A box lunch is a good idea, but it doesn’t have to be greasy, fried, or come from a man with a polystyrene clown head! Plenty of foods make an interesting and healthy snack box for the road.

Dried fruit –Get adventurous! Dates and raisins aren’t the only dried fruits around. Try unsweetened apricots, pears, apples, papaya, and mango. Dried banana is also delicious but avoid banana chips as these are cooked in oil and are high in saturated fat. Also avoid fruit leathers as these have added sugars.

Fresh fruit – Apples, oranges, and grapes make the best traveling fruits as they don’t bruise easily, but if you plan on eating your fruit early in your journey try plums, pears or bananas as well. And of course, if you’re feeling extra harried, you can buy precut apples in bags!

Nuts & seeds –Nuts make a great snack for the road as they’re extremely filling. Raw nuts are your healthiest option, but roasted, unsalted nuts are also a good choice.

Snack bars – Not all “nutrition” bars are nutritious so make sure you read the labels before you choose. Names like “S’mores Feast” should also indicate the not-so-wise choices! Balance and Odwalla bars are your best picks.

Baby carrots – Whether or not the rumor that these little guys are actually cut from full-size carrots is true, a bag of baby carrots is a great snack-in-the-box food.

Cheese – Surprisingly, some cheeses keep very well for a day without refrigeration. Choose gouda, string cheese, feta, and other cheeses that are not likely to sweat. Wrap them tightly in cloth or fabric. (And if you really want your “Jack” in the box – pack some Monterey Jack string cheese!).

Peanut butter and bread sticks – Take the jar or fill a mini tupperware container. Ziploc a few mini-toasts or bread-sticks for dipping, and you’ve got a snack fit for any peanut-butter-nutter! Other nut butters like almond or cashew are also good.

Tuna lunch-packs – Starkist make healthy tuna lunch packs that have tuna, relish, and crackers all in one package.

Water – No need to stop for gallon-loads of soda if you’ve packed water beforehand. If it’s warm out, try freezing a few bottles before you go – they’ll melt through the day but keep cold. Don’t forget to leave an inch or so in the tops of the bottles before you freeze them.