On the Road

When dinnertime hits, and you are on the road, the improv has some great suggestions for both drive through dining, and for quick fixes from the grocer.  Nutrition for kids is important, but in the middle of a trip, or in the middle of sports seasons, it can be difficult to have a well rounded meal.  Burgers and fries are fattening and expensive, but sometimes, we give in to weariness, and just splurge. 

The first step to avoiding unneccesary expense at the drive through is having a plan.  If you are working on a tight budget, the dollar menu is your friend, if you must drive through.  A couple of dollar burgers are filling enough for my older children, and mean less mess in the vehicle.  If there are a few dollar sandwiches to choose from, I opt for a mix of the two or three kinds, especially if my time is limited to get to the next activity.  For example, if the dollar menu includes burgers, and chicken sandwiches, I get one of each for each of the kids.  The youngest will only eat one sandwich, each.  The oldest, especially my teen son, will consume the leftovers.  If I have a little time to spare, of course, I let everyone make their preferences known.  I rarely purchase sodas or full-fledged meals when it's a drive through, improv night.

On the other hand, a quick trek into a grocery store allows me to grab the fixings for something more substantial, or less expensive.  Fruit, tortillas, and a jar of peanut butter, and there's a substantial "on the go" meal.  Make it a practice to keep some basic utensils in a travel pack in  your car, and you can make peanut butter tortillas easily.  Little mess, easy to manage, and the kids can eat on the way to the next event.  If you have time to sit down at a park bench, a rotisserie chicken and some tortillas make for tasty chicken tacos or burritos. 

Make sure you have water bottles when you are on the go, and sodas/juices are no longer a need to wash the food down.  Cut costs, and promote better nutrition for your kiddos by staying away from sweet drinks.