Road Trippin’ Migraine Free: How to navigate the roadside migraine minefield

It’s that time of year.

School is out, which means families from coast to coast will be packing their suitcases, loading up the rooftop carrier, and heading out for their summer vacation adventure.

But danger lurks.

Inside every gas station procured bag of Cheetos or drive-thru cheeseburger awaits a migraine ready to strike, ruining your long awaited respite before it even gets off the ground. Between the stress of packing, a car ride full of impatient children, the disruption of your usual sleep schedule, and the limitations of trigger-laden roadside gastronomical offerings, road trips make for fertile migraine breeding ground.

Fear not! With a little thoughtfulness and preparation, you can make it through your journey unscathed, ready to take on your vacation activities with a pain-free noggin.

In our family, we take our yearly trip to the beach right after school is out, which means we just got back. So I thought I’d share my strategies for dealing with on the road eating while they’re still fresh on my mind.

As you might expect, your best chance for ensuring a smooth ride is to plan your on the road meals in advance, which is what I’ll cover first.

But, let’s face it, things don’t always go as planned, so I’ll also discuss what I do in a pinch as well.

Prepared In Advance

Refrigerated (i.e. – packed in the cooler)

Meat and cheese roll ups. These are one of the “recipes” in the book. They’re really quick and easy to make, which is key when you’ve got 87 other things to do before you can hit the road. The basic idea here is to wrap a slice of meat (roast beef, turkey, chicken, etc.) in a slice of cheese (I like Havarti). We usually add fillings – things like olives, sundried tomatoes, avocadoes, boursin, roasted red peppers, and such – though that’s optional.

Charcuterie and cheese. If you’re fortunate to live near an artisanal butcher shop (like these guys or these guys) that makes handmade cured meats the traditional way, then you can also pack some prosciutto, salami, sopresseta, or anything else that strikes your fancy, along with a nice soft and buttery double or triple cream cheese.

Veggies and dip. Raw carrots and snap peas, either solo or with a dip, have long been a favorite snack in my family, and make for good road eats. For dip, we like to mix a little heavy cream into some Boursin cheese (yes, eating this way is such a drag ;))

Non-Refrigerated

Trail mix. Think of foods you might take on a long hike. Nuts, dried fruits, etc. Avoid ones that are heavy on the sweeter fruits, and especially look to make sure there’s no added sugar.

Fruits. Blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries are best. I’m also particularly fond of figs when in season. Avoid the sweeter fruits (bananas, apples, pears, pineapple, etc.), especially if you’ll be eating them by themselves.

Protein bars. If you can find the time before the trip, make a batch of homemade protein bars. You can use the recipe from the book, or try other “paleo-friendly” protein bars like these from Mark’s Daily Apple.

On the Road, Unprepared, and Desperate

Ancestral diet friendly-ish drive fast food options

In my neck of the woods, the best options for pulling over and grabbing something in a pinch are:

Chipotle. What to order? Try a bowl with meat (the Carnitas has the best preparation) plus any combination of cheese, salsa, sour cream, lettuce, and guacamole.

Moe’s Southwest Grill. Basically the same as above.

Chick-fil-a. Here I order the chicken salad they serve on their chicken salad sandwich in a cup.

Wendy’s. A cup of Wendy’s chili is the friendliest menu item here. And not too shabby tasting, I might add.

Ancestral diet unfriendly fast food options made friendlier

This is when you’ve lost track of how many hours you’ve been on the road, everyone’s hungry and the kids are begging for McDonald’s (or [insert favorite burger chain here]). If you find yourself in this predicament, order a burger, take off the bun, eat what’s left, and keep on truckin’. And, just in case, keep whatever migraine abortive medications you’ve brought along with you at the ready.

Or Just Don’t Eat Anything

This is actually one of your best options. And it’s also one that’s very doable if you’ve been following the migraine miracle eating plan for any length of time, since you’re likely now able to readily shift between sugar and fat as your body’s source of fuel. Which means you can go a lot longer without eating, because you’re body is now expert at readily accessing stored fat to meet your energy needs.

Drink water, and relish in your newfound freedom from the conventional 3 meals a day eating regimen.

Hit the Road, Jack

So that’s how we roll migraine-free around here. In general, vacations are always a mixed bag when it comes to migraine. On the one hand, relaxation, a break from the daily grind, clean air and sunshine can do wonders for your state of mind. Yet, the departure from the daily schedule your body is accustomed to along with the temptation to indulge your cravings while away can tempt the migraine gods.

But a little thoughtful preparation before you hit the road can help ensure things start off on the right foot.

Do you have any favorite snacks for eating on the road? If so, share them in the comments below.