What We Actually Eat on Road Trips (It’s Not Perfect, But It Works)
A real-life guide to the places our family actually stops to eat.
You know the moment.
You’ve been in the car for hours. Someone has to go to the bathroom. Someone else is starving. And suddenly you’re staring at a highway exit with 14 fast food signs and about 30 seconds to decide where to stop.
It’s not exactly the moment to be calmly evaluating ingredient labels. And honestly? That’s okay.
When we’re on the road, our goal isn’t perfect eating. It’s feeding everyone something decent, keeping the hangry meltdowns to a minimum, and getting back in the car without regret.
Over the years we’ve developed a handful of go-to stops that work for our family. Some are healthier than others. Some are just easy. None of them are perfect.
Take them or leave them. Here’s where we actually stop—and what we order.
Chipotle
We usually order two bowls for my husband and me and then share our meat and rice with our son. We grab a tortilla on the side and salsa on the side.
Why? Because those bowls are massive. None of us need an entire one to ourselves.
It ends up being plenty of food, it's less expensive, and my son gets very serious about building his own little tortilla taco situation.
Chipotle is a reliable win when we want something filling that isn't fried.
Our actual order:
Chicken burrito bowl with cilantro-lime rice, fajita veggies, black beans, sour cream, cheese, lettuce, tomatillo red-chilli salsa on the side, and tortilla on the side.
Steak burrito bowl with cilantro-lime rice, fajita veggies, black beans, fresh tomato salsa, roasted chili-corn salsa and lettuce.
Waters all around.
Freddy’s
Freddy’s is one of those stops where we accept that it's not exactly a health food destination, but it works.
I’ll get the steakburger in a lettuce bun. My husband usually opts for the all-beef hotdog. My son goes for the chicken fingers.
And yes… we save room for frozen custard. Because, hey, road trips. :)
But we keep it simple. No cheese, no crazy toppings on the custard. Just the basics.
It’s a fun stop, everyone leaves happy, and sometimes that’s exactly what you need on a long drive. But just a warning, the french fries are addicting!
Our actual order:
Freddy’s original double burger in a lettuce bun. No cheese. Extra pickles.
All-beef hot dug with mustard.
Kid’s tender combo with applesauce, milk or juice and a scoop of custard in a bowl. (The frozen custard comes with the kids meal!)
A side of fries for us to share.
Waters all around. No soft drinks.
Publix Grocery Store
This is one of our favorite road trip tricks. We grab a loaf of Italian bread, some meat and cheese from the deli, lettuce from the produce section, and then snag some mustard and mayo packets from the deli counter.
Then we make sandwiches right in the car.
Add some fruit and suddenly you’ve got a pretty great meal without a drive-thru in sight.
Affordable, portable, customizable. And for some reason, there’s a little joy in eating sandwiches in the car.
Our shopping bag usually looks something like this:
Italian bread with sesame seeds from the bakery
Salsalito turkey breast from the deli (sliced thin)
Provolone cheese
Whatever fruit looks good (strawberries, raspberries, oranges, etc.)
Iceberg lettuce
Mustard and mayo packets from the deli. Grab a knife, too, for spreading!
Starbucks
If you know me well, you know I avoid Starbucks like the plague. Buuuut, I’ll admit, Starbucks can actually be a decent stop if you avoid the pastry trap and sugar-fused drinks. Plus, they’re literally everywhere! I mean, in some places, right across the street from each other so you can turn left or turn right and boom! You can get your Starbucks.
Their protein boxes are great for quick, easy, portable food.
I no longer drink coffee, but for my coffee-loving mamas, I leave you with this tip…avoid the sweet cream. Their sweet cream is basically sugar, canola oil, and chemicals.
If I have to order coffee from Starbucks, I go with a cold brew with heavy cream. Not their sweet cream — just regular heavy cream.
