Best Healthy Road Trip Snacks (2024)

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No need to worry about what to eat or toss out your nutritious eating habits while traveling. There are lots of amazingly delicious ways to plan ahead for the road, and we have some of the best Healthy Road Trip Snacks to share with you!

Best Healthy Road Trip Snacks (1)

We all love to snack and when we’re traveling or on the road, simple healthy snacks are harder to come by. While you are trying out the vegan snacks in this list, be sure to also try our homemade Chex party mix.

How do you eat healthily on a road trip?

Many of us work hard to nourish our bodies with the foods we know promote health, prevent disease, make us feel good, and help keep our weight within a normal BMI (body mass index). So do the normal rules simply go out the window when we hit the road? No way!

Just because you need something portable and easy doesn’t mean you have to chuck out all your wholesome eating habits out the window.

Eating healthy on the road all boils down to one thing–planning ahead. By bringing your own healthy on-the-go snacks, you can avoid falling to the mercy of only what’s available at gas stations, convenience stores, and fast food chains along the way.

That’s easy to say, but how do you actually make it happen when there is so much temptation? Easy! Just make sure the food you have on hand is deliciously healthy, stay hydrated, and don’t let yourself get too hungry.

The good news is that we are here to share some of our favorite healthy road trip snacks to eat while you’re traveling that will keep you feeling full, nourished, and able to enjoy the beautiful road that lies ahead.

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Here’s what you need to pack food for your road trip

Healthy snacks on-the-go

The list below will give you some great inspiration for choosing which healthy snacks to include on your trip. Recipes can be found in the last list at the bottom of the page.

  1. Fruit– The best portable food ever includes apples, oranges, pears, grapes, strawberries, blueberries, bananas, peaches, nectarines, cuties, mangos, pineapples, and anything else you can think of.
  2. Celery sticks with peanut butter–Simply cut celery into small pieces and top with natural peanut butter or other nut butter.
  3. Veggies with hummus and dips– We love carrots, celery sticks, cherry tomatoes, cucumber slices, and colorful bell pepper strips dipped in hummus or spinach dip. Great hummus and dip recipes are included below.
  4. Kale chips– These are terrific, and Minimalist Baker has a delicious recipe for making them that I will share below.
  5. Sandwiches make terrific hearty snacks that will keep you full, and we aren’t just talking about a PBJ (peanut, butter, jelly). Take a peek at our chickpea salad, vegan egg salad, and hummus veggie options included in the list below.
  6. Air Popped Corn– This is a family favorite, and we’ve included instructions and 20 different varieties of toppings below.
  7. Trail Mix– There are so many different ways to combine ingredients, and we will share one of our favorites.
  8. Nuts– So many to choose from–almonds, walnuts, cashews, Brazil nuts, and more. Matt with No Meat Athlete shares his S’nuts recipe in the list below. Another of my favorites is DateNuts.
  9. Wraps and Pita Pockets make great hand-held snacks for adults and kids alike, and we have some filling ideas to share with you.
  10. Roasted Chickpeas make excellent crunchy flavorful snacks on the go, and you will find two great recipes below.
  11. Potato Chips– Yes, you can easily make oil-free low-fat chips, and a link to the instructions can be found in the list. Also included, are baked tortillas from PlantPure Chef.
  12. Muffins, Snack Bars & Cookies– Not the processed, prepackaged kind, but healthy options like the ones shared by some great plant-based bloggers that are included below.

Easy emergency food kit

If you are interested in keeping an emergency supply of food in your car at all times or just want a stash of small meals available for any occasion, Little Blue Plates has an inspirational article called Vegan Road Trip! Just take a look at these photos to see what great ideas they have.

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Always keep an EMERGENCY FOOD BOX in your car, because you never know when you are going to get stuck in traffic, or are running late, or you are just too hungry to wait until you get back to a plant-based safety zone.

But with your food box fully stocked, it’s super easy to just open up some pop-top cans and bowl of sealed, pre-cooked brown rice, and you’ve got a delicious, FILLING meal ready to eat RIGHT NOW!–Little Blue Plates

The photos show ingenuity and creativity with their simple meal and snack ideas. Everything has a pop-top type, or the peel-back kind, so there’s no need to worry about finding a can opener. None of the items need refrigeration. You can open just one of the cans for a quick snack, or combine the cans, bowls, and cups to make a full meal. Brilliant!

