road trip food snack ideas

THE ULTIMATE ROAD TRIP FOOD LIST: 50 Scrumptious Travel Snacks

Post Summary: The definitive road trip food list with 50 snack ideas and meals to keep you happy the entire car ride. Plus, tips for what else to bring and recommendations for the best road trip coolers.

Road trips are the classic adventure that everyone needs to do at least once in their life, whether you’re traveling solo, with your best buds, or packing in the whole family. What’s the secret to a great road trip? Besides having your maps already downloaded to your phone (travel must #1), it’s to have a collection of the best road trip food at your disposal. Being prepared with good travel food will ensure you don’t:

• Kill your travel mates because you’re hangry.
• Get killed by your travel mates because they’re hangry.
• Get lured in by every gasoline stop and somehow end up with bright orange Cheetos and Slim Jims.
• Waste your travel budget dining on Subway and Wendys road trip meals.

After road tripping with a toddler for half a year around the US, we’ve figured out the ultimate road trip food list so we can enjoy the journey together feeling nourished and happy. Our list includes road trip food ideas for adults and kids as well as healthy car snacks.

After the road trip food list, we’ve included non-food items you’ll want to bring and some tips on choosing the best road trip cooler.

Need More Road Trip Tips? Check out our other articles below:

The Ultimate Road Trip Packing List: 41 Essentials For The Road 160 Fun, Deep, and Sometimes Silly Road Trip Questions 41 Fun and Challenging Road Trip Trivia Questions 17+ Fun Things To Do On A Road Trip How To Survive A Road Trip With A Toddler 40 Must Have Items To Have In Your Camper

*This road trip food list post may contain affiliate links, which means we might earn a small commission if you purchase from them. This is at no extra cost to you! We only recommend products and services we genuinely think are helpful.

The Ultimate Road Trip Food List

Healthy snacks for a road trip

We’ll start with healthy snacks for the road. I don’t know about you, but when we go on road trips, we tend to fall back on fast food and junk food. In an effort to have a quasi healthy road trip we make sure to include some healthy options so we can at least feel like we’ve balanced out all our snickers bars and Wendy’s frosties. Here’s our list of the best road trip foods that won’t leave you feeling sluggish at the end of the day. We also added in a few recommendations of some of our favorite brands.

Healthy Snacks For Car Rides 1. Fruit: Bananas, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, grapes, apples, oranges 2. Sliced veggies: carrots, cucumbers, celery, bell peppers, pickles, radishes 3. Cherry tomatoes 4. Olives (buy the pitted kinds) 5. Salsa 6. Deli sandwiches or wraps (already made from home or pre-purchased) 7. A simple charcuterie spread (summer sausage, pepperoni, sliced cheese, dried apricots, olives, crackers, etc.) 8. Popcorn 9. Yellow corn chips, blue corn chips, kale chips 10. Granola Bars and Energy Bars ( Munk Bars are our favorite! ) 11. Dried Fruit 12. Crackers (cheese crackers, saltines, whole wheat crackers, these almond crackers are my favorite!) 13. Pretzels 14. Nuts (almonds, peanuts, cashews, macadamia, walnuts, pecans) 15. Trail mix 16. Tuna (Get the kind that doesn’t need to be refrigerated! It can become a snack on crackers, a sandwich, or added to a salad) 17. Coconut chips ( Dang chips are our favorite. ) 18. Dark chocolate 19. Wasabi peas 20. Fruit leather 21. Whole-grain muffins 22. Bread (pretzel rolls, pita bread) 23. Water (Preferably in a water bottle like a Hydro Flask that will keep your water cold for hours.) *The following are all still healthy snacks for a road trip but will require a cooler. Skip them if you are going sans cooler. Further down, we’ll talk about the best road trip coolers. 23. Hard-boiled eggs 24. Small yogurt containers or drinkable yogurts 25. Humus 26. Guacamole 27. Pasta salad 28. Lentil salad 29. Grocery store salad kits (Can be eaten out of the bag! Just cut the top, pour in the salad dressing, and shake it away. You can also opt to do salads in a jar) 30. Cheese

Essential Road Trip Snacks

These road trip snacks might not be the healthiest, but look…you can’t always be perfect!

Road Trip Snack List 32. Beef Jerky 33. Chips 34. Fun candy (Any kind of candy that brings you joy for your road trip. Gummy bears, reeses pieces, airheads) 35. Ranch dip to go with your healthy veggies 36. Fun drinks (Just make sure the drink is able to be resealed or small enough that you’ll drink it all quickly. My favorite road trip drink is coconut water!) 37. Cookies

Road Trip Snacks For Kids And Toddlers

While we don’t put a distinction between road trip food for the adults and road trip food for kids, here are some fun ideas you can add in addition to the travel food listed above. We found that allowing for leniency with what we let our kid snack on will mean a more fun time for everyone in the car.

Road Trip Snacks For Toddlers and Kids 38. String Cheese or Babybels 39. Peanut butter pretzels 40. Clementines 41. Squeezable applesauce 42. Squeezable nut butters (peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter) 43. Graham crackers 44. Goldfish 45. Fruit snacks 46. Fruit roll ups 47. Peanut butter and jelly sandwich 48. Dry cereal 49. Nutella 50. Snap pea crisps ( I love the wasabi ones from Harvest Snaps . I can only get them online because my grocery store never has them!)

Essential Non Food Items

Now that you’ve got your travel food and made your road trip food list, let’s talk about non food items to have on your road trip packing list. We are both advocates for minimal waste living so we do advise using reusable items like real utensils, glass containers, and reusable straws rather than single-use items. I know it can feel like a nuisance, but once you get used to doing it, it’s easy to integrate it into your habits. We’ve provided links to different products, so you can check out some good options.

-Trash bags (old shopping bags work well) – Stackable glass or plastic containers (While glass may feel like a hazard, I find that most of them are built for endurance and would require some extreme throwing around to actually break. Either way, bringing containers rather than an entire bag of snacks is a great space saver.) -Reusable straws (we like this multipack option here ) -Bento boxes (another option is to make individual bento boxes with everyone’s preferred snacks put in. It’s essentially a healthier version of a Lunchable. Great option if you’re traveling with kids.) Check out these cute bento boxes here . -Utensils -Plates -Paper towels -Hand sanitizer -Ziplock bags -Wipes -Cups if you want to share drinks -Ice packs for the cooler (We prefer to use reusable ice packs like these , but frozen water bottles or ice cubes in a ziplock back will do the job as well.) -Reusable grocery bag to carry your non-perishable stuff -Plastic tub (If you’re going on a long road trip and will have lots of snacks, a good option is to pack all your non-perishable items in a tub like this .) -Cooler

Related : A Comprehensive Guide To the Best Toddler Carriers For Traveling

Best Road Trip Coolers

If you’re going on a long road trip, you’ll definitely want to bring a cooler so you can have more options for the journey. Things to consider when deciding what kind of road trip cooler to bring.

• How much space will you have in your car?
• How many days will you be driving and subsequently how much food will you need?
• Cost of the cooler
• If you road trip or camp a lot and will use a cooler several times a year.

Yeti Roadi 24 Cooler

Our choice for the best road trip cooler is the Yeti Roadi 24 Cooler . It’s a mid-sized cooler that can fit a bottle of wine standing upright. We like its lightweight design and that its compact size can fit on the ground behind the passenger seat.

It has a mid-range price point, so if you are wanting something more economical, you’ll probably want our next pick.

Igloo MaxCold Cooler

If all you need is a no-frills cooler to keep your food cold, the Igloo Maxcold Cooler is a great option. The thin design also makes it a great choice for someone wanting to save room in the car.

Arctic Zone Titan Deep Freeze

If you like a soft cooler, the Arctic Zone Titan Deep Freeze consistently offers the best bang for your buck.

Yeti Tundra 45

Lastly, if you are wanting a high-end cooler that will be great for camping and can take the wear and tear of consistent use, the Yeti Tundra 45 is your best bet. Yeti is the reigning champion of coolers and you can’t go wrong with anything you purchase from them.

Before you head out on your epic road trip, we suggest packing the night before. Alleviating as much stress as possible on the day you leave, especially when you’re doing a road trip with a toddler , is key to enjoying the road trip journey. We find that the night before, it’s best to:

• Wash, cut, and peel all vegetables and fruit.
• Pack up all non perishable food and supplies.
• Prepare any road trip sandwiches you plan to eat.

Lastly, don’t forget to make sure all your tasty road trip snacks are within reaching distance in the car.

We hope you enjoyed our complete road trip food list. Happy road tripping!

** For more road trip inspiration follow us on Instagram . We travel… a lot.

NEED SOME TRAVEL INSPIRATION? A Complete Guide To A Utah National Parks Road Trip How To Plan A Cross Country Road Trip + Fun Routes To Take 10 National Parks To Visit In The East 50 Family Bucket List Experiences In The US

PIN IT FOR LATER

Hi, we’re Christina and Brad, Idaho based writers and photographers who live to explore. We did a short stint of traveling full time with our two year old and discovered we're much happier as part time nomads. What does that mean? We travel a lot! And then we go home. We love helping fellow parents and everyday adventurers discover new places and experiences.

Similar Posts

50 FAMILY VACATION QUOTES TO INSPIRE YOUR WANDERLUST

HOW TO GO CAMPING WITH A TODDLER (AND ACTUALLY HAVE FUN)

FAMILY TRAVEL ON A BUDGET: HOW TO AFFORD FAMILY TRAVEL

THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO THE BEST TODDLER CARRIERS FOR TRAVEL

The Best Snorkeling Gear For Kids: 2024 Update

THE BEST ROAD TRIP PACKING LIST: 41 Essentials You Need For a Smooth Ride

Leave a reply cancel reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

• Work With Jen
• USA Bucket List
• Follow Us On Instagram

Road Trip Food List: Easy to Pack Meals & Snacks

This post may contain affiliate links, view our disclosure policy .

Are you looking for a road trip food list that includes the best road trip snacks and other food to bring on a road trip?

Road trips can range from being budget-friendly to out-of-this-world expensive if you do not plan ahead, especially when it comes to eating food.

The temptation to grab a snack at every gas station, as well as to eat out at restaurants or gorge on fast food, can really start to add up in terms of money and wasted time.

One way to save money and time while road tripping, however, is to bring your own food!

By making a road trip food list and packing fun road trip snacks, you’ll avoid having to stop and spend as much.

Our road trip food list includes easy road trip snacks, as well as portable breakfast, lunch, and dinner options – plus, a FREE Road Trip Food List printable to take with you to the grocery store.

The links on this page are Amazon affiliate links. If you click on the links and make a purchase, I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Table of Contents

Road Trip Food List: Breakfast

One of our absolute best family road trip tips is to leave bright and early in the morning when starting a long road trip.

As the most important meal of the day, luckily, having breakfast on the road is the easiest meal to eat cold and on the go.

If you decide to hit the road early, or if your hotel en route doesn’t offer a free breakfast, plan ahead by bringing along these simple road trip breakfast foods.

Our tried-and-true road trip food list awaits!

Road Trip Breakfast Ideas

• Yogurt tubes and granola bars
• Muffins, donuts, and scones
• Bagels and cream cheese
• Squeezable applesauce
• Hard-boiled eggs
• Peanut butter, banana, and granola wrapped up in a tortilla
• Make-Ahead Fruit & Yogurt Breakfast Parfaits

Additional planning tip: For added morning fun, use the category “breakfast foods”, “brands or cereal”, or “types of fruit” while you play a road trip word game .

Road Trip Food List: Lunch

When it comes to planning for lunch and beyond, your road trip packing list should always include a reliable portable cooler .

Whether you chill made-ahead sandwiches, salami & cheese, fruits, or veggies, there are so many awesome road trip food ideas when it comes to having lunch on the go.

What we love about these road tip lunch ideas is that they keep us out of congested cities and fast-food drive-thrus during the busy noon hour.

Road Trip Lunch Ideas

• Premade sandwiches with deli meat and cheese (make them extra fun by using shaped sandwich cutters !)
• Peanut butter sandwiches (skip the jelly to avoid sogginess)
• Pita pocket with mozzarella, tomato, basil, turkey, cheese, hummus, cucumber, and/or tuna salad
• Home-ade Lunchables with summer sausage, cheese, and crackers
• Tortilla with cream cheese, sliced olives, and pepperoni
• Veggies and single-serve packs of ranch dressing, hummus, or guacamole
• Pre-assembled Salad In A Jar

Road Trip Food List: Dinner

If there is one meal that you choose to splurge on, I recommend stopping to have dinner at a roadside restaurant or cafe.

Though this may not be your final destination, experiencing another city in this way will help you check more places off of your family travel bucket list !

If you’re not keen on stopping, however, here are the road trip foods we enjoy that are tasty and hearty enough to serve as dinner.

Road Trip Dinner Ideas

• Cold rotisserie chicken, chunked and served with a garden salad (package in a disposable salad container )
• Pre-made pasta salad, such as Pizza Pasta Salad
• StarKist ready-to-eat tuna salad in an avocado half or on a bun
• Chicken and pickled veggies in pitas
• Hummus veggie wrap

Additional planning tip: If you’re road tripping in the winter when driving conditions are much more unpredictable, packing extra road trip food is an essential component of your winter road trip packing list .

Road Trip Food List: Snacks

In my opinion, snacks   are the No. 1 way to keep everyone (including you!) happy on a family road trip.

Homemade snack mixes and individual pre-purchased snacks are also a great way to help cut costs associated with buying food on the road.

For this reason, I suggest assembling an entire tub filled with fun and appetizing snacks and surprises that you know your kids will love.

We use these  16-quart storage tubs from Sterilite  that are the perfect size, price, and durability!

Road Trip Snacks Ideas

• Chips and pretzels
• Animal crackers (Suprise them with Barnum’s Originals !)
• Filled crackers (peanut butter, cheese)
• Nuts (cashews, almonds, peanuts)
• String cheese, Babybel, Laughing Cow cheese wedges
• Fresh or dried fruit
• Healthy no-bake cookies
• Candy and gummy candy

Be extra organized for your family road trip by clicking the following image to get your FREE family vacation packing list that is both customizable and printable!

Travel Snacks for Toddlers

Road tripping with toddlers presents its own set of challenges and requires additional thought when it comes to toddler-friendly road trip activities and food.

(It’s much harder to keep a close eye on them when they’re in the backseat, and you’re in the front.)

When considering toddler road trip foods, the most important thing is to avoid giving them anything to eat that could be deemed a choking hazard.

In addition, opt for healthy versus overly sweet options that may give them a tummy ache.

Our favorite healthy toddler car snacks and road trip foods include:

• Graham crackers
• Snap pea crisps
• Applesauce and/or yogurt pouches
• Cheese sticks
• Soft mini muffins
• Whole-grain crackers
• Bananas and/or this apple slices

9 Essential Tips For Traveling With Food

As seasoned travelers, we’ve assembled a list of tips for traveling with road trip foods and make-ahead hotel room meals.

