Giant List of Healthy Road Trip Snacks

Giant List of Healthy Road Trip Snacks

GIANT LIST OF HEALTHY ROAD TRIP SNACKS

Road trips can set the stage for some of life’s best adventures and memories, but staying healthy while traveling on the road for long stretches of time can be a real challenge. Packing your car with plenty of healthy road trip snacks is one of the best ways stay fit on the road and will help you avoid the lure of fast food during long stretches. Below is a giant list of healthy road trip snacks that will keep you nourished on the road.

BEST HEALTHY ROAD TRIP SNACKS

In general, when packing snacks for a road trip, aim for variety over quantity. Driving for long stretches of time can get boring, so a good mix of sweet and savory treats with enough protein and healthy fats will keep hunger at bay and help keep things interesting.

I recently completed a four day road trip from Los Angeles to Austin, and having my own healthy road trip snacks was a lifesaver during the long stretches of empty road in South Texas. As a bonus, packing your own healthy snacks is an amazing way to save money on road trips! Below are my favorite healthy road trip snacks.

Fresh Fruit

Fresh fruit is, in my opinion, the best healthy road trip snack. Fruit is portable, easy to clean with little to no trash left behind, and great for you. Wash all your produce in advance, and pack wrapped in a clean tea cloth or cloth produce bags. Some of best fruits for road trips:

  • Grapes
  • Bananas
  • Seasonal Stone Fruit – Peaches, Plums, Cherries, Apricots
  • Oranges/Mandarins/Clementines
  • Apples
  • Pears
  • Strawberries and Blueberries
  • Avocados – I slice into halves and eat them straight with a little bit of salt and pepper or a squeeze of lemon

Dried Fruit, Nuts and Seeds

I pack a healthy, nutrient packed mix of raw nuts and dried fruits for every road trip. Raw nuts and seeds are full of protein, healthy fats, and satisfy savory cravings on the road, and dried fruit provides a sweet balance. Whenever possible, choose unsalted or reduced salt options. Some of my favorites:

  • Raw nuts – almonds, walnut halves, cashews, brazil nuts
  • Dates – sweet, high in fiber and antioxidants, dates are the perfect snack to satisfy sweet cravings without the processed sugar.
  • Dried fruits like raisins, prunes, apricots, mango, and coconut
  • Sunflower seeds
  • Pistachios
  • Pumpkin seeds
  • Goji berries
  • Cacao Nibs
  • Banana chips or plantain chips
  • Nori or dried seaweed – makes an excellent snack on it’s own or paired with some avocado, carrot strips, or cucumber

Veggies

Great on their own, or dipped in hummus or nut butter, fresh veggies are amazing road trip snacks. On longer road trips, fresh veggies like celery and carrots wrapped in a cool damp towel in a cooler can stay fresh and crisp for up to a few days. Great veggies to pack for roadtrips:

  • Cherry Tomatoes
  • Persian Cucumbers – sweet, crunchy, and easy to eat with no peeling or slicing
  • Carrot sticks
  • Radishes – easy to pack and fun to crunch on with hummus
  • Celery sticks
  • Broccoli florets
  • Snap Peas
  • Bell Pepper Strips

Sweets and Treats

In general, I try to avoid processed sugars on road trips since they can make the body feel sluggish, which isn’t great when also combined with sitting for long periods. However, some sweets and snack food treats can be the perfect road trip treat – just practice moderation! If I have time, I like to pack a homemade banana bread, or chocolate chip cookies. Here are some other suggestions for road trip healthy snacks:

  • Unsalted pretzels (dip in peanut butter)
  • Chocolate covered raisins
  • Dried fruit leathers or Lara Bars – convenient if you won’t have access to a cooler when traveling.
  • Popcorn – Skinny Pop, Boom Chicka Pop, and Trader Joe’s Organic Olive Oil Popcorn are all great, minimally processed options
  • Whole Wheat Fig Bars (these are great for kids)
  • Crackers/Rice Cakes/Sesame Sticks
  • Tortilla Chips (unsalted) and Salsa

Additional Healthy Road Trip Snacks

For long multi-day road trips, you might want to bring some additional options to create more substantial healthy meals on the road. Some great items to pack for longer road trips:

  • Fresh baguette or loaf of bread for sandwiches
  • Jar of nut/seed butter – raw almond butter & tahini are both versatile and nutrient-dense and don’t require refrigeration. Make sandwiches, or pair with apples, dates, celery sticks, etc.
  • Fruit preserves – jams can last up to 30 days after opening without refrigeration, just keep it closed and in a cooler
  • Hummus – keep in a cooler if you’ll be traveling longer than 3-4 hours
  • Sardines – packed with healthy fats and protein, sardines are protein packed, healthy and portable road trip snack.
  • Bulk rolled oats for overnight oats – a great healthy breakfast option if you’ll be on the road multiple days. Add some chia seeds or hemp seeds for additional fiber and protein.
  • Spices, like salt, pepper, and sugar. I like to pack spices into these small stainless steel containers.
healthy snacks on the road - sardines and a crusty baguette

HEALTHY DRINKS FOR ROAD TRIPS

Skip the sugary drinks and opt for pure water on road trips. Staying hydrated with pure filtered water will keep your body running optimally while driving for long periods of time. Keep the drive-thru soda to a minimum, and opt instead for unsweetened tea or sparkling water if you crave carbonation.

I always pack a Hydroflask and a keep cup for drinks on the road. For long trips, I pack a large jug with filtered water, which I use to refill my water bottle. This will also save you major money on plastic water bottles!

If you’ll be traveling multiple days, consider bringing along an electric kettle and small french press to make your own tea or coffee on the road. This pour over stainless steel coffee filter makes the perfect single or double portion of coffee on the go, with no additional filter needed. I especially like that there’s no glass to worry about breaking.

OTHER ROAD TRIP SNACK ESSENTIALS

Some additional hacks and packing essentials that will make your road trip snacking experience smooth and easy:

  1. Cooler or an insulated cooler bag
  2. Sharp knife and mini bamboo cutting board
  3. Set of reusable dishes and utensils. I love my stainless steel tiffin, which pulls triple duty as a plate, bowl and leftover container. Enamel plates are lightweight and great for road tripping.
  4. Reusable cloth napkins and a few dishcloths
  5. Hand sanitizer. I also like to bring a spray bottle filled with water and a few drops of tea tree oil.
  6. Can opener (if you’re bringing canned goods)
  7. A recycled grocery store bag to store your peels, wrappers & trash during your trip.
  8. Small bottle of liquid castile soap or dish soap for washing hands and dishes.

Final Thoughts

I hope you enjoyed this giant list of healthy road trip snacks! What are your favorite healthy snacks for when you’re on the road? Please comment below!