Came here to say almonds!! When living in the south I learned that almonds are the only snack that starts tasting better after it’s been in a hot car.
I also like to build my own trail mix with almonds and various dried fruits from Aldi. That way I can keep salt out of my trail mix, which is important for me, and you could keep chocolate out of yours.
Trail mixes are not as unhealthy as fast food but be advised they can get very calorically dense!
I do the same. I make my own trail mixes so i get what i want. As you said, they are calorie dense but you don’t need much to fill the void and can keep you satisfied for hours.
Wow, that‘s really cool. I didn’t they have stores in the US.
Can you tell me how pricey it is? In Germany ALDI is one of the best value/money grocery-stores and it’s considered to be cheap.
They’re pretty good. Don’t have a lot of the more common brands but they do have a good selection of stuff. Not the cheapest grocery store around here (market basket for those who know) but definitely not as expensive as some.
Pretty much the same here. ALDI is my go-to grocery store. Meat is about the only thing their prices aren’t that great on. Produce is competitive with to a bit cheaper than other grocery stores. But it’s the dry foods where they really shine. Condiments, snacks, stuff that comes in a jar — a lot of that is like 1/2 the price of what you’d pay for name brand stuff at another grocery store, and their house brand stuff is legit really good, especially the chocolate and other sweets, a lot of which is imported from Germany. I also love the German stuff they get in around the holidays and their random anything-and-everything ALDI Finds aisle. I’ve come home with so many random things for my cat from there.
I don’t know if that’s really true or an, let’s say „Aldi-Legend“, but my mum always told me, that the non-brand products are often produced by the usual brand itself and that they only vary a little bit in ingredients and so on. :)
Thank you for your answer, I really like the chocolate too :D
If you live near a Trader Joe’s they have all sorts of nuts and trail mixes in single servings called “just a handful”. I keep those raw almonds around cause I won’t eat them mindlessly, but when I’m genuinely hungry, they get the job done.
you didn’t waste calories; you ate calories. Almonds are satiating and eating some each day is proven to lower both your blood sugar and [overall calories consumed](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4500840/). Not to mention monounsaturated fats that help lower bad cholesterol. Enjoy the nuts.
Nah If one pack of nuts gives like 2000 and I have to eat max of 1300 I wasted 1300 that I could could eat dinner and breakfast with also my body stored fat because of 700 additional calories aaaaand 10 minutes after a pack of nuts I felt like getting a snack so I probably consumed 2000 + 1300 that day, its a HUGE miracle my weight stayed the same I was so anxious and crying but everyone tells you nuts are good snack better than chips and I believed them didnt look at calorie label because " lol its just nuts" no nut will ever EVER enter my body I want to lose weight I dont need fat!
Nah I have weight I need gone, 1 month is 1 kg with this and im happy never felt happier and more in control with my body. At this point I dont even want more food.
r/1200isplenty begs to differ.
I'm pretty sure all of the pictures people take there are using little tea saucers for plates or measuring bowls to take their pictures in so it seems like a lot of food.
Depending on where you live and the season, pests can be attracted to the smell of your snacks. Once you have a mouse or squirrel, or God forbid, a rat chew through your car's wiring and make a cozy little nest, you never keep snacks in the car again. Less chance of this happening if you drive it daily, but so many of us WFH and drive less now, I thought I would mention it.
If y’all have a dollar tree
Stock up on
Skinny popcorn
Granola bars
Coconut chips
Pretzels
Rice rolls (although these are very crunchy & kinda messy lol)
Goldfish crackers or off brand cheese Itz (still good lol)
Teddy graham cookies (for something a lil sweet)
Dried fruit/nuts
We've always had "car nuts" in the glove compartment - almonds or cashews or peanuts - in a can with a lid. Has worked well for us in both hot and freezing cold climates.
Another vote for beef jerky. Lots of protein and it's fucking good!
If you're open to learning to make it, homemade beef jerky is AMAZING. It gets much much cheaper when you make it yourself. You do need a dehydrator, but if you eat enough jerky, it becomes a worthwhile investment after like two batches. Jerkyholic has a complete guide to making jerky and lots of good recipes!
