Food Options and Menu Planning for Long Road Trip
Recently we had a 7 day road trip to Colorado, where i have planned all the food options, menu planning so that we can eat healthy through out the trip and be able to do the activities as planned. This food planning was super hit, all the families (including, kids, grown-ups, picky eaters) enjoyed the food and menu options through the road trip. Mostly we have planned to Breakfast and Dinner to be home made and grabbed quick lunches (sandwiches or subs or salads) on the way.
We have packed few Indian Spices, Oil and stuff, bought some breads/cakes from Costco. Bought Few Kids Snacks and single serving cereal at Walmart. Bought Eggs, Ground Chicken, Milk at the rental houses. We carried one ice chest, where we have kept some freezer items or left overs in the ice chest during the drive. That enabled us to have less food wastage. We have packed few cooking gadgets that are essential for Indian Cooking, like Pressure Cooker and IP etc.
8 Day Meal Planning:
| Meal Planning | | |
| DAY | Breakfast | Dinner |
| Day #1 | At Home | Lemon Rice, Roti + Curries |
| Day #2 | Bagel + Cream Cheese + Fruits | Rice, Dal, Pickles, Papad, Curd, Mango |
| Day #3 | Croissant, Coffee, Cold Cereal, Pound Cake, Fruits | Noodles, Roti with Scrambled Eggs, Rice + Curd + Mango |
| Day #4 | Bread + Color Pepper Omelets, Banana, Strawberry | Rice, Chicken Keema Curry, Potato Fry, Curd, Mango |
| Day #5 | Avocado Toast, Strawberries, Cutie Orange Slices | Veg Pulao, Raita, Keema Curry, White Rice, Mango |
| Day #6 | Oatmeal with Dry Fruit + Nuts | Cheese Pizza, Veggie Lovers Pizza, Pasta and Mango |
| Day #7 | Tomato Rava Upma, Kaaram Podi, Lemon Pulihora, Strawberries, Blue Berries | White Rice, Mixed Veg Stir-Fry, Potato Tomato Curry, Left overs |
| Day #8 | Oatmeal, Avocado Toast, Apples, Cutie Oranges | Lunch @ Punjabi Dhaba
Dinner at Home |
Here is the list of options that we bought and packed:
| Things to Bring from Home |
| Honey |
| Sugar |
| Coffee Powder |
| Salt |
| Spices - Red Chili Powder + Dhaniya + turmeric |
| Pav Baji Masala |
| Pulao or Biryani masala |
| Slices Almonds + Cranberry mix for oatmeal |
| Taco Seasoning |
| Spice Powder (flax seed or vellulli podi etc) |
| Taalimpu Dinusulu / Stuff for Tempering |
| Ginger |
| Ginger Garlic Paste |
| Dry Pasta |
| Snack small Apples |
| Limes |
| Taco |
| Bread |
| Paper Plates / Spoons for travel |
| Ziplocks |
| Groceries to Buy |
| Priya Pickles - 2 |
| Sona Masoori Rice - 10 lb bag |
| Tour Dal - 1 lb |
| Maggie Noodles |
| Limes |
| Semya |
| Green Chili |
| Potato |
| Onion |
| Oil |
| Cabbage |
| Marathon Mango |
| Cereals - single serving |
| Cream Cheese |
| Carrots |
| Mini Color Peppers |
| Pound Cake - 3 loaf pack |
| Bagels |
| Avocado |
| Crossiants |
| Fresh Chapathi - 4 ( 3 multi grain, 1 methi thepla) |
| Fresh Cream packs for coffee |
| Gadgets to Take |
| Pressure Cooker |
| Knife/Peeler/Scissors |
| Medium Omelet Pan |
| Ice Chest |
| Big InstaPot (IP) |
| Stuff to buy at Stay |
| Milk |
| Eggs |
| Tomato |
| Yogurt |
| Ground Chicken |
| Mixed Veg - Frozen |
| Banana |
| Berries |
Here are the Daily Breakfast and Dinner Options we cooked during the trip:
Day 1 - Dinner:
We ate Breakfast and lunch at home and started driving by Noon. Packed Lemon Rice, Few Curries and Roti (ready made from Patel Brothers)
Lemon Rice, Mushroom Gravy Curry, Palak Panner, Potato Curry with Roti
Day 2 - Breakfast:
Through out the trip we ensured that we included lot of fruits in every meal.
