Feed Your Mind for Motoring Top tips for what to eat on the road

By Azmina Govindji RD MBDA, Consultant Nutritionist and Registered Dietitian

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IntroductionWhat you eat and drink is directly related to your energy levels and ability to keep alert.

Fast food and fizzy drinks are usually the most convenient way to satisfy your hunger while on a long car journey, but how do they affect your attentiveness while driving? Are these foods going to help you focus or are they just a quick and easy option? If you’re travelling with children, you may find that it’s these fast foods that will keep them happy and quiet. But once the effect wears off, you’ll soon be looking out for the next service station sign!

Brain foodBelieve it or not, sugar – or, to be precise, glucose - is the main source of energy for your brain. Give your brain less glucose and you get a decline in mental function. This doesn’t mean you should go wild on sweets and chocolates. Indeed, quite the contrary. The key is to choose foods that will help your blood glucose go up slowly and steadily and certain foods, called low glycaemic carbohydrates, can help you keep your blood glucose more stable. Low glycaemic foods include porridge, muesli, nuts, beans, lentils, wholegrain breads, pasta, fruit and vegetables.

Where to have your pit stop

Choosing where to stop on a motorway is a bit like choosing a diet. When you go on a diet, your goal may be that you just want to lose weight, quickly. But what happens when you go for this type of quick-fix diet? It does the trick, but only in the short term. And as soon as you start back on your usual habits, the weight creeps back on again.

Similarly, you may have a favourite type of place that you stop at for refuelling your car and your stomach. Think about whether the food on offer is going to last a good length of the journey ahead, or just be a short term fix. Fast food may be tasty, quick, and keep the kids quiet but for how long? Instead, consider more filling options like jacket potatoes with baked beans, a pasta dish, or a wholegrain sandwich and soup.

Healthy tips for eating on the road

Variety is the spice of life The more varied your foods, the more likely you are to get a good range of nutrients meaning your brain and body will have a better chance of working at their optimum. So, regardless of how many times you stop on the road, how many snacks you have, and what your favourite foods are, just keep in mind that it’s best to have variety.

When it comes to fruit and veg, the colours are especially important. Coloured fruit and vegetables will give you different nutrients – you get beta carotene from yellow and orange fruit and vegetables like carrots, red peppers, apricots and peaches. The powerful anti-oxidant in blueberries is also found in other purple coloured foods like plums, purple grapes and beetroot. And the vibrant red you get from tomatoes gives you lycopene, another anti-oxidant.

On a limited budget? Then plan ahead How frustrating is it when you stop at a service station and notice the inflated prices of snack foods? Perhaps you’ve recently been to the supermarket and are kicking yourself for not stocking up in advance of your journey.

So, here’s your chance to plan ahead and buy your car-time snacks in advance. It won’t only save you money; it could also help you focus whilst driving if you make healthier choices.

Family-friendly snacks • Fruit such as a banana or an apple generally costs around half the price of a chocolate bar or packet of crisps. They also give you fibre and essential nutrients. • Stringy cheese can keep kids occupied and is also a protein and calcium provider. • Cereal bars come in different guises but, in general, they offer a good burst of energy while those based on oats and nuts offer extra goodness. • Research published in 2009 reported that alertness was increased after a cereal bar was consumed as a mid-morning snack. • Try oatcake biscuits instead of sweet biscuits and wholegrain crisps in place of regular crisps.• Remember to ‘eat a rainbow’ – choose different coloured fruit and vegetables that you can pack in a cool box. Try carrot sticks, cherry tomatoes, seedless grapes and satsumas.• You don’t need to go fresh: even dried fruits count towards your 5-a-day and most offer a slow steady release of blood glucose. Pack a variety: sultanas, raisins, apricots, mangoes, dates, apple rings, pineapple, and papaya. You might be surprised how tasty the different types are – and since many are sweet-tasting, children usually enjoy them too. Most supermarkets sell handy individual packets that are easy to store.

