bringing condiments, put smaller amounts of them into smaller containers rather than bringing the whole bottle or other container.Tip: In order to keep food fresh on a road trip, you will need a high-quality cooler. Choose one that is at least 2 in (5.1 cm) thick and made of molded plastic. It’s also best to use 2 coolers, 1 for food and 1 for drinks.
- Try to be as space-conscious as possible and pack things in bags and containers just big enough to hold them. This will save space and let you pack foods more tightly in your cooler to keep them colder.
- Don’t put wet raw foods like fruits and vegetables in sealed packaging or they won’t stay fresh. Either don’t wash them before packing them, or let them air dry completely before you pack them up.
- You can also freeze things like fruits and vegetables that you won’t eat right away to keep them fresh longer.
- It’s ok to leave things like sealed deli meats and dairy products in the fridge instead of the freezer, as these items won’t go bad as quickly.
- You don’t need to do this for non-perishable food items, like nuts or other snack-type items that won’t go bad.
- You can do this with several personal-sized water bottles or fill a couple of larger bottles with water and freeze them to make bigger ice blocks. For example, 2-liter soda bottles or gallon milk jugs work well as ice blocks for large coolers.
- If you don’t have or don’t want to use water bottles, you can also use commercial ice packs or freeze some water in ziploc bags to make ice blocks.
- This will ensure your cooler is already chilled when you pack food into it so that the food stays colder longer.
- Make sure to dump out the ice and water before you pack your cooler for the road trip.
2Prepare and portion out your food to get it ready to pack in your cooler. Chop things like fruits and vegetables so they are ready-to-eat and take up less space. Take things like raw meat out of its store packaging and separate it into portions to repackage in smaller containers or bags.
3Put the prepared food into sealable containers and bags. Put food in plastic bags with a zip top or sealable tupperware containers. This will keep food from getting wet or leaking and contaminating other foods in the cooler.
4Freeze all perishable food you won’t eat on the first day to keep it fresh longer. Put foods that will go bad quickly, especially raw meat, in the freezer the day before your trip and let them freeze overnight. Leave just enough food unfrozen for the first day of meals of your road trip.
5Refrigerate all the perishable food items that you don’t freeze. Put all the rest of your food that could go bad in the fridge the day before you travel to increase their shelf life. This includes items that you would normally put in the fridge, such as dairy products, and items you might typically leave out, life fruits and vegetables.
6Freeze enough water bottles to line the bottom of your cooler. Check how many water bottles fit in the bottom of your cooler, then freeze at least this many. These will act as ice blocks to keep your food fresh in your cooler, and then you can drink them later on.
7Fill your cooler with tap water and 1-2 bags of ice the night before to pre-chill it. Bring your cooler inside from wherever you store it to a cool room and dump 1-2 bags of ice into it. Fill it up the rest of the way with tap water, close it, and let it sit overnight.
How to pack fruit so it doesn’t get totally smushed
I am a huge fan of stone fruit, bananas and strawberries, but it is always such a hassle to carry them in my lunch bag. And it’s hard for kids too. When they come back home with uneaten fruit in their lunchboxes (argh!) it’s usually because they don’t want to eat it. It’s more likely because by lunchtime, that fruit is a gooey mess. Bananas turn super-brown in a matter of hours, strawberries become mushy and whole apples are always bruised.
Luckily for you, we have the perfect tricks so your fruits won’t get mushed and squashed in transport. We even threw in some tricks that will help prevent browning. Try out these tricks and you and your kids will come home with empty lunchboxes every afternoon.
Trick No. 1: Wrap fruit in cloth
You can take stone fruit or any round fruit like apples, peaches or pears and wrap them in a dry cloth. Make sure to tie the top of the cloth with a knot so your fruit does not go rolling around in your lunch bag and you’re all set. When lunchtime rolls around, you’ll have unbruised and delicious fruit.
Trick No. 2: Save your bananas from premature browning
I love bananas, but taking them to work is always a pain. By the time lunchtime swings around and I go in my bag for my banana, it is way browner than it was when I originally left the house. A way to save your bananas is to add plastic wrap to the stem. This will prevent it from getting ripe way too quickly. Throw it in your or your kid’s lunchbox and go on about your day. You can also cut bananas in half (with the skin on) freeze them and put the in an airtight dish before you leave the house.Report ad
Trick No. 3: Keep apple slices crisp
I like apple slices with almond butter, and it’s so much easier to cut them at home with a real knife than the plastic ones at work. But the problem with cutting apples beforehand is that they end up getting brown and gross. Here’s what to do: Soak your slices in a solution of two cups of cold water and an eighth of a teaspoon of salt for five minutes. Then drain and pack in an airtight container and you’re good to go. Now you’ll have fresh, crisp fruit for lunch or an afternoon snack.
