When making travel plans, it’s important to consider things like what roads to take, where you’ll stay, and where bathroom and gas breaks will be. And as anyone who has ever taken a long trip knows, having snacks along the way is essential. Having easy, healthy travel snacks will keep you and your travel buddies happy along your entire journey.
Preparation
For less stress, prepare your snacks ahead of time. Food that doesn’t need to be kept in the fridge or browns after being cut open, like apples, can be put into baggies ahead of time. You can even find individually prepackaged snacks for added ease.
Snacks to Avoid
The snacks to avoid bringing with you on a trip, especially if you’re trying to bring healthier snacks, shouldn’t be perishable or filled with unhealthy ingredients. Here’s a list of some things to probably avoid while packing for your trip:
- Candy bars - candy bars aren’t the most nutritious option for a snack and the chocolate is likely to melt from long hours spent in the car. Dark chocolate is often more healthy but still has the possibility of melting. No one likes the feeling of finally unwrapping that piece of chocolate to find there’s more on the wrapper than left in the bar. And if you have children, one of the last things you want to deal with while traveling is the mess of chocolate. As a general rule, try to avoid using this snack.
- Smelly foods - when stuck in close proximity, no one wants to deal with a lingering smell. Try picking foods with minimal odor or at least know if those traveling with you will have a certain aversion to a smell ahead of time. Garlic adds a great flavor to chips but you might want to hold off opening and enjoying them until you are at your destination.
- Squishy and/or sticky foods - While more of a texture than a specific type of food, you should still try to stay away from squishy or sticky foods. These types of food can get stuck in the carpets of your car, or even on a plane if you’re flying, and make it a hassle to clean up. Squishy foods like bananas and sticky food like candy should be avoided.
Best Snacks
Now that you know some foods to avoid, below is a list of foods to consider taking with you as your healthy travel snacks:
- Dried Fruit - While some dried fruits can have added sugars that make them less healthy, you can find dried fruits without or less added sugars. These are delicious and come prepackaged, making your life easier while getting ready to leave.
- Nuts - With so many to choose from, nuts can be your perfect travel companion. Nuts are a source of protein and are also good mix-ins for trail mix creations.
Oats - Oats come with nutritional value that make them a great travel snack. They make a great breakfast on the go, as you can buy prepackaged instant oats that only need water and a microwave to make a quick breakfast. Prepackaged overnight oats are even better because they can be made with milk or water and don’t need a microwave. If you’re looking for something with healthy carbs to tide you over until mealtime, you can even bake them into protein bars or cookies. The versatility of oats makes them a perfect choice for your next travel experience. Check out Oats Overnight to make your selection before your next trip or for your next meal.
