At a time when many of us hope to ease into 2025 with some football, basketball, and snacks, some of us will have to go, go, go! Changing weather patterns can mean little time to prepare for leaving your home or vacation rental. While my grandmother would advise to not borrow trouble, my vigilant self leans toward being prepared.
When you have dietary restrictions, this can mean you must add specific food categories to your go bag. If you have the luxury of driving, an ice chest can be helpful. But being prepared with lightweight food you can easily carry is a good idea. Some sites suggest including 3 days of food.
There are many brands from which to choose. You can use these links as a starting point, but if you have preferred brands that you know your family likes, stick with those. Having to leave is stressful enough so familiar is better as long as it’s lightweight and doesn’t require more prep than the hot or cold water you can find at a gas station.
- Lightweight foods to consider if you’re gluten free:
- Freeze dried vegetables or fruits Freeze Dried Strawberries – Simply Strawberries – Nuts.com
- Jerky (be sure to read labels) Baja Vida | All-Natural Nitrate Free Beef Jerky, Organic Dried Mangos & Snacks
- Nut butters Nut Butters | JUSTIN’S® Brand
- Raw nuts and dried fruit Nuts.com: Premium Bulk Nuts, Dried Fruit, Healthy Snacks, and Gifts – Nuts.com
- Protein bars RXBAR® Nutrition and RXBAR® Ingredients | What’s Inside
- Instant oat meal Gluten Free Instant Oatmeal – Original | Quaker Oats
- Instant coffee Espresso Coffee Single Serve Packets
- Powdered dry milk Mix’n Drink Instant Skim Milk
If you have room and know your time on the road is short, you may want to pack your favorite snack cracker or chip as well. And while it’s not light weight at about 8 lbs per gallon, water is important. Choose pre-bottled or fill your lightest container.
The more layers of restrictions, the more complex your choices may be. For me, boiled eggs are a great snack, but they require refrigeration. Rather than a large scale cooler, I can opt for an insulated lunch box, tote, or pouch that will fit in my duffle. To season, I save the little packets of salt and pepper that come with plastic utensils in food delivery.
For some, cheese sticks or tubed yogurt may be good options to include in an insulated tote. You can also pack individual milk cartons, but powdered milk (above) is lighter weight.
Different weather conditions may require different items in a go bag. There are many guidelines that can be found online, but the further you think down the road, the more choices you will have. Waiting until the last minute gives you less time to decide what to take and limits you to options you have on hand.
Planning and gathering go bag contents in advance allows for the specific requirements of specialized diets. Individual and family preferences and priorities can dictate what you choose to carry. The important thing is to be ready to go, go, go at a moment’s notice.
Travel Tip #21 – Be Prepared to Evacuate – in thriver words
Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
