by: Elysia Arseneau, staff writer

Summer is the time for travel and road trips! Sometimes long road trips... Whether your family is going camping, to the beach, or traveling to visit family and friends, someone is bound to get the munchies along the way!

Instead of heading to the nearest fast food stop, make sure you’re prepared ahead of time with some of these simple snack ideas that can be enjoyed in the car or at a rest area.

Trail Mix

Making your own trail mix is an easy way to ensure your family is eating nothing but the best! Here are the basic building blocks to a well-balanced trail mix:

• Nuts contain healthy unsaturated fats, protein, fibre, antioxidants, and vitamins and minerals. Whether raw or roasted, reach for unsalted and unsweetened.
• Seeds provide many of the same nutritional benefits as nuts, and are a nice way to "mix" things up. Sprinkle a handful of sunflower, pumpkin, sesame, hemp, or flax seeds for an extra nutrient boost.
• Dried fruit is a naturally sugary treat, so make sure not to overdo it! In moderation, dried fruit can be a great source of fibre, calcium, vitamins A, C, and K, and antioxidants. Look for options with as little added sugar as possible, or make your own at home in the oven.
• Sweet additions like coconut flakes, cacao nibs, yogurt-covered raisins, and chocolate covered nuts or coffee beans should be used sparingly. When choosing chocolate-covered treats, remember that the darker the chocolate, the more antioxidants!

 
Quick recipe for a satisfied sweet tooth: Mix together almonds, pecans, coconut flakes, dried apricots and dark chocolate into individual zip-baggies or mini Mason jars.

Rice Wraps

Because rice paper likes to stick to itself, these wraps are relatively mess-free. You can thinly slice (or grate) vegetables, add meats or meat substitutes, wrap them up in a rice paper wrap, and then even dip the finished product in hummus or a dipping sauce. It's a fresh, gluten-free take on sandwiches!
 
Quick recipe for wrap stars: Wrap up carrots, lettuce, cucumber, red pepper and chicken or tempeh, all thinly sliced, into a rice paper wrap.

Smoothies

Double a batch of your family’s favorite smoothie and store them in small mason jars for nutrition on the go! Add a scoop of organic, vegan Riza-Max protein powder to balance blood sugar levels and keep your travel partners' moods in check.
 
Quick recipes for a smooth ride: Use NutriChem's handy (and free!) Smoothie Formula Guide to create perfectly easy smoothies that are nutritionally complete. You can also check out our blog for more smoothie recipes. 

Protein Bars

If it’s a last minute road trip and there’s no time to DIY your own protein bars, you may have to resort to store-bought. And that's perfectly OK! Your family isn't going to die from eating some packaged food every now and then. We'd recommend choosing a bar that is low in sugar, and high in fibre and protein.
 
Quick stop at NutriChem for your new favourites: Our staff love Genuine Health Fermented Vegan Protein+ (with 15 g of protein per bar and 10 g of fibre), and Simply Protein Bar (with 1 g of sugar and 15 g of protein per bar).

Veggies and Dip

Don’t forget about this classic healthy snack! Veggie sticks require no cooking, are extremely portable, and are easy to dip for kids. We especially love hummus and bean dips for dairy-free, high-protein dips.
 
Quick dip recipes: Some of our best dip recipes for veggies include Spicy Black Bean Veggie Dip, Sunflower Seed Paté, and Creamy Avocado, Cilantro and Lime Dressing. As a bonus, Maple Nut Butter is a fantastic dip recipe for fruits!

[This article is adapted from a version that appeared in our July 2015 newsletter. It has been updated to include delicious recipes.] 

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