Trick No. 4: Freeze your fruit in an airtight bag
Grab a few apricots, peaches or stone fruits that are a few days from being ripe, slice and freeze. It makes packing fruit so much easier. Just place five or six slices in a zip-close bag, being careful to press out all the extra air before freezing overnight. By the time you’re ready to eat your fruit the next day, it won’t be mush and it’ll have the perfect texture.
Trick No. 5: Keep strawberries fresh
Ever put your cut strawberries into a Tupperware container and by the time you’re ready to eat them, they’re all mushy? It’s happened to the best of us. The best way to transport strawberries is to leave them washed and whole. This way, the strawberry can stay fresh longer.
25 Food For Travelling: Ultimate Guide To Packing Healthy Travel Food
When you’re going on a trip, having food packed can help you save money and your mood when hunger strikes. If you are a fitness enthusiast who strives to live a healthy lifestyle, you are probably aware of how difficult it is to do so while on vacation. Any trip to any part of the world, even a short trip, would require you to forego your diet. But what if we told you there’s a way to pack healthy food while traveling? You heard correctly! There is no need for you to succumb to greasy food or oily snacks. Because every stop has several fast food options, you may get forced to eat unhealthy foods. So, here are some healthy food ideas to pack when traveling to ensure that you and your family eat healthy, nutritious food while on vacation. It’s time for you to figure out how to stay healthy while traveling. Here’s your ultimate guide to traveling with a healthy diet.
When you’re going on a trip, having food packed can help you save money and your mood when hunger strikes. If you are a fitness enthusiast who strives to live a healthy lifestyle, you are probably aware of how difficult it is to do so while on vacation. Any trip to any part of the world, even a short trip, would require you to forego your diet. But what if we told you there’s a way to pack healthy food while traveling? You heard correctly! There is no need for you to succumb to greasy food or oily snacks. Because every stop has several fast food options, you may get forced to eat unhealthy foods. So, here are some healthy food ideas to pack when traveling to ensure that you and your family eat healthy, nutritious food while on vacation. It’s time for you to figure out how to stay healthy while traveling. Here’s your ultimate guide to traveling with a healthy diet.
Dry fruits are small, but they are high in minerals and proteins. Every healthcare professional recommends including a handful of dry fruits in our diet to keep us healthy and fit. Dry fruits come in a plethora of varieties, including raisins, cashew nuts, almonds, pistachios, walnuts, dates, plums, and so on. Dry fruits are said to have a slew of health benefits if consumed in moderation. We’ve compiled a list of dry fruits that add nutritional value to your everyday food and provide you with multiple health benefits.
Food For Travelling
There are numerous reasons to pack at least a few healthy travel snacks for your next trip. Packing healthy travel snacks will help you resist the urge to purchase something unhealthy. Another important reason is that packing healthy travel snacks allows you to stick to your nutritious diet and lifestyle even when you’re on the road. It can be hard to stay healthy on the go, but taking the small step of bringing your own nutritious and delicious snacks can make all the difference.
Without further ado, here’s a list of the top 25 healthy travel snacks!
25 Healthy Foods To Pack When You Travel
You pack outfits tailored to your destination, so why not do the same with your snacks? After all, you wouldn’t dress the same in the mountains as you would at the beach. To help make your travel snacking experience as unique as your outfits, we’ve compiled a list of healthy travel snacks appropriate for a variety of destinations and activities.
These wholesome travel snacks are simple to pack and eat, and we hope they enhance your travel experience. Good luck on your journey!
Here are the 25 healthy foods to pack when you travel.
1. Pistachios
Pistachios are an excellent healthy travel snack because they are one of the lowest-fat tree nuts, containing only 100 calories per 32 nuts! They are also high in fiber, potassium, and other essential nutrients.
2. Greek Yogurt
Probiotics are one of the BEST things you can eat while traveling. In a nutshell, probiotics are gut bacteria type that aids digestion while traveling and eating new, unfamiliar foods. Greek yogurt is high in protein and calcium, in addition to probiotics!