Our actual order:
Cheese Trio Protein Box
Egg White & Roasted Red Pepper Egg Bites
Starbucks Drinks: I Don’t Love It, But Here’s How I Do It…
Listen, let’s be real. I am not a Starbucks fan (at all). I roll my eyes at the lines, the sugary drinks, and the fact that a “tall” is small. But I also understand that everyone and their grandmother goes there. So, I’m going to put on my functional nutrition wellness hat and give you the healthiest Starbucks drink options:
Tall matcha latte (iced or hot). No syrup.Whole milk. If you’re dairy-free, coconut, oat and almond milk are available, but please take note that these milks have added sugar, stabilizers and gums. Add in some honey at the counter if you’re wanting that sweetness punch.
Tall cold brew. No syrup. No sweet cream.Add heavy cream. As mentioned above, the sweet creams are basically sugar-infused oils. I know they taste good, but if you’re wanting to make a smarter choice, opt for heavy cream instead. You still get that creaminess with a slight sweetness. Add some honey at the counter if you’re wanting that sweetness punch.
Iced green tea. Simple. Refreshing.
Chick-fil-A
I realize our family is the anomaly here because we're not obsessed with Chick-fil-A. But clearly the rest of the country is, so it deserves a spot on the list.
When we go, my son gets a kids meal because there is no tearing him away from the toy. I mean, I’m not going to lie, I do love the fact that it’s usually a book, puzzle or game.
I’ll usually get either the spicy southwest salad or a grilled chicken filet with honey mustard on the side.
My husband? He’s getting the spicy chicken sandwich and there is absolutely no convincing that man to eat a salad.
It’s easy, classic, and customizable for picky eaters.
Our actual order:
Spicy Southwest Salad with grilled filet (cold). No tortilla strips.
Nuggets kids meal with fruit and milk. Honey mustard and ketchup for dipping.
Spicy chicken sandwich with extra pickles. Honey mustard on the side.
No fries. No soft drinks. Waters all around (besides the kids meal milk).
Whole Foods
Whole Foods isn’t always right off the highway, but when we run into one on a trip, it’s a great stop.
My son loves getting the Fage yogurt with the strawberry jam on the side. That’s his special treat when we go.
I’ll usually grab a coconut water for hydration, and sometimes we pick up a kombucha.
We also browse the snack section — crackers, popcorn, things like that — and sometimes a MUSH protein bar for myself.
Our shopping bag usually looks something like this:
Fage yogurt split cup - strawberry
MUSH protein bar - double chocolate chip
Blue Stripes cacao water - mango is my favorite!
Health-ade kombucha - we love pink lady apple
Any fruit that looks good!
Chomps beef sticks
HEB (Texas Only)
If you’re road tripping through Texas, HEB is a must. Their fruit selection alone is worth the stop. Fruit on fruit on fruit.
Our shopping bag usually looks something like this:
All the fruit! Their mangoes can’t be beat.
A fresh juice from the produce section. HEB makes their own juice in house. Try the strawberry lemonade for a yummy treat!
Simply 7 Quinoa Chips - Barbeque is our favorite!
TORTILLAS! Their fresh tortillas are the best. Just eat them plain, or pair them with a cheese - whatever your heart desires. Pro tip: grab the warm ones:)
Pepperoni chunks from the deli (the best we've ever had)
Harney & Sons organic peach iced tea
Usually a cheese from the deli; they only have a million options.
In-N-Out
If we pass an In-N-Out, we’re stopping.
I get my burger protein style (wrapped in lettuce) and always skip the cheese. It’s not great quality and honestly you don’t miss it. My son usually eats a hamburger and fries.
Is it the healthiest meal ever? No. But it’s also not loaded with fake meat and sugary sauces, which counts for something on the road.
Our actual order:
Hamburger protein-style. No cheese. No fries. Extra pickles.
Double-Double. No cheese. No fries. Extra pickles.
Hamburger combo #3 for our little man. My husband delightfully takes the soft drink while my son and I drink water.
Local Coffee Shops
This is actually one of my favorite parts of traveling. We love finding real coffee shops.
I’ll usually get a matcha latte with oat milk or coconut milk, and my son loves a hot chocolate. It’s our little road trip treat moment… even though I’m still trying to figure out why I’m paying $5+ for a hot chocolate.
