Pack this healthy food for your trips

SANDUSKY — For summer trips, it's easy to avoid packing nutritious foods.But by taking them, you're doing your body a favor.Here's what Amanda Garman, a dietician and wellness coordinator at Firelands Regional Medical Center, recommended:• For road trips, pack fresh fruits, fresh veggies, low-fat cheese, and calorie-free beverages to snack on in the car.• Choose lean, grilled meats. Skip the fried foods and choose a chicken breast, 85 percent lean hamburgers, or fish. Get creative by grilling fruits and vegetables.• Incorporate more veggies into your meals and snacks. Try making vegetable salads like vinegar-based coleslaw or chopped salads. Enjoy grilled veggie kabobs or sliced veggies grilled in foil packets. Set out fresh veggies like carrots, radishes, tomatoes, celery broccoli, cauliflower, pea pods and jicama with a low-fat dip or hummus for snacking.• Drink water, not sugary drinks. "Summer weather can quickly lead to dehydration," Garman said. Stay hydrated by drinking water or zero-calorie beverages. Try sparkling water, unsweetened teas, or sugar-free flavorings. Add a festive garnish by floating fresh fruit in your beverages such as a citrus wedge, berries, pineapple, or mint leaves.Garman also recommended getting creative with salads by using chickpeas, black beans and corn to spice them up.Reach reporter Caitlin Nearhood at nearhood@sanduskyregister.com, follow her on Twitter @CaitlinNearhood and on Facebook.com/CaitliNearhoodThis chickpea salad with cucumbers and tomatoes is among the healthy foods for travel recommended by Firelands Regional Medical Center dietician Amanda Garman.