3. Almonds
Almonds contain a lot of fiber, potassium, protein, and vitamins B and E. They’re also high in biotin, a vitamin that is said to improve the health of your hair, skin, and nails.
4. Avocados
Avocado has been dubbed a “superfood” by health experts, and it’s easy to see why after learning about all of its incredible health benefits. With just one avocado, you can supply your body with slightly less than 1,000 mg of potassium! Not to mention, your body gets an ample amount of calcium, iron, magnesium, and cobalamin, as well as vitamins A, B, C, and D!
5. Peanut Butter or Almond Butter
Pack a small tub of your favorite peanut butter or almond butter to add high-quality fats and protein to a snack. For a healthy travel snack, you can mix it with celery sticks, carrots, apples, or whole-grain crackers.
6. Sunflower Seeds
Sunflower seeds are portable and have been shown in studies to improve feelings of happiness and mood swings. These seeds contain tryptophan, which aids in the breakdown of serotonin, the body’s feel-good hormone. They’re also high in healthy fat, protein, calcium, iron, and magnesium!
7. Whole Grain Cereal
Cereal is simple because it comes in convenient little cups, making it an excellent healthy travel snack. Of course, you will want to read the nutrition labels before buying to ensure you’re getting the best whole grains with low sugar, high fiber, and low sodium. You can eat it either with or without milk!
8. Granola or Homemade Granola Bars
If it is healthy snacks you want to munch on while traveling, granola comes out at the top. However, reading labels before purchasing granola will help you choose the healthiest one of the lot. With Fit & Flex Granola, you can even make homemade granola bars. They are a filling and hearty breakfast, on-the-go snack, or even after-dinner treat – and they are super easy to make. You can store homemade granola bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
9.Dried Fruit
Dried fruit is high in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. One piece of any dried fruit that you pick contains roughly the same amount of nutrients as one piece of the same fresh fruit but in a much smaller, travel-friendly package!
10.Popcorn
Light and airy popcorn is the ideal snack for satisfying your munching desires while staying on track with your health and fitness goals. One cup of air-popped popcorn contains only 30 calories and is high in fiber, as well as many essential vitamins and minerals. Just make sure to leave out the butter and salt!
11.Baby-cut Carrots
Baby-cut carrots are lightweight and portable, and it’s high in vitamins B, C, and K! They’re also high in fiber, so they’ll keep your stomach nice and sated on your flight or your road trip.
12. Apples
Pack an apple or two to help you lose weight, cleanse your liver, and lower bad cholesterol! They also contain a lot of fiber, potassium, and vitamins B and C!
13. Oranges
Mandarin oranges are fantastic because they are seedless, incredibly simple to peel, and a tasty treat high in antioxidants and vitamin C! It is critical to consume vitamin C-rich foods while traveling to avoid becoming ill!
How To Pack Fruits For Travel
How to pack fruits for travel can be easy if you use a proper way. As you know, fruits are fragile, especially during their travel. Therefore, packing them requires a little more care than packing dry food or other edibles. Your biggest concern when it comes to packing fruits for travel will be spoilage if they get crushed or damaged. Fruits that have been bruised or squashed lose much of their taste and quality; they also start rotting quickly.
Packable Snacks for Your Road Trip
Ah, the family road trip! We’ve started south, to Florida. Car traveling is fun with kids, stopping to see the sights and vistas of this great country like Mammoth Cave, and traveling Natchez Trace. The next vision was something I hadn’t planned for: My husband and son walking out of a gas station carrying soda, bags of chips, and those cheese-stuffed-pretzel combination things. It doesn’t end there, that was just a snack. Now it’s time to stop for lunch at one of the myriad fast food restaurants lining the interstate. I took a misstep and didn’t plan the snacks for this trip …
How do we avoid the pitfalls of fast food, gas station snacks, and vending machines? As a dietitian, I have accumulated a wide variety of snack choices to fill the void. My portable snack ideas will take the guesswork out of what to bring on your next road trip, a day at the beach, or a trip to the zoo.
We don’t have much room in the cooler, so let’s make some good choices!
3 Key Characteristics of a Travel Snack
- It’s able to be stored in a cooler or the car with little risk of spoilage.
- It’s easy to consume with little preparation, cleanup, or utensils.
- It includes a fruit and veggie, protein, and minimal but healthful fat.
