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The season of road trips has arrived. That means lots of fun in the car — but also long stretches with limited food options. Luckily, you can easily prepare some healthy road trip snacks beforehand to please everyone in the family.
A few bags of homemade treats can help you and your family feel full and energized on the open road. Try out some of the healthy road trip snack ideas below for your next trip.
Potential Benefits Of Healthy Road Snacks
Your car isn’t the only thing that needs fuel on your road trip. Healthy snacks can help give you and the family a nutritious boost while traveling. Other potential benefits to healthy road trip snacks include supporting your:
Energy Levels
Stay alert and energized for all the sights along the way with healthy snacks. A balanced diet that includes snacks of whole grains, vegetables, and healthy oils may help support your energy levels. No sights will go unseen with an extra dose of vitality from nutritious food.1
Satiety
Want to cut back on your pit stops? Healthy snacks may help. Eating nutritious snacks with ingredients that contain lots of fiber and protein may help increase how long you feel full for. You might even arrive early to your destination because you took fewer stops to eat.2
Healthy Road Trip Snack Ideas
You won’t hear any complaining from the back seat with these healthy road trip snack ideas. These delicious snacks are designed with both flavor and nutrition in mind. Pack a few (or all of them) for your next trip.
Assorted Fruit And Nut Butters
This is a versatile and travel-friendly snack with lots of different tasty flavors. Bananas, apples, and pears all go great with a variety of nut butters. The fiber and protein from peanut butter will help keep you full.3
Hard-Boiled Eggs
Eggs are a great source of protein and healthy unsaturated fats. Hard-boiled eggs are also super easy to transport, which makes them a great road trip snack. Peel them open when you’re ready to eat, and add your favorite topping, like salt, pepper, or hot sauce, for some delicious egg bites.4
Trail Mix
Trail mix is a staple snack for many travelers. Depending on the ingredients, it can offer a healthy handful of nutrition. Go for a mix that contains lots of natural ingredients like dried berries, nuts, and seeds. These trail mixes tend to have valuable nutrients like fiber and antioxidants.5 Just keep an eye on the sugar content and many store-bought trail mix options have tons of added sugar. If you can’t find one without added sugar, try making your own! Include things like almonds and sesame seeds, which contain lots of calcium and magnesium.6
Pistachios
Pistachios are a fun treat rich in vitamins and polyunsaturated fats that may help support heart health. Plus, opening them up can be a fun distraction on the road. Just make sure you have a bag ready to go for all those empty shells.7
Hummus And Carrot Sticks
Hummus is a great savory snack to have on a road trip. That’s because the plant-based protein is very low in cholesterol and high in healthy fatty-acids. Pair it with your favorite veggies, like carrot sticks, for a guilt-free crunchy bite in the car.8
Sugar Snap Peas
Transporting salad isn’t easy on a road trip. Fortunately, if you need a fix of greens, you can always rely on sugar snap peas. They’re easy to pack and require no preparation. All you need to do is pop them in your mouth.
Best of all, they’re naturally low in calories and high in vitamin C and fiber.9
Tuna And Crackers
Canned tuna can transform into a number of great savory snacks. Of course, like many foods, the health benefits vary depending on the type of tuna you buy. Tunas packed in oil tend to have more sodium and calories (plus, there is a good chance that the oils they’re packed in are unhealthy). A good can of tuna packed in water, though, can have lots of protein and other essential nutrients.
When you find a brand that works for you, simply open the can and add your favorite accoutrements, like mayo, olive oil, or mustard for a quick tuna salad on the road.
Avocado And Tortilla Chips
Avocado is a great way to fill up on healthy fats out on the road. This green wonder fruit is full of monounsaturated fats and low in fructose. Also, avocados contain a large amount of nutrients and vitamins.11
Bring them along whole and slice them in half when you’re ready to eat. Then, enjoy with a little salt and hot sauce with your favorite tortilla chips.
Dried Fruit
In the right quantities, dried fruit can be a great source of healthy calories. In fact, certain dried fruits have more fiber and heart-healthy antioxidants than fresh fruit. Enjoy in moderation, and read labels carefully — some dried fruits may contain added sugar.12
Tips For Packing Your Road Trip Snacks
Here are some easy tips to help make your healthy snack planning a little easier.
Fun Beverages For The Road
Sugary drinks are the number one source of added sugar in most diets. That’s why you may want to keep those cup holders stocked with beverages like bubbly water or unsweetened tea instead.13
Don’t Forget The Sides
Keep things interesting with a good assortment of condiments. A side of mustard or a dash of hot sauce can really spice up a bite of avocado or tuna.
Pack A Complete Picnic Basket
Eating healthy road trip snacks is kind of like going on a picnic. In other words, bring everything you’d need in the park. That means stocking up on paper towels, paper cups, and utensils. This will help keep fingers out of the tuna salad and messes to a minimum.
Write Out Your Healthy Road Trip Snack Ideas
A trip snack list can save you lots of headache down the road. Plan ahead and check things off before you leave. Having everything ready in the car may help limit your stops and possibly prevent hunger meltdowns on the interstate.
Make Your Own Reusable Ice Packs
Prevent your food from ending up in a soggy puddle of melted ice by making your own ice packs. Fill a few water bottles about three quarters full, and freeze them the night before your road trip. Place them in your cooler right before you leave. As they melt, the water will stay in the bottle and out of your food.
The Road To Snacking Success
Don’t get stuck at the gas station with soda and chips for dinner. There are all sorts of nutritious snacks that you can bring along for your next road trip. With a little time and planning, you can ensure that you and the family have healthy road trip snacks.
Eating these fresh, nutritious foods can help fill you up and energize you for the day ahead. So, pack ahead of time, and let your food worries slip away before you even leave the driveway.
Learn More:
Try These Healthy Vegan Snacks
Healthy Snacks For Work: Ideas And Tips
Tips For Staying Fit On Vacation: Get Your Exercise While Traveling
Sources
1 https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/eating-to-boost-energy
2 https://www.shape.com/healthy-eating/diet-tips/healthy-snacks-for-weight-loss
3 https://www.naturalfoodseries.com/13-health-benefits-peanut-butter/
4 https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20190916-are-eggs-good-for-you
5 https://www.consumerreports.org/healthy-snacks/is-trail-mix-good-for-you/
6 https://www.shape.com/healthy-eating/diet-tips/healthiest-nuts-and-seeds
7 https://health.clevelandclinic.org/3-reasons-why-pistachios-can-boost-your-health/
8 https://www.organicfacts.net/hummus.html
9 https://njaes.rutgers.edu/home-lawn-garden/sugar-snap-peas.php
10 https://www.marthastewart.com/7836690/canned-tuna-health-benefits
11 https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/fruit/health-benefits-of-avocado.html
12 https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/dried-fruit-good-you
13 https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/sugar/rethink-your-drink-reducing-sugary-drinks-in-your-diet
