Snacking for the Long Haul: Staying Alert on Epic Road Trips

Snacking for the Long Haul

Like you, we are constantly looking forward to our next road trip. It’s never a question of if, only of when and where. Is our next trip going to be to Coyote Buttes in Arizona to see The Wave? Its sandstone rock formation is exceedingly beautiful and very fragile. In fact, it’s so fragile that only twenty visitor permits are issued per day, some by lottery months in advance. Or will we have even more ambitious plans and venture all the way to the southernmost tip of the Americas to visit Tierra del Fuego, a picturesque archipelago that is (begrudgingly) shared by Argentina and Chile?

Yes, the idea of going on a cross-country or even international adventure via motorized transport may sound fun and even romantic—and it certainly is, but the truth is that long drives also mean long stretches of complete boredom, even if you’re headed to a place called “the land of fire.”

Motoring for hundreds or even thousands of miles between locations that you’d rather be exploring can be tedious and utterly sleep inducing. Long stretches of monotonous road have a way of sending drivers into a zombie-like state. Feeling as drowsy as you do, you’d swear that your AC was pumping in atomized Unisom pills. Have you driven across Texas before? If so, you know the struggle is real.

How do we keep from becoming a bunch of preschoolers at naptime while behind the wheel? It’s important to recognize that the importance of food intake is right up there alongside getting a good night’s sleep and taking an occasional nap as successful tools in staying alert on the road.

Consuming the right snacks and following common sense tips can help you get through those mind-dumbing sections of road between destinations. We spoke to fellow adventurists, a nutritionist, and several long-haul truck drivers and came up with a (completely non-scientific) list of snacks that should keep you alert and busy while you’re rolling between more attention worthy destinations.

Your Co-Pilot, Chewy

Keeping your senses engaged is a surefire way to stay awake and alert. When your mind starts hitting the snooze button, look to some time-honored snacks to keep you on your toes.

1. Sunflower Seeds

Research shows that sunflower seeds indeed help drivers stay awake while on the road. Cracking a sunflower seed’s shell in your mouth is a satisfying sensation then extracting its seed and spitting the shell out gives you plenty to do, which helps your concentration while driving. You can try eating them one at a time, or if you’re up for the challenge, you can attack them by the handfuls. Make sure you keep a cup in your truck to collect the shells. Or not, it really just depends how you like your vehicle’s interior to look post-trip.

2. Edamame

The boiled soybeans served in their pods that you get at the sushi joints are great to snack on while on the road. The soybeans are satisfying to pop from their shells and their shells can be chewed on before discarding (but don’t swallow the shells), and they’re healthy to boot. A pro tip is to season them to your preferred taste for an extra morale boost. We’re partial to chili and lime ourselves.

3. Gum

Yes, the old-school method of simply chewing gum can help liven up a forgettable stretch of road by giving your mouth something to do. Keeping your mouth moving stops you from yawning, which helps decrease your snooze-factor.

4. Ice

After you’ve downed your drink from the drive through, take a crack at cracking some ice. Similar to all the above, the sensation of keeping your mouth moving helps keep you alert

5. Fruits and Vegetables

Fruits such as orange wedges, grapes, or apple slices, and veggies such as carrot and celery sticks, are easy to pop in your mouth while you’re driving and don’t contain much fat, making them a healthy alternative to candy.

Caffeine Can Be Your Friend

It’s well documented that caffeine is a stimulant that helps perk up mental awareness. It’s also been reported that semi-truck drivers who indulge in caffeinated drinks such as coffee are significantly less likely to be in an accident when compared to those drivers who avoid caffeine. So when in need of a boost, grab a cup of Joe (but go easy on the sugar). Be careful not to go overboard however. As with eating too much sugar, consuming too much caffeine can lead to a crash as well.

Skip This

It may be obvious, but it must be stated. Drinks and snacks that are high in sugar are tempting but they will lead you to an energy crash later on down the road. (And aren’t we trying to prevent crashes?) Next time you stop by the Gas ‘N’ Go, skip the energy drinks and sugary sweets as tempting as they may be.

TREAD TIP: EASY THERE, BIG FELLA

Remember to eat and drink in moderation. Make sure that you pace yourself and spread your food intake over the duration of your drive. Light snacking is fine, but going all-in and devouring all your food in one fell swoop will likely send you into a food coma, which you shouldn’t need us to tell you is drastically detrimental to your driving. If you do find yourself wanting to prop your eyelids open with toothpicks, do yourself and everyone else a favor, pull over and grab a few Zs before continuing on. It’s better to be safe than sorry.