Friday Five: Healthy snacks at a truckstop

Updated Aug 12, 2014

While at times it may seem sometimes that chips and candy are the easiest options at the truckstop, most do offer a variety of healthy items for those wishing to lose a few pounds or maintain healthy weight. Following are five suggestions for healthier alternatives at the truckstop:

Fruit

Most truckstops offer at least some basic choices when it comes to fruit. Even if you just grab an apple, orange or banana, you’ve found a low-fat, high-nutrition option.

Granola bars

You’ll often find a wide range of granola bar choices at the truckstop. Look for something with high fiber content, such as Kashi, Fiber One or Nature Valley. Experts say that increasing the amount of fiber in your diet may actually help with weight loss. Try to avoid the bars that have higher amounts of sugar.

Baked chips

Skip the regular Lay’s or Doritos and go for the baked option instead. The baked chips generally have far fewer calories and less fat than their fried counterparts. If you can only find large bags of baked chips, pay attention to the serving size and do your best to limit yourself to that amount each time you snack.

Diet-based snacks

Popular diet plans like South Beach, Atkins and Weight Watchers all have their own name-brand of snack foods, so keep a look out for those. You can even find cookies and muffins that are low-fat and diet friendly.

Diet drinks and bottled water

This is nearly a no-brainer. Bottled water is a great option when you are on the road, because it keeps you better hydrated than caffeinated drinks and also actually ensures that you have more energy on the road. If you prefer something carbonated, go diet; many diet drinks have no sugar and no calories.