Summer is here, so that means it’s time to hit the road and enjoy a well-deserved vacation or go on an exciting adventure. To get ready, you’ll need to load your car up with the usual gear, including a variety of tasty snacks to tide you over between stops at local diners or picnics in picturesque spots.
While your mind might go to chips and candy, not all road trip snacks are unhealthy. Here are some ideas for healthy road trip snacks that taste good and pack a good mix of protein, fiber, and nutrients.
Table of Contents
- Why Does Protein Matter When You're Packing Road Trip Snacks?
- What Are the Best Road Trip Snacks to Pack This Summer?
- How Do You Pack Foods to Keep Road Trip Snacks Fresh and Accessible?
- Which Road Trip Snacks Work Best for Every Type of Traveler?
Why Does Protein Matter When You're Packing Road Trip Snacks?
When choosing snacks for your drive, you want to look for foods that not only taste good but nourish your body, too. Foods rich in protein can keep you feeling fuller for longer compared to processed carbs or sugary snacks.
This is because protein is the most satiating macronutrient. It works by slowing down your digestion, stabilizing your blood sugar, and regulating your hunger hormones. So by picking high-protein travel snacks, you may curb the urge to pull over every hour to stop for a snack when you’re on the road.
Because protein works to keep you full and regulate your blood sugar levels, high-protein trip snacks can help you to avoid the energy spikes and crashes that often come from processed carbs or sugary snacks. Keeping your energy level consistent is important when you’re on the road, as driving while sleepy or lethargic can be a serious safety risk.
In addition, being in the car for long stretches means that you’re probably not moving or burning a lot of calories. A protein-forward snack that also satisfies your sweet or savory cravings can hit the spot while keeping you from mindlessly eating.
Packing your own healthy snacks ahead of time ensures that you have plenty of high-protein options, as rest-stop convenience stores often don’t have the most nutritious options. By planning ahead with healthy road trip snacks, you can always have something both delicious and satiating to reach for when hunger strikes on the road.
What Are the Best Road Trip Snacks To Pack This Summer?
So what are the best road trip snacks when you want something that tastes good and packs a nutritional punch? Here are suggestions that tick all the boxes.
High-Protein Bars and Packaged Snacks
Including some packaged snacks makes life easier. They often come pre-portioned and have little or no mess, which makes them simple choices for the road.
Protein bars can fill you up between meals, and for convenience in the car, you can’t go wrong with BUILT Bars and Puffs. They’re shelf-stable snacks that come pre-portioned, and each contains 15 to 17 grams of clean protein. This is much more than average granola bars, and BUILT Bars don't overdo it on sugar and calories like other protein bars. Not only that, but the variety of flavors makes them feel more like desserts than snacks. They pack flat and don’t need any refrigeration, which makes them an excellent healthy road trip choice.
Beef jerky is another convenient, shelf-stable option with a high dose of protein in each serving. Opt for varieties that are lower in sodium on a long-haul trip.
For something plant-based, go for a satisfying trail mix that includes dark chocolate chips, dried fruit, seeds, and nuts. This provides not only protein but a good serving of healthy fats, too. If you don’t have the time or energy to make your own mix, look for pre-portioned bags that make life even easier.
Fresh and Whole-Food Options
Prep hard-boiled eggs at home and store them in a cooler for up to two days for a protein-rich snack. Toss some baby carrots in your cooler, too, which you can pair with nut butter for a satisfying crunch that has staying power.
For more simple, healthy food, add string cheese or hummus to your stash while you’re at it. You can eat them with whole-grain crackers for a protein-and-carb balance that holds up mile after mile.
Fresh fruits make a great snack, offering a variety of vitamins and minerals. Apples, grapes, and clementines are easy to pack and travel with as they don’t require refrigeration. They also help satisfy your sweet tooth naturally.
How Do You Pack Foods To Keep Road Trip Snacks Fresh and Accessible?
Packing the car for a trip can be tricky enough when space is limited. Here are tips for keeping your snacks fresh and accessible throughout your road trip.
The Two-Zone Snack System
Make packing easy by dividing your snacks into two zones. Zone 1 includes all of the fresh items that need to be kept in a cooler. This includes snacks like:
- Hard-boiled eggs
- Fresh fruits
- Baby carrots and celery sticks
- Cheese
- Hummus
- Greek yogurt or cottage cheese cups
A soft-sided cooler can be more flexible for packing and storing while you’re trying to fit everything in the car. Keep the cooler within range of the passenger seat so that it’s easy to reach and doesn’t cause any difficulties while you’re driving, so that your co-pilot can easily grab you a snack to refuel behind the wheel.
Zone 2 is for shelf-stable food that doesn’t need to be in the cooler. Your dry snacks include:
- BUILT Bars
- Beef jerky
- Trail mix
- Granola bars
- Dried fruit
- Whole-grain crackers
Put all of these snacks in a dedicated snack bag or bin that doesn’t require you to dig around too much to find what you want. If you’re the driver, you don’t want to get distracted while you’re on the road, so stack the snacks in a way that makes them easy to find.
Tips for Packing Food Efficiently
Pre-portion your snacks ahead of time if they aren’t already individually wrapped. Pack them in baggies or containers so that each passenger can grab what they want without overeating or making a mess in the car. Slap a colored label on each snack so that everyone knows which snacks belong to whom.
If you’re going on a multi-day trip, put snacks into day-by-day bags, and plan to eat the fresh items first. The dry snacks can last through the end of the journey.
Remember that convenience is one of the most important things when it comes to road trip snacks. When everything is labeled, in the right bag, and within reach, everyone has access to healthy, satisfying food to get through the trip.
Which Road Trip Snacks Work Best for Every Type of Traveler?
Families with kids want to pack things that are low-mess and easy to eat. BUILT Bars, baby carrots, fruit, and packs of trail mix all fit the bill.
College students or young professionals may want to look for budget-friendly snacks that are fueling and convenient, like beef jerky, granola bars, and trail mix. These snacks can help you get through the long night drive by keeping your energy up.
Fitness-minded folks who prioritize protein should reach for BUILT Bars, hard-boiled eggs, and nuts, high-protein snacks that support muscle recovery, even when sitting. Spontaneous packers with just minutes to spare can grab BUILT Bars, dried fruit, and trail mix packs and still make it on the road in time.
Pack BUILT Bars for Your Next Road Trip
BUILT Bars are easy, protein-rich snacks that you can take with you anywhere you go, from your ultimate road trip to the gym to the office. With both sweet and sour flavors, there's something to satisfy every type of snacker. Pick up a box of your favorite indulgent flavor, or grab a variety pack to try all the best that BUILT has to offer!
FAQs
Are protein bars good road trip snacks?
Yes, protein bars like BUILT Bar are ideal road trip snacks because they're shelf-stable, portion-controlled, and provide 15–17g of protein to keep hunger at bay between stops.
Can you bring fresh fruits and vegetables on a road trip?
Yes, fresh fruits like apples and grapes, and vegetables like baby carrots and celery sticks travel well for one to two days when stored in a small cooler or insulated bag.
Is trail mix a healthy road trip snack?
Yes, trail mix is a healthy road trip snack when made with nuts, seeds, dried fruit, and dark chocolate chips, though pre-portioning into small bags helps prevent overeating on long drives.
