5 Ways to Find Healthy Food on the Road

Having been on the road since 2014, we’ve tried really hard to eat right. Sure, it takes a little more research and engaging with the locals in finding the freshest local produce and provisions but that comes with great benefits! Keep reading to see how we accomplish our search for healthy food…

Here’s a few places we look to find healthy food on the road…

Farmer’s Markets

When we stop for longer periods of time, we will research where to find the local farmer’s markets. Oftentimes, that research will entail a chat with the local coffee shop owner or looking on the town newspaper or website. A couple of our favorite Farmer’s Markets have been in Great Falls, Montana, Castroville, Texas, Salmon, Idaho and Taylorsville, KY.

Whether they’re large markets of several booths and tables, we always look for a jar of local honey (for allergies) and their local ‘in season’ leafy greens and root vegetables.

Roadside Farm Stands

Since we love traveling the backroads, its common to see an occasional local farm stand. Sometimes, they may be manned and other times, its an honor system. Either way, we pick out what we need; potatoes, peppers, and corn on the cob. If they are manned by the owner, we’ll strike up conversation of some recipe ideas on how to use their ingredients. If they’re not manned, we simply will pay for our provisions by putting cash in the ole coffee can just like the old days (not dating myself here!).

Community Fairs

Each town it seems, has it’s own community fair. We love to go because we love to meet new people and learn about the area. They are great engagement places to find out where the best hikes are, cool cafes to eat at and any touristy things we shouldn’t miss. Usually, we will come home with a paper bag full of our favorites and even a couple new ingredients to try.

Tailgate Produce

You’ve seen them along side the road; an old beat up pick up truck with their truck bed loaded to the gills with corn on the cob or separated ingredients on the tailgates. Like the Roadside Farm Stands, sometimes they are manned and others may not be. We pay the same. Its a plus if the owner is there because we always make time for a little chit-chat.

“Pick-Your-Own”  Farms

If you get off the highway and on those back roads in rural areas, you’ll see these! If you’re there while the strawberries, blackberries or blueberries are in season, you get to pick-your-own for a lot cheaper than you buy them in the store. Not only will you know where your food is coming from (not another country!), you also learn to appreciate the farmers and growers a little bit more.

So you see, there ARE ways to score some local farmer’s ingredients.

We’ve recently interviewed Olivia, half of Drivin’ N Vibin’ on some of her and Kyle’s favorite places where they’ve found some of their healthy ingredients. These are just a few examples of how, with a little research, they vie to eat healthy. Oh, and I have to mention that even though they have a tiny vintage 16-foot Fiber Stream, that doesn’t keep them from preparing delicious healthy meals!

Grand Rapids, MI…

…is a great place to explore, with a bustling downtown, museums, parks and most importantly, great food! They stumbled upon a festival in full swing, with many interesting vendors selling their goods and live music filling the air.

By recommendation of a local, they stopped by The Fulton St. Farmers Market for some local produce. It was established in 1922 and has 118 outdoor booths and 9 indoor booths! There was a huge assortment of fruits, vegetables, meats, dairy and hand-crafted foods. They love supporting local communities and nothing beats buying directly from the farmers themselves!

Glacier National Park…

…is one of Kyle’s and Olivia’s all time favorite parks. The Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park is breathtakingly beautiful as you wind up the mountainside and gaze down to the valley bellow. It’s definitely worth a visit if you’re in Northern Montana. The nearest towns to where they were camping were pretty small, but they had some great luck when it was time to restock on groceries and healthy produce.

They stopped by the Co-Op in Columbia Falls and bought a big bag of fresh cherries and the worlds largest bundle of carrots. There was so much great local produce, food trucks and even a live concert and games for the kids. They also needed some other staples and vitamins, so Kyle and Olivia found a health food store nearby called Sundrop Health Foods. The store had a wide variety of health foods and vitamins and they were able to find everything we needed!

Jackson Hole, Wyoming…

…is a cool little town right outside of Grand Teton National Park (we’ve yet to go there!), with lots to do, see and eat! After you visit the National Park for some stunning mountain views and fun on the lake, head over to town to get they full Wyoming experience. There are some great healthy dining options and tons of shops to keep you busy for hours.

One of Kyle’s and Olivia’s favorite parts is the huge farmers market they hold in the square, every Saturday. Vendors sell healthy food, local cheeses, fresh baked breads and organic produce, local honey and more. They love when the community comes together to support one another and share their love for good food!

As you see, like Drivin’ N Vibin and ourselves, even though we live on the road traveling through unfamiliar territory, that doesn’t preclude us from finding healthy ingredients. All it takes is a little research and asking the locals. By conversing with the locals, we’ve engaged them up to talk about their livelihoods of farming and markets. We’re happy to support them!

Its not only about the healthy food we find but the people who bring those ingredients to us. It puts a whole different spin on ‘Eating Engagements’. 

If this was a fun read, check out this…

How RVers shop at the Farmer’s Market