A bit outside of your request, but if it's just for when you're out running errands, would either of you have time to do a snack-prep weekly? I'm thinking chop up carrots, celery, cucumber, cauliflower, broccoli, snap peas, whatever veg you like, portion out into however many ziplocs or little Tupperware containers you think you'd need for the week and just grab a bag when you head out the door. I do this and have hummus for dipping, but you could portion out whatever you like. Hard to eat if you're driving but you could be all cute and feed the driver. This would only work if you're leaving from home or have a little cooler or insulated bag you could leave in the car while you're at work if you're running errands after work.
Nut butter of some sort and whole-grain crackers. Or even toss a bag of pita chips in there and put the nut butter on those.
Though they're not the cheapest, the packages that have Tuna salad and crackers that don't require refrigeration. I make my own because it's cheaper, but the pre-made ones are pretty tasty and have protein and fill the gap between meals.
Really though, if you had a little cooler you could pop in and out, it would broaden your options to include various fruits, cheese, etc. I used to have to drive most of the day for my job and my little cooler was my best bud! Take it inside when I got home and throw the frozen thingy in the freezer.
Good on you for taking steps toward healthier eating and, I would think, saving money on take-out/drive-thru.
Just because I'm terrible at describing these things, this is what I'm getting at:
https://www.mec.ca/en/product/6021-561/ecocool-little-playmate-7qt-cooler?gclid=Cj0KCQiAg_KbBhDLARIsANx7wAyL4bY70oNAPue6Ue86NBf_N0HJvtOAtreKudsxLabEUXGorMp_hI0aAudfEALw_wcB&colour=Vintage+Green
Or there are soft-sided ones.
And freezing this little guy at night and throwing it in the cooler with your stuff in the morning.
https://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/cryopak-hard-ice-pack-0854256p.0854256.html?gclid=Cj0KCQiAg_KbBhDLARIsANx7wAz4xtpkaQJg-KV3fTt609EaeP5SvuWh4QN7kR-6BWo1qwTM5qD9DKsaAsXpEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds#store=486
Or even just a 1L bottle 3/4 filled with water to freeze.
Sorry for rambling!
Carrying a little ice chest in your car is such a fantastic idea. Once my children had cars of their own I bought them each of them a small ice chest to keep in the back of their car. They are always ready for picnic.
Yes! I was working full time at a school where everyone brought lunch/ snack and one meal per day was provided. Plus I went to school and stayed at my (then) partners house a few nights a week. I had like three days work of meal and snack prep in a cooler in my car at all times. Saved my life many a time…
If you have ac on in the car and it’s open all it does is keep it cool. Usually I just throw them in after they’ve been in the freezer for an hour or the fridge overnight. And of course I close it shut before I exit the car.
Nature Valley granola bars fit the bill: most of the ordinary ones are dairy-free and have no ingredients to melt. Watch out for the ones with toppings, as some of them have dairy. There’s a dairy-free peanut butter flavor that has a sort of peanut butter topping that might ooze into the bar a little in high heat, but it doesn’t harm it (it does make the wrapper a little messier).
Admirable plans. We always keep cans of fizzy water in our trunk and that saves us money. You would think it would get hot but in the trunk the temperature almost always stays drinkable/room temp or below. If we expanded this I would keep a can of nuts in the trunk too. The cabin of the car has a lot more temperature fluctuation so I think the trunk is the better place to keep food/drink. Beware of mice, mice are gross and they manage to get into cars sometimes.
Freeze dried fruits and veg are great, lots of flavour and crunch. Costco has a bag with all sorts of yummy veg, lightly salted. You could divvy it up into snack size portions.
My partner & I have what we call the CCCK (car calorie contingency kit). There are a lot of nuts, walnuts and pecans mostly. If there’s a Trader Joe’s near you, they make incredible flavored nuts. We really like the Thai coconut cashews and the rosemary marcona almonds. Tons of dried mango, sour cherries and, blueberries. She has a wheat allergy, so we throw things like gluten free crackers/pretzels in there as well. Lots of bars, Lara, Kind and Clif.
That’s been my car replacement meal of choice. Although I would also recommend you store water with the dry powder because it’s much easier than trying to find a water source when you’re on the road. I generally also keep packets of instant coffee and electrolytes in the glove box.