• Nuts and seeds give you crunch - and munching can help keep you awake! Unless you have a nut allergy, packing some unsalted nuts in a jar can make a convenient healthy snack. Nuts and seeds have a low glycaemic index, so they are slowly digested and can make your blood sugar rise slowly and steadily. • Popcorn can be a fun snack. It’s best if you can make your own using popping corn so you can control the amount of salt or sugar you add. • For an unusual sweet-tasting snack, pack some raw cubes of sugar-free jelly – a bit sticky but great fun.• Some breakfast cereals make an handy energiser for long journeys. Choose from mini wheat biscuits, granola, and any cereal that you can pick up and eat with your fingers. Breakfast cereals are fortified with essential nutrients and many will give you fibre too. They are likely to be more filling than a packet of crisps and they have varied textures and tastes. Read the label and compare brands so you choose those with less sugar and salt and more fibre.

Fatigue-busting fluids

You might be tempted to cut down on drinks in the car so that you can stop less frequently, but think again. If you’re dehydrated, your mind isn’t getting a chance to work at its peak – and your passengers will get grumpier by the minute. Even mild dehydration can cause irritability and headaches. So, drink regularly and if you need to stop to offload that extra fluid, factor that in to your journey time. Having frequent stops will help you to re-focus on the drive and the change of environment could help to keep the kids entertained.• Sugary drinks can make you feel energised as soon as you drink them, as they make your blood sugar go up quickly and this can give you an energy boost. But this effect is short term and you could feel worse afterwards. • Fruit smoothies are best taken with a meal. They are generally made from crushed fruits and fruit juice only, so they can be a filling and nutritious choice. • Coffee can be a temporary pick-me-up but intersperse coffee with water and other drinks.• Sipping fruit juice or sugar-rich fizzy drinks throughout the journey isn’t the best choice. If you do want to drink fruit juice, best to have it with a meal. Even sugar-free fizzy drinks can damage your teeth if they are drunk in between meals. • Water is the best hydrator, and it won’t rot your teeth. Keep it cool so it is more refreshing.• Some vending machines have flavoured milks which can be filling, cooling and quenching.

Time for lunch

Top three tips

1 Eat small amounts often and make sure you have a filling high fibre breakfast before you set off.

2 Keep healthy snacks accessible.

3 Drink enough water - even mild dehydration can result in reduced alertness.

Note: People with diabetes should speak to their diabetes specialist team if they have any concerns about long distance driving.

About the Author:

Azmina Govindji ( www.govindjinutrition.com ) is a consultant nutritionist and award-winning dietitian and broadcaster. She is known for her vibrant personality and is currently a media spokesperson for the British Dietetic Association and NHS Choices. She was ITV This Morning’s nutritionist from 2006 to 2007 and appears on The One Show, The Wright Stuff, Watchdog and news channels, as well as on radio.

Typical fast foods such as pastries, burgers, chips, fizzy drinks and sweets are often the easiest foods to get your hands on. Ideally, think about choosing small frequent meals and snacks rather than a huge meal half way through the journey. Choose lighter foods that will keep you alert and perky.

If you wait till you are ravenous, it’s likely you will be lured by the smells of fried chicken and chips. So, break your journey earlier and be conscious of your choices:

• Sometimes there is only the typical fast food available. So think about how you can make your choice healthier. If going for a pizza, choose one with lots of vegetables and less cheese. If going for a burger or fried chicken, forget the fries and choose a salad or corn on the cob instead.

• “Comfort foods” are often widely available and can be nutritious. A bowl of warming soup and a crusty granary roll helps to take the edge of your appetite and fill you up. It’s unlikely you will be tempted by a greasy burger after that. • Slowly digested carbs like pasta are filling and nutritious. Go for tomato-based sauces rather than creamy or cheesy sauces which are heavier and fattier and watch your portion size!• When you look at the meal you have chosen, consider the natural colours. If you don’t see variety, add some steamed vegetables or a salad accompaniment. It’s good to get the kids into the habit of doing this from a young age.• If you fancy taking a packed lunch, try wholegrain breads and bagels filled with lower fat fillings like lean roast beef with mustard, low fat soft cheese with olives, hummus and veg, tuna and sweetcorn, roast chicken and salad.