Backseat Treats for Your Summer Road Trip

August 17, 2009

Whether your driving destination is a camp ground or the beach, eating on the road doesn’t mean leaving your health at home.

• Pack easy-to-handle foods such as single-serving boxes of trail mix or applesauce cups, peanut butter sandwiches, fresh fruits or veggie slices.
• Pack food with a frozen ice pack or ice in an insulated lunch bag or cooler, and drop in a refrigerator thermometer to ensure the temperature is kept below 40°F.
• In hot weather, transport food in a cooler with ice or ice packs in the back seat of the car instead of the trunk. The environment tends to be cooler there, especially if the car is air-conditioned.
• Remember to wash hands with soap and water. If you can’t get to a restroom to wash your hands, pack moist towelettes or a hand sanitizer to clean up before digging in.

The same rules apply to carry-out and fast-food. Wash your hands or use hand sanitizer if you can before eating and don’t save any unrefrigerated leftovers for more than an hour or two.

Produced by ADA’s Public Relations Team