Convenience Store Healthy Food Ideas

[madysmom]

We will be doing a lot of traveling on our next family vacation, and will likely be stopping often at gas stations and convenience stores along the way for snacks and sometimes small meals. I am looking for suggestions of HEALTHY snack options that can be purchased at these places, i.e.nuts, dried fruits, granola bars, crackers, cheese...what else? Thanks!

 

[Traveliz]

Most of the ones I have stopped at of late have some fruits available (bananas, apples). They also have single serve packages of juices in the coolers.

If you are traveling by your own car though I would just pack up a cooler and a snack box. It will be much cheaper.

Liz

 

[tar heel]

If you're on the budget board, I don't think you want to be buying any of this stuff at convenience stores as their prices are atrocious.

Why don't you shop Target, Walmart or your regular store and take stuff with you? We always pack snacks and a cooler of drinks (plus refills for the cooler). We do a mix of snacks, including some that I rarely buy so no one feels deprived when we don't buy at the gas station. I also generally have snacks that only I know about, so there are surprises along the way. We do a lot of road trips and have saved literally thousands by not doing the $20-$30 convenience store grab.

 

[swilshire]

I was thinking along the lines of the pp. Stop at a full service grocery store. Most larger ones have extensive prepared foods available these days along with seating areas if you want to eat there and clean rest rooms. Just like a restaurant but likely at a lower cost.

Sheila

 

[luv2nascar]

do we have wawa? They have wraps, salad, fruit cups, individual cheese strings, apples, soup etc.

 

[HeatherC]

Nuts and yogurt.

 

[MrsPooh]

We usually pack things like fruit, cheese and other snacks in a small cooler in the car. I purchase and prepare them ahead of time.

If I was planning to just pick them up along the way I'd look for trail mix (Planters has very tasty fruit & nut mixes) and possibly sunflower seeds. Pretzels are a good alternative to other chips. Many of our local gas stations/convenience stores (especially QT) have plenty of healthy options like fresh fruits, prepackaged fruit cups like DelMonte, cheese, fruit juices, frozen fruit bars and many other items. They began stocking all of these things because they accept our state EBT cards (food stamp cards) and they must sell healthy alternatives in order to participate in the program.

If you think creatively you should be able to find some good choices. Also, when I went on a trip with the girl scouts we found many stops had Subway restaurants which were another possibly healthy alternative.

 

[SOnotLayuh]

We usually pack things like fruit, cheese and other snacks in a small cooler in the car. I purchase and prepare them ahead of time.

If I was planning to just pick them up along the way I'd look for trail mix (Planters has very tasty fruit & nut mixes) and possibly sunflower seeds. Pretzels are a good alternative to other chips. Many of our local gas stations/convenience stores (especially QT) have plenty of healthy options like fresh fruits, prepackaged fruit cups like DelMonte, cheese, fruit juices, frozen fruit bars and many other items. They began stocking all of these things because they accept our state EBT cards (food stamp cards) and they must sell healthy alternatives in order to participate in the program.

If you think creatively you should be able to find some good choices. Also, when I went on a trip with the girl scouts we found many stops had Subway restaurants which were another possibly healthy alternative.

We also prepare things in advance

 

[MickeyMomOfThree]

We are drivers, and packers as well, but one thing we like at gas stations are a lot of them have Subway in them. It isn't a snack but a quick, healthy and inexpensive meal. Snack wise, can't really help you out. We buy fruits and other snacks and eat them on the way and then replenish down there for the ride home. My family are HUGE fruit eaters, it costs a fortune as it is without paying for it a piee at a time along the way.