• Use up your most delicate fruit first when on long-haul road trips.

In other words, start by eating bananas and berries, then move on to more sturdy produce such as apples and oranges that don’t spoil as easily.

2. Every family needs an organized packing strategy !

When it comes to road trip food, tortillas, pitas, or other sturdy flatbreads work better to bring along than do loaves of bread. They take up a lot less room and do not risk getting smashed.

3. When packing a cooler with items that need to stay chilled, be sure to lay the ice on the top, versus the bottom of the cooler.

This is because cold air sinks and will, therefore, disperse itself more evenly if laid on top of the food.

4. Aim to open the cooler only 1 or 2 times a day in order to maintain its refrigeration and keep the ice from thawing.

5. Also, make all food, including snacks, easily accessible throughout the duration of your family road trip.

This prevents someone (likely mom or dad!) from having to constantly bend over the back seat or stop to open the trunk every time hunger or boredom hits.

6. Avoid bringing anything made of glass on your road trip, including glass food containers. Glass is heavy, bulky, and very dangerous when broken within the confines of your family vehicle.

7. Assemble and bring along a road trip kit with the following road trip essentials for spills, clean-ups, and car sickness:

• Anti-bacterial wipes
• Hand sanitizer
• Garbage bags
• Ziplock bags
• Napkins/paper towels
• Saltine crackers and motion sickness medicine

8. Each time you stop while on a road trip, don’t forget to pitch any garbage that has accumulated.

This prevents build-up and smelliness.

9. Head to the grocery store with our FREE printable checklist and purchase all of your road trip food in one shopping trip!

If you enjoyed reading our best Road Trip Food List , click here to check out our Related Posts:

• Top 10 Tips for Planning a Family Road Trip (And Enjoying it Too!)
• 7 Road Trip Word Games to Play in the Car With Kids
• 18 Amazing “Are We There Yet” Road Trip Activity Bags
• Top 16 Tips for Flying With Kids & Ways to Keep them Calm
• The Ultimate Guide for International Travel with Kids
• 8 (Unexpected) Benefits of Traveling With Kids

*Before leaving, be sure to check our  Travel Resources Page  to find our exclusive travel discounts and to book hotels, rental cars, and guided tours.*

Jen Brommer is a family travel expert. She has been featured as an authority on several notable travel websites and is a member of the Family Travel Association (FTA), Midwest Travel Network, and TravMedia global media network.

A prominent content creator and influencer on Instagram, Jen has over 150K unique monthly blog readers from countries all over the world. She has spent the last 16 years planning fun, and hassle-free family vacations for her family of 5.

Similar Posts

Our Epic Cabin Packing List (+ Free Printable Checklist!)

7 Easy Ways to Deal With Toddler Jet Lag

Dreams Playa Mujeres Review: A Complete Recap Of Our Stay

Our Brutally Honest Ocean Riviera Paradise Review: An Honest Look into our Stay

Best Warm Winter Vacations in the USA That You’ll Love

1-Day Hollywood Studios Itinerary: The Perfect Touring Plan for 2024!

Leave a reply cancel reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Thank you for the road trip food list and travel tips.

You’re welcome! Was there something you saw that you hadn’t thought of before? Happy travels!!

This is a great list as we also big in road trip. Snacks is so important especially to keep them from asking are we there yet. Haha… I myself like peanuts to keep me awake when it’s my turn to drive.

Thanks for reading and for sharing your favorite road trip snack!!

This is such a comprehensive list and it is so helpful as I predict a lot of us will be going on more road trips once we can. Prepping these meals will definitely save some money and help the kids feel less bored. I know that my kids are usually pleased munching stuffs during road trips. I also like that it is more likely for the road trip snack to be more healthier than what you’ll buy elsewhere.

Thank you! Yes, the health factor of pre-packing is a big one, as is the enormous cost savings 🙂

I like to have a good mix of healthy (kids like apples, those are easy to eat) and snacky/salty. I am also very particular. about road trip drinks. Big coffees, la croix, iced tea!

I like your ideas! We’d be good road trip buddies!

Find Even More

Find your next vacation destination!

Connect on Instagram

Find out where we’re traveling now!

Make the memories now

You don’t have to wait until your kids are more grown up or you have a ton of money saved to start traveling.

With a little planning and a lot of love, lifelong family vacation memories can be made at all ages, stages – and places both near and far.

Destinations

• Attractions
• Girls’ Trips
• U.S. Cities
• All-Inclusive Resorts
• Universal Orlando

Free Printable

Free packing list printable when you subscribe for the latest travel updates!

Travel With A Plan is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

Family Vacation Packing List!

• Privacy Overview
• Strictly Necessary Cookies

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.

If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.

25 Best Road Trip Snacks That’ll Fuel the Family

They're sweet, salty, healthy, and everything in between!

Every item on this page was chosen by a The Pioneer Woman editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy.

Family road trips are all about the journey, not the destination! Whether you're traversing the interstates to go on a beach vacation or live out your small-town dreams in a quaint city like Ree Drummond's very own Pawhuska, OK , there are a few crucial commodities that will make all the difference during your time on the road. When equipped with a groovy playlist , a functional GPS, and loads of the best road trip snacks, you can take your road trip from dreaded drive to excellent expedition!

It's been years since the entire Drummond clan took a proper family road trip, but Ree took the kids on lots of by-car adventures when they were younger, especially as part of homeschooling lessons. Ree got the kids in the car bright and early to avoid traffic, and would always make sure to pack a Thermos of hot coffee. "Mornings are my favorite part of the day to be on the road," she says. "Most people are just waking up, the roads are significantly less populated…coffee tastes better."

No matter where you're traveling this year, these road trip snacks will fuel you and your family through even the longest drives. Have a safe trip!

Country Archer Beef and Turkey Jerky Variety Pack

Ditch the carby snacks and opt for beef or turkey jerky when you're craving some protein. This variety pack comes with six different flavors and is big enough to share!

That's it. Fruit Bars Variety Pack

For a satisfying chew without the added sugars, try fruit bars. They're healthier than candies and gummies but still bursting with fruit flavor for when you want something sweet.

Combos Pizzeria Baked Pretzel Snacks

You'll find these filled snacks in the chip aisle at most gas stations. They're low-crumb and delicious.

YumEarth Organic Gummy Bears

Who said gummy bears are just for kids? These gluten-free gummies are great for the whole family—and they taste delicious, too!

Kar's Sweet 'n Salty Trail Mix

Is the highway kind of like a trail for cars? Either way, this sweet and salty trail mix will satisfy your hunger on long trips.

Angie's BOOMCHICKAPOP Sweet and Salty Kettle Corn

For the ultimate sweet and salty snack, try this kettle corn. It's made with 100% whole grains and is gluten free and non-GMO, so it's a snack you can feel good about!

JUSTIN'S Classic Gluten-Free Almond Butter Squeeze Packs

Whether you're spreading it onto another snack like an apple (without any mess!) or enjoying it on its own, an almond butter squeeze pack is a great on-the-go snack.

CLIF BARS - Mini Energy Bar Variety Pack

These miniature energy bars are perfect for giving you a little boost when you're on the last leg of your trip. Buy this variety pack to find your favorite flavor.

Newtons Soft & Chewy Cookies Variety Pack

Satisfy your sweet tooth and skip the crumbs with a few Fig Newtons. This variety pack comes with fig and strawberry cookies.

Goldfish Crackers Big Smiles Variety Pack

Goldfish are always a crowd-pleaser. Get the variety pack so everyone in the crew can enjoy their favorite flavor!

Happy Bites 3 Flavor Covered Coffee Beans

When you need a little caffeine but can't stop for coffee, reach for these chocolate-covered coffee beans. Just be sure to keep them away from the kids. 😂

Garden Veggie Straws

The whole family can enjoy this snack, from toddlers to teens to adults. Try a fun flavor like Zesty Ranch to mix things up.

Organic Roasted Seaweed Sheets

Get your greens on the go with these roasted seaweed snacks. They're kid and parent-approved!

Dried Mango Slices

Traveling with fresh fruit can be tricky—it's so frustrating to reach for a banana, only to find it smushed at the bottom of a bag. Plus, what do you do with that pesky peel when you're on the road? We recommend packing dried fruit for no-fuss snacking.

Fritos Scoops! Corn Snacks

Satisfy a salty craving with some simple corn chips. There's a reason they've stayed popular for more than 80 years. And if you're looking to dip, Scoops! will help you avoid a mess.

Honey Nut Cheerios

Cereal is delicious even without milk. Fill a baggie with your favorite kind for a great on-the-go snack.

CraveBox Care Package

If you're heading on a cross-country road trip, one or two kinds of snacks might not cut it. So buy a wide variety instead! This CraveBox comes with a mix of 45 different salty and sweet snacks.

Snyder's of Hanover Pretzels

Skip the plain salty pretzels that just leave you feeling parched. These twists are seasoned with a buttery blend of spices including onion, garlic, and pepper.

Glico Chocolate Pocky Sticks

Why choose between sweet and savory when you can have both in the form of chocolate Pocky sticks? They're easy to eat with one hand, too!

Harvest Snaps Green Pea Snack Crisps

These dried snap peas are a healthier alternative to potato chips. We promise they're just as addictive!

Grab a Jar of Caramel Sauce for Gooey Carmelitas

This Easy Honey Cake Is Oh So Moist

30 Tailgate Appetizers to Snack On Before Kickoff

Fall in Love with Pumpkin Coffee Cake

This Pumpkin Banana Bread Makes Two Loaves

On Game Day, Everyone Will Cheer for These Snacks

Christmas Snacks: Are You Picking Salty or Sweet?

22 Fun Snacks to Make With Wonton Wrappers

Salted Caramel Blondies Are Always A Winner

Try Mini Cheeseburger Calzones For Dinner Tonight

90 Christmas Appetizers for Your Holiday Party

Football Cereal Treats Are Sure to Win Big!

101 Road Trip Food Ideas: Best Fun and Healthy Snacks You’ll Love

Posted on Published: November 18, 2020  - Last updated: June 21, 2023

Who doesn’t love a good road trip? Better question: who doesn’t love a good road trip snack? Well here’s a mega list of road trip food ideas that you’ll want to pack along.

One of the worst things that can happen on a road trip is running out of food and dealing with a hangry family member. Don’t let that happen! Keep your ride peaceful with these road trip snack ideas!

This list of road trip snacks goes beyond gas station junk food and difficult-to-eat-on-the-go meals. The best road trip foods are convenient, satisfying and healthy (but also sometimes not!)

This post may contain affiliate links. For more info, see my  disclosures .

On this mega list of 101 road trip food ideas, you’ll find:

Healthy road trip snacks, homemade road trip snacks.

• High energy foods on the go

Road trip snacks for kids

Vegan road trip snacks, ideas for your sweet tooth, meals for road trips, packing tips and food containers.

• Essential supplies you’ll need

Best road trip food

As someone who checks off bucket list locations and takes many road trips every year, I know my road trip food. 🙂 It’s important for food to be portable, easy to eat in the car and it needs to be able to travel well.

Some of the food ideas below you’ll want to prepare and package up at home before you hit the road. Be sure to pack a cooler to keep foods fresh as needed.

Note: stick around to the end of the list for the best packaging solutions and containers . Because it matters when packing food for a road trip!

You want something convenient and healthy, right? Well it’s just as easy to grab an apple for a long car ride as a bag of Doritos!

Now, before you head to the store to buy a bunch of fruit, make sure to think through them all. Like bananas…

Bananas are not a good option for road trips, as they get mushy. On my road trip to Moab, Utah, the bananas I packed split open and made a mess of my reusable grocery bag. So skip the bananas, okay?

Here’s the list of healthy road trip snacks

• Sugar snap peas and ranch
• Healthy granola (think savory seasoning, not sweet ingredients)
• Popcorn (my favorite budget-friendly snack using this air popper )
• Homemade trail mix
• Carrots and ranch
• Strawberries
• Sugar-free, gluten free muffins
• Veggie chips (store bought or homemade)
• Blueberries
• Basil, tomato and mozzarella salad
• Rice cakes with nut butter
• Cottage cheese and almonds
• Pita chips and hummus
• Healthy zucchini muffins
• Yogurt with mix-ins (just watch the sugar content)

Next let’s dive into the things you can make – or bake – from home. My kiddos always ask for a few of these on every road trip. Their favorite on our way to Glacier National Park was # 20 below!

• Rice crispy bars
• Or their yummy cousin, fruity pebble bars
• Other cereal bars – think Cheerios, Lucky Charms…the possibilities are endless!
• Paleo, keto and Whole 30-friendly nut bars
• Cheese quesadilla
• Pretzel hugs (just don’t pack a bunch – they’re addicting!)
• Ditch the flour with these black bean brownies
• Sweet trail mix (DIY – just throw pantry staples together!)
• ‘Cookie’ protein balls
• Almond bark with mix-ins
• Spicy roasted cashews
• Peach oatmeal muffins

High energy foods on-the-go

Sitting in the car can be B-O-R-I-N-G and an energetic snack can help to pick you up. Or if you’re driving an all-nighter like I did from Omaha, NE to Gulf Shores, AL , you’ll need some energy to get you through the long drive.

Here are some of my favorite high-energy snacks for the car:

• Greek yogurt
• Ham, chive and cream cheese pinwheels
• String cheese
• Cinnamon apple energy bites  
• Hard boiled eggs
• Energy bars ( RX bars are my favorite for road trips and hiking snacks)
• Salmon in a pouch
• Favorite energy drink (as needed) for driving over night

Let’s focus for a minute on food for little ones. While most road trip food on this list can be given to kids, there’s just some foods that are naturally designed for kids.

Pro tip: make sure to give the kids healthy road trip snacks first. It’s way harder to get them to eat an orange after having a bunch of chocolate. Don’t ask me how I know. 😉

Just a quick note: many of these food are pre-packaged which isn’t the most eco-friendly way of traveling. However if you balance it with homemade and reusable packaging when possible , it lessens the environmental impact.

Kid-friendly road trip snacks:

• On-the-go yogurt
• Homemade double chocolate zucchini muffins (my kids go crazy over these!)
• Kid-friendly trail mix
• Suckers (or any long-lasting sucking candy)
• Applesauce pouches
• Pirate’s Booty
• Fruit snacks (save money by buying them at a bulk bin grocery store)
• Pepperoni slices and cheese cubes
• Baby carrots
• Juice boxes or pouches
• Kid-friendly pinwheels
• Fun cheeses, like Baby Bell or Laughing Cow
• Raisins or cranberries
• Healthy toddler mini muffins

Also make sure out check out the 15 Things to Pack on a Road Trip with Kids

If you’re more comfortable with the vegetarian or vegan diet, here are some great options for your next road trip. Many of these will need to be prepared or portioned out ahead of time. (See recommended containers below.)

