Can we all agree that the best part of a road trip is the food? All eating rules go out the window and you can be on your worst behaviour, food-wise at least.  

But too much of a good thing is not great and so balance needs to be restored. Here’s a food- and snack guideline to balance out the on-the-go road-trip food.  

Snacks shouldn’t be shared 

Sometimes sharing isn’t caring, especially when travelling with the little ones. Food fights are not cute, so do pack each passenger’s snacks into their own container. 

If you’re looking for some healthy snack inspo, check out our Healthy Snack Hacks for 2023 article and keep all passengers satisfied. 

Leave messy food at home 

Foods that need to be eaten with utensils are a no-no. Can you imagine the fuss and mess of dining in a moving car? It’s not worth the trouble! Rather, pack toasties, homemade mini quiches and easy-to-handle fruits like grapes, berries and bananas. 

Here’s a mouth-watering recipe for a chicken, corn and chive mini quiche  

INGREDIENTS

2 eggs
1 tbsp milk
2 sheets shortcrust pastry
125 g roast chicken, shredded
125 g tin corn, drained
2 tbsp finely chopped chives
¼ cup white Cheddar, grated  

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Grease a 12-hole mini muffin tin.
2. Whisk together the eggs and milk in a jug and season.
3. Gently unroll pastry and cut out 12 discs using a 7 cm round cookie cutter. Press the discs into pan holes. Divide the chicken, corn and chives between pastry cases. Top with the egg mixture and sprinkle over the cheese.
4. Bake for 25 min or until quiches are set, and the pastry is browned lightly.

Coconut flour wraps with chicken, peanuts and rainbow filling

SERVES 4 // COOKING TIME 1 hour 15 min  

INGREDIENTS

For the coconut flour wraps
½ cup coconut flour, sifted
2 tbsp psyllium husk
Pinch salt
¾ cup water
¼ cup milk
1 tbsp vegetable oil
¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
 

For the peanut sauce
¼ cup peanut butter
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp rice vinegar
 

To assemble
3 chicken breasts, grilled and shredded
2 carrots, grated
1 red pepper, sliced
1 yellow pepper, sliced
1 cup shredded cabbage
1 avocado, sliced
¼ cup peanuts, chopped 

METHOD

For the coconut flour wraps
1. Preheat oven to 160 °C. Line 2 baking sheets.
2. Mix the coconut flour, psyllium husk and salt together. Add the water, milk, oil and bicarb and mix.
3. Begin kneading until a soft dough forms. Set aside to rest for 15 minutes.
4. Divide into four. Roll each piece into a thin circle.
5. Arrange on the prepared sheets and bake for 15–20 minutes, flipping halfway

For the peanut sauce
1. Whisk all the ingredients together

To assemble
1. Spread a thin layer of peanut sauce on to each wrap and fill with chicken, veggies and nuts. 

Recipe: Nicola Naudé
Styling: Kate Turner
Photography: Samantha Pinto // HMimages.co.za 

Stay cool and hydrated. 

Unless you’re doing a winter road trip, being in the car for hours can get stuffy, hot, and uncomfortable really quickly. Besides freezing water the night before and packing it in a cooler, you can freeze homemade iced tea, too. It’s not only refreshing and nice to drink, but is also a healthy option. A fun way to restore the balance *wink, wink*