Croissants are always tempting, but we try to pair them with some kind of protein if possible — yogurt or cheese if the shop has it.
Quick tip for spotting a good coffee shop:
If they offer drink sizes like small, medium, and large, it’s probably not the coffee experience I’m talking about.
But if the menu lists drinks like latte, cortado, flat white without sizes? Now you’re in a real coffee shop.
Embrace it. Try something new. If you’re wanting to dive into the art of coffee, check out this blog: Flat White, Latte, Cappuccino: What’s the Difference?
Flower Child
I genuinely do not understand why we don’t have more fast-casual restaurants like this. Flower Child is one of my favorite places to stop with kids.
The kids meals are fantastic. You pick a protein and two sides — grilled chicken, steak, shrimp — and they’re not catering to the fried food culture. They’re basically saying, “Hey kids, you can just eat real food like this.”
And guess what? Kids love it.
My son usually gets grilled chicken or steak with mac and cheese and fruit. And the mac and cheese is gluten-free, which is amazing for gluten-free families.
I love the Mother Earth bowl and the Flying Avocado wrap.
My husband? He’s usually kicking and screaming a little bit… but when the enchiladas are on the seasonal menu, he suddenly becomes a fan.
Our actual order:
Healthy Kids meal with gluten-free mac and cheese and fruit
Mother Earth bowl
Chicken Enchiladas
Rose lemonade to share
Double chocolate almond brownie
Portillo’s
Had to include my husband’s favorite stop. He orders the signature Italian beef. I’ll usually get a burger in a lettuce bun or a chopped salad. My son? Chicken fingers (obviously).
And if you’re lucky enough to be somewhere like Arizona, sometimes there’s a Flower Child and a Portillo’s right next to each other. Which means everyone gets what they want and nobody complains.
Our actual order:
Signature Italian beef, dry, gravy on the side, with hot peppers.
Chopped salad
Chicken tenders
Mall Food Court Teriyaki Spot
You know the one. Every mall seems to have a chicken teriyaki place in the food court.
Is it the best meal ever? No. But it’s also not fried food, which already puts it ahead of half the food court.
We’ll usually order a teriyaki chicken plate, skip the fried rice, and go with white steamed rice.
You get a solid portion of protein and vegetables, and the plates are big enough that we can often share.
Not perfect. But it works.
Our actual order:
One (two if we’re super hungry) teriyaki chicken plate with veggies. No fried rice, sub white rice.
By sharing, you can save room for a cookie! You know, the cookie spot that every mall food court seems to have.
A Few Simple Road Trip Food Rules
Prioritize protein. Keeps everyone full longer. Burgers, chicken, yogurt, or deli meat.
If it’s fried, balance it out. Pair with fruit or veggies.
Grocery stores are your friend. Fresh bread, deli meat, fruit—simple, satisfying, affordable.
Skip sugary drinks when possible. Water, iced tea, coconut water, milk.
Leave room for something fun. Custard, croissants, pizza in the car. Food is part of the adventure.
5 Things I Always Pack For Any Road Trip
Protein-packed snacks: hard-boiled eggs, nuts, beef sticks, or protein bars. Emergency fuel.
Fruit & vegetables: apples, grapes, carrots, cherry tomatoes. Easy, portable, no prep.
Reusable water bottles: hydration saves everyone from crankiness and keeps sugar cravings in check.
Honey: It’s always nice having a sweetener for coffee stops or the occasional scoop of plain yogurt.
Frozen plastic water bottles: we try to save used plastic water bottles, fill them with tap water and freeze them for road trips. We throw them in a cooler because it’s much more practical than ice. Ice gets messy as it melts, but the frozen water bottles keep food cool and the mess at bay.
Bottom Line
Road trips aren’t about perfection. They’re about memories, exploration, and feeding your family in a way that works.
These are the stops that work for our family. Take them or leave them. But if you’re staring at a highway exit with 14 food options and wondering what to do… now you’ve got a few ideas.