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Now, take a peek at these delicious healthy recipes that are great on-the-go snacks to take on the road. And, if you need a little picnic inspiration, take a peek at these 35 Easy Vegan Picnic Ideas.

This post may contain affiliate links.Read my full disclosure here.

Healthy Road Trip Snacks

Ready for the ultimate road trip with lots of food and fun? Take some of these amazing foods along on the trip to keep you satisfied and feeling great! Click on each of the photos, recipe titles, or 'Get the Recipe' buttons to see full recipes with ingredients, measurements, instructions, and a print button.

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Chewy Granola Bars

This simple recipe for Granola Bars happens to be gluten-free, oil-free, and dairy-free which makes them a super healthy option for breakfast or a snack.

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Photo Credit:www.veggiesdontbite.com

Cranberry Crumble Oatmeal Bars

Never waste leftover cranberry sauce againwith this easy recipe! Thesevegan cranberry crumble oatmeal barsare so good and a perfect day after Thanksgiving snack.

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Photo Credit:www.plantbasedcooking.com

High Protein Trail Mix

If you're like most people, you find it hard to wait for your next meal, but you don't want to blow your healthy diet. If you have a handful of this high protein trail mix, it'll help you over the humpand stop cravings in their tracks!

Sometimes you just need a little something sweet that doesn’t require a lot of effort. Whether you’re making a snack for yourself or for a crowd, these easy stuffed dates are the perfect healthy dessert or snack.

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Tired of a boring sandwich? Let me help you fix that with thisUltimate Veggie Hummus Sandwichthat is piled high with crunchy vegetables and creamy hummus and can be ready in15 minutes or less.

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Vegan Sandwich Pinwheels

These bite-sized colorful sandwich pinwheels make terrific little appetizers or a quick tasty lunch, and they are very kid-friendly!

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Photo Credit:dreenaburton.com

Healthy Rice Krispie Treats

Rice Krispie Treats – made vegan – and made healthier! These healthy rice Krispie treats do not use butter, margarine… or marshmallows! Yes, you can make vegan rice Krispie treats – and make them healthier!

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Photo Credit:www.plantpurechef.com

Baked Crunchy Tortillas|

If you love crunchy tortillas, these are full of flavor and easy to make! We love to serve these for taco night, as a snack, or dipped into our favorite plant-based cheese sauce, guacamole, or salsa.

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Apple Cinnamon Vegan Muffins

Dark, moist, and scattered with raisins and fresh apple bits, these applesauce vegan muffins are perfect for breakfast or a snack. So scrumptious and easy to make, no one will ever guess they are actually healthy. Make ahead of time and freeze for quick breakfasts on the go!

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Chickpea Vegan Salad

Chickpea Avocado Saladis by far my favorite vegan sandwich of all time. Something about the flavors of lime, avocado, and cilantro just thrill my taste buds.

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Photo Credit:www.nomeatathlete.com

S'nuts! A Healthy, Smoky, Vegan Snack

A batch disappears within hours at my house — due in no small part to our son, who is as picky in his eating habits as any three-year-old. S’nuts are a good way to get him to eat something besides his normal sustenance of bananas, hummus, and Ezekiel bread.

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Photo Credit:minimalistbaker.com

How to Make Kale Chips

These kale chips are foolproof. By baking at a low temperature for a longer period of time, the kale gets crispy without browning or burning, yieldingperfectchips every time.

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Photo Credit:www.veggiesdontbite.com

Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Cookies

Nine ingredients and less than 30 minutesto incredible healthy peanut butter banana oatmeal cookies. Crispy edge and melt in your mouth middle, perfect for breakfast or a healthy snack!

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Roasted Chickpeas | Salt and Vinegar

The ultimate snack for traveling! We are loving this little crunchy, tangy, protein-packedroasted chickpea snack. Warning, you will need to make more than one batch!

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Vegan Hummus | Oil-Free

This easy vegan hummus takes only about 10-minutes to make and requires absolutely no cooking. It also happens to be completely gluten-free.