Fruits and Vegetables, Prepackaged
Before your trip, cut fruits (like melon) and vegetables (like carrots and celery) then pack in cooler-ready containers. Blanch vegetables (like green beans and carrots) and then shock in an ice water bath for a vibrant color and better texture. For a quicker option, most supermarkets have pre-cut, and packaged fruits and vegetables that travel well.
Don’t be a Drowsy Driver!
Driving can be tiring, and metabolizing carbohydrates will make the driver sleepy. Instead of sugar or carbohydrate, choose vegetable and protein choices to stay awake and alert. Give the kids more carbs, because drowsy can be a good thing for them!
Trail mix and nuts are great choices for increasing a sense of fullness. Hard cheeses travel well, but keep cheese serving sizes to 1 oz. for a snack. Include a piece of fruit and as many vegetables as you like. Turkey jerky or beef jerky have changed to become a little healthier. Although these aren’t a daily snack choice for this dietitian, they do travel well!
Stay Hydrated
Hydration is another important factor for keeping alert during that road trip. In addition to carbohydrate, dehydration can also cause drowsiness. Take along refillable filtered water bottles to replace sugary beverages. Colas with added sugar and caffeine will increase bathroom stops, and drowsiness. Include 100% juices, either straight or diluted.
Snack Menu
Here are some of my snack menus from trips in the Chicago area. I hope they’ll help tie all snack components together, with great options for kids and adults.
Snack Recipes for Your Next Outing
Carrot Pecan Energy Bites
(makes 60, 1 tablespoon bites)
Ingredients (makes 60, 1 tablespoon bites)
- 1 ½ cups old fashioned oats
- ½ cup pecans, chopped
- 1 Tbsp. flax seed, ground
- ¾ cup almond butter
- 3 Tbsp. agave nectar or honey
- ¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
- ¾ cup carrot, grated and packed
- ¾ cup tart cherries, dried
- ½ cup pecans, ground
Preparation
- In a food processor, blend together the oats, pecans, cherries, grated carrot, and flax.
- Pulse the almond butter, agave nectar and cinnamon until well combined.
- Using a scoop or tablespoon, roll the mixture into bite-sized balls. Spray hands with cooking spray to stop the mixture from sticking.
- Role balls in ground pecans, then place on a baking sheet, cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Serve or store remaining in airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or freeze.
Nutrition Facts: 50 calories, Total Fat 3.4g, saturated fat 0g, monounsaturated fat 2g, polyunsaturated fat 1g, sodium 3mg, carbohydrate 4g, fiber 1g, sugar 2g, protein 1g
Peas and Ham Mini Corn Muffin
(makes 36 mini muffins)
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup whole wheat flour
- 1 ½ cup corn meal
- ¼ cup sugar
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 1 cup skim milk
- ¼ cup canola oil
- 1 egg, beaten
- 2/3 cup frozen peas, partially cooked
- 8 oz. Canadian bacon, small dice
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 400°F and paper the muffin tins.
- Combine dry ingredients. Form a well in the center and stir milk, oil, and eggs. Don’t over mix.
- Fold in peas and Canadian bacon.
- Scoop batter into mini muffin tins and bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
Nutrition facts: 51 calories, total fat 2g, saturated fat 0g, monounsaturated fat 1g, cholesterol 7mg, sodium 117mg, protein 2g
How to Keep Food Fresh on a Road Trip
When you’re going on a road trip, the last thing you want is to run out of food because it went bad. That’s why it’s important to know how to prepare food properly for your road trip. Then, you need to pack your cooler the right way to keep your food fresh as long as possible. Make sure to plan out your meals so that you bring the correct amount of food, use a high-quality cooler, and use a separate cooler for beverages to preserve your perishables for the duration of your trip.
Part1Preparing the Day BeforeDownload Article
-
1Pick foods that are easy-to-prepare and will last for your road trip. Things like deli meats, cheeses, pre-cooked hot dogs or sausages, fruits and vegetables, potato salad or pasta salad, and other premade and precooked items are good choices. Plan out easy-to-make breakfast, lunch, and dinner meals for each day of your trip and bring the necessary ingredients.
- Limit the amount of raw meats and other highly-perishable items to just what you plan on making in the first 1-2 days, since these foods will go bad the fastest.
- Things like sandwiches and wraps are easy to throw together on the road, and their ingredients will last a long time in your
- You can pre-make things like pasta salad, potato salad, baked beans, and other side dishes. You can also precook some chicken or other meat to use for sandwiches or wraps on the first day or two.