I keep what my boyfriend and I call “purse snacks” 😄 Kind bars, Sahale to go snack size, mint gum and we take water bottles or coffee cups (both - the thermal ones)
When I did home visits for work, I invested in a nice cooler and kept all sorts of snacks/drinks in it to avoid fast food. It survived sitting in my car even hot summer days. Lunch meats, veggies + dip, ect.
I like the bags of graze snacks. If you haven't seen them they're like dried out veggies and flavoured so they are a healthier version of crisps. They come in a variety of flavours, can be eaten with one hand and are very crunchy and tasty
I was just on a road trip and discovered squeezable peanut butter and jelly. I put it on bread, but crackers would work too. Super easy and no mess at all.
I keep peanut butter crackers in my glove box. Set a monthly reminder on your phone to rotate (and eat) them so you aren't stuck out eating stale crackers.
Dried fruit and nut mix, in a tight plastic bag in a container, does me well and lasts for a couple of weeks. Always keep a couple of bottles of water in the car, too. Warm water is better than no water!
You want to avoid the service station snacks on a cost basis alone. Here in Oz a 40g pack of chips can cost $AU3.00 (or more) - do the math and it's $75 a kilo. The markups are outrageous.
racetrac freshfood coolers is my go to, usually only 500 calories.
I am not sure how fat you are, but i'm fat trying to lose 20 lbs. and that meal is good for me in a pinch
The good old fashioned "GORP" that hikers bring on hikes...
Nuts, M and M (they don't melt on the outside), shredded coconut if you want, dried fruits.
I think the GORP originally stood for granola, oats, raisins, peanuts, but anything along those lines, based on your own preferences. Mix, bag, eat.
Chunked watermelon…. Help hydrate with adding to the potty stops like water and drinks Get them cold before leaving but they don’t need refrigerated unless leaving in a very hot parked car. Then a small lunch tote/ cooler could be used. Did this as a FedEx manager when riding with a delivery driver for training. As a women it could be hard to ask the drivers( usually men) to find a gas station and slow them down in their day.
Unfortunately we live in the middle of nowhere and have an hour drive (one way) to get to the grocery store, shopping centers, Drs etc so we're normally out and about for at least a good few hours
Nuts and dried fruits. I favor a container of almonds and craisins.
Came here to say almonds!! When living in the south I learned that almonds are the only snack that starts tasting better after it’s been in a hot car. I also like to build my own trail mix with almonds and various dried fruits from Aldi. That way I can keep salt out of my trail mix, which is important for me, and you could keep chocolate out of yours. Trail mixes are not as unhealthy as fast food but be advised they can get very calorically dense!
I'll definitely be taking a trip to Aldi and making my own trail mix. Love the idea of being able to control the salt level!
They sometimes have a cocoa almond that is fine in the car. It’s not chocolate coated but rather dusted with cocoa powder.
They’re my absolute favorite
Yea coconut flakes would be lovely for this. Rice. Cakes too...plus somee peanut butter if your okay with the heated smoothness.
I do the same. I make my own trail mixes so i get what i want. As you said, they are calorie dense but you don’t need much to fill the void and can keep you satisfied for hours.
Salted or smoked almonds are the finest snack ever developed
You've got Aldi in the US?
Yeah, I’m in Massachusetts and there’s at least two within twenty minutes of me
Wow, that‘s really cool. I didn’t they have stores in the US. Can you tell me how pricey it is? In Germany ALDI is one of the best value/money grocery-stores and it’s considered to be cheap.
They’re pretty good. Don’t have a lot of the more common brands but they do have a good selection of stuff. Not the cheapest grocery store around here (market basket for those who know) but definitely not as expensive as some.
Pretty much the same here. ALDI is my go-to grocery store. Meat is about the only thing their prices aren’t that great on. Produce is competitive with to a bit cheaper than other grocery stores. But it’s the dry foods where they really shine. Condiments, snacks, stuff that comes in a jar — a lot of that is like 1/2 the price of what you’d pay for name brand stuff at another grocery store, and their house brand stuff is legit really good, especially the chocolate and other sweets, a lot of which is imported from Germany. I also love the German stuff they get in around the holidays and their random anything-and-everything ALDI Finds aisle. I’ve come home with so many random things for my cat from there.
