7 Ideas for Healthy Road Trip Snacks
Road trips and snacks go hand-in-hand. If you’re like a lot of us, you find yourself craving something to munch almost as soon as you hit the road. But just because you indulge in fun road trip snacks doesn’t mean you have to resort to total junk food.
While you may be tempted to load up on gas station candy, chips, and soda, there are plenty of healthy — and still tasty! — options to bring along instead. Pro tip: Make or buy healthy road trip snacks ahead of time, so you’re less likely to give in to the temptation for a junk food shopping spree while you’re en route.
Ready to go? Let’s look at a few ideas for healthy, fun road trip snacks to take on your next big adventure.
What Makes a Great Road Trip Snack?
Before we get into the snacks themselves, let’s talk about road trip snacks in general. There’s no mistaking that certain snacks are better suited to long hours in a car than others.
For example, you probably want to avoid road trip snacks that are particularly messy, sticky, or prone to spillage. Depending on how much luggage you’re packing in, you may also want to stick to smaller containers that are easy to access from whichever seat you’ll be occupying.
And while you may have the space to bring along a cooler for perishable items, you definitely want to make sure your road trip snacks won’t go bad before you get a chance to eat them. So, having at least a few non-perishable options is a good idea.
7 Healthy Road Trip Snacks to Try
Whether you’re heading across the state or across the country, another key characteristic of great road trip snacks is that they’re easy to grab and take on-the-go. After all, you’ve got enough packing and planning to get done before you leave — no need to add tons of snack prep time to that to-do list!
Try some of these healthy ideas for road trip snacks that you can easily prepare ahead of time or grab on the way out the door:
— Energy balls: Endlessly customizable, simple to make, and conveniently bite-sized, energy balls are great little road trip snacks you can make at home. To cut down prep time on departure day, whip them up well in advance and store them in the freezer.
— Dried fruit & nuts: Whether you eat them alone or together, dried fruit and nuts are relatively mess-free and long-lasting. They’re also easy to consume in small amounts if you need something to keep your mouth busy so you won’t fall asleep on long highway stretches.
— Raw veggies: Great snacks don’t have to be sweet. Try toting along some carrots, celery, snap peas, bell pepper strips, or other raw veggies for extra nutritious snacking. And if you do want to add a bit of sweetness, add a travel-size dipping container of nut butter or hummus.
— Smoothies or natural fruit juice: Road trip snacks don’t only include solid food items. While it’s important to get plenty of water, smoothies or natural fruit juice add flavor and nutrients and are a much healthier alternative to soda or other sugary drinks.
— Outstanding Pig Out Crunchies: Sometimes you just need a satisfyingly crunchy snack, but that doesn’t mean you have to grab a bag of chips or pork rinds! Outstanding Pig Out Crunchies are not only addictively delicious and snackable, but they’re also a great source of plant-based protein.
— Outstanding Cheese Balls: Speaking of plant-based protein, these dairy-free cheese balls are perfectly bite-size and bursting with flavor. They’re an excellent choice if you want all the fun and flavor of regular cheese balls — without the dairy.
— Outstanding Puffs: Up your road trip snacking game with nutritious puffs in four flavors, from Hella Hot to Chill Ranch. Add in plant-based protein and 20 vitamins and minerals, and you’ve got yourself a snack that’s the definition of fun and healthy.
Sure, junk food is easy and tempting to grab when you’re on the road. But when you make healthier choices that also taste great, you’ll get to enjoy the moment and feel a lot better in the long run.
Time to Hit the Road?
Making healthier eating choices overall starts small. Instead of forcing yourself to completely give up your usual road trip snacks, try swapping out just one or two at a time for healthier alternatives. Before you know it, you may even find yourself craving healthy snacks first!
Want to pick up some healthy, plant-based snacks for your next road trip? Find Outstanding Foods snacks in stores near you.