- If you are bringing condiments, put smaller amounts of them into smaller containers rather than bringing the whole bottle or other container.Tip: In order to keep food fresh on a road trip, you will need a high-quality cooler. Choose one that is at least 2 in (5.1 cm) thick and made of molded plastic. It’s also best to use 2 coolers, 1 for food and 1 for drinks.
- Try to be as space-conscious as possible and pack things in bags and containers just big enough to hold them. This will save space and let you pack foods more tightly in your cooler to keep them colder.
- Don’t put wet raw foods like fruits and vegetables in sealed packaging or they won’t stay fresh. Either don’t wash them before packing them, or let them air dry completely before you pack them up.
- You can also freeze things like fruits and vegetables that you won’t eat right away to keep them fresh longer.
- It’s ok to leave things like sealed deli meats and dairy products in the fridge instead of the freezer, as these items won’t go bad as quickly.
- You don’t need to do this for non-perishable food items, like nuts or other snack-type items that won’t go bad.
- You can do this with several personal-sized water bottles or fill a couple of larger bottles with water and freeze them to make bigger ice blocks. For example, 2-liter soda bottles or gallon milk jugs work well as ice blocks for large coolers.
- If you don’t have or don’t want to use water bottles, you can also use commercial ice packs or freeze some water in ziploc bags to make ice blocks.
- This will ensure your cooler is already chilled when you pack food into it so that the food stays colder longer.
- Make sure to dump out the ice and water before you pack your cooler for the road trip.
2Prepare and portion out your food to get it ready to pack in your cooler. Chop things like fruits and vegetables so they are ready-to-eat and take up less space. Take things like raw meat out of its store packaging and separate it into portions to repackage in smaller containers or bags.
3Put the prepared food into sealable containers and bags. Put food in plastic bags with a zip top or sealable tupperware containers. This will keep food from getting wet or leaking and contaminating other foods in the cooler.
4Freeze all perishable food you won’t eat on the first day to keep it fresh longer. Put foods that will go bad quickly, especially raw meat, in the freezer the day before your trip and let them freeze overnight. Leave just enough food unfrozen for the first day of meals of your road trip.
5Refrigerate all the perishable food items that you don’t freeze. Put all the rest of your food that could go bad in the fridge the day before you travel to increase their shelf life. This includes items that you would normally put in the fridge, such as dairy products, and items you might typically leave out, life fruits and vegetables.
6Freeze enough water bottles to line the bottom of your cooler. Check how many water bottles fit in the bottom of your cooler, then freeze at least this many. These will act as ice blocks to keep your food fresh in your cooler, and then you can drink them later on.
7Fill your cooler with tap water and 1-2 bags of ice the night before to pre-chill it. Bring your cooler inside from wherever you store it to a cool room and dump 1-2 bags of ice into it. Fill it up the rest of the way with tap water, close it, and let it sit overnight.
How to pack fruit so it doesn’t get totally smushed
I am a huge fan of stone fruit, bananas and strawberries, but it is always such a hassle to carry them in my lunch bag. And it’s hard for kids too. When they come back home with uneaten fruit in their lunchboxes (argh!) it’s usually because they don’t want to eat it. It’s more likely because by lunchtime, that fruit is a gooey mess. Bananas turn super-brown in a matter of hours, strawberries become mushy and whole apples are always bruised.
Luckily for you, we have the perfect tricks so your fruits won’t get mushed and squashed in transport. We even threw in some tricks that will help prevent browning. Try out these tricks and you and your kids will come home with empty lunchboxes every afternoon.
Trick No. 1: Wrap fruit in cloth
You can take stone fruit or any round fruit like apples, peaches or pears and wrap them in a dry cloth. Make sure to tie the top of the cloth with a knot so your fruit does not go rolling around in your lunch bag and you’re all set. When lunchtime rolls around, you’ll have unbruised and delicious fruit.
Trick No. 2: Save your bananas from premature browning
I love bananas, but taking them to work is always a pain. By the time lunchtime swings around and I go in my bag for my banana, it is way browner than it was when I originally left the house. A way to save your bananas is to add plastic wrap to the stem. This will prevent it from getting ripe way too quickly. Throw it in your or your kid’s lunchbox and go on about your day. You can also cut bananas in half (with the skin on) freeze them and put the in an airtight dish before you leave the house.Report ad
Trick No. 3: Keep apple slices crisp
I like apple slices with almond butter, and it’s so much easier to cut them at home with a real knife than the plastic ones at work. But the problem with cutting apples beforehand is that they end up getting brown and gross. Here’s what to do: Soak your slices in a solution of two cups of cold water and an eighth of a teaspoon of salt for five minutes. Then drain and pack in an airtight container and you’re good to go. Now you’ll have fresh, crisp fruit for lunch or an afternoon snack.
