by Kenda Robertson

Created on: July 22, 2008

It's not always easy to avoid sugar, especially at breakfast. And it's even harder when you're on the go.

Consuming sugar-laden packaged cereal and snack foods in the morning can zap your energy for the rest of the day. Simple sugars also make the body crave even more sugar (or simple carbohydrates) to keep it going, when what it really needs is protein and complex carbohydrates.

If you're really serious about your family's nutrition, there are better, and more economical, ways to get your morning road trip off to a good start. All it takes is a little planning and a small cooler. When looking for easy-to-eat and nutritious take-a-long breakfast foods, leave the processed snacks at the store and consider these low-sugar options:

Bacon and Eggs

An old breakfast favorite, turkey bacon and hard-boiled eggs are ideal protein sources that travel quite well. Just cook the bacon and eggs the night before your trip (only takes a few minutes), put them in containers or individual plastic bags and place in the cooler until you are ready to eat them. Delicious, nutritious and satisfying!

Homemade Sandwiches

Start with a good quality whole grain bread (one that doesn't contain corn syrup or white flour) slather on raw almond or cashew butter, and add a little honey to taste. Make the sandwiches the night before and cut into squares and store in plastic bags or containers. Add fresh banana slices just before eating for a fun - and yummy - alternative.

Alternative sandwich filling: unprocessed cheese, hummus, or fruit-juice sweetened jelly or jam.

Bake Your Own Breakfast Bars

Even packaged snack bars that claim to be healthy contain a fair amount of bad things, including corn syrup and preservatives. By making your own breakfast bars and cookies you can control what goes into them (and they will cost much less). Just make them a few days or weeks before your trip and store in the freezer.

You can find a variety of easy recipes online. Try the Oat & Apricot Breakfast Bars at www.recipezaar.com/37672 or Muesli Breakfast Bars at www.mayoclinic.com/health/healthy-recipes/NU00327.

Or , get creative and make your own recipe using your family's favorite ingredients.

Fresh or Dried Fruit

As one of nature's perfectly packaged sweet treats, fresh fruit is easy to take along and its complex carbohydrates provide sustainable energy. Bananas, peaches, plums, apples, pears and especially grapes are ideal for traveling.

Dried fruits such as apricots, mango, raisins, cranberries and blueberries pack a lot of energy and nutrition too. Make your own fruit mix by adding some unsweetened shredded coconut to your favorite (unsulfured) dried fruits.

Raw Nuts

Nuts are loaded with energy-sustaining protein. The best way to eat nuts is raw. Heating them kills important living enzymes. The best nuts to eat raw are almonds, pecans, and walnuts. (Throw some into your dried fruit mix.)

Worse than Sugar

And don't fall into the trap of believing foods containing artificial sweeteners are any better for your family. If you really want to have a safe trip, avoid all artificial sweeteners, especially Splenda, which contains the chemical chlorine and has been found to cause health problems. Learn more at www.naturalfamilyinfo.com/dangers-of-splenda.html.

Ha ppy - and healthy - trails to you!

Learn more about this author, Kenda Robertson.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.