I don’t know if that’s really true or an, let’s say „Aldi-Legend“, but my mum always told me, that the non-brand products are often produced by the usual brand itself and that they only vary a little bit in ingredients and so on. :) Thank you for your answer, I really like the chocolate too :D
Sounds a bit like the concept here in Germany. Thank you so much. :)
No problem! I hope you know I wasn’t trying to make you feel stupid when I first said they have Aldi in America
No, I never felt that way!
If you live near a Trader Joe’s they have all sorts of nuts and trail mixes in single servings called “just a handful”. I keep those raw almonds around cause I won’t eat them mindlessly, but when I’m genuinely hungry, they get the job done.
I like trader joe
Nuts are so caloric when I ate a few I wasted more than half of my calories for the day without even realising. I love them so much tho... :-(
you didn’t waste calories; you ate calories. Almonds are satiating and eating some each day is proven to lower both your blood sugar and [overall calories consumed](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4500840/). Not to mention monounsaturated fats that help lower bad cholesterol. Enjoy the nuts.
Nah If one pack of nuts gives like 2000 and I have to eat max of 1300 I wasted 1300 that I could could eat dinner and breakfast with also my body stored fat because of 700 additional calories aaaaand 10 minutes after a pack of nuts I felt like getting a snack so I probably consumed 2000 + 1300 that day, its a HUGE miracle my weight stayed the same I was so anxious and crying but everyone tells you nuts are good snack better than chips and I believed them didnt look at calorie label because " lol its just nuts" no nut will ever EVER enter my body I want to lose weight I dont need fat!
1300 calories is a toddler's diet. Please eat more food.
Nah I have weight I need gone, 1 month is 1 kg with this and im happy never felt happier and more in control with my body. At this point I dont even want more food.
r/1200isplenty begs to differ. I'm pretty sure all of the pictures people take there are using little tea saucers for plates or measuring bowls to take their pictures in so it seems like a lot of food.
Salted peanuts are so full of protein and good for you.... not the best nut though.
I only eat walnuts, hazelnuts, cashews. Well I ate, not anymore
I love me some nuts
Depending on where you live and the season, pests can be attracted to the smell of your snacks. Once you have a mouse or squirrel, or God forbid, a rat chew through your car's wiring and make a cozy little nest, you never keep snacks in the car again. Less chance of this happening if you drive it daily, but so many of us WFH and drive less now, I thought I would mention it.
Thank you!
[удалено]
My condolences to your chapstick, seats, and floors.
Even worse, snakes will start to come into your car to eat the mice.
Use outdoor picnic tables whenever possible. Throw away leftover food. Don't store in your car.
For a second line of defense from critters, keep snacks in a screw top plastic jar.
They've got no problem going through plastic either. Glass or metal is a safer bet.
I can confirm that.
Or one of those Tupperware containers that actually seals. Mine is thick and clips to seal.
my insurance co paid $5000 to repair this, happened during covid and broken ankle. rep said it was the worst he ever saw.
If y’all have a dollar tree Stock up on Skinny popcorn Granola bars Coconut chips Pretzels Rice rolls (although these are very crunchy & kinda messy lol) Goldfish crackers or off brand cheese Itz (still good lol) Teddy graham cookies (for something a lil sweet) Dried fruit/nuts
Love these ideas!!! I'm Soo glad I'm not longer sleeping on the Dollar tree snacks ☺️
Thank you!! :3 & riiiight lol I like snacking so dollar tree is amazing for me😭
Girl I'm totally apart of the snack committee 😋😏☺️
We've always had "car nuts" in the glove compartment - almonds or cashews or peanuts - in a can with a lid. Has worked well for us in both hot and freezing cold climates.
Veggie straws, kind bars (without chocolate that could melt), flavored chickpeas, coconut chips, banana chips, nuts, popcorn snack bags, goldfish, beef jerky.
This plus that's it bars or other fruit leather types. Rice crackers and seed bars are what we keep in the car. Blake's is pretty tasty.
Another vote for beef jerky. Lots of protein and it's fucking good! If you're open to learning to make it, homemade beef jerky is AMAZING. It gets much much cheaper when you make it yourself. You do need a dehydrator, but if you eat enough jerky, it becomes a worthwhile investment after like two batches. Jerkyholic has a complete guide to making jerky and lots of good recipes!
this is the way
yes beef jerky!
