Pick-Me-Ups to Pack Up

Here are the packets our family packs when heading out on vacation:

Starbucks Via Coffee I do NOT leave home without caffeine. Whether I’m flying United and faced with drinking their mysterious brown liquid, camping with the kids, or starting my day in an expensive city like Sydney where a much-needed dose of caffeine might run $5-$8, I find that a small packet of Starbuck’s Dark Roast Via stirred into hot water tastes surprisingly decent and keeps my caffeine headache at bay.

Justin’s Peanut Butter Eating foreign food is no fun for many kids. When your littles just need a taste of home, it is nice to be able to offer some good ol’ American peanut butter now and then. Justin’s individual squeeze packets of peanut butter or peanut butter & honey are no trouble to bring along and help ensure some type of protein is being consumed along with all those noodles, rice and rolls.

Emergen-C 1000mg Packets We each drink a packet before and after each flight, in hopes of staving off opportunistic germs. They’re small to pack and the raspberry flavor is yummy if you’re not as into the original orange.

Gatorade Packets & Energy Chews If you’ve got a small monkey battling a case of traveler’s tummy, they need electrolytes – and quick. Although straight electrolyte packets are available, the familiar taste of Gatorade can be extra comforting when on the road. Gatorade Powder Packets are easy to stash in a daypack and add to water bottles as needed. We also like to pack Gatorade Prime Energy Chews – or a similar kind of energy product – because even though our kids aren’t playing soccer, they find traveling equally exhausting.

by Maryann Jones Thompson, December 2016

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