Trick No. 4: Freeze your fruit in an airtight bag
Grab a few apricots, peaches or stone fruits that are a few days from being ripe, slice and freeze. It makes packing fruit so much easier. Just place five or six slices in a zip-close bag, being careful to press out all the extra air before freezing overnight. By the time you’re ready to eat your fruit the next day, it won’t be mush and it’ll have the perfect texture.
Trick No. 5: Keep strawberries fresh
Ever put your cut strawberries into a Tupperware container and by the time you’re ready to eat them, they’re all mushy? It’s happened to the best of us. The best way to transport strawberries is to leave them washed and whole. This way, the strawberry can stay fresh longer.
25 Food For Travelling: Ultimate Guide To Packing Healthy Travel Food
When you’re going on a trip, having food packed can help you save money and your mood when hunger strikes. If you are a fitness enthusiast who strives to live a healthy lifestyle, you are probably aware of how difficult it is to do so while on vacation. Any trip to any part of the world, even a short trip, would require you to forego your diet. But what if we told you there’s a way to pack healthy food while traveling? You heard correctly! There is no need for you to succumb to greasy food or oily snacks. Because every stop has several fast food options, you may get forced to eat unhealthy foods. So, here are some healthy food ideas to pack when traveling to ensure that you and your family eat healthy, nutritious food while on vacation. It’s time for you to figure out how to stay healthy while traveling. Here’s your ultimate guide to traveling with a healthy diet.
When you’re going on a trip, having food packed can help you save money and your mood when hunger strikes. If you are a fitness enthusiast who strives to live a healthy lifestyle, you are probably aware of how difficult it is to do so while on vacation. Any trip to any part of the world, even a short trip, would require you to forego your diet. But what if we told you there’s a way to pack healthy food while traveling? You heard correctly! There is no need for you to succumb to greasy food or oily snacks. Because every stop has several fast food options, you may get forced to eat unhealthy foods. So, here are some healthy food ideas to pack when traveling to ensure that you and your family eat healthy, nutritious food while on vacation. It’s time for you to figure out how to stay healthy while traveling. Here’s your ultimate guide to traveling with a healthy diet.
Dry fruits are small, but they are high in minerals and proteins. Every healthcare professional recommends including a handful of dry fruits in our diet to keep us healthy and fit. Dry fruits come in a plethora of varieties, including raisins, cashew nuts, almonds, pistachios, walnuts, dates, plums, and so on. Dry fruits are said to have a slew of health benefits if consumed in moderation. We’ve compiled a list of dry fruits that add nutritional value to your everyday food and provide you with multiple health benefits.
Food For Travelling
There are numerous reasons to pack at least a few healthy travel snacks for your next trip. Packing healthy travel snacks will help you resist the urge to purchase something unhealthy. Another important reason is that packing healthy travel snacks allows you to stick to your nutritious diet and lifestyle even when you’re on the road. It can be hard to stay healthy on the go, but taking the small step of bringing your own nutritious and delicious snacks can make all the difference.
Without further ado, here’s a list of the top 25 healthy travel snacks!
25 Healthy Foods To Pack When You Travel
You pack outfits tailored to your destination, so why not do the same with your snacks? After all, you wouldn’t dress the same in the mountains as you would at the beach. To help make your travel snacking experience as unique as your outfits, we’ve compiled a list of healthy travel snacks appropriate for a variety of destinations and activities.
These wholesome travel snacks are simple to pack and eat, and we hope they enhance your travel experience. Good luck on your journey!
Here are the 25 healthy foods to pack when you travel.
1. Pistachios
Pistachios are an excellent healthy travel snack because they are one of the lowest-fat tree nuts, containing only 100 calories per 32 nuts! They are also high in fiber, potassium, and other essential nutrients.
2. Greek Yogurt
Probiotics are one of the BEST things you can eat while traveling. In a nutshell, probiotics are gut bacteria type that aids digestion while traveling and eating new, unfamiliar foods. Greek yogurt is high in protein and calcium, in addition to probiotics!
