“If wishes and buts were clusters of nuts, we’d all have a bowl of granola.” (From Strangers with Candy)
Despite gas prices, it’s just about road trip time for MRH (my retired husband) and me, and unlike trips of the past, this one is going to be organized! We are determined to be more prepared than ever (as in never!) for what may come, and to be as frugal as possible along the way. Sounds a little like tempting fate, doesn’t it? But some things are way too important to leave to chance –mainly, food,
We’re beginning to stockpile snacks that we both love, ones that are least likely to cause heart attacks, reflux and salmonella – and that will fit into the limited area of the backseat. I can’t tell you how devastating it would be to me to have to leave MRH’s stuff at home, so as to have room for the large cooler. So sadly, the entire side of beef jerky we both wanted to take won’t make the cut.
We have narrowed our choices to items from each of the four main nutritious food groups – Fat, Salty, Sweet and Crunchy. And, nuts on anything too healthy or that requires cooking. We’re saving the Fresh Fruit category for the trip back home, because berries and apples are ripe and plentiful where we’re headed in Oregon. Preservatives are our friends now, ‘cause we’re just two cranky senior citizens.
Here is the shopping list so far – pitiful, isn’t it? Please help us out with suggestions!
- Raw walnuts and almonds that crunch
- Grape tomatoes, baby carrots and dried fruit
- Cheese popcorn
- Crackers and string cheese
- Mike’s Homemade Jerky (ask me for Mike’s phone number – it’s on my speed dial)
- Trail mix
- Pretzels
- Powdered sugar doughnuts to decorate our clothes
- Snack bars
- Chocolate that must be purchased along the way because it melts when kept too long in the car (as if!)
Just type your suggestions into the comment area please. You will receive our undying gratitude – and we promise NOT to send you the ER bills that may follow!
RuidosoToday
don’t forget the cokes! its super cheap to ask to fill you cup with ice than actually buying a whole new coke. And i use the term coke broadly. you could even bring sandwich supplies – that way you wont get food poisoning.
Love you guys!!
canned cheese, crackers, gum, caned drinks, v-8 juice, gluserna, chips, bottle water, that can be refilled. laffy taffy (bananna) keep grandpa happy. dried fruit. and pumpkin seeds ( we found that they help keep you regular when traveling, expecially sitting for long periods of time. Have Fun
you would say something about being regular. but pumpkin seeds are more addictive than pistacheos
I have it on good authority that the green chile burgers at a place in HATCH are better than The Owl Bar’s. (That is if you are headed that way and need something actually meal-ish and nutrit-ious.)
And I always travel with gum. And M&Ms. And sodas. And some water. And money for milkshakes in case we need some dairy products.
A MUST is leftover home fried chicken! Pete’s is the best….you will have to talk to him about that!
Cokes . . . check!
)
Cheap ice . . . check!
Sandwich fixins . . . check!
Canned cheese . . . check!
Lots of gum . . . check!
Water . . . check!
Laffy Taffy . . . hmm . . . (that stuff smells soo BAD, but a happy MRH is a good thing . . .)
Pumpkin seeds . . . check X 10!!
Green chile . . . check! (Also taking a small cooler filled with frozen GC – to barter for berries.)
M$Ms (plain and peanut) . . . check!
Milkshake $$ . . . check! (Hope I don’t leave it in a casino by mistake.)
Home fried chicken . . . check! (Tell Pete we’ll be by for it the night before we leave
Thanks for all the help, gals! The list is really shaping up now. If you come up with more great ideas, feel free to add ‘em. You know we’re gonna think good thoughts about you on this trip!
U got everything we like…peanut butter??? Cookies?????
HOW could I forget peanut butter?? And cookies, of course! (check, check)