As our children get older, we find that we spend more and more time in the car shuttling to and from school, lessons, sports, play-dates, and events. Sometimes this scheduling necessitates meals on the run. Neither of us like the highly processed foods of most drive-thru options, so most of the time we pre-pack foods that can be consumed in the car. The goal is to create a meal with a balance of protein + fruit & veggie + dairy + carbs. See our post on healthy snacks for ideas on meal combinations.
Drive-thrus offer the convenience of not getting children out of carseats, but rarely offer healthy, quality food. When we do use the drive-thru for feeding our families, we aim for the least processed foods in their most natural states. We look for fresh fruits, yogurt, cheese, hardboiled eggs, bagels, dried fruits, and nuts.
Grocery stores are offering more healthy options in their deli sections making it easy to buy packaged individual serving sizes to create a meal (salads and sushi can be healthier choices).
What do you feed your family on the run?
On-the-run stuff these days in the Reynolds’ household typically includes some type of wrap. Tortillas hold anything and everything, easily and quickly!! Cheeses, cream cheese, veggies, leftover beans, sliced up beef, peanut butter, etc.
Wrapped in foil and put in a loose sided cooler bag with one of those blue-ice freezer things, and we’re off to the zoo, boat locks or a game.
Keep it up, Sharon and Kimberly!!
RR