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Stove Top Popcorn

Popcorn is one of the world’s healthiest and most popular snack foods. Whether binge-watching your favorite TV show or sitting down to a movie with friends, air-popped popcorn is a great snack. These are our favoritehealthyvegan popcorn topping options.

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Vegan Egg Salad

This Vegan Egg Salad is super simple to make without even needing to boil or peel eggs. Great for lunch, dinner, and picnics!

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Photo Credit:www.adashofcompassion.com

Chocolate crispy fruit squares

Kid-friendly, dietitian-approved these treats are perfect for when you're on the go.

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Vegan Wraps

Healthy meals just don’t get any easier than with these easyveggie wrapslayered with hummus or mayo and piled high with fresh veggies like lettuce, spinach, carrots, cucumbers, and anything else you can think of.

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Homemade Potato Chips

Thought you couldn’t eatpotato chipson a healthy vegan plant-based eating plan? Me too, but thankfully we were wrong!Thesehealthy homemade vegan potato chipsare easy and delicious!

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Hummus with Roasted Red Pepper

This oil-free veganroasted red pepper hummusrecipe requires only a handful of ingredients and a few minutes to make. If you have 10 minutes and a blender or food processor, you’ve got a delicioushealthy snack.

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Artichoke Spinach Dip

This vegan spinach artichoke dip is sure to be a hit at any pot-luck or game night! The recipe is so versatile, itcan be made with white beans or cashews.

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Photo Credit:avirtualvegan.com

Cheese & Onion Crispy Roasted Chickpeas

Ridiculously crunchy & addictive Cheese & Onion Crispy Roasted Chickpeas. The perfect savoury snack, soup or salad topper, but just a warning, once you start eating them you just can't stop!

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Sweet Potato Vegan Muffins

Fluffy and moist sweet potato batter swirled with apple sauce, raisins and cinnamon makes a dozen muffins that are packed with beta carotene and fiber. These veganSweet Potato Muffinsare a welcome addition to any breakfast! Make ahead of time and freeze for quick breakfasts on the go!

Wherever you find yourself traveling this year, stay safe and be healthy!

About Terri Edwards

Hi guys! I am the content creator behind EatPlant-Based and a licensed Food for Life instructor with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.I am passionate about sharing healthy recipes and tips to empower others to get healthy. I’m so glad you’re here! Read More…

Best Healthy Road Trip Snacks (2024)

FAQs

What are good snacks for road trips? ›

I ALWAYS pack fresh fruit on any trip we go on, it's just so refreshing, healthy and really easy to snack on. Depending on the season, we love to pack strawberries, blueberries, grapes, watermelon, peaches or nectarines, apple slices, cantaloupe, kiwi and even dried fruit like raisins and cranberries.

What is a healthy food to pack for a road trip? ›

Fresh fruits that don't make a mess, like bananas, apples, plums, apricots or grapes. Low-fat string cheese or cheese slices. Single-serving containers of hummus or guacamole. Whole-grain wraps with deli turkey or chicken, avocado, shredded carrots and hummus.

What are easy snacks to eat while driving? ›

Dried Fruit

If you find real fruit a bit too difficult and too juicy to eat while in the car, dried fruit is your next best option! Apple chips, banana chips, and dried cranberries are all great options you can easily grab from the grocery store before you leave.

What is a healthy snack all day? ›

Protein- and fiber-rich snacks are good choices to help keep you satisfied throughout the day. Examples of healthy, filling snacks include hummus and sliced veggies; cheese and olives; and yogurt with fruit, nuts, and seeds.

What food is best for traveling long distances? ›

50 Healthy Road Trip Snacks
  • Beef jerky. This long-lasting travel snack is packed full of protein, which is one of the best ways to satisfy your hunger. ...
  • Popcorn. ...
  • Hard-boiled eggs. ...
  • Protein bars. ...
  • String cheese. ...
  • Carrots. ...
  • Grapes. ...
  • Hummus and celery.

What is healthy to eat on the road? ›

Take healthy foods that travel well

Cottage cheese, vegetable sticks, yogurt, fruit, granola bars and nuts are great choices.

