5 Tips for a Summer Road Trip

June 4, 2015Danita

Compensation was provided by 7-Eleven via MomTrends. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions of 7-Eleven or Momtrends.

School is out (or almost) and it’s time to think about vacation. There are probably many wonderful places to go near your home, but there’s nothing quite like a summer family road trip! I love to travel and have fond childhood memories of road trips with my grandparents.

Our family has done a good bit of traveling together. My husband’s job as a representative for a mission organization, required him to travel to churches all across the country and the kids and I were able to travel with him.

We did this for about three years. Yes, THREE YEARS. We’d be home a couple of weeks then on the road a couple. Our longest trip was six weeks. We visited almost every state from Massachusetts to California!

I have no idea how many hours we spent in our van or how many french fries and snack crumbs were left in it when we finally had to trade it in. Countless times we packed and unpacked our suitcases, I felt like an expert. I half considered getting a job packing for folks going on trips. And Yes, we did hear our share of, “Are we there yet?” but all in all, it was a BLAST!

In those three years we learned a thing or two, so today I’m sharing…

5 Tips for Road Trips:

Pack as Light as Possible

It saves space in the car, hotel or wherever you’re staying.

The more you take, the more likely you are to leave something behind.

Do laundry while you’re there if you can.

Share things like toiletries when possible (shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste etc.)

Limit Technology Time

It’s easy to put on a movie and keep the kids quiet but, I’d encourage you to use this time to interact with each other.

Ask your family to take a “vacation” from their technology (phone, tablets, music with headphones) and have fun talking and laughing to make the time go by faster.

Put Together a Box of Car Toys and Games

Using a box that will fit in an out-of-the-way place, fill with special things just for the trip like:

Travel versions of a favorite game

Road trip bingo cards

Sketch pads and pencils

Crayons and coloring books

NOTE: DON’T leave crayons in the car when you arrive at your destination….especially if it’s a place like Florida…they melt! We found out the hard way.

Bring Camera and Video Camera

Ok, I’m going to really show my age here but….

Take pictures together, not just “selfies”

Do things the old-fashioned way, ask another tourist to take a picture of your family

When you return home make a photo album or framed collage to hang in your home to remind you of the fun time you had together

Make Wise Choices When Eating on the Road

This may seem like the most difficult, because it’s so easy hit the drive thru for a burger and fries. And, who doesn’t love to grab a snack at every gas stop?

Fortunately, 7-Eleven makes better choices while travelling a little easier with the Fresh Foods selection. 7-Eleven is always looking to accommodate the needs of its guests including those watching their waistlines or who just want to eat more healthy.

Currently 7-Eleven offers a variety of fresh foods including:

Fresh sandwiches

Salads

Fresh cut fruit

Whole fruit

Yoplait Yogurt Parfait with oats and honey granola

Bistro Snack packs with mini pitas, cheddar cheese cubes, red grapes, celery, baby carrots and hummus

Recently, my son and I stopped by one of our local 7-Eleven stores to try some of these Fresh Foods. I called it “lunch”. He called it a “snack”.

We shared the Oven Roasted Turkey Sandwich on wheat, Yoplait mixed berry Yogurt Parfait with granola and plump, juicy, sweet grapes.

This was not your typical “vending machine” type sandwich. It had thick slices of real oven roasted turkey, crisp lettuce and tomato on soft, fresh wheat bread, like a sandwich from your favorite deli. My son LOVED the bread and commented several times how good it was…and he usually doesn’t like wheat bread.

We were both pleasantly surprised at the taste and freshness of all our choices! These new products are prepared in local kitchens and delivered to stores daily. Who knew convenience food could be so good?

My mixed berry yogurt was smooth, creamy, filled with tons of fresh strawberries and blueberries and topped with crunchy granola.

I know this is a total “Mom” thing but…. the containers fit perfectly in our car’s cup holders! How cool is that?

Anything that will help cut down on spills and messes in the car on a long trip (or even a short one) is a winner with me!

7-Eleven strives to offer a balance across its Fresh Food offerings – healthy and indulgent, value and premium. So, as you plan your summer vacation remember to include a stop at one of 7-Eleven’s nearly 10,500 North American locations and pick up a wonderfully fresh meal or snack.

For more information visit 7-Eleven

Connect with 7-Eleven on Facebook/Twitter/Instagram

Some fun Fresh Food Facts…

Compensation was provided by 7-Eleven via MomTrends. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions of 7-Eleven or Momtrends.

2 Comments

RaShell @ Mommy’s Apron

June 5, 2015 at 6:41 AM

This is good to know! I am willing to bet we stop in for a slurpee or two as a treat from Daddy, but maybe this Mommy can slip in some decent food first! 🙂
1. Danita
  
  June 5, 2015 at 6:53 AM
  
  I will admit, we enjoyed a slurpee with all this good stuff, too. How can you go to 7Eleven without getting one?

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