• Veggie chips (sweet potatoes, beets, parsnips, etc.)
• Bell pepper slices and hummus
• Celery and nut butter
• Pumpkin cake pops
• Cherry tomatoes with vegan ranch
• Cinnamon apple chips
• Cajun roasted chickpeas
• Roasted pumpkin seeds
• Vegan lemon blueberry muffins (homemade)
• Chocolate-drizzled caramel popcorn

Okay there comes a point in the road trip where cravings take over. Some of my favorite food to take on a road trip are the special sweet treats. I just try not to pack too many!

• Yogurt dipped pretzels
• Puppy chow / muddy buddies
• Chocolate covered almonds
• Medjool dates
• Scotcharoos
• ‘Crack’ popcorn (candy covered popcorn with sprinkles)
• Homemade cookies
• Candied almonds (make them in the crock pot before you leave to save money)
• Gummy bears, or chocolate covered gummy bears
• Your favorite candy bar (mini size bags are perfect for sharing)

It’s sometimes nice to plan stops for gas or stretching around mealtime. And eating out is nice and convenient when on the road!

But it can also really add up! If you’re on a budget trip , then eating out every meal isn’t always a great option.

Pro tip: make sure to pack items that you won’t mind eating cold or room temperature. I sometimes freeze snacks and to keep them longer and prolong ice in the cooler from melting.

One strategy my family uses for road trips is to pack food for the first meal in a cooler. We’ll stick other road trip snacks in there too, and if it’s a long road trip we’ll pack multiple meals.

Anyways, back to best meals for road trips:

• Egg salad sandwich
• Cranberry almond chicken salad wrap
• Pre-portioned salads (homemade or store bought)
• Peanut butter and jelly sandwich
• Packaged tuna (not canned) and crackers
• Fruit salad (misc. fruit with a splash of honey and lime)
• Deli meat and cheese sandwiches
• Chips and guacamole (buy the small portion guac so it doesn’t go bad)
• Banana bread muffins for breakfast
• Gluten free strawberry oatmeal bars
• Milk, orange juice or iced coffee

More snacks to pack on-the-go

We’re almost there! Here are a few more ideas to add to your road trip food list:

• Water (of course this needs to go with!)
• Peanut butter filled pretzels
• Store-bought breakfast bars
• Mints or tic-tac’s (helps to pass the time)
• Traditional chips
• Sweet Tarts
• Hot Tamales (my husband’s favorite!)
• Yogurt covered raisins
• Dried fruit
• Jelly on rice crackers (use jelly packets for this)
• Mini cheese and cracker sandwiches
• Almond butter packets
• Sunflower seeds (what gets me through overnight driving)

So now that you have a ton of ideas, let’s move onto packaging. Breaking foods up into convenient portion sizes ahead of time saves a lot of headache – not to mention mess – in a moving vehicle.

Here are my favorite packaging solutions that are convenient, eco-friendly and ultimately will save you money.

Coolers – my family usually travels with a small, collapsible cooler in an easy-to-reach spot in the car that’s filled with drinks and snacks. Then we put meals and back-up drinks in the large cooler in the back.

Collapsible containers – great for making meals ahead of time and takes up less space in your car.

Mini containers – perfect for dips, trail mix, salad dressings and kid portions. I love these mini containers for road trips! I’ll even use them for snacks that I buy while on the road.

Reusable water bottles – my whole family has reusable bottles that we use for water on road trips. We usually put filtered water in old milk jugs (that have been cleaned) to refill water bottles throughout the trip. These water bottles are perfect for hiking or beaches, too!

Portable silverware set – perfect for meals, yogurt and to eliminate the need for plastic utensils during drive-through’s.

More supplies for your car

Alright now that you have your food list and packaging solutions, it’s time for the extra supplies that may help on the road . These are items I pack that help with snacks and meal times.

• Paper towels/napkins
• Gallons of filtered water for refills
• Wet wipes for sticky fingers
• Anti-bacterial gel
• Sharp knife for food prep (as needed)
• Plastic bag for trash

Road trip food – that’s a wrap!

Well there you have it! 101 ideas for road trip food! With a huge variety of options, you’re bound to find some you can buy or make ahead for your upcoming trip.

Hope you have a great trip, stay safe and satisfied!

Check out these fun road trip destinations you’ll love: Perfect Colorado Itinerary: 22 Road Trip Stops You Need to See 16 Midwest Road Trips: Scenic Routes You Can’t Miss Miami to Key West Road Trip: 22 Awesome Activities You Need to Do Denver to Moab: 16 Gorgeous Stops Along the Way

Find this article helpful? Save it now or share it on social media!

Wednesday 12th of May 2021

These are great ideas, thanks! We are just doing a big road trip in a few weeks, so this is perfect timing! Thanks!

Welcome, Erin! Have a great time on your road trip!!

Tuesday 11th of May 2021

Wow great ideas! Love this list and so many options!

Thanks... it was a fun one to create!

Awesome list! I definitely saved on Pinterest for later 😊

Glad you got some inspiration from this list! :)

Sunday 22nd of November 2020

Wow! This is one epic list of the best road trip snacks! Love it!

Monday 23rd of November 2020

Thanks - glad you found it helpful!

These are such wonderful and creative suggestions! :) Need to bring some peach oatmeal muffins for my next road trip :)

Oh yes Jiayi! They're so good!!

RV Living, Camp Cooking, and Family Adventure

30 Best Road Trip Snacks- Healthy Snack Ideas for the Road

• X (Twitter)
• Pinterest 315

Ah, the open road, the wind in your hair, and the endless possibilities of adventure! But what’s a road trip without amazing snacks to fuel your journey? In this blog post, we’ll guide you through the 30 best healthy road trip snacks to keep you and your travel companions energized, satisfied, and ready for whatever the road has in store. Say goodbye to unhealthy gas station munchies and hello to nutritious, delicious, and convenient options that everyone will love!

Healthy Snack Essentials for Road Trips

When it comes to road trip food, the key is to find healthy snacks that are easy to eat, provide sustained energy, and maintain blood sugar levels, all while keeping excitement levels high. To help you make the best choices, we’ve categorized our favorite road trip snacks into three essential groups: protein-packed options, fiber-filled choices, and hydration-focused snacks.

Now that you’re buckled up, let’s explore these fantastic snack ideas!

Protein-packed options

Protein-packed snacks effectively keep hunger at bay during long drives and help maintain energy levels. Options like jerky, nuts, and cheese deliver a satisfying punch of protein and are easy to eat on the go.

For those with a sweet tooth, try incorporating dark chocolate chips or M&M’s into your own trail mix. And, if you’re looking for a convenient store-bought option, protein bars and beef jerky are readily available at grocery stores, making them an easy choice for road trips.

Get Our FREE Meal Planner and Shopping List

Fiber-filled choices.

Fiber-filled snacks help maintain digestive health during road trips. Some options include:

Whole grain crackers

• Fresh fruits and veggies
• Roasted pumpkin seeds
• Dried fruits like mango and pineapple

These snacks offer a boost of fiber to keep your system running smoothly.

So, why not pack a mix of sweet snacks and salty fiber-rich snacks to keep everyone happy and healthy on the road?

Hydration-focused snacks

Hydrating during long drives helps prevent dehydration and maintain focus. In addition to sipping water, you can also snack on hydration-focused options like cucumber slices, watermelon, and coconut water.

If you’re craving something sweet, opt for a piece of fresh fruit or a low-sugar granola bar as a healthier alternative to a candy bar. Remember, staying hydrated is key to a successful and enjoyable road trip!

Nutritious Homemade Snack Ideas

If you prefer homemade options, there are plenty of nutritious snack ideas to whip up before hitting the road. From energy bites and fruit and nut bars to veggie wraps, these scrumptious homemade treats will keep you fueled and satisfied during your journey. Plus, making your snacks at home allows for customization to suit individual tastes and dietary needs.

Now, let’s delve into these delectable homemade snack ideas!

Energy bites

Energy bites are a fantastic homemade snack option for road trips. Made with oats, nut butter, and dried fruit, these little bites pack a punch of energy and taste. You can find various recipes online, from chia seed energy balls to chocolate chip and peanut butter variations.

Simply mix the ingredients, form into bite-sized balls, and store in an airtight container. With these tasty energy bites, you’ll be ready to take on any adventure the road brings.

Fruit and nut bars

Fruit and nut bars are another excellent homemade snack option for road trips, and they can be considered as one of the best road trip snacks. Made with simple ingredients like nuts, seeds, and dried fruit, these bars provide a healthy and portable snack that’s easy to pack and store. In fact, they can be regarded as good road trip snacks as well as great road trip snacks. You can find numerous recipes online or create your own combinations of fruits and nuts to suit your preferences.

With these nutritious fruit and nut bars, you’ll have a satisfying and energizing snack to keep you going on the road.

Veggie wraps

Veggie wraps are a nutritious and convenient homemade snack for road trips. Made with a variety of fresh vegetables like:

All wrapped up in a tortilla or flatbread, these wraps are both tasty and easy to eat on the go.

You can also fill them with hummus or avocado for added flavor and nutrition. To pack veggie wraps for your trip, use an insulated cooler or reusable snack bags to keep them fresh and delicious.

Store-Bought Snack Recommendations

If you’re short on time or prefer the convenience of store-bought options, don’t worry! There are plenty of healthy and delicious snacks available at your local grocery store or even along your route. We’ve rounded up our top recommendations for store-bought snacks, including whole grain crackers, dried fruit and nut mixes, and low-sugar granola bars.

Let’s check out these tasty options to keep you fueled during your road trip.

Whole grain crackers are a healthy and convenient snack option for road trips, alongside potato chips. Providing fiber and energy, these crackers can be enjoyed on their own or paired with your favorite cheese or spread. Some popular options include WASA, graham crackers, and cheese crackers like Goldfish.

To keep your crackers fresh and crunchy during your trip, store them in an airtight container or reusable snack bag.

WASA Crackers

Graham Crackers

Goldfish Crackers

Dried fruit and nut mixes

Dried fruit and nut mixes offer a delicious balance of sweet and savory flavors, making them a popular choice for road trip snacking. These mixes are packed with essential nutrients, fiber, and protein, giving you a healthy and satisfying option to curb those cravings on the road.

Some of the best mixes for road trips include dried fruit and nut bars, tropical trail mix, or even making your own mix with your favorite fruits and nuts.

Power Up Trail Mix

Amazon Happy Belly Mix

Kars Snack Mix

Low-sugar granola bars

Low-sugar granola bars are a great store-bought snack option for road trips. Providing sustained energy without causing sugar crashes, these bars are an excellent choice for long drives. Some popular low-sugar granola bars include RXBARs, KIND Minis, and Larabars.

To keep your granola bars fresh and intact during your trip, store them in a cool, dry place and use portioned containers or reusable snack bags.

RX Protein Bars

Kind Mini Bars

Kid-Friendly Snack Ideas

Keeping the little ones happy and satisfied during road trips is a top priority for many families. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of kid-friendly snack ideas that are both healthy and easy for children to enjoy. From bite-sized fruit and veggies to mini sandwiches and yogurt pouches, these snacks will make road trips with kids a breeze.

Now, let’s check out these delightful kid-friendly snack ideas!

Bite-sized fruit and veggies

Bite-sized fruit and veggies like apple slices, baby carrots, and grape tomatoes are easy for kids to eat and provide essential nutrients. These fruit snacks can be prepared ahead of time and stored in reusable snack bags or portioned containers to keep them fresh and ready to eat. Additionally, hard boiled eggs can be a great protein-packed option for a well-rounded snack.

Remember to supervise young children while they enjoy these healthy snacks to ensure their safety and prevent choking hazards.

Mini sandwiches

Mini sandwiches are a balanced and portable snack option for children during road trips. Made with whole grain bread, lean meats, and veggies, these sandwiches can be customized to suit your child’s preferences.

To pack mini sandwiches for your trip, follow these steps:

• Use portioned containers to keep the sandwiches fresh and safe.
• Label the containers with the contents and expiration date.
• Store the sandwiches in an insulated cooler to keep them fresh.

Yogurt pouches

Yogurt pouches are a convenient and mess-free way for kids to enjoy a healthy snack on the go. Popular options include Stonyfield Organic YoBaby yogurt pouches and GoGo squeeZ yogurtZ Berry pouches.

To pack yogurt pouches for your trip, keep them cool in an insulated cooler or snack bag and check the expiration date before packing. Yogurt pouches are an excellent source of protein, calcium, and other essential vitamins and minerals, making them a great snack choice for kids during road trips.

Snack Packing Tips and Tricks

Having the right snacks for your road trip is essential, but knowing how to pack them properly can make all the difference. In this section, we’ll share some helpful tips and tricks for packing road trip snacks, including using portioned containers, insulated coolers, and reusable snack bags.

With these handy packing techniques, you’ll be well-prepared to keep your snacks fresh, organized, and easy to access during your road trip adventures.

Portioned containers

Using portioned containers can help keep your snacks organized and prevent overeating during road trips. These containers come in various sizes and styles, such as glass Mason jars, Hydro Flask insulated food jars, and Prep Naturals glass meal prep container sets.

By using portioned containers, you can easily control snack portions and keep track of how much food is being consumed during your trip.

Insulated coolers

Insulated coolers help keep perishable snacks fresh and safe to eat during long drives. Some of the best options include the Yeti Roadie 24, Yeti Tundra 45, and YETI Tundra Haul Wheeled Cooler. These coolers are durable, well-constructed, and provide excellent insulation to keep your food and drinks cold.

When using an insulated cooler, be sure to pack it with ice or ice packs and keep it in a shaded area to prevent the ice from melting too quickly.

Reusable snack bags

For an eco-friendly alternative to disposable plastic bags when packing road trip snacks, consider reusable snack bags. Some popular options include the Stasher 4-Pack Lunch/Travel Bundle Silicone Storage Bags, the Qinline Reusable Food Storage Bags 10-Pack, and the (re)zip Reusable Leak-proof Food Storage Flat Bags.

These bags are durable, leak-proof, and easy to clean, making them perfect for storing snacks on the go. When packing snacks in reusable snack bags, make sure to securely seal the bags to prevent spills or leaks.

Staying Safe While Snacking on the Road

While enjoying your delicious and healthy road trip snacks, it’s essential to stay safe during your journey. In this section, we’ll discuss important safety tips for snacking on the road, including avoiding choking hazards for young children and taking breaks at rest stops for safe eating.

By following these safety precautions, you can ensure that everyone stays happy, healthy, and safe during your road trip adventures.

Avoiding choking hazards

Avoiding choking hazards is particularly important when it comes to young children. Foods like popcorn, whole nuts, and hard candies should be avoided, and parents should supervise their children while they eat.