What is a cheap healthy food while traveling? ›

Pack snacks

Nuts, fruit, dried fruit, dark chocolate, hummus, rice cakes. These are all great healthy snack options that you can buy in a grocery store/market and can carry with you on your adventures. You'll thank yourself by having these on hand when the hangry-ness strikes.

What are good healthy snacks? ›

Healthy Snacks
  • Apples (dried or cut into wedges), 1 medium or ¼ cup (35 grams)
  • Bananas, 1 medium.
  • Raisins, ¼ cup (35 grams)
  • Fruit leather (dried fruit puree) without added sugar.
  • Carrots (regular carrots cut into strips, or baby carrots ), 1 cup (130 grams)
  • Snap peas (the pods are edible), 1.5 cups (350 grams)
  • Nuts, 1 oz.

How to eat healthy when traveling by car? ›

Bringing your own snacks can help you resist fast food or convenience store items when you're on a road trip. Healthy choices include string cheese, cheese sticks, fresh fruits, nuts and protein bars. Snacks keep you full, provide nutrients and stop you from skipping meals, preventing overeating later.

What not to eat while driving? ›

Although every meal consumed behind the wheel poses a risk, some meals cause bigger distractions than others. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, hot coffee, tacos, hamburgers, fried chicken, jelly donuts and chocolate are on the list of top ten most dangerous foods to eat while driving.

What are the most popular car snacks? ›

My favourites include apples, bananas, popcorn, pretzels, and granola bars. A variety of nuts like peanuts, almonds, and cashews is also a hit with the family and make great road trip snacks for my kids. The best part is that these snacks are easy to pack, eat, and dispose of throughout the trip.

What are the best dry snacks for traveling? ›

Dry Snacks Perfect for Traveling

Trail mix, an amalgamation of nuts, seeds, and dried fruits, provides a burst of energy. Additionally, roasted chickpeas or lentils offer a protein-packed punch, while granola bars ensure a quick and satisfying snack option.

What is the most unhealthy snack? ›

7 Worst Snacks Your Dietitian Would Never Eat
  1. Any baked chips. They're highly processed and often so low in fat that you can consume large quantities without ever feeling full. ...
  2. Rice cakes. ...
  3. Pretzels. ...
  4. Potato chips. ...
  5. Veggie sticks or straws. ...
  6. Store-bought smoothies. ...
  7. Granola/cereal bars.
Dec 28, 2020

What to eat instead of junk food? ›

7 Healthy Snack Alternatives to Your Favorite Junk Food
  • Instead of potato chips, try kale chips. ...
  • Instead of candy, try dried fruit. ...
  • Instead of ice cream, try frozen yogurt. ...
  • Instead of soda, try sparkling water. ...
  • Instead of cookies, try homemade granola bars. ...
  • Instead of popcorn, try roasted chickpeas.
Apr 7, 2023

What should I eat if I crave junk food? ›

There are plenty of nutrient-dense, whole foods that can satisfy a craving for something sweet or salty. Fresh berries, a fruit smoothie, peanut butter on a celery stick, or one slice of whole grain toast with almond butter can help conquer cravings for junk food and add important nutritional value.

What is the best food to eat while traveling? ›

19 Best Foods to Pack Up for a Road Trip
  • Apple and raspberry fruit leather. ...
  • Pea crisps. ...
  • Shelled pistachios. ...
  • Dried fig and nut bars. ...
  • Spiced zucchini muffins. ...
  • Cheese sticks. ...
  • Thai beef jerky. Share on Pinterest. ...
  • Ham and camembert baguette sandwich. Share on Pinterest.
Nov 8, 2022

What is the best food to eat in the car? ›

While driving, food needs to be single bite, not greasy and able to be easily picked out of a cup or bag. So, cheese cubes, cut up fruit, small pieces of beef jerky, candy, etc.

What food should I pack for travel? ›

Snacks:
  • String cheese.
  • Hummus cups.
  • Homemade trail mix.
  • Nonfat Greek yogurt.
  • Snack bars.
  • Whole fruit (plums, peaches, banana)
  • Cut vegetables (carrots, bell peppers, cucumbers, celery)
  • Seaweed snacks.
Jul 20, 2013

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