 |
| Croissants, Bagels, Cream Cheese, Coffee, Mango, Guava, Apple fruit cut-up |
Day 2 - Dinner:
We were so tired for day 2 Dinner time, we cooked rice and made dal, ate with pickles and ghee, ate curd rice with Mango, that was a satisfying and comfort dinner.
 |
| Rice, Dal, Pickles, Ghee, Curd, Mango - Yum and Full! :-) |
Day 3 - Breakfast:
We ate light and filling breakfast as Day 3 is packed with adventurous activities.
 |
| Hot Oatmeal, Cereal + Milk, Pound Cake, Berries, Oranges, Apples, Guava |
Day3 - Dinner:
Everyone was super hungry, ready for big meal. We made Mggie Noodles with color Peppers, Egg Porutu (Burji) with Roti, Cooked some Rice, Curd and Mango/Banana.
 |
| Noodles, Roti with Scrambled Eggs, Rice + Curd + Mango |
Day 4 - Breakfast:
 |
| Bread + Color Pepper Omelets, Banana, Strawberry |
Day 4 - Dinner:
We cooked rice, chicken keema curry, potato fry, curd and mango to serve veg and non-veg options.
 |
| Rice, Chicken Keema Curry, Potato Fry, Curd, Mango |
Day 5 - Breakfast
Kids made breakfast today.
 |
| Avocado Toast, Strawberries, Cutie Orange Slices |
Day5 - Dinner:
We cooked Vegetable Pulao and Raita, ate with left over Keema Curry, of course Mango and Curd is must to complete the meal.
 |
| Veg Pulao, Raita, Keema Curry, White Rice, Mango |
 |
| Enjoyed cooking and eating Pulao at Cozy Cabin with Mountain Views. |
Day 6 - Breakfast
No time for elaborate breakfast today, we got hit the road early to Rocky's so we ate minimilistic breakfast and packed fruits and nuts for on the go.
 |
| Oatmeal with Dry Fruit + Nuts |
 |
| Packed Nuts, Fruits and Fun Snacks for On the Go Breakfast for family. |
Day 6 - Dinner:
We bought the ready to bake pizza on the way before we reached mountains, kept in freezer, baked before we ate. and cooked pasta for dinner.
 |
| Cheese Pizza, Veggie Lovers Pizza, Pasta and Mango |
Day 7 - Breakfast:
We had time to make and enjoy good breakfast, so made Rava Upma, made Pulihora with Left Over Rice, and lot of berries.
 |
| Tomato Rava Upma, Kaaram Podi, Lemon Pulihora, Strawberries, Blue Berries |
Day 7 - Dinner
We cooked Mixed Veg Stir-Fry, Potato & Tomato Curry and served with Rice. By now all the Mangoes are done!
 |
| White Rice, Mixed Veg Stir-Fry, Potato Tomato Curry, Left overs |
Day 8 - Breakfast
Last breakfast on the trip, by now we are done with everything, Avocados, limes, Bread etc.
 |
| Oatmeal, Avocado Toast, Apples, Cutie Oranges |
Day 8 - Lunch:
For lunch we have stopped at Punjabi Dhabaa, Alvrdo TX ( near Denton on 380 highway). The Starters and Naan were pretty good.
 |
| Panner Tikka, Chicken Tikka, Tandoori Chicken |
 |
| their Naans are pretty good. Chili Naan is spicy and special one here. |
Hope this will be helpful and handy for you, when you are in need to pack food for travel or cook on road trip.
Keep Smiling and Spread the Joy until we meet here again!
-Mythreyi
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-Mythreyi