In about 2 weeks I'll be driving cross country from California to New Jersey and I need some ideas for what to eat. I will be driving alone, and I expect it to take me about 5 days. I am on a SUPER tight budget so I won't be staying in any hotels/motels (I'll be sleeping in my car) so I won't have access to a microwave or anything like that. I don't want to be spending a lot of money on meals in restaurants and the like so a friend suggested a buy a cooler and stop at grocery stores to keep it stocked up, which sounds like a great idea to me! So what can I buy aside from fruit? Maybe some sandwich makings?

I also got another great idea from a friend about showering, he also drove cross country sleeping in his car and he said he tracked down a gym in the town he happened to be in each day, bought a day pass and worked out then showered there before going on his way. I think I might do that too!

Sandwich stuffs is definitely a good idea (my mother never let us eat out when we would be on a long trip!). Stuff like light peanut butter and sugar free jelly, or hummus and cucumbers, or the simple stuff like turkey and cheese; anything that can hold up to a long trip (so probably no tuna salad unless you buy the stuff to mix it up yourself). You can also get pre-cut veggies and fruit at places like Publix or Walmart, and maybe even some baked chips somewhere. Also, keep lots of water handy; maybe find a few empty soda bottles, wash them out, then when you get through them, stop at a rest stop and refill, no money required. Have fun!

You can get a packet of low fat tuna and crackers , it's about 150 calories. If you have a Big Lots near you they have them for 99 cents , they are good and about 2 dollars at the supermarket. Yogurt is another good choice 60 calories and not expensive especially on special sales. Laughing Cow low fat cheese wedges, 35 calories, I couldn't live without Laughing Cow .And don't forget the 100 calorie packages they have a lot of choices, cookies crackers , etc. And Quaker has some that are 90 calories.Your trip sounds like fun, except for the sleeping in the car bit. Where do you plan on parking your car at night? Good luck.

Be sure and get a big enough cooler to carry ice and your food. I have a couple of styrofoam coolers.

We always take a loaf of bread, lunch meat, carrots/celery, grapes, apples - stuff like that. We pretty much skip the mayo, mustard etc. Just two pieces of bread and the lunch meat. You can eat that while driving. I take some plastic grocery bags for trash - you really accumulate a lot of junk on a trip like that. I also take some dampened paper towels in a baggie to wipe hands or you could get some of the ones they sell at wal-mart.

I haven't been on one of those "sleep in the car" trips for more than 40 years, thank goodness . Good luck. Are you moving permanently or just going for a visit?

The cooler should work really well. The night before you leave fill your cooler with ice so it will be cold when you put your food in. The gel freezer paks work really well. be sure they are frozen solid before putting in your cooler. They last quite a long time as long as you don't let them thaw out. of course they are reuseable but you won't have a way to do that on your trip.

I wouldn't get styrafoam cooler, though. I have a small one from Rubbermaid. Just to give you an idea it will hold about two 6 packs, plus you ice or freezer gel.This might be enoug for your entire trip or at least 3 days , depending how much you want to keep cold. it is not too cumbersome to carry and won't take up much room in your car.

Ooooo, I'm so happy you posted this! I'm moving to San Antonio in a couple of weeks and I'm driving alone too.

Hey, alot of grocery stores actually have a salad bar with fixings. Many offer a decent morning selection, too. You can get coolers that plug into your car so ice won't be an issue, for the most part, provided that you buy fresh each day (I'm not sure if you can keep these plugged in overnight in your car or if this will drain the battery...check on it...). Sandwiches for lunch are great as you can get exactly the amount of no-fat ham, for example, at the deli counter. As for dinner, alot of stores have roast chickens for sale, and other baked items. You can make yourself a great selection. You might even ask at the deli counter if they have a microwave, and if they would be willing to zap a frozen dinner for you.
Don't forget, it really is only 5 breakfasts, 5 lunches, and 5 dinners. If push comes to shove, there are some healthy choices available at fast food restaurants. Subway comes to mind (think a 4-inch veggie sub with only mustard, no mayo, for example). Research before you go, so you can pre-decide on what you will have -- if you know that there is a menu item you can have at McD's, for example, you won't be faced with a takeout menu and no plans.
Good luck!

Thank you all so much for your suggestions!
To answer a few of your questions: I am moving permanently, to make a long story short I'm currently in Phoenix but my boyfriend and I broke up, I'm giving my notice at work on tuesday then I'll be driving to San Diego to visit some family and friends before making the final trip to NJ (to stay with my mom and finish up my college). I'll probably be stopping at night in the major highway truck stops to sleep, lots of people at all hours of the night, highway cops, etc. so I think chances of anything bad happening are slim. I'll be parking right out front! I'm not worried about the noise, I can sleep through anything! I'm sure sleeping in the car will take a toll on my body however (even with the pillows...thanks for the suggestion!) so I may spend one night in a motel.

I totally forgot about grocery store salad bars! For whatever reason none of the major grocery stores out here (safeway + fry's) have those but I know when I used to frequent Shaws and Stop and Shop they have salad bars. Of course I love the salad bars at Whole Foods but they are a bit pricey.

I'll definitely be investing in fruit, veggies and hummus, sandwich makings, beef jerky and my favorite quaker soy crisps for snacks. And of course lots of water! I'm not planning on eating while driving, I know first hand that just leads to mindless munching (and there's the safety issue) so I'll be stopping at rest stops along the way for my meals.

Which states?

Wow, I didn't know that. It seems to me that eating is much less dangerous than talking on the phone.

Anyway, you need to stop and stretch every so often, so that's a good time to eat.

I think I read some of your story before. Good luck with your new life. Too bad you didn't figure out that you didn't want to spend the rest of your life with this guy before you moved to AZ, but things will work out. I admire your good attitude.

Don't forget Fiber One bars!!! And try to get some fruits that don't need refrigeration (bananas, apples, oranges, etc) and that will leave you with more room in your cooler. I'd also try to get some deli meat (turkey and ham), hummus, and light bread. And maybe some yogurt yummmmm !

Kashi cereal really keeps the munchies away -- it's good just out of hand without the milk, and apples and almonds and string cheese, and Luna Bars. That's what I would take...maybe a couple of hard-boiled eggs.

Nuts are a really good thing to have in the car, I get the individually packaged cashews at Smart & Final, they are in 1 oz packs, but you could get a big bag and portion them out too.

If you're going to do the Day Pass thing it might be worth it to get a YMCA membership -- I think with mine, it's $2 instead of $5 to use another facility if you're a member, and of course when you're home you can keep using it!

OMG! I actually got OUT of a ticket once by telling the cop I was trying to put hotsauce on my Del Taco burrito! Guess I can't use that excuse in Ohio, LOL, besides they might not even have Del Taco.

Actually it was a 2:00 a.m. stop (easy to get pulled over when the bars close!) and he pulled me over for driving too slowly on Ventura Blvd. He thought maybe I was drunk, well I had been at a bar but only had one drink THANK GOD.

But I explained that I was trying to open the hotsauce packet with my teeth and so thought it would be safer to drive slowly while doing so, lol! Well it was true and amazingly.....IT WORKED!