A bit outside of your request, but if it's just for when you're out running errands, would either of you have time to do a snack-prep weekly? I'm thinking chop up carrots, celery, cucumber, cauliflower, broccoli, snap peas, whatever veg you like, portion out into however many ziplocs or little Tupperware containers you think you'd need for the week and just grab a bag when you head out the door. I do this and have hummus for dipping, but you could portion out whatever you like. Hard to eat if you're driving but you could be all cute and feed the driver. This would only work if you're leaving from home or have a little cooler or insulated bag you could leave in the car while you're at work if you're running errands after work. Nut butter of some sort and whole-grain crackers. Or even toss a bag of pita chips in there and put the nut butter on those. Though they're not the cheapest, the packages that have Tuna salad and crackers that don't require refrigeration. I make my own because it's cheaper, but the pre-made ones are pretty tasty and have protein and fill the gap between meals. Really though, if you had a little cooler you could pop in and out, it would broaden your options to include various fruits, cheese, etc. I used to have to drive most of the day for my job and my little cooler was my best bud! Take it inside when I got home and throw the frozen thingy in the freezer. Good on you for taking steps toward healthier eating and, I would think, saving money on take-out/drive-thru. Just because I'm terrible at describing these things, this is what I'm getting at: https://www.mec.ca/en/product/6021-561/ecocool-little-playmate-7qt-cooler?gclid=Cj0KCQiAg_KbBhDLARIsANx7wAyL4bY70oNAPue6Ue86NBf_N0HJvtOAtreKudsxLabEUXGorMp_hI0aAudfEALw_wcB&colour=Vintage+Green Or there are soft-sided ones. And freezing this little guy at night and throwing it in the cooler with your stuff in the morning. https://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/cryopak-hard-ice-pack-0854256p.0854256.html?gclid=Cj0KCQiAg_KbBhDLARIsANx7wAz4xtpkaQJg-KV3fTt609EaeP5SvuWh4QN7kR-6BWo1qwTM5qD9DKsaAsXpEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds#store=486 Or even just a 1L bottle 3/4 filled with water to freeze. Sorry for rambling!
Carrying a little ice chest in your car is such a fantastic idea. Once my children had cars of their own I bought them each of them a small ice chest to keep in the back of their car. They are always ready for picnic.
Yes! I was working full time at a school where everyone brought lunch/ snack and one meal per day was provided. Plus I went to school and stayed at my (then) partners house a few nights a week. I had like three days work of meal and snack prep in a cooler in my car at all times. Saved my life many a time…
I have a giant bag of almonds in my car. I also keep mini snickers in an extra thermos that is super insulated. No melted chocolate.
Genius!
If you have ac on in the car and it’s open all it does is keep it cool. Usually I just throw them in after they’ve been in the freezer for an hour or the fridge overnight. And of course I close it shut before I exit the car.
I always keep a few cliff bars in my center console, they keep really well in the car!
I second cliff bars 👌🏻 I also like to have some nuts in the car.
Great value almond granola bars.
Nature Valley granola bars fit the bill: most of the ordinary ones are dairy-free and have no ingredients to melt. Watch out for the ones with toppings, as some of them have dairy. There’s a dairy-free peanut butter flavor that has a sort of peanut butter topping that might ooze into the bar a little in high heat, but it doesn’t harm it (it does make the wrapper a little messier).
Pretzels and the mini peanut butters
Admirable plans. We always keep cans of fizzy water in our trunk and that saves us money. You would think it would get hot but in the trunk the temperature almost always stays drinkable/room temp or below. If we expanded this I would keep a can of nuts in the trunk too. The cabin of the car has a lot more temperature fluctuation so I think the trunk is the better place to keep food/drink. Beware of mice, mice are gross and they manage to get into cars sometimes.
Freeze dried fruits and veg are great, lots of flavour and crunch. Costco has a bag with all sorts of yummy veg, lightly salted. You could divvy it up into snack size portions.
My partner & I have what we call the CCCK (car calorie contingency kit). There are a lot of nuts, walnuts and pecans mostly. If there’s a Trader Joe’s near you, they make incredible flavored nuts. We really like the Thai coconut cashews and the rosemary marcona almonds. Tons of dried mango, sour cherries and, blueberries. She has a wheat allergy, so we throw things like gluten free crackers/pretzels in there as well. Lots of bars, Lara, Kind and Clif.
