Are you ready to stop spending money on fast food? Here’s a list of 12 snacks to keep in your car to save you from the drive thru!
In a Nutshell:
Breaking a habit is hard work, especially when it involves food. To stop spending money on fast food you’ll need to plan ahead. Keep snacks like pretzels, dried mangos, or beef jerky in your car and pack sack lunches when you know you’ll be gone over a mealtime. One way to stay motivated is to record how much money you’re spending on fast food. Work to decrease your number of drive-thru trips and watch your money go right back in your pocket! You can this!
One habit that was particularly hard to break as we transitioned to a single-income household was not stopping for “a little treat” while running errands or grabbing fast food on the way home because it just sounded good. It made us feel better and perked moods to get something fun but when we got serious about tracking our expenses, we could see it really added up! To combat that, I’ve been working hard to find non-perishable snacks to keep in the car that can handle both heat and cold.
Why You Should Stop Spending Money on Fast Food?
Have you ever sat down and looked at how much you spend at the drive-thru? I get it. It’s convenient, it’s fun, it’s a little treat for getting through the day! Sometimes it’s just because you’re starving and errands ran long! But the price of convenience is high. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that in 2023 the average American spent $3,639 on fast food and other restaurants. If you had a little more self-discipline (and a lot more snacks waiting in the car) you could get some of that money back in your pocket!
How to Stop Spending Money on Fast Food
To stop spending money on fast food, you need to plan ahead. If you’re going to be gone from the house over a mealtime or over any length of time you’re going to want to pack some sort of snack or sack lunch. Keep this in your purse or car to keep you from getting hangry and losing sight of your goal. If you’re used to stopping for fast food often, it may take a while to break the habit. Give yourself grace but continue to work on your self-discipline. Tracking your expenses to see how much you spent on fast food may be a good motivator for you!
12 Non-Perishable Snacks to Keep You from Spending Money on Fast Food
There are plenty of options for non-perishable snacks to keep in your car. The goal here is to save money so I’ll be sharing the most affordable snacks that are somewhat healthy.
1. Plain Granola Bars
Plain granola bars are a classic travel snack. I don’t love that they can get crushed under other snacks, but if you keep them in their box they do okay. While I love the fun flavors, I’ve found that the plain ones work best to keep in the car. Fudge dipped, chocolate chips, and peanut butter chips are just too messy in hot the summer months!
2. Dried Fruit
Any kind of dried or freeze-dried fruit works! Dried Cranberries, Raisins, and dried mango are my favorite. I will say, if you decide to go with raisins, keep them away from any heat vents in your car unless you want your whole car to smell like hot raisins. I really love this big pack of dried mango from Sam’s Club because it’s affordable, and comes in big strips that are easy to grab and eat while driving!
3. Nuts
Nuts are a great source of protein which can keep you fuller longer. They also usually come with salt which can help meet that salt craving you might have right before you normally stop at a drive-thru! Nuts can get expensive, though, so try to look for generic brands or peanuts as they are cheaper than other options.
4. Trail Mix
Why not combine dried nuts and dried fruit into one trail mix? In winter any kind of trail mix will easily stay edible in your car but in the hot summer months, be sure to find a mix that doesn’t have any melting chocolates or candies. Again, the salted nuts will help quench that salt craving you get before the drive-thru and will also keep you fuller longer!
5. Beef Jerky
Beef jerky is one of the oldest tried and true emergency snacks. Jerky will last a long time in your car in both the hottest heat and the coldest cold. Jerky also is a great source of protein so it can keep you fuller longer! The one downside of jerky is the cost. Because it is meat, jerky is one of the higher-priced snacks available, but well worth it if you’re willing to spend!
6. Veggie Straws
I feel like I’ve seen a lot of negative press about Veggie Straws lately because they’re not made from veggies like the name would seem. Even so, they’re better than some other products so I’ll keep them around. The one downside to Veggie Straws is that they go stale pretty quickly. I’ve found that dumping the bag into a resealable gallon ziplock can help keep them fresh!
7. Fruit Strips
Fruit strips, or fruit leather, are cooked down, concentrated fruit. They’re a great snack for especially if you love berries! Fruit strips come in a variety of flavors and are individually packaged for easy travel. They are thin and don’t get squished so it’s easy to store even in a sunglass compartment!
8. Crackers
Any kind of cracker works! I like to keep graham crackers in my car but only because I have kids that also like to eat them. Similar to Veggie Straws, crackers can go stale if left open too long but if you dump the box into a resealable gallon Ziplock, they’ll stay fresh longer.
9. Breakfast Biscuits
Breakfast biscuits have great fiber from whole grains and fun flavors to choose from. I’ve found the generic versions are pretty similar in taste to the Belvita brand and cost a fraction of the price. The downside is that they can easily get crushed. Try to keep them in a safe place or in the box to keep them from getting broken.
10. Pretzels
Pretzels are a go-to snack for the car. I’m a boredom eater while I drive so these crunchy little bite-sized snacks are perfect! Since the bags do rip easily, I usually put them into a gallon Ziplock for easy opening and closing.
11. Rice Cakes
As long as you avoid the sticky or chocolate flavors, rice cakes can withstand temperature changes both cold and hot in your car. They aren’t very filling, but if all you wanted was something to munch on this low-calorie snack is a great option! Plus, they’re easy to find for a low cost at most grocery stores!
12. Popcorn
Pre-popped air-popped popcorn is another great option if you’re a boredom snacker like me. This kind of popcorn is plain and unflavored so it won’t leave any oily residue on your hands or clothing. You can also find these in smaller pre-portioned bags if you don’t want to take up the space of this large bag.
I hope that this list of snacks gave you ideas and motivation to stop spending money on fast food! You can do this. Let me know how you did in changing your habits in the comments!