How to Prepare for a Road Trip With Food Allergies

I took a road trip to celebrate the Fourth of July this year. However, when you have to manage multiple food allergies without the proper planning, a road trip can become quite stressful.

Traveling with food allergies

Let's face it; food allergies must be appropriately managed by planning, organization, and more planning! When deciding to travel with food allergies, it is imperative that you have safe foods with you at all times and that you do your best to research restaurants in the area ahead of travel. Traveling is certainly still possible to enjoy with food allergies. I will share how I prepared to enjoy my summer road trip.

Pack your snacks

First, I make sure to have tons of snacks with me. Packing snacks is much easier to manage when driving versus flying. My trip wasn't very long, just about 4 hours long, so I kept the snacks pretty simple. I packed trail mix, beef jerky, fruit, and crackers. Don't forget to prepare a water bottle for the road to stay hydrated and alert.

Trail mix

If you aren't allergic, nuts are a great snack as they are packed with healthy fat so that you can feel satisfied for longer until your next meal. Trail mix has been my go-to snack recently. Of course, they are so easy to pack and don't require refrigeration.

Beef sticks

Another favorite satiating snack of mine is 100 percent grass-fed beef sticks. I love beef sticks because they are a healthy alternative to the other more processed beef jerky. They are full of protein and fill me up whenever I feel hungry. They taste amazing, and I know I am offering my body a healthy option.

Fruit

In addition, I like packing some bananas with me because I love them, and they're so easy to travel with. They have their own packaging, basically! More easy-to-pack fruits are mandarin oranges and apples. They're convenient to pack and travel with because you can just toss them whole into an insulated bag.

Reading up on your destination

I try my best to plan and research information about the location I'll be visiting. I researched some restaurants in the area and have checked their menus. Since I've traveled to this destination before, I have some idea of where I can eat safely. Calling ahead to ask about allergy-friendly food preparation or bringing a personalized chef card can help you stay safe when dining out.

Planning for smooth travels

The key to managing food allergies while traveling is planning. The more you plan, the smoother your travels and the more at ease you will feel. Make sure you pack snacks so that if you do get hungry, you always have an option for yourself to curb the hunger. Locate restaurants in the area online, look at menus and familiarize yourself with places you can eat. I would go ahead and make reservations, too, so you have peace of mind and can enjoy your time out without worries.

Do you have other tips for going on a road trip while dealing with food allergies?