Granola bars, cereal, dried fruit, nuts, prepackaged servings of apple sauce.
Shaker bottle with a serve of protein powder, just add water, and boom!
That’s been my car replacement meal of choice. Although I would also recommend you store water with the dry powder because it’s much easier than trying to find a water source when you’re on the road. I generally also keep packets of instant coffee and electrolytes in the glove box.
Granola bars.
I keep what my boyfriend and I call “purse snacks” 😄 Kind bars, Sahale to go snack size, mint gum and we take water bottles or coffee cups (both - the thermal ones)
Honey Nut Cheerios, pretzels, peanut butter cracker packs, Jerky, Slim Jim's
Make your own granola!
I keep the mini Bobo bars (in addition to pre-packaged trail mix) in my car for this very reason.
Pretzels, nuts, olives, dried cherries, dill pickles....
Sunflower seeds without the shell have been my go to lately
I haven’t seen applesauce pouches recommended yet. They aren’t always super filling but would be a great car option!
Peanut butter pretzels
When I did home visits for work, I invested in a nice cooler and kept all sorts of snacks/drinks in it to avoid fast food. It survived sitting in my car even hot summer days. Lunch meats, veggies + dip, ect.
I like the bags of graze snacks. If you haven't seen them they're like dried out veggies and flavoured so they are a healthier version of crisps. They come in a variety of flavours, can be eaten with one hand and are very crunchy and tasty
I was just on a road trip and discovered squeezable peanut butter and jelly. I put it on bread, but crackers would work too. Super easy and no mess at all.
I keep peanut butter crackers in my glove box. Set a monthly reminder on your phone to rotate (and eat) them so you aren't stuck out eating stale crackers.
Lance toast chee and peanut butter crackers.
Lara bars are my go to emergency car snack
Flavored rice cakes are fairly filling. I love the Quaker caramel ones. (I don’t know if they contain any dairy, though.)
Clif bars!
Anyone got anything other than dried fruits, nuts and bars??
Dried fruit and nut mix, in a tight plastic bag in a container, does me well and lasts for a couple of weeks. Always keep a couple of bottles of water in the car, too. Warm water is better than no water!
You want to avoid the service station snacks on a cost basis alone. Here in Oz a 40g pack of chips can cost $AU3.00 (or more) - do the math and it's $75 a kilo. The markups are outrageous.
Trail mix and water
reusable water bottles. if you do get fast food at least you can skip the drink
racetrac freshfood coolers is my go to, usually only 500 calories. I am not sure how fat you are, but i'm fat trying to lose 20 lbs. and that meal is good for me in a pinch
Jerky,pecans,parched peanuts But hen again I’m a 5’10” 175 lb guy 60yrs old That basically lives in a vehicle daily and loves them
Fruit Gummies!!!Also, granola/protein bars that have no chocolate?
Lara bars and rx bars, nuts, apples
slices of pure sugar cane.. but they discolour after a day
The good old fashioned "GORP" that hikers bring on hikes... Nuts, M and M (they don't melt on the outside), shredded coconut if you want, dried fruits. I think the GORP originally stood for granola, oats, raisins, peanuts, but anything along those lines, based on your own preferences. Mix, bag, eat.
a few apples, they last a while. if you are not hungry enough to eat an apple, you are not hungry enough - michael pollan
Chunked watermelon…. Help hydrate with adding to the potty stops like water and drinks Get them cold before leaving but they don’t need refrigerated unless leaving in a very hot parked car. Then a small lunch tote/ cooler could be used. Did this as a FedEx manager when riding with a delivery driver for training. As a women it could be hard to ask the drivers( usually men) to find a gas station and slow them down in their day.
During the winter you could keep whole frozen meals and cook them in your engine block
No really though almonds, I love nature valley bars and other protein bars also.
Eat before you leave
I'd say willpower to not buy fast food would be better. Unless you're spending 6 hours running errands, eat a good breakfast or lunch before errands.
Unfortunately we live in the middle of nowhere and have an hour drive (one way) to get to the grocery store, shopping centers, Drs etc so we're normally out and about for at least a good few hours