Tips for eating well on the road

More and more we are dedicating our free time to get to visit the variety of wonderful places around Spain. We love the idea of getting behind the wheel and have a break from our day to day routine.

Going on a long journey? No problem, we will stop and eat on the way. A simple gesture that if we plan well can be very satisfying. Precisely for this reason we have prepared a few simple tips that will help you to eat well when you are on the road, and in doing so, discover some lovely villages that otherwise you would not get to see.

Binge eating, save this until you reach your destination

The roads are filled with restaurants with flashy posters advertising their excellent steaks or exquisite soup dishes…. Forget it! The worst thing you can do if you are driving afterwards is to indulge yourself with a plate of stew or a big steak. This will only increase drowsiness and will have a direct impact on your reflexes and concentration behind the wheel.

Have a salad or a dish of vegetables with some fish, and instead of a heavy dessert, a piece of fruit and a cup of coffee or tea. You can always make up for what you haven’t eaten at dinner! And whenever possible, try and keep to your normal eating times, this is better for your body.

Take a small diversion

Usually we eat at the classic service station along the side of the road. We stop to refuel and at the same time we have something to eat.

If we plan well, instead of eating on the motorway, we can include a small detour on our route to a charming village, which are everywhere in Spain! Places that delight us with their amazing views and offer some wonderful restaurants.

On the A2, direction to Barcelona, we can stop in Guimerá, a lovely little village in Lleida and where you can find the Sant Jordi restaurant. Here you can eat a delicious ‘escalibada’ (Smokey grilled vegetables). If you are going to Jaen, then it’s worth a small diversion to Santa Elena to eat at the ‘Meson de Despeñaperros’, a place to enjoy delicious Mediterranean cuisine and enjoy the splendid views of the mountains at the same time.

Franchise restaurants? No thanks!

If you finally decide to calm your appetite without changing your route, don’t stop at the first service station you find. Most of them belong to franchises and heavily increase their prices.

It is better to choose a restaurant with traditional food; the ones that make you feel at home. On the Murcia-Cartagena road, at kilometre 156, you can find the restaurant Venta el Puerto 1, offering a varied menu of traditional home cooked food. Vegetable dishes is one of their specialities.