3. Almonds
Almonds contain a lot of fiber, potassium, protein, and vitamins B and E. They’re also high in biotin, a vitamin that is said to improve the health of your hair, skin, and nails.
4. Avocados
Avocado has been dubbed a “superfood” by health experts, and it’s easy to see why after learning about all of its incredible health benefits. With just one avocado, you can supply your body with slightly less than 1,000 mg of potassium! Not to mention, your body gets an ample amount of calcium, iron, magnesium, and cobalamin, as well as vitamins A, B, C, and D!
5. Peanut Butter or Almond Butter
Pack a small tub of your favorite peanut butter or almond butter to add high-quality fats and protein to a snack. For a healthy travel snack, you can mix it with celery sticks, carrots, apples, or whole-grain crackers.
6. Sunflower Seeds
Sunflower seeds are portable and have been shown in studies to improve feelings of happiness and mood swings. These seeds contain tryptophan, which aids in the breakdown of serotonin, the body’s feel-good hormone. They’re also high in healthy fat, protein, calcium, iron, and magnesium!
7. Whole Grain Cereal
Cereal is simple because it comes in convenient little cups, making it an excellent healthy travel snack. Of course, you will want to read the nutrition labels before buying to ensure you’re getting the best whole grains with low sugar, high fiber, and low sodium. You can eat it either with or without milk!
8. Granola or Homemade Granola Bars
If it is healthy snacks you want to munch on while traveling, granola comes out at the top. However, reading labels before purchasing granola will help you choose the healthiest one of the lot. With Fit & Flex Granola, you can even make homemade granola bars. They are a filling and hearty breakfast, on-the-go snack, or even after-dinner treat – and they are super easy to make. You can store homemade granola bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
9.Dried Fruit
Dried fruit is high in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. One piece of any dried fruit that you pick contains roughly the same amount of nutrients as one piece of the same fresh fruit but in a much smaller, travel-friendly package!
10.Popcorn
Light and airy popcorn is the ideal snack for satisfying your munching desires while staying on track with your health and fitness goals. One cup of air-popped popcorn contains only 30 calories and is high in fiber, as well as many essential vitamins and minerals. Just make sure to leave out the butter and salt!
11.Baby-cut Carrots
Baby-cut carrots are lightweight and portable, and it’s high in vitamins B, C, and K! They’re also high in fiber, so they’ll keep your stomach nice and sated on your flight or your road trip.
12. Apples
Pack an apple or two to help you lose weight, cleanse your liver, and lower bad cholesterol! They also contain a lot of fiber, potassium, and vitamins B and C!
13. Oranges
Mandarin oranges are fantastic because they are seedless, incredibly simple to peel, and a tasty treat high in antioxidants and vitamin C! It is critical to consume vitamin C-rich foods while traveling to avoid becoming ill!
Easy Tips for Rearranging The Layout of Your Bedroom
The only project more complex than decorating an empty bedroom is rearranging an existing one. In some ways, rearranging can be more challenging than starting from scratch. But that doesn’t mean you can’t create a comfortable, inviting bedroom layout you love.
When you’re rearranging bedroom furniture, planning is the key to success. From figuring exact bed placement to drawing the layout in advance, preparation will save time and get you closer to the Kelly Wearstler zone.
To help you start, we’ve put together this handy guide on how to rearrange your room. In it, you’ll find tips and tricks to help you pull off this home decor project like a professional designer.
How to Set Up a Bedroom
Maybe you’ve decided to rearrange your bedroom just to freshen up your space. Or maybe it’s because you’ve just acquired that new, refreshing piece of furniture and your current setup needs a matching update. Either way, you’re in for an enjoyable adventure.
But here’s a tip — before you start to rearrange nightstands and dressers, take a little head-scratching time to form an idea of what you’d like the end result to look like. This could be just the general vibe you’re going after. Or it could be an exact bedroom furniture layout.
Where to Find Inspiration for Your Bedroom Redesign
During this planning phase, a mood board is an incredibly helpful tool. It’s just a board (on paper, cork or on a tablet or computer) where you collect fun snips of inspiration.
Pinterest and Instagram are the best places to search for sparks of creativity. You’ll find plenty of professionally styled rooms, plus unique bedroom layouts you wouldn’t have thought of otherwise.