When preparing bite-sized fruit and veggies, make sure to cut them into small, manageable pieces. By taking these precautions, you can keep your little ones safe and enjoy worry-free snacking during your road trip.

Taking breaks at rest stops

For safe and relaxed snacking during road trips, consider taking breaks at rest stops. Instead of trying to eat while driving, schedule periodic breaks at rest stops or other safe locations to enjoy your snacks. This will not only prevent distractions and accidents while driving but also allow you to stretch your legs, use the restroom, and enjoy your food in a more relaxed setting.

Remember, safety should always come first on the open road.

RELATED ARTICLES:

• 33 No Cook Camping Meals
• 72 Travel Tips For Seniors
• 50 Camping Snacks

In conclusion, having a variety of healthy road trip snacks can make all the difference in keeping everyone energized, satisfied, and ready for adventure. By choosing protein-packed, fiber-filled, and hydration-focused options, as well as incorporating homemade and store-bought snacks, you’ll be well-prepared for any road trip.

Don’t forget to follow our snack packing tips and safety precautions to ensure a smooth and enjoyable journey. So, gather your favorite snacks, hit the road, and embark on an unforgettable road trip experience!

Frequently Asked Questions

What snacks to pack for a long car ride.

Pack a variety of protein-rich snacks like beef jerky, hard boiled eggs, protein bars and string cheese for a long car ride. To satisfy your sweet tooth, bring along energy bars, fig newtons, nut butter packets, roasted rye chips, chocolate covered espresso beans and yogurt covered raisins.

What is a good snack to keep in your car?

Pack some protein and healthy fats for a long drive with prunes, pistachios, peanut butter, olives, chickpeas, trail mix, sunflower seeds, and mini protein bars – the perfect car snack!

What are some store-bought snack recommendations for road trips?

Pack your road trip with delicious snacks like whole grain crackers, dried fruit and nut mixes, and low-sugar granola bars. Bon Voyage!

What are some tips and tricks for packing road trip snacks?

Pack your road trip snacks in portioned containers, insulated coolers, and reusable snack bags for easy access and freshness on the go!

Grainne Foley

Grainne Foley grew up in Ireland and spent summers caravanning around Europe with her family. Now, as a wife and mother of 2, she spent 5 years traveling the USA as a full time RVing family. She is passionate about travel, and helping others who are considering the RV lifestyle. She has created dozens of helpful RVing checklists which are available throughout the website, and has curated hundreds of simple, flavorful meals for families on the go.

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

• More Networks

• Search the site Please fill out this field.
• Saved Recipes & Collections
• Add a Recipe
• Manage Your Subscription
• Give a Gift Subscription
• Newsletters
• Sweepstakes
• Appetizers and Snacks

17 Snacks That Are Perfect for Your Next Road Trip

To save you money and time.

Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

While most folks are all about the adventure on long car rides, for me, it's really all about the road trip snacks . Sure, stopping at gas stations for chips and candy is great, but it's much cheaper (and better) to make them at home, just as you're filling up your travel coffee mug before you go. With road trip season in full swing, we gathered our all-time favorite road trip snacks that include everything from the best homemade beef jerky to at-home Chex party mix and beyond. These snacks are made to be packed and are guaranteed to not only save you money and time, but be delicious during your next journey.

Homemade Beef Jerky

"This is a fantastic and easy recipe! I like spicy jerky so I added a tablespoon of powdered cayenne to the marinade (as well as two teaspoons of liquid smoke). Totally worth the effort and the family raves about it! Talk about a money saver!" — Chris Findlay

Original Chex Party Mix

"This was super easy to make. I've always made chex mix in the oven and it takes so long but cooking in the microwave was super fast and taste the same. I will be using this recipe from now on." — Sarah Walker Woodring

Energy Balls

"My entire family loves these just as written. The only thing I do differently is put all ingredients in my food processor and pulse until blended, scoop out and press flat in a glass dish which I then freeze. We can then cut them into bars! takes out a ton of the work from rolling into balls and mixing by hand!" — Natalie Witwer Metzger

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

"Made them over and over again, if you remove the ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon, then use this recipe as a basic cookie recipe. I have even made them with chocolate chips, white chocolate chips and macadamia nuts, cinnamon chips and raisins. Just a very good versatile soft cookie recipe." — Cherri Timmer

Party Pinwheels

"I have been making these pinwheels for over 20 years. They are always a big hit." — Janlee445

Frittata Wrap with Ham and Cheese

"A very nice idea for a lunch on-the-go. I skipped the broiler part and cooked it like a regular frittata flipping it over to cook it on both sides. Thank you for the recipe." — Buckwheat Queen

Homemade Pita Chips

"These pita chips were so good and so simple to make. You can really use whatever spices you like. My daughter loved them and said they were way better then the store bought pita chips. Will be making these regularly." — DBellino

Classic Bran Muffins

"Oh my gravy all over my two scoop rice (that's OMG in my world)! These are the best bran muffins I've ever made, really! I doubled the Vanilla and Cinnamon; I also added in 1/2 cup each of craisins and chopped Pecans. I got 15 smaller muffins. Be careful not to over mix or bake and you will be rewarded with a beautiful textured muffin." — Auntie Doni

Granola Bars

"Great recipe – I make this every Sunday to last us through the week. I bake for 6 to 7 minutes at the end so they still hold their shape. Thanks for the recipe!" — Anna

Homestyle Potato Chips

"This is an amazing recipe and tastes miraculous, I definitely recommend this recipe." — Haya Sleiman

Cowboy Caviar

"This is my go-to recipe. I love to make this for lunch at work and for family functions. It's delicious. You can make it hotter by using jalapenos or you can make it mild by using green chiles. Delicious! Love it! It also makes a huge portion." — Carol

PBJ Kid's Bento Box

"This is fantastic! But I like to add thin sliced strawberries in the tortilla and instead of chocolate syrup I use honey." — ChefDad1337

Sweet and Spicy Turkey Sandwich

"Great sandwich that's a savory combination of sweet and spicy! I would have never thought to pair turkey, pepperjack cheese, and strawberry preserves but this works and is a nice departure from your "run of the mill" turkey sandwich. I used light pepperjack cheese and low sugar Smucker's strawberry preserves. Thanks Snowspiral!" — Jilian

Onigiri (Japanese Rice Balls)

"I used this recipe several times to make bento for work. I love adding fillings like tuna mayo and chicken mayo to give the onigiri flavor. I am not a fan of the bonito flakes but I also used a mentaiko and mayo filling as well which worked out really well! Thanks for the awesome recipe! I will be using this again soon!" — AuthorMeganMarie

Scrambled Egg Muffin Cups

"I make these often and like to keep some in my freezer to take to family get together. They are just as good as when fresh out of oven after heating in microwave. Even good cold." — Ruth Jolly

Banana Muffins

"Turned out great! I made half a dozen, followed the recipe exactly. Just make sure you don't mix the wet ingredients and the dry ingredients too much. That's the key to making good muffins." — Orangette

Microwave Caramel Popcorn

"I can't begin to count the number of times I've made this stuff. It is so easy and so yummy. It travels well and makes a great bake sale item. I tell everyone the hardest part about it is finding someplace to get the paper bags." — Jayne Olivieri

More Inspiration

• Our 15 Best Air Fryer Snack Recipes Are So Delicious You Won't Want to Share
• The 7 Tastiest Food-Themed Road Trips You Can Take This Fall
• 7 Easy Ideas to Save Money on Your Summer Road Trip

You’ll Also Love

37 Road Trip Snacks You’ll Actually Like

By: Author Kim Tate

Posted on Published: May 22, 2020

Food is a big part of any successful road trip. No one wants to be stuck in a car with a hangry person! The key to great road trip snacks is packing food that won’t make a mess and can travel well at room temperature. Here are some of our favorite snacks for road trips.

Best Vacation Road Trip Snacks

If you’re cereal eaters, just opening your pantry can give you a multitude of options. Multi-Grain Cheerios are one of our favorites because they have just a touch of sweetness. They’re nut-free too! We also love Lucky Charms and Life.

We love to pack healthy snacks on vacation and fruit and veggies certainly fit the bill. Just remember if you’re driving across the border (i.e. Canada) you might not be able to bring across produce.

We love to buy the mini apples you can get in a bag. You can find them easily at Trader Joes, Target, and most grocery stores. The smaller sized apples are perfect for road trips.

Mandarin Oranges

Another healthy road trip snack idea is mandarin oranges, sometimes called clementines. These do have to be peeled and you’ll want some wet wipes (on my road trip essentials list), but the smell is amazing for freshening the car — as long as you like the fresh orange smell. :)

The other fruit we like to pack for road trips is grapes. They’re easy to grab and pop in your mouth and are fairly mess-free. Just remember to wash them before you leave.

Carrot Sticks

Vegetables can also make great healthy road trip snacks, and carrot sticks are easy. You can either buy the mini carrots in a bag or cut up your own from full-size carrots.

You could pack a dipping sauce in the car but we normally avoid dairy products in the car and we don’t want to worry about keeping the dip cold.

Sugar Snap Peas

Sugar snap peas are also a great snack that are easy to pack and pop in your mouth. They’re also a good source of fiber and very low in calories, making them healthy.

Grape Tomatoes

We have packed a container of cherry or grape tomatoes along for the trip, but it’s not necessarily one of our go-to snacks. They are easy to grab at the store and easy to eat, but they can make a mess if you drop one in the car.

Don’t miss my tips for How to Pack for a Road Trip !

Fruit leathers.

Our girls first fell in love with fruit leathers at Trader Joes and I have to say that it’s one of my favorite snacks, too. Just realize that they’re packed with sugar bc of the fruit concentrate. You can pick up single strips at Trader Joes or grab a big box of Stretch Island Fruit Leathers at Amazon or Costco.

Fruit Snacks

Another fruit treat snack is single-serving fruit snacks. While they aren’t really healthy, they’re popular with kids and you can buy a big box of the pouches at Target or Costco.

Crackers/Pretzels

Put some Cheez-its, Triscuits, Wheat Thins, or Pretzels in single-serve containers or baggies. You could keep the whole box in the back of the car and refill each when needed at stops. Just know they’re salty, so you might get thirsty.

This is a kid favorite but even adults can enjoy some cheesy fishies. While these count as crackers, I felt they were important enough for our family that I needed to call them out specifically.

Pirate’s Booty

This stuff is so good and SO addictive! They have different flavors but our favorite is the Pirate’s Booty Aged White Cheddar. Trader Joes also has some flavored corn puffs that are tasty. This snack will require a napkin or wipe because of the seasoning.

You can either pop up a big bag of your own popcorn or buy one of the pre-packaged bags from the store. Popcorn can be addictive — as any movie-goer will know — and it makes a tasty, filling snack.

This is a family favorite and conveniently you can buy it as packaged food or make your own!

Granola Bars

I spoil myself on road trips and buy the chocolate-dipped chocolate chip granola bars for the trip, and they’re so good. But traditional granola bars can be a great snack for road trips since they provide some grains and protein.

If you’re traveling with kids, be sure to look for hidden sugar snacks (fruit snacks and granola bars) and try to limit those.

This might just be our family, but there’s just something great about taking Pringles on a road trip. One of the big perks is that the canister helps keep the chips from getting beat up in the car! Just make sure to pack a couple of cans since we all know, “once you pop, you can’t stop.”

If you’re a sweets lover, cookies can be great to bring on road trips. Just keep in mind that they do have crumbs. Girl Scout Cookies are especially yummy on road trips!

Animal Crackers

Animal crackers are really more of a cookie than a cracker, but they’re still a good snacking treat. Plus, even as an adult I like looking at what animal I’m about to eat. :)

Rice Crispie Treats

While you can make your own Rice Krispie Treats, you can also buy them pre-packaged. They’re another sugary treat, but oh so yummy! Just make sure you add wet wipes when you pack your car .

We love GoGo Squeez Applesauce because it’s easy to eat in the car and there are a lot of fun flavors. Applesauce pouches are a great mess-free (hopefully) snack.

Sunflower Seeds

We have a kiddo with a nut allergy, so sunflower seeds are a great “nut-like” road trip snack. You can get a package that is in the shell and have fun shelling them — just have a cup ready for the shells — or you can buy just the seeds.

Pepitas / Pumpkin Seeds

Another seed that we love to bring on our road trips is pumpkin seeds. Again, you can get the ones in the shell, or get just the seeds, called pepitas.

If you don’t have a nut-allergy then nuts are great snacks. Before we had my daughter I used to love eating honey-roasted peanuts on a road trip. My husband is a big fan of the tins of almonds and cashews, too.

You can create your own trail mix with your favorite mix-ins, or buy a pre-made one. The basic formula is nuts & seeds for protein, carbs for salt and energy, and something sweet like dried fruits or chocolate.

Roasted Chickpeas

We’ve really loved making our own roasted chickpeas . You can create any flavor you want and they’re a healthy snack option.

These are another odd-ball snack that people either love or hate. For some reason on every road trip we buy bags of corn nuts at a gas station. I like the BBQ flavor and Lizzy likes the Ranch flavor. They’re hard on your teeth but tasty!

Energy Bites

If you like to create your own snacks, no-bake energy bites can be great for your trip. They’re a bit like trail mix meets peanut butter in one protein-powered bite.

Peanut Butter Crackers

You can either buy some pre-made peanut butter cracker snacks, or grab some of those single-serve peanut butter cups and pair it with some pretzels, crackers, or apples.

Nutella & Go

If you love some chocolatey hazelnut goodness, grab some Nutella & Go snacks.

While now we’re mostly vegetarian, we used to love beef jerky on road trips. We would get the big bags at Costco. It’s a great protein source.

Pepperoni Sticks

These are similar to the idea of beef jerky but used to be another popular road trip snack we’d enjoy in the car. You can buy packages of little pepperoni sticks at most grocery stores.

Cheese Sticks

This is a snack that we don’t often pack because as I mentioned above we typically avoid bringing dairy in the car since it can smell bad if there’s a spill. However, cheese sticks are easy enough to eat, you just have to make sure you can pack them with an ice pack to stay cold on the drive.

Cheese & Cracker Dips

You can find these pre-packaged with one side of crackers and breadsticks and one side of cheese dip. These were popular with my girls when they were younger, but not so much anymore.

Dried Fruit

Dried fruit is a great car snack since it’s so easy to pack. Our family loves dried pineapple and mangos, but you can get all kinds of dried fruit like apples, blueberries, and even bananas. Check Trader Joes and Costco for a good variety.

Dried Veggies

Like the dried fruit, you can also get some veggie snacks that are typically found in the chip aisle. We really like Veggie Straws and the Harvest Snaps dried pea pods.

We have very limited candy eating at home, so it’s a special road trip snack for us. Twizzlers and M&Ms are our road trip favorites.

