Eating on a road trip

Going back to our trip out west, one of the basic experiences of a road trip is eating, three times a day. But it is often a challenge. We sometimes stay in a motel that provides breakfast, but the quality and variety of a motel breakfast varies widely. I have taken to carrying with me a packet of whey powder, a wand blender, and a large plastic glass, so if there is e.g., some orange juice provided to mix the whey powder into, I can make a basic smoothie, and then supplement that with what the motel offers. But sometimes, there is no juice, no decaf, no low-sugar cereal, no protein whatsoever, not even a packet of cream cheese to put on a bagel, which pretty much makes it a non-option for me. Occasionally, it has waffles - which Ellen loves. What I hope for as a basic breakfast is orange juice to mix my whey powder into, unsweetened oatmeal or Cheerios, and decaf. I can go with that. A bonus would be bagels with either cream cheese or peanut butter as a spread. Now and then, we get the full buffet - eggs, home fries, biscuits with gravy, cereals, juice, coffee - but that is rare at the budget motels we usually stay in. If the motel provides nothing, we usually stop and get breakfast at  a diner or a drive-through. In the west, Ellen will find a latte in the morning.

For lunch, we usually eat out of our "box." We have a cardboard box in the car with crackers (Triscuits and Ak maks), rice cakes, peanut butter, peanuts, raisins, and Fig Newtons, and also a little green insulated bag with cold packs, cheddar cheese, string cheese and chocolate bars. Various combinations of these ingredients make a very adequate lunch. Sometimes we'll see a little park and stop for a picnic; more often we'll just eat in the car as we drive along.

Supper varies widely.  It sometimes is a repeat of lunch. Sometimes we'll get a slice of pizza, or I'll get a hotdog at a gas station convenience store. Sometimes we'll stop and get something at a Taco John or similar fast food Mexican restaurant, at which I often will get a taco salad and Ellen will get rice and beans and maybe a burrito.

Hydration is also important. We keep a supply of water in the car at all times and every time we stop we'll usually get ice from an ice machine. Ellen regularly buys iced tea which she dilutes with water to stretch it out.  So as we drive along, we are regularly sipping something.

I haven't regularly taken photos of all our various food options, but here are some food photos:

Breakfast in a diner

This diner was in New Salem, North Dakota

The dining room at Yellowstone's Old Faithful Inn

Out west they make pictures on a latte, but not in the east

Picnic lunch in a city park in McCluskey, ND - the "heart" of ND  -  note the heart sculpture at left and our box and cooler

Wayside picnic area - always a welcome sight

 A "Dutch Baby" at Richard Walkers