Once you’ve got a few looks narrowed down, pick one or two that match your room size, general layout and available furniture pieces. Then work on adapting it so it works with your own style preferences and room dimensions.
Draw it out
The best way to visualize your new bedroom look is to draw it out. This will also help you to avoid mistakes like ill-fitting furniture. Start by measuring your room and furniture pieces such as dressers, benches, desks, chairs and nightstands. Then sketch your new bedroom layout to make sure everything looks right and fits perfectly.
Try to make your sketch to scale as much as possible. This will give you a good idea of how your room will look with all the furniture in it. You’ll also get a feeling for the distance between your bed and other bulky decor pieces. Remember not to “overstuff” your bedroom. Leave plenty of space for accessories and plants.
If sketching is not your cup of tea, go high-tech. Some apps let you create floor plans and realistic room layouts (sometimes in 3D) according to your bedroom’s measurements. Most are user-friendly and full-featured, and don’t require a degree in interior design.
Declutter and Clean Before You Start Moving
Rearranging a room is easier with less “stuff” in it. Place decorative items, indoor plants, rugs and smaller lamps in boxes, and move them to a different room. Moving your furniture around will be a lot less complicated after the floors and shelves are empty. With all the decor gone, you’ll also see your space in a whole new light. You may realize the potential for a different layout than you’d imagined, or even for a whole new style.
Next up, tidy beneath your bed and check if your floors are in good shape. If there are any dents, plan to cover them with an area rug or a piece of furniture later.
Wash your bedding, including pillowcases, duvet cover and blankets. You won’t need them again until you’ve finished with the move.
Tools for Moving Furniture Around
There are several tools that will make your life much easier when it’s time to rearrange your bedroom furniture. These help especially with bulkier pieces such as your bed frame, dresser, side table or bookshelves.
If you have hardwood floors, invest in good-quality furniture sliders. They’ll make moving heavy furniture a breeze as they protect your floors from dents and scratches. They’re usually reusable and there are also some that work on carpets.
If your bedroom is on the smaller side and your furniture is bulky, have a couple of old or inexpensive blankets ready. Wrap the furniture in them before you move it to the hallway. They’ll protect the decor and the walls from scratches during bedroom furniture arrangement.
Stair rollers are a lifesaver, too. They help you move heavy items safely up and down the stairs. If you’ll be moving things to storage, have plenty of boxes on hand for accessories and decorative items, as well as packing tape and labels.
Ways to Move Your Room Around Efficiently
For a successful and efficient move, plan the order of events before you start. Begin with bulky items that require the most space and effort. If you plan on putting an area rug under the bed, place it on the floor before the move. That way, you don’t have to lift your bed again to slide the rug beneath. This tip is especially helpful if you sleep on a heavy king size bed.
Plan to move your bedframe and mattress separately. Once they’re in their new homes, double-check that you’ve left plenty of space to open bedroom and closet doors.
Next, proceed with smaller furniture pieces like desks, nightstands, chairs, ottomans or shelving units. Your decorative items, plants and sheets go last.
Don’t Shop for New Furniture
Unless you’re doing a complete style overthrow, don’t invest in all new items. First, try to settle on the best room setup that fits your current furniture. This will save you time and money, since it uses your existing assets. At the end of your project, you may realize your room could use a sitting area. If you have the space for it, then you can buy the items you need then. But avoid adding new decor pieces — especially bulkier ones — before you rearrange your furniture.
Rearranging Bedroom Ideas
Your new bedroom furniture layout will largely depend on the size of your space and your personal preferences. Even so, here are a few ways to rearrange your room that look great and are easy to achieve.
Place Your Bed Away From the Windows
This classic bedroom layout puts the bed against a wall and parallel to the windows. Your night tables will go on both sides of the bed. You can place a desk or dresser parallel to the bed or on the opposite wall. Before you choose this layout, consider whether your bedroom gets the most light in the morning or the afternoon. If your room faces east and you don’t like waking up with the sun in your face, select a different setup.
If your room has floor-to-ceiling windows and a particularly beautiful view outside, place your bed so you can get the most enjoyment from it. Then arrange your other furniture around this central setup. The gorgeous scenery becomes your bedroom’s focal point.
Source https://thesuperhealthyfood.com/how-to-pack-fruits-for-travel/
Source https://thesuperhealthyfood.com/how-to-pack-fruits-for-travel/
Source https://www.parachutehome.com/blog/rearranging-the-layout-of-your-bedroom