Water Flavor

It’s a good idea to pack your own reusable water bottle for the road trip. But over time you might get sick of just drinking water. So, pack a small bottle of water flavoring that you can add to your refillable water bottle to make your own sweet drink and avoid buying a bottled drink at a gas station.

Did I miss any? Do you have a favorite road trip snack? Please share your own ideas! And if you’re looking for more snack ideas, check out this list of airplane snacks for kids .

Share and Save This Post:

Thursday 28th of July 2022

Going on a 4 hour road trip for our vacation this weekend. And this list gave me a few ideas that sound great to pack in our snack pack list! So thank you for helping me with ideas!

Sunday 27th of June 2021

Love the ideas,our family does water tubing trips in the summer, slot of these ideas will be great. I also came across putting snacks in empty Pringles cans so you don't lose it if they are bite size.

Wednesday 30th of June 2021

Nice! Sometimes storage is half the battle!

Recipe for Roasted Chickpeas - The Perfect Travel Snack!

Thursday 9th of March 2017

[…] Related Post: Road Trip Snacks for Family Travel Vacations […]

Sunday 3rd of July 2016

Great list!!! I also include the little jello or pudding cups for when we stop at a rest stop, it gives them something to look forward to and they won't mess up the car!

Friday 8th of July 2016

Yum! My girls would love those!

Suzanne Holt

Saturday 13th of June 2015

Mini vanilla wafers or goldfish are nice crackers because they do not crumble as much when you bite into them. Thanks for all of these suggestions. Pinned.

Sunday 14th of June 2015

Crumbly snacks can really ruin a road trip! We travel with a mini vac sometimes so we can clean out seats and floors that get crumbs. Thanks for the ideas & for pinning!

105+ Easy Road Trip Meals & Snacks: Best Road Trip Food

Packed for Life contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase using one of these links, we may receive compensation at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. See my Disclosure policy for more info.

Road trips are exciting adventures to take with your friends, family or solo. However coming up with a list of the best road trip food & easy road trip meals and snacks can be hard.

Which is where our ultimate list of the best food for road trips comes in handy. To help you avoid hangry companions, outrageous food costs, and unhealthy gas station food stops.

We’ve taken our share of cross country & multi-day road trips over the years, both as adults, and with kids from months old to teenagers. So we know quite a few tricks when it comes to road trip meal planning.

Our list includes easy ideas for healthy snacks, breakfasts, lunches & dinners, for all ages we love. As well as gluten-free, and vegetarian options too.

Plus we provide essential packing tips and a list of non-food items to bring along, at the end of this post. Hop in the car, & let’s go!

ULTIMATE HEALTHY ROAD TRIP MEALS LIST

If you plan ahead and pre-make some yummy snacks and meals, your family will be well fed on the road. Whether you are heading on a Southwest USA road trip or a coastal road trip from Boston to Acadia National Park or elsewhere.

Healthy road trip food & easy meals the whole family will love.

Why Bring Make Ahead Meals For Road Trips?

Before I get into our epic food list, I’ll quickly go over a few reasons why we bring our own make-ahead road trip meals and snacks. And why you should too:

• Road trip meal planning is a great way to reduce fast food temptation, junk food and save money for your family road trip .
• Bringing good food for road trips frees up some of your hard earned cash to splurge on meals you will actually look forward to . 
• We find our own make-ahead meals & road trip food tends to be healthier.
• If you have dietary restrictions or allergies, creating a road trip meal plan will allow you to have safe meal options on the road.
• Have fun picnics at rest stops, parks, or in your hotel room along your long drive.
• Avoid hungry kidlets with healthy road trip snacks , so they can focus on road trip activities , not driving you crazy with whining. I know you feel me on this one!

Bringing your own food is well worth the time and money you can save on your adventure. Use our road trip planner to help organize your trip.

I love how make ahead easy travel meals are great for cutting down on the mess, stress and time it takes to prepare and clean up on the road. Because as a parent anything I can do to make my life easier is golden.

Road Trip Breakfast Ideas

We’ve found it’s easy to take these road trip breakfast ideas to go, or quickly eat hot in the morning.

As long as we’ve made them ahead of time, and brought them in our cooler. Or if we have access to hot water or basic kitchen facilities or a microwave.

Grab tasty breakfast recipes .

Cold, Non-Perishable Road Trip Breakfast Ideas

• Granola 
• Cereal Bars & Granola Bars
• Breakfast Bars
• Fruit & Veggie Pouches 

⭐️ PRO TIP : Bring a reusable coffee mug and water bottles for each family member. They’re a great option for filling up with hot water, tea, coffee and water on the go. We’ve found they’re less likely to spill in the car if you use a spill-proof refillable cup and snack cup for the littles.

Cold Breakfast Ideas for Road Trips

• Yogurt – Tubes, Drinks
• Fresh Fruit
• Rye Crisp Breads & Goat Cheese
• Chia Pudding – Make the night before
• Granola & Overnight Oats – Make the night before
• Muffins & Peanut Butter (or other nut or seed butters)
• Egg Muffins or Mini Quiches (To heat or not to heat. That is the question)
• Hard-Boiled Eggs
• Breakfast Cookies 
• Vegan Blueberry Muffins
• Bagels and Cream Cheese
• Peanut Butter and Banana Wrap
• No Bake Oat Bites 
• Apple Pie Oat Bliss Balls
• Croissant, ham, cheese
• Croissant, jam & cream cheese
• Pancake Sandwiches – nut butter / jam between two mini pancakes (make ahead)

Hot & Quick Breakfast Ideas

• Instant Oatmeal 
• Cup of Soup or canned soup
• Pre-made Mini Quiche (just heat up)
• Egg, Cheese, & avocado tortilla wrap
• Haloumi Cheese and Bacon Breakfast Sandwich
• One Pan Chickpea Hash (fried chickpeas, veggies, herbs) & Fried eggs

More kid friendly breakfast ideas here .

Road Trip Lunch Ideas

Road trip lunch ideas are probably the easiest for most people to come up with, when it comes to thinking of meal planning for road trips . We like to think of them as picnic lunches.

What is the first thing that comes to mind, but sandwiches. Sandwiches are such a staple we’ve given them their own section below. 

To be honest, I often just prepare and pack foods I would usually take for lunch at work, for the first day or two.

Then I add easy road trip lunches to grab and prep along the way, like sandwich fixings. Or cheese, meat  and cracker plates for a longer trip.

Easy Non-Refrigerated Road Trip Lunch Ideas

• Canned Tuna & crackers – The mini pull tab tins come in many flavours
• Protein Bars , Energy Bars
• Sardines or Mackerel canned with avocado, crackers or bread
• Snacks for lunch: Beef Jerky, Trail Mix, Smoothie Pouches, Nut Butter Pouches
• Peanut Butter (or other nut & seed butter) & Jam Wraps
• Canned grape leaf rolls

Cold Road Trip Lunches

• Sushi / nori rolls – sweet potato, cucumber and avocado,  smoked salmon, cucumber and avocado, smoked salmon & cream cheese
• Sandwiches (see Road Trip Sandwiches below for ideas) 
• Tortilla Pinwheels
• Meat Kabobs
• Pasta Salad
• Corn & Zucchini Fritters
• Fruit (apple slices, cantaloupe, grapes), cheese and bread or crackers
• Charcuterie plate – cheese, deli meats, olives, dried fruit
• Chickpea or Bean Salads
• Quinoa Salad
• Mason Jar Salad – keep the dressing separate
• Pre-made Quesadillas – Refried beans and cheese. Keep salsa & sour cream separate in small leak-proof containers

Sides to Add to Lunch Ideas

• Cut up veggie sticks and hummus
• Fruit – apple, berries, melon, grapes
• Homemade cookies or energy balls
• Cucumber, cherry tomatos & peppers salad

Road Trip Sandwiches

What’s a road trip, without a sandwich or two. In fact sandwiches are so iconic, portable, easy to make and ideal for lunch and family vacation dinners they deserve a section, all on its own.

For easy,  awesome sandwiches we’ve found you will only need a few things to mix and match:

• Bread: First you’ll need some kind of hearty bread (kaiser bun, wraps, pita, baguette, ciabatta)
• Protein: Pair with protein such as deli meat, sliced chicken or beef, bacon, eggs, tofu, nut butters
• Extras: Add on the extras such as cheese, lettuce, pickles, fruit 
• Condiments: mayo, mustard, olive tapenade, other sauces

Tasty Sandwich Ideas for Traveling:

• Cheddar and Jam
• Egg Salad 
• Cream cheese and cucumber
• Spicy Tuna and Cucumber – leave out the spice if it’s not your thing
• Pesto Egg Salad Baguette
• Ham & Cheese Baguette or Wrap
• Turkey and Cheese Baguette or Wrap
• Turkey Club Sandwich
• Turkey, Pear, Feta Wrap
• Apple, Cheddar and Mustard Sandwich
• Roasted Red Pepper & Hummus Sandwich
• Curry Chicken or Curried Chickpea Salad Sandwich

Tips for Packing Sandwiches on Road Trips

• Start with heartier bread or toast it first . Put a layer of mayo, or mustard on each side. It actually helps prevent soggy sandwiches.
• I often toast the bread, and then wait until it’s completely cooled before making and storing the sandwiches.
• Keep wet sandwich ingredients separate like tomatoes. We add them right before eating.
• Pack each ingredient separately . Then everyone can assemble their sandwich how they like, on-the-go. We’ve found this helpful with our pickiest eater.
• Pack sandwiches in a hard sided container . Either use reusable individual sandwich containers or larger leak-proof containers for multiple sandwiches. We also love silicone sandwich bags to cut down on plastic.
• Keep the sandwiches on top of the cooler for easy to grab meals on the road.

You may also like 50+ Easy to make, healthy road trip snack recipes

Easy Road Trip Meals Dinner Ideas

Dinner is the one meal we often splurge on, and choose to eat out at a local restaurant, instead of on the road when possible. 

I like to do a bit of research and see what the area is known for, or if there are special meals we can’t get at home. Also after a few days of packed road trip meals, it’s nice to sit down at a restaurant and have someone else clean up and organize.

However, there are times I find when you need a few dinner in the car ideas on hand. You can always re-use the lunch or even the travel breakfast ideas , because they are all tasty anytime of day. 

Check out our favourite easy vacation dinner recipes .

Cold Road Trip Dinner Ideas

• Pasta Salad & Greek Salad
• Cobb Salad 
• Other Cold salads – Potato, bean, egg, chickpea, salmon, tofu, quinoa, rice and bean
• Sandwiches – check out ideas in sandwich section
• Chicken salad / caesar wrap
• Falafel Wrap
• Rice Paper Rolls & Peanut Sauce
• Chicken wings & pre roasted veggies
• Grilled or roast chicken, rice and veggies
• Tortilla Chips, Bean Dip and Salsa
• Egg roll pinwheels with spinach, and cheese 
• Mason Jar grain + protein + roast veggies (pre-made)

Salad Tips – Keep the ingredients & dressing separate. That way each person can assemble to their liking, and the lettuce doesn’t get soggy from swimming in the dressing all day.  

KOA has 10 fun on-the go recipes to try.

Mason Jar Meal tips

Mason Jars are a fun and easy way to store pre-made meals.

They are fairly sturdy (I’ve dropped them many times without breaking them) and come in different sizes. The 500ml and 250 ml are perfect for individual meals.

Choose a grain + a protein + roasted, steamed or stir fried veggies and you have a delicious meal to go.

• Pre-cook a grain: brown rice, basmati rice, white rice, quinoa,
• Choose a protein : roast chicken or beef, curried chickpeas, tofu
• Cooked veggies: stir fries, steamed broccoli, curries, stew,

Hot Road Trip Dinner Ideas

One pan or pot dinner ideas are perfect for travel, camping and road trips. Especially if you ‘ve been entertaining the kids with road trip conversations all day.

As long as you remember the hot plate, or cook stove. I’ve been there, done that, forgetting the stove. Another option is to choose motels, or places to stay that have basic kitchen facilities. 

I’ve also gone the route of meal prepping ahead of time and putting individual meals in separate containers that are easy to reheat and clean up. 

If you are a camping family, what you plan for pre-made camping meals is similar.

Think easy camping type meals:

• Baked Beans
• Cup of Soup or Canned Soup
• Frozen Homemade Soup (use the first day or two after it defrosts. Bonus it helps keep the cooler cold)
• Bacon or Sausages and Eggs
• Quesadillas
• Rice and beans or ground beef for tacos or wraps
• Chickpea Curry and Rice (pre-make and heat up)
• Spaghetti 

ROAD TRIP SNACK & DRINKS LIST

We have a full article on our favorite road trip snacks to bring that both adults and kids will love. Good food for long journeys.

Here are a few snack ideas to get you started:

• Energy Balls
• Baby Carrots, Cherry Tomatoes, Snap Peas, Celery Sticks & Dip 
• Cheese and Crackers
• Apple Pear Muffins
• Jerky, Beef Sticks
• Potato Chips
• Plantain Chips
• Moon Cheese
• Cheese Crisps
• Seaweed Snacks
• String cheese
• Sunflower seeds
• Gluten-Free Bars –  We like these mini Gluten-Free Bars  

Who doesn’t drink too much on the road because they are avoiding using restrooms at pull-outs or gas stations?  

I’m guilty of this too, but this often leads me to crankiness and wicked headaches, sooo…… Do as I say, not as I do (said Parents everywhere).

Staying hydrated is super important. While water should be the number one choice, sometimes you need a little something different like:

• Coconut water
• Water with crushed berries, or cucumber slices, or lemon
• No sugar added fruit juices 
• Flavoured Sparkling water 
• Almond / Oat / Soy Milk

🚙 More road trip ideas 7 day Zion, Bryce and Grand Canyon itinerary

Road Trip Food & Meal Planning Tips

Meal Planning Tips

When meal planning healthy road trip foods, I think it’s important to consider a few key important things:

• What road trip meals you want to bring, and which one’s you’d like to buy.
• If travelling with kids, which foods do they already like. They aren’t going to magically start liking raw broccoli and raisins on your long trip. Adapt your food for road trips with kids.
• Road trip meal ideas – Make a list of food ideas for breakfast , lunch, dinner, snacks and drinks. Make sure they’re easy food to travel with.
• Creating a road trip grocery list is a good idea, so important items don’t get forgotten. But don’t stress, as usually you’ll be able to pick up ingredients along the way if needed.
• How to pack food for your road trip, so it doesn’t get squished, and stays cool longer.

With so much to do when planning a road trip, it’s sometimes hard to be prepared when it comes to traveling food.

Road Trip Food Tips

Beyond throwing a bunch of items into the cooler and food bag and hoping for the best. Let’s give you a few of my top tips to make packing a bit easier:

• Bread: Bring wraps, pitas and flatbreads – we find they take up less room, and won’t get squished like bread loaves
• Perishables: Eat your perishables and more fragile fruits first (bananas, raspberries, pre-cut fruit like melons, pineapple, mango etc.)
• Freeze Water bottles: When hot out, freeze a couple of the water bottles the night before. They’ll keep your cooler cold, and we love that they give us cold water to drink as they melt.
• Pre-Make Meals & Portion Out: Pre-make meals, and portion them out in mason jars or reusable plastic or glass containers.
• Place your cooler somewhere cool the night before, or pre-chill the cooler for up to 12 hours with ice / ice packs you won’t be using on your trip. 
• Lay solid blocks of ice or reusable ice packs on the bottom, plus put a layer of ice on the top
• Pack the cooler full – too much space helps the inside heat up faster
• Freeze food you won’t need for a couple of days, and use frozen water bottles to help keep the inside colder, longer
• Try to limit the number of times you open the cooler in the day.
• Pack your food in order of when you want to eat it, leaving the next day or two’s meals on top. 
• Garbage Bag for the car: We always have a designated garbage bag for the car. It helps to keep the garbage contained, and the car organized.
• Clean-Up Kit :  Bring a clean up kit. Kids, adults, toddlers all on occasion make messes. Having a clean-up kit handy just in case is good practice. Include wipes, paper towel, extra water, and an easily accessible change of clothes.
• Storage: To keep things organized, we usually use small stackable Rubbermaid containers to pack our non-perishables.

🚙 More Road Trip Ideas: 4 Day family friendly itinerary in Acadia National Park

Road Trip Essentials

Now that we’ve got the meals all planned out, and the best road trip SNACKS organized  let’s move on to the non-food items you’ll need to add to your road trip packing list. 

Reusable Items

Our goal is to reduce our impact on the earth whatever mode of travel. Bringing reusable items on our trips to cut down on waste is one simple way to do this. If you make it part of your routine, you will be pleasantly surprised how easy it becomes.

Here are some other reusable items to pack for your road trip:

• Plastic, glass or stainless steel containers – Can be used for leftovers, as dishes, hold snack packs, or even small toys, art supplies
• Cutlery – knives, forks, spoons, 
• Dishes – Cups, plates, bowls
• Coffee Mugs – Our favs are Yeti Mugs or the Klean Kanteen  
• Reusable Straws
• Water bottles for the kids
• Water bottles for the adults
• Cloth fruit bags 
• Bento Boxes
• Garbage bags – reuse grocery bags

Storage & Cleaning Supplies

• Reusable Ice Packs 
• Hand sanitizer
• Paper Towels & Wet Wipes 
• Biodegradable Soap

Travel Backpacks

You will definitely want to make sure you and your kids have their own travel backpack for the trip.

A good travel backpack can be multipurpose, for hiking, storing road trip activities and entertainment, plus give easy access to a couple of snacks, and a handy change of clothes.

There’s been numerous times my “safety first” approach & extra clothes has saved us on long trips. From puking children, to epic diaper blow outs, and unexpected spills, with kids it’s always better to be safe than sorry.

Best Road Trip Coolers

Coolers provide more flexibility with the types of meals and snacks  you can bring on your trips. We think they are a road trip essential, without a doubt. Before choosing one, there are a few things to consider:

• How long is your trip?
• Which meals will you be packing from home?
• How often will you have access to a grocery store?
• How much space do you have in your vehicle? Where do you want to put the cooler?

Answers to these questions will give you an idea of the size and cooling ability needed from your cooler. We’ve put together a list of the best coolers to try, that are easily available on Amazon.

Best Overall Cooler – Yeti Roadi 24 Cooler

The Yeti Roadi 24 Cooler is narrow, so it easily fits behind the seat, is well insulated, which holds the cold, and is lighter than previous versions.

It can also be transformed into a stool if you buy the cushion. It’s a bit of an invesment, so a good buy if you are planning on using it a lot.

Best Afforable Family Cooler – Coleman 316

The Coleman 316 Cooler is a top pick for size, flexibility and price. It can hold a lot of food and ice, which can be kept cool at higher temps for 2-3 days.

Perfect for shorter trips, or if you plan on replenishing your food / ice every few days.

Best Soft Sided Cooler – TOURIT Leak-Proof Backpack

The Tourit Leak Proof soft-sided backpack is an excellent option for shorter road trips or if you are planning a picnic or day at the beach. This leak-proof high-density insulated backpack can keep food cold for up to 3 days. It also has side pockets for extra storage.

Tips to Prepare For Your Next Road Trip

Anything you can do the day or two beforehand to prep your food, and pack your non-perishables, do it. This will save rushing around at the last minute, and forgetting important things like your water bottles.

We recommend doing the following ahead of time:

• Make a Shopping list and meal plan.
• Check off the items as you pack them. 
• Wash and cut veggies and fruit
• Prepare sandwiches, meat slices, cheese slices
• Freeze meals and water bottles the night or two before
• Prepare the snack bags or snack tote 
• Prepare your Clean up kit
• Pack non-perishable foods in small totes or bags
• Pack your perishable foods in the cooler, & an airtight container, right before you leave.

PRO TIP: Pack your car the night before you leave, to make sure everything fits. Make sure your cooler and essential road trip snacks are easily accessible. 

Conclusion: Ultimate Easy Road Trip Meals & Snacks List

With over 100 delicious and easy road trip meal ideas, you will find a party in your cooler for all taste buds or your next long journey.

 Plus don’t forget that a little pre-trip planning can go a long way towards a stress free vacation.

Grab a great road trip snack or two and head on out on the open road. I hope this helps you have an epic road trip.

Related travel tips and destination articles:

• Easy ways to take a frugal road trip
• Epic RV Gift Ideas: Gifts RV Owners will love and use
• Epic Gifts for Beach Lovers – prep for your beach vacation
• Best Walkie Talkies For Road Trips
• Complete Road Trip Packing List For Families

Donna Garrison is the founder of Packed for Life, an ever curious traveler with a passion for making memories with her family. With a unique perspective on travelling on a budget gathered over 30 years, 20 countries and 5 continents she gives families the tools & resources they need to experience the joys of travelling more for less through practical solutions. She helps over 20,000 families a month plan & take the family travel, camping and road trip adventures of their dreams in Canada, the USA and around the world. Contact her at: Donna [at] packedforlife.com

Similar Posts

No-Fuss Italian Pasta Salad Recipe You’ll Love

Whip up a speedy summer favorite: Easy Italian Pasta Salad….

21 Kid-Approved Dinner Ideas For Fast, Easy Family Meals

Looking for quick and simple kid-friendly dinner recipes you’ll actually…

20 Fun Campfire Desserts You Need To Try Now

Looking for some treats to sweeten your next camping trip?…

25 Easy Summer Dinner Recipes When You’re Short On Time But Big On Flavor

Looking to spice up your summer dinners without spending hours…

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls With Maple Cream Cheese Icing

Indulge in the cozy flavors of fall with these Easy…

Strawberry Goat Cheese Salad Is The Ultimate Summer Dish

Whip up a colorful favorite, Easy Strawberry Goat Cheese Salad….

Privacy Overview

• Skip to main content
• Skip to primary sidebar

Follow Me On

111+ Healthy Road Trip Food Ideas (Non Refrigerated Snacks)

Updated: Aug 16, 2024 by Max · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

Bringing healthy foods that don't need refrigeration is a great option to save money and time while on the road. Since I travel most weeks for work, I've gotten to truly test out the best nonperishable foods to bring on a road trip for kids and adults.

All these healthy road trip foods don't need refrigeration for at least a day, and most of them will last indefinitely. Whether you're planning a weekend getaway or a cross-country adventure, any of these healthy non perishable snacks will keep you satisfied without having to constantly stop at restaurants or grocery stores.

This article covers well over a hundred road trip food ideas that don't need refrigeration, including pre-packaged nonperishable snacks, meals for each time of day, delicious chocolate snacks , and some recipes you can make ahead of time. Simply use the table of contents below to navigate to what type of road food you seek.

Healthy Non Perishable Snacks

Healthy road trip snacks for kids, fruits to bring on a road trip, gluten-free road trip snacks (non refrigerated), healthy road trip meals for breakfast, healthy road trip meals for lunch, healthy road trip meals for dinner, sweet but healthy road trip snacks (non refrigerated).

Healthy pre-made snacks are among the best foods to bring on a road trip, because not only do they save you time, but they're easy to find and can please kiddos as well as adults.

• Snacking Ramen
• Protein Bars
• Homemade Pop-Tarts
• Mini Muffins
• Seaweed Sheets
• Garlic Peas
• Tahini-Based Fruit Dip (for crackers, chips, or other fruits)
• Fresh Walnuts
• Thai Chili & Lime Cashews (from Trader Joe's)
• Shell-On Pistachios (Wonderful Pistachios are reliably delicious)
• Salted Sunflower Seeds
• Toasted Pumpkin Seeds
• Whole Peanuts
• Raw Macadamia Nuts
• Spiced Pecans (homemade are easy & less expensive!)
• Chocolate-Covered Almonds

• Animal Crackers
• Freeze-Dried Snap Peas (they'll be so obsessed with the crunch they won't even realize it's vegetables!)
• Pretzels (filled or plain; whichever your kiddos prefer)
• Cheese Sticks (mozzarella sticks are easiest to find)
• Freeze Dried Cheese Bites (like Moon Cheese)
• Apple Juice Packs
• Fruity Chia Squeeze Packs
• Healthy Fudge (Nut Butter or Seed Butter Base)
• Graham Crackers
• Annie's Fruit Snacks
• Single-Serve Dry Cereal
• Nut or Seed Milk (this shelf-stable option comes in single-serves, as well, and can make getting your kid to eat breakfast just as easy as at home, especially with the addition of the crunchy freeze-fried fruit!)
• Cherry Tomatoes

• Dried Fruit (i.e. mango, pineapple, apple, etc.)
• Freeze-Dried Fruits (for kiddos with missing teeth or anyone who doesn't like the tough texture of the dried versions; I recommend trying strawberries or mangoes)
• Applesauce Cups
• Mixed Fruit Cups
• Canned Fruit
• Fruit Leather
• Raisins or Dried Cranberries
• Toasted Coconut Chips
• Watermelon Squares
• Cherries on the Stem
• Apples or Apple Slices (great with peanut butter or tahini)
• Asian Pears
• Strawberries
• Dragon Fruit
• Blueberries
• Squeezable Fruit Pouches

Finding gluten-free snacks for road trips is easier than ever these days, and for my fellow grain-free friends, most of these options are also free from grains.

• Veggie Straws
• Flaxseed Pudding in Mason Jars
• Baby Carrots
• Celery Sticks With Dip
• Pre-Cut Bell Peppers
• Lentil Crackers (these can be homemade or sometimes found in stores)
• Tortilla Chips
• Cassava Chips (the Siete brand one comes in several shapes & sizes and we love it with hummus or salsa at my house)
• Potato Chips
• Plantain Chips
• Simple Mills Grain-Free Crackers
• Popped Sorghum
• Clusterbucks (Chocolate Buckwheat Treats)
• Roasted Chickpeas
• French Macarons (fillings vary)
• Coconut Cookies or Macaroons
• Halva (Sesame Seed-Based Sweet Treat)

• English Muffins
• Blueberry or Chocolate Chip Muffins
• Cereal Bars
• Granola (here's my favorite recipe )
• Waffles (making studier versions ahead of time makes them easy to be stored in bags & drizzled with jam, nut butter, or chocolate spread for a sweet breakfast treat)
• Banana Bread

• Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches
• Pita Bread (with deli meats, nut butters, pomegranate seeds, a sprinkle of granola, or any combination of flavors you take along)
• Hard-Boiled Eggs
• Trail Mix (Homemade or Store-Bought)
• Crackers and Hard Cheeses (like parmesan or gouda)
• Chips and Salsa
• Packets of Nut Butter (Justin's brand is reliable)
• Pita Chips and Hummus
• Sweet Potato Chips

• Canned Chili (Annie's brand is great)
• Canned Soups
• Canned Beans
• Salmon Jerky
• Canned Tuna or Chicken
• Packet Rice or Quinoa
• Packets of Lentil Stew or Chickpea Stew
• Salami Sticks (can easily be sliced, or you can buy small ones for easy snacking)
• Premade Falafel Balls
• Baked Sweet Potatoes

• Peanut Butter Cookies
• Almond Flour Brownies
• Dark Chocolate Chips
• Homemade Chocolate Chip Rice Crispy Treats
• Rice Pudding Cups
• Nut Butter Cups
• Sugar-Free Candy Bars
• Chocolate Tahini Spread
• Candied Ginger Pieces
• Energy Bites
• Chocolate-Covered Espresso Beans
• No-Bake Cookie Dough
• Pepero Sticks (or Pocky )
• Peanut Brittle
• Dark Chocolate Bars

More Vegan Recipes and Chocolates

Reader Interactions

No Comments

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

30 Healthy Road Trip Snacks Nutritionists Swear By

These tasty treats will leave you satisfied between pit stops.

Snacks aren't just a tasty part of your family road trip , they're an essential element . Of course, they'll keep any kids you have in tow happy and satiated, but they also help adults stay awake en route, which is crucial for drivers.

"During a long drive, it’s ideal to fuel up with steady forms of energy, which means balanced meals and snacks that don’t contain empty carbs, like refined grains and added sugars," says Samantha Cassetty , MS, RD, nutrition and wellness expert. "It’s also important to stay hydrated, since a low fluid intake can make you tired."

Though the classic candy selection or that bag of potato chips at the gas station may be calling your name, you're better off buying or making yourself something healthy before you hit the road. "Heavily processed foods that contain added sugars and other empty carbs can produce fatigue and leave you feeling less focused. What's more, heavy fast-food meals are harder to digest, so your body needs to spend its energy on that process, which can leave you drowsy," says Cassetty.

If you stop for munchies or meals, do the best you can by seeking options that have some veggies and whole grains. Short on time (read: not interested in studying nutrition labels) or need a little more guidance than that? These nutritionist-approved healthy road trip snacks—for both kids and adults alike—provide a great place to start. But don't worry, these junk food alternatives are still delicious enough to distract you from the long drive.

Protein Bars

"The best way to ensure you'll be snacking on healthy foods is to plan in advance and pack snacks that are both nutrient dense and under 150 to 200 calories," says Ilana Buchbinder, MB, RDN. Protein bars are great, especially those that include at least 10 grams protein, 10 grams of fiber, and less than 2 grams of added sugar, she adds. Quest bars come in a variety of flavors—most of them taste like candy bars, but they're high in protein and low in sugar.

Make-Ahead Brownies

For an extra-special treat, plan to make a batch of these brownies ahead of time. "Most baking mixes are filled with added sugars and empty carbs, which will leave you feeling tired," says Cassetty." But these are made with nutrient-rich almond and coconut flours, which have more fiber and protein than regular enriched wheat flour, and they have no added sugar, so they’re a better all-around choice, especially when you want to stay attentive." You can bake them in advance, cut into individual portions, and freeze them, so they’re handy when you’re ready for your road trip.

Crispy Chickpeas

"I love this pop-in-your-mouth munchie snack, because it’s packed with plant-based protein—six grams in every one-ounce serving," says Jackie Newgent, RDN, author of The All-Natural Diabetes Cookbook . Snack on these the same way you would potato chips, or add them to a lifeless road-stop salad.

Dried Prunes

Travel disrupts your schedule, and that can promote constipation, says Cassetty. "To stay regular on your road trip, it’s a good idea to snack on prunes. A serving is a great source of fiber, and prunes contain a type of carbohydrate that helps draw water into your colon to keep things moving." These are individually wrapped, so they’re perfect for stashing in your car or bag.

Extra Dark Chocolate

When your sweet tooth strikes, it’s always handy to have dark chocolate around, says Cassetty. "The added sugar in most road trip sweets will lead to fatigue and make you feel less focused, but this dark chocolate is botanically sweetened with stevia instead of added sugar." Plus, an ounce of dark chocolate contains about half the amount of caffeine as a cup of tea, so it can enhance alertness on the road, she explains.

Whole-Grain Pretzels

Pretzels are a road trip staple, but most brands are filled with refined carbs. "Refined carbs drive up inflammation, leave you hungry soon after you eat, and produce blood sugar swings, all of which leave you feeling sapped," says Cassetty. "This brand has nine grams of whole grains from sorghum flour and brown rice flour, so it’s a better choice to sustain energy levels on a long drive."

KRAVE Gourmet Cuts

The best road trip snacks are high in protein and low in sugar, says Liz Satterthwaite RDN, LDN, wellness dietitian at ProMedica . For a pre-packaged road trip snack, she recommends beef jerky, which can be found in gas stations, airports, and local grocery stores.

Orange Juice

"One of the leading reasons you feel fatigued is because you’re under-hydrated and 100 percent orange juice can help you meet your fluid needs when plain water gets boring," says Cassetty. Keep a small bottle of 100 percent OJ in your cooler, or pick up a single-serve bottle at the gas station. "It’s a naturally sweet, no added sugar drink that contains electrolytes, like potassium, so it’s an excellent choice for supporting fluid balance."

If you're looking for a quick pick-me-up that won't cause a blood sugar spike, consider KIND minis, says Newgent. "Along with being low in added sugars, they provide a triple whammy of healthy fat, plant protein, and fiber for notable satiety." Their compact size makes them perfect for stashing in a purse, backpack, suitcase, or glove compartment, to0.

Pumpkin Seeds

Pumpkin seeds shouldn't be reserved for the fall—they provide a great source of complete plant-based protein (40 percent more than almonds!) and are allergen-free, says Kathy Siegel, MS, RDN, CDN. "Pumpkin seeds are also a good source of iron, zinc, and magnesium—important minerals to promote a healthy immune system and for a healthy heart," she adds. Try Superseedz, which come in a variety of enticing flavors, like spicy and sugar maple.

Zolli Candy

On a road trip, candy is one of the easiest grab-and-go options—it's readily available at rest stops, plus there's no denying how tempting it is. But bringing a healthier alternative that still feels indulgent, like Zolli Candy, can prevent big binges enroute. Registered dietician Mary Catherine Neumaier recommends these candies, because they are all-natural, free from the top seven allergens, and sugar-free, but still taste great.

Flavored Peanuts

For a high-protein snack that will keep you satisfied on the go, pack peanuts, says Siegel. The Carolina Nut Co. has a variety of flavors in unique and interesting flavors like dill pickle and Sriracha ranch.

Guacamole Minis

This pre-packaged snack comes with healthy fat-rich avocado and a finite serving of tortilla chips for a filling trio of healthy fats, protein, and fiber to help tide you over till your next meal, says Amy Gorin , MS, RDN.

Coconut Cookies

Swap chocolate chip cookies for thin, crispy coconut cookies—they're just the thing to satisfy your sweet tooth without any junk, says Frances Largeman-Roth , RDN.

You'll need a small cooler, but the right kombucha is a great alternative to sugary beverages. "It's rich in probiotics and has a host of potential health benefits, but ingredients and sugar content can vary widely, so look for a non-pasteurized variety, such as Big Easy Bucha," says Molly Kimball, RD, CSSD. "It contains 8 grams of sugar or less per 16-ounce bottle and comes in refreshing, Southern inspired fruit- and floral- driven flavors."

Seaweed Snacks

If you're craving chips, consider seaweed snacks instead—they travel just as well, but are much less likely to leave you feeling full and bloated. They go down like a chip, but are naturally low in calories and high in vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C, vitamin K, and iodine, says Kate Scarlata , RDN, LDN.

It's not easy to stay hydrated on a road trip, but a snack like chia bars can help, says Largeman-Roth. Try these super satisfying mango-flavored chia bars, which have just 100 calories and three grams of sugar.

Dried Fruit

When you travel, your more prone to dehydration and digestion issues that stem from changes in your sleeping and eating patterns, says Michelle Dudash, RD, Cordon Bleu-certified chef, and author of Clean Eating for Busy Families . Choose foods that can help combat these issues, like dried fruit with no added sugar—think apricots, raisins, and dates. They're high in fiber and potassium to keep your digestion on track, says Dudash.

Tuna Pouches

If you're traveling straight through mealtime, plan a more substantial snack with staying power. Tuna is pure protein, plus contains potassium to support hydration and blood pressure management and vitamin D, says Dudash. Dip seeded crackers in the tuna, or just dig in with a spoon.

Legume Chips

If you can't resist the irresistible crunch of white cheddar popcorn, try Hippeas. "Picking a legume-based snack, like Hippeas, will help ensure you get more bang for your nutrition buck, since they pack both protein and fiber without being fried," says Beth Warren , MS, RDN, CDN founder of Beth Warren Nutrition and author of Secrets of a Kosher Girl .

Brigitt is a writer, editor and craft stylist with nearly 15 years of experience. She specializes in lifestyle topics, including home, health, parenting, beauty, style, food, entertaining, travel and weddings. She has written for Glamour, People, Good Housekeeping, Women's Health, Real Simple, Martha Stewart, Apartment Therapy, The Spruce, and more.

Is Everyone Wearing a Continuous Glucose Monitor?

The Best Housewarming Gifts

80 Thoughtful Gift Ideas for Mom

Why Divorce at 60 Was the Best Thing Ever

Why IUD Insertion Doesn't Need to be Painful

60 Special Gifts That Grandma Will Adore

Naomi Watts, Coming In Hot

Victoria Jackson Talks “No Makeup Makeup”

Somatic Therapy

Oprah on Taking Risks

Your Complete Guide to Perimenopause

These Sleep O-Awards Sheets Are $20 on Amazon Now

31 Filling Road Trip Snacks That Are Perfect For Vacation

From healthy, high-protein snacks to guilty pleasure sweets.

Delish editors handpick every product we feature. We may earn commission from the links on this page.

Whether you're visiting far-away friends and family or treating yourself to a well-deserved vacay , people everywhere are hopping in their cars for road trips. While there's so many reasons to love driving—like sightseeing and avoiding the dreaded airport security line—the food options aren't one of them.

Let's be honest: highway rest stops aren't known for being prime culinary destinations. Most travelers are limited to gas station snacks and a few fast food options in between long stretches of the open road. But what happens if you're hungry while driving through the middle of nowhere? Or if you want something more health-conscious than a bag of Hot Cheetos ?

That's why the most essential component of a perfect road trip—or off-roading adventure—is a cooler full of snacks to keep you full while on the go. From crispy and salty to sweet and refreshing, there's a single-serving snack to satisfy whatever you're craving—and the ones below will taste much better than soggy gas station French fries , trust us.

So load up with some caffeine in your cup holder. Turn up that curated Spotify playlist on your speakers. Make sure your partners in crime are in the passenger seat—and buckle up, for heaven's sake! With this lineup of sweet and savory snacks in the car, you're guaranteed to have the best road trip ever.

BjornQorn Popcorn

When it comes to pre-popped popcorn, no brand comes close to BjornQorn. Each and every kernel is dusted in a savory nutritional yeast-based seasoning blend. It's like a vegan, nutrient-dense version of Pirate's Booty.

Crystal Light Crystal Light Sugar-Free Grape Energy Drink Mix with Caffeine

Pack these flavor packets in your car whenever you need to switch up your plain water. Reviewers say grape is the best flavor, followed by lemonade, but for those who can't decide, grab the variety pack.

Nora Seaweed Tempura

This snack is a favorite for our editorial director Jo Saltz. Think of these savory seaweed snacks as a crunchy roll at your favorite sushi spot, minus the rice and fish. They're light, crispy and perfectly salty—A.K.A the ideal road trip snack.

SmartSweets SmartSweets Sour Blast Buddies

Instead of plowing through that whole bag of Sour Patch Kids, try this brand as a super easy swap. They still give you that pucker feeling without all of the sugar.

SKINNYDIPPED SkinnyDipped Snack Attack Minis Almond Variety Pack

Packed with protein; these have just the right amount of sweet coating to keep your sweet tooth at bay. Beware: If you're traveling in the heat, these may melt—so eat quickly 😈.

YERBAÉ Yerbae Naturally Caffeinated Sparkling Energy Water

Long trips = Tired eyes. When you need that last hour boost, these energy waters are where it's at. Each can is the equivalent of one cup of coffee but tastes far better. One reviewer says, "It is like LaCroix with caffeine".

OMG! Pretzels Garlic Gourmet Seasoned Sourdough Pretzel Nuggets

When we say these are the best pretzels we've ever eaten, we're not exaggerating. Each crispy sourdough pretzel nugget is coated in a cheesy, herby, garlic seasoning that makes it nearly impossible to stop at just a handful.

Afraid of subjecting your fellow passengers to your garlic breath? OMG! Pretzels also carries other filling flavors like Cheddar Jalapeño, Chesapeake Spice, and even Salty Butterscotch.

Blue Diamond Almonds Oven Roasted Dark Chocolate Almonds

If you happen to be a fan of chocolate-covered almonds, you'll want to stock up on this on-the-go pack for the car ride gang.

Wonderful halos Mandarins

You may not have thought to bring mandarins along for the ride before, but now that it's in your mind, how could you resist?

Nutella Chocolate Hazelnut Spread with Breadsticks

Not only will the kids love this on-the-go snack, but you will too! Just make sure you bring enough for seconds (and maybe thirds!).

Legally Addictive Snack - The O.G.

Do you like to make toffee and chocolate-coated crackers for Christmas or Passover ? Now you can enjoy the salty sweet treat from behind the wheel any time of year. Legally Addictive's cracker-slash-cookie is truly the best of both worlds.

Jack Link's Beef Jerky Variety Pack

Need a snack that can hold you over until your next pit stop for a meal? You can't go wrong with beef jerky.

That's it. Fruit Bars Variety Pack

This variety pack of two-ingredient fruit bars will be the better-for-you snack that everyone can't get enough of.

Snyder's of Hanover Pretzel Sandwiches

It's no secret that pretzels and cheese can make a big mess on a road trip (especially if you have kids), so these single-pack cheddar and cheese pretzel sandwiches will make the ideal substitute.

Brewer's Food Sea Salt Baked Pita Chips

Whether you're pairing them with hummus or enjoying them by themselves, these sea salt baked pita chips will be the most shared snack in the car.

Vintage Italia Marinara Penne Straws

Love pasta, but don't want to bring a big plate of it on the drive (LOL)? This traditional Italian pasta-inspired snack will be a great fill in. These vegan and gluten free penne straws are so good, a six-pack won't be enough.

bakerly Chocolate Hazelnut Filled Crêpes

This 9-pack of delicious crêpes will be the ideal ready-to-eat snack, breakfast, or brunch item for travelers of all ages. And, each of the crêpes are individually wrapped making it easy for everyone to have their own without making a chocolatey mess.

Brothers-ALL-Natural Fruit Crisps

Perfect for kids and adults alike, this variety pack of fruit crisps gives the whole car options on options on options.

Hippeas Nacho Vibes Organic Chickpea Puffs

With 3 grams of fiber and 4 grams of plant protein, these crunchy chickpea puffs will satisfy your chip craving—without the trans fat potato chips tend to pack.

Annie's Homegrown Organic Bunny Fruit Snacks

Hey, there's no age limit on fruit snacks. These gummies are parceled out by serving, so you can easily avoid mindless eating while driving.

As an Editorial Fellow for Good Housekeeping, Katie covers health, beauty, home, and pop culture. Outside of the office, you can find her killing it on the karaoke machine or listening to true crime podcasts.

Ni'Kesia Pannell is an entrepreneur, multi-hyphenate freelance writer, and self-proclaimed Slurpee connoisseur that covers news and culture for The Kitchn. She's the former Weekend Editor for Delish who also writes about faith, health and wellness, travel, beauty, lifestyle, and music for a range of additional outlets.

Expertise: Chain restaurants, restaurant reviews, travel reviews, production, digital strategy

Education: B.S. Newspaper Online Journalism from Syracuse University's S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, B.A. Sociology from Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs

About Me: As the Director of Community & Audience Development at Delish, Julia oversees the social and membership teams. She focuses on viral video content creation, optimizing feature stories for Delish’s massive audience, and creating high-quality content that keeps subscribers coming back for seconds (and maybe thirds!). Julia joined the launch team at Delish in 2017 and has worked across departments as the Associate Social Media Editor, Senior Video Strategist, and Director of Video. She’s a popular YouTube personality for Delish and best known for hosting “ Julia Tries Everything ”—the show where Julia goes to America's favorite chain restaurants and tries the entire menu, ranking the top items with over 100M views globally. She’s a Webby Award-winning producer and video director , growing Delish’s YouTube page to over 1 million subscribers in under two years, she managed the Delish Facebook page, growing the audience from 12M followers to 20M, and the Instagram account from 500,000 followers to 2 million followers. She cultivated talent for digital-first video series including Iconic Eats , the Webby-award-winning Budget Eats , Royal Eats , and Presidential Eats along with over a dozen other series. Julia also created the hit show, Suck It Up , a sour candy celebrity interview show, with over 50M views across platforms. She often travels home to Maryland for the best crab cakes, or San Diego for the best tacos. In her free time, she volunteers with New York Therapy Animals with her handsome Keeshond, Gus . Follow her on Tiktok @ julia smith and see more at juliasmith.work  

Meals & Cooking

Brown Sugar Pop-Tart Blondies

Creamy Peanut-Lime Chicken With Noodles

Caramelized Beef With Rice

Strawberry-Rhubarb Breakfast Cake

Spring Chicken Panzanella Salad

Blackberry Chicken Salad

Blackberry-Mint Julep

Buffalo Blitz Bites

99 Best Weeknight Dinners

45 Easy Fall Cocktail Recipes

Ritz Cracker Chicken Casserole

20 Best Road Trip Snacks For Long Drives

P lanning on traveling with family or friends? Save time and money by packing these amazing Road Trip Snacks! They’re easy to make any travel with like beef jerky, mixed nuts, and more! 

Savory Road Trip Snacks For Long Drives 

• Buttery Microwave Snack Mix  

This homemade Chex Mix is quick and easy to make and travel with. It has bold and buttery flavors that are sure to win you over. 

• PBJ Energy Bites

Try these fun and tasty PB&J Surprise Energy Bites! There’s no baking required and they have all your favorite flavors like peanut butter, oats, and strawberry jelly on the inside!

• Buffalo Ranch Spiced Nuts

Are you looking for fun and spicy Road Trip Snacks? These buffalo ranch spiced nuts are delicious for the whole family. Whether you’re headed to the beach or grandma’s house, give these a try. 

• Homemade Baked Pita Chips

Homemade Baked Pita Chips are yummy plain or with dip. Munch on them in the car on the way to your favorite destination. 

• Savory Breakfast Muffins

What’s an easier handheld snack than muffins? These savory breakfast muffins with turkey sausage and eggs can go with you anywhere. 

Sweets & Treats 

• Funfetti Protein Bites

Make a dairy free plant-based protein snack recipe that everyone will love to munch on! These yummy no-bake funfetti protein bites taste like you’re eating cake batter!

• Chocolate Cookies With Kodiak Pancake Mix

Chocolate Cookies made with Kodiak Pancake Mix are the perfect Road Trip Snack for chocolate lovers. They’re packed with nutrients but you wouldn’t even know. 

• Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cheesecake Cookies 

If you love cookies and Cinnamon Toast Crunch then these cookies with cheesecake filling are just the thing! If you have a sweet tooth and love a sugar kick on your travels try these amazing cookies. 

• Lemon Sugar Cookies 

If cinnamon isn’t your thing maybe lemon will do the trick. These lemon sugar cookies are absolutely delicious and taste amazing while traveling in the car. 

• Oatmeal Brownies

These Oatmeal Brownies are soft and fudgy with a crisp oatmeal crust. The buttery flavor and texture of the crust is really enhanced by the dreamy chocolate center! 

Best Recipes For Kids 

• Rainbow Stick Snacks

Want the best Road Trip Snacks that your kids can help make? Try these Rainbow on a stick snacks that use cereal and marshmallows. 

• Caramel Popcorn

You don’t even need a candy thermometer to make this homemade caramel popcorn! That’s right, and it’s super delicious and budget friendly for anyone to make. 

• Nut Free Trail Mix 

Craving a snack that’s perfect for road trips, school, or hikes? Look no further! Introducing Homemade Trail Mix WITHOUT NUTS! Get ready to fuel your adventures.

• DIY Fruit Leather 

Ready to add more fruits (and veggies) to your daily routine? Discover the fun of making your own fruit leathers! Use your favorite fruit for the perfect Road Trip Snack! 

• Goldfish Crackers

Looking for gluten free Road Trip Snacks? Make your own goldfish crackers! Unfortunately, Pepperidge Farm Goldfish crackers aren’t gluten free, but these taste even better.

Our Top Pick Recipes 

• Bliss Balls 

Healthy Bliss Balls will become your new obsession because they’re made with only 5 ingredients and ready in just 10 minutes. They taste amazing too and travel so well in a simple container. 

• Mini Puff Pastry Pizzas 

Looking for a quick and easy snack? Try these Mini Puff Pastry Pizzas! Perfect for after school, picnics, or packing in lunchboxes. Ready in under 30 minutes! 

• Pressed Fruit Bars 

Say goodbye to store-bought snacks and whip up some homemade energy bars with this simple pressed fruit bars recipe! Just 10 minutes of prep time and you’ll have a nutritious treat for any road trip. 

• Smoked Beef Jerky

Have you ever made your own beef jerky? It’s easier than you may think! Like this homemade jerky recipe that’s gluten free and paleo! It’s also delicious with a smoky beef flavor. 

• Cranberry Almond Energy Balls

Looking for Road Trip Snacks that satisfy your sweet tooth and deliver a pack of nutrients too? These Cranberry Almond Energy Balls are ready in just 15 minutes! 

What food should I bring on a long road trip?

In my experience as a mom of 3 who loves going on vacation with her family, the best food to bring on a long road trip is non-messy, eaten at room temperature, and doesn’t have a “weird” texture (in the kids opinion). For example beef jerky is easy to eat with one hand, doesn’t leave a mess, and doesn’t change its texture at different temperatures. 

As opposed to bananas which change texture and shape easily and makes a huge mess in the hands of a toddler in a car seat! 

Planning a road trip? Don’t forget these 20 best snacks to keep you fueled up for those long drives ahead! From crunchy granola bars to juicy fruit slices, we’ve got you covered. Let’s hit the road and snack in style! 

Plant-Based Food + Lifestyle

Get the world's #1 plant‑based magazine

EPIC  Vegan Cheese Giveaway

FREE Summer Cookbook (Last Chance!)

Become a VegNews VIP

Thousands of Plant-Based Recipes

38 Accidentally Vegan Snacks You Can Find at Virtually Any Convenience Store

Forget the quinoa, and pass the sour patch kids..

by Aruka Sanchir

September 9, 2024

Snacks are truly a godsend—they can get you through a busy work week, a cram session in a dimly lit library basement, and even the kind of colossal breakup that leaves you ugly-crying in that same sad basement searching for something to eat your woes away. To our delight, a number of companies have been making accidentally vegan snacks for years, and we’ve compiled a list of a few of our favorite go-to treats you can find practically anywhere. Bookmark this list for the next time you’re on a road trip in the middle of nowhere, in need of something to munch on at the movies , or trying to get through a difficult moment and are in need of some sweet or salty fuel.

Jump to the SNACKS

What does accidentally vegan mean?

In a nutshell, if a product is “accidentally” vegan, this means that while the manufacturers didn’t set out to create a vegan product, the ingredients list is free of animal ingredients. Snacks like potato chips, cookies , crackers, and candy are often accidentally vegan (as you can see from below). One important note, however. It’s important to look out for allergens , as many of these products may contain traces of milk or eggs, due to shared factory conditions.

RELATED: You’d Never Know These 18 Grocery Store Products Are Accidentally Vegan

38 of the best accidentally vegan snacks

Find some of the best, easy-to-find accidentally vegan snacks below.

1  Oreo cookies

How could we not include the most iconic cookies to ever exist as the kick-off to this delectable list? Get it here

2  Pringles

The ultimate stackable snack can be found at your local grocery store—just be sure to go for the vegan-friendly Original flavor (Barbecue is vegan in some regions; check for milk in the ingredients!). Get it here

3  Takis

Two flavors of these spicy, crunchy chips are vegan: Takis Fuego and Takis Nitro. get it here

4  Unfrosted Pop-Tarts

We already know which vegan flavors we’re having for a mid-morning snack tomorrow: Unfrosted Strawberry. get it here

5  Doritos

Finding these Spicy Sweet Chili-flavored tortilla chips at a vending machine or gas station is a safe bet. get it here

6  Fritos

The inventor of these salty corn chips was supposedly vegetarian. Try the Original and Bar-B-Q flavors for your dairy-free chip fix. get it here

7  Fruit by the Foot

Introduced in 1991, the fruity snack is like childhood currency at lunchtime and on playgrounds. Get it here

8  Ritz Crackers

No butter is added to the original flavor of these buttery, versatile crackers—it’s made with vegetable oils—so enjoy them with vegan cheese, peanut butter, or salsa. get it here

9 Sour Patch Watermelon

We’re ready to get our sweets fix with this chewy, soft, and gelatin-free candy. Even better? Beloved Sour Patch Kids is also vegan. get it here

10  Ruffles Potato Chips

Classic Original and Canadian cult favorite All Dressed are two dairy-free flavors of these recognizable crinkle-cut potato chips. get it here

11  Smarties

We’re adorning ourselves with Smarties candy necklaces, bracelets, and rings. Nostalgia lane, here we come! get it here

12  Nature Valley Crunchy Granola Bars

Granola bars are a smart addition when packing your bag for hiking, studying, or traveling. Flavors such as Apple Crisp , Cinnamon , Maple Brown Sugar , Peanut Butter , Pecan Crunch , and Roasted Almond are positively plant-based. get it here

13  Lay’s Classic Potato Chips

This common party staple’s Classic, Barbecue , Salt & Vinegar , and Lightly Salted Barbecue flavors have no animal-derived ingredients. Sports games and tailgates just got a whole lot simpler. Get it here

14  Smucker’s Uncrustables

You can expect to find these peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in the frozen aisle—the Grape Jelly and Strawberry Jam flavors are vegan. We’re packing them for our next picnic . get it here

15  Haribo Sour S’ghetti Gummi Candy

It’s sometimes a search to find a gummy candy that has no gelatin, so discovering these gelatin-free sour gummies has us jumping for joy. get it here

16  Thomas’ New York Style Bagels

If you’re craving a heartier snack, a bagel topped with vegan cream cheese or vegan butter is sure to satisfy. The Blueberry , Cinnamon Swirl , Everything , and Plain versions are plant-based. get it here

17  Lindt Dark Chocolate

Dark chocolate in 70, 80, 85, and 90 percent cacao varieties is healthy, right? Right!  get it here

18  Clif Bars

A quintessential snack to take for strenuous outdoor activities, every flavor is vegan except for Peanut Butter & Honey with Sea Salt. get it here

19  Nabisco Triscuit Crackers Baked Whole Grain Wheat

We’re seeing a trend—crackers, crackers, and more vegan crackers! We’re diving into Fire Roasted Tomato and Rosemary & Olive Oil Triscuits with hummus and a glass of red wine for a small but titillating treat. get it here

20  Nabisco Grahams Original Crackers

Snack-food giant Nabisco is clearly onto something. Its Ginger Snaps , Oreo Thins , and Saltine Crackers are all also accidentally vegan. Keep ‘em coming! get it here

21  Snyder’s of Hanover Jalapeño Pretzel Pieces

Jalapeño-flavored anything is sure to have us fired up, but jalapeño-flavored pretzels? Next level. Snyder’s Pretzel Sticks in Oat Bran and Pumpernickel & Onion are also vegan-friendly. get it here

22  Sun Chips

Often touted as a healthier chip option, it’s no surprise the Original flavor was also vegan all along. get it here

23  Swedish Fish

Are our eyes deceiving us? Swedish fish?! Yes, please! get it here

24  Nutter Butter Cookies

Shaped like peanuts with the same creamy, peanut butter taste, and accidentally vegan? We’ll take a case. get it here

25  belVita Crunchy Breakfast Biscuits

Ideal for someone on the go, these crunchy biscuits provide lasting energy and come in flavors such as Toasted Coconut and Cinnamon Brown Sugar. get it here

26 Skittles

Taste the rainbow without the need for gelatin (which was removed from the classic candy a decade ago)!  get it here

27 Lenny & Larry’s The Complete Cookie

These giant cookies are the top selling plant-based protein cookies for a reason. Try ‘em in all flavors including Chocolate Chip, Snickerdoodle, and Double Chocolate. get it here

28 Twizzlers

No gelatin here! Enjoy this twisty favorite on your next trip to the movie theater. get it here

29 Wheat Thins

The Original, Multi-Grain, Reduced Fat, Sundried Tomato and Basil, Spicy Buffalo, Sweet Onion, and Zesty Salsa flavors are a go-to, no-egg cracker. get it here

30 Harvest Snaps

This green pea snack’s Lightly Salted, Tomato Basil, Black Pepper, and Organic Sea Salt flavors are all non-dairy. get it here

31 SkinnyPop

Enjoy movie night with the Original, Dairy-Free White Cheddar, Sea Salt & Pepper, and Sweet & Salty Kettle varieties.  get it here

32 Lotus Biscoff Cookies

It’s crunchy, it’s sweet, and it’s a perfect accompaniment to a cup of coffee and a flight !  get it here

33  Pillsbury Crescent Rolls

Buttery and great on its own or in a recipe, you’d be surprised to know these iconic rolls have no dairy butter! get it here

34  SuperPretzel Soft Pretzels

Soft and savory, these easy-to-make warm pretzels taste great with your favorite condiment . get it here

35  Mrs. Freshley’s Oatmeal Cremes

An old-school favorite, these oatmeal crème-filled cookies are indeed accidentally vegan. get it here

36  Chex Mix Traditional

The original Chex Mix is free of animal products, but steer clear of its other flavor varities. get it here

37 Cracker Jack

The Original version of this quintessential ballpark snack is free of caramel and dairy. Now, that’s a home run! get it here

38 Marie Callender’s Pies

Have a little more time before the snack craving hits? Try baking these flaky pies for a dose of nostalgia. Cherry Crunch, Dutch Apple, Lattice Apple, Lattice Peach, Peach, and Razzleberry pie flavors are accidentally vegan. get it here

Note: Ingredients may vary by country. This list is only for products sold in the US.

DON'T MISS OUT : Get breaking news, recipes, and our weekly vegan deal by signing up for our FREE VegNewsletter

For more about vegan snacks, read:

• The Best Vegan Snacks at Trader Joe's 
• 20 Vegan Snacks You Can Get at CVS 
• 20 New Vegan Finds at Target You May Not Know About

JUMP TO ... Latest News | Recipes | Guides | Health | Shop

Aruka Sanchir   (@ ruukes ) is the Senior Digital Editor at VegNews. 

Here at VegNews, we live and breathe the plant-based lifestyle, and only recommend products we feel make our lives amazing. Occasionally, articles may include shopping links where we might earn a small commission, but in no way does this effect the editorial integrity of VegNews.

You Might Also Like

Hot Products

You’d never know these 18 grocery store products are accidentally vegan you’d never know these 18 grocery store products are accidentally vegan.

by Tanya Flink

We Tested 10 Accidentally Vegan Snacks, and There Was One Clear Winner We Tested 10 Accidentally Vegan Snacks, and There Was One Clear Winner

by Jocelyn Martinez

14 Nut-Free Snacks for Kids 14 Nut-Free Snacks for Kids

From Hu Chocolate to Dairy-Free Philadelphia Cream Cheese: The Best Vegan Products from Mondelez International Brands From Hu Chocolate to Dairy-Free Philadelphia Cream Cheese: The Best Vegan Products from Mondelez International Brands

by Charlotte Pointing

23 Accidentally Vegan Cookies 23 Accidentally Vegan Cookies

What’s Vegan at Frito-Lay? The Snack Company Is Full of Tasty Surprises What’s Vegan at Frito-Lay? The Snack Company Is Full of Tasty Surprises

Get the newsletter.

Never miss out on breaking stories, recipes, and deals

Get the Magazine

All things plant‑based, in your mailbox and inbox