Best Road Trip Snacks

I’ve spent a lot of time on the road. Between family road trips and the several years I spent touring across the United States as an actor, I’ve definitely put in some miles. And if there’s one thing I know about hitting the open road, it’s that what you’ve got in your ears and have available to eat can totally make or break the long hauls.

I imagine it must have had something to do with not wanting to hear, “are we there yet” a zillion times, but the way I remember things, my parents always wanted to get where we were going as quickly as possible. What that meant to me as a kid was that we had short bathroom breaks, and ideally when we had to get gas. Because of this, snacks were essential.

I don’t remember exactly what we was packed for road trip snacking.  I have vague memories of deviled ham, bear claws, and juice boxes, but that was back in the day when packaged and processed food wasn’t “bad for you” yet. Hey, when you know better, you better. And we know betters.  So as tempting as it may be to reach for the gummy candies or M&Ms because they’re quick and easy, don’t do it. I know you. I know you’d rather have your treats while in your vacation destination, not while in the car. So I compiled a list of a few of the easiest snacks to transport while traveling with bonus suggestions on snacks that are (if it’s even possible) even quicker. 

Veggies

Veggies are my favorite for traveling. They travel well and aren’t super messy. Plus they are the absolute quickest and easiest snack to “make” and pack! Here are some of my favorites:

Baby Carrots, Celery, Snap Peas
These are probably the most travel-friendly veggies you can get. You can get baby carrots and snap peas ready to eat out of the bag, so there’s no prep needed and you can spend more of your time focusing on packing!  These are my go-to veggies since they don’t have to stay super cold and you can eat on their own or with one of the “dippables” below.

Broccoli, Cauliflower
These veggies also travel well and don’t need to be super cold.  However, for some people they can cause digestive issues and, well, gas. Know thyself and thy fellow travels are proceed with caution when it comes to these cruciferous veggies!

Bell Peppers, Cherry Tomatoes
While I love peppers and tomatoes (yes, I know it’s a fruit… but it goes better in this category, so just go with it), they don’t travel quite as well. Peppers, especially cut in slices, need to stay colder otherwise they can get slimy. Tomatoes have a “squish” factor.  If you’ve got a great cooler (for the peppers), and a location where the tomatoes aren’t in danger of squishing into the carpet of your car, I say go for it!

Quick Tip: Buy a veggie tray. If you want a variety of veggies that are pre-cut, pre-cleaned and ready to go you can always buy a veggie tray. Transfer the veggies into smaller containers if necessary to fit into your cooler.

Nuts

Nuts are awesome for snacking. However, if you’re anything like me, it’s really easy to eat waaaaay too many nuts, so this may not be your road trip food, but rather road trip kryptonite. However they travel well, and as long as you can keep your portions under control, are a great option.
Pro tip: if you’re worried about portion control either buy pre-portioned packages, or create your own portioned packs before you go!

Mixed Nuts
I know the salted mixed nuts are delicious and you’re already cringing expecting me to tell you to go with unsalted. Yes, that’s best. However, I’m not going to tell you that your nuts can’t be flavorful. There are several recipes out there for nut mixes if you’re into that sort of thing. Or, keep it simple and mix half salted and half unsalted in a container.

Trail Mix
You can buy trail mix just about everywhere, but a word to the wise- check your ingredients. Preservatives, food colors, and other random “ingredients” can sometimes sneak their way into your trail mix. To avoid that, make your own at home, or find a store with a bulk trail mix area. Also, be aware of who’s going to be eating this trail mix. A few chocolate chips or dipped raisins may be all well and good for the adults, but they can be a mess if one of the kids accidentally drops them on the seat and leaves them (especially in the summer). You’ve been warned.

Dips

Dips may or may not be an option depending on how long the drive is, and who is eating the snacks.  However, I wanted to include a few of my favorites, just in case you want to get fancy, or you need a bit more with your veggies.

Nut butters (Almond butter, peanut butter, etc.)
If there’s one to bring, this is the one. Nut butters travel well, and they aren’t runny which equals less mess potential. Almond (or other) butter is great on celery, apples, or (true confession) on its own.
Quick tip: You can buy small portion controlled packages that make dipping or squeezing onto something super easy.

Hummus, Guacamole
Want to add a little something to those veggies? Hummus and guacamole are two of my favorite ways to add a bit of pizzazz. You can a variety of hummus flavors, and while I personally prefer both my homemade hummus and guac, you can find both of these dips pre-packaged. However, if someone in your car doesn’t do well with beans, you may want to skip the hummus (or at least limit their consumption!).

Fruit

Grapes
So I’ll be honest, fruit just doesn’t road trip as well as other snacks. However, in the world of the fruit, grapes are probably your best road trip bet. Just make sure you get seedless, because you don’t want to have to deal with all the seeds. Bonus points for taking them off the stems as well so you have less mess to deal with in the car.

Apples, Apple slices
Whole apples travel great! In fact, they are my go-to travel fruit. However, if you’re snacking in the car, whole apples may be difficult so you may prefer apple slices. You can buy pre-cut apples slices, or make your own by tossing apple slices in lemon juice to keep from browning.

Bananas, Berries
Bananas are the most fickle of travel companions, but berries can be right up there with them.  Bananas bruise and get mushy when bumped around, and most berries just get smooshed.  Strawberries hold up the best in the berry world when traveling.

Quick Tip: You’ll notice that I did not include a fruit tray here. While Melons, pineapple and the sort of thing you normally find on a fruit tray travel “okay,” they are messier to eat. Not exactly a match made in road-trip heaven.

Roll-ups

Of course, sandwiches are always an option. But, if you’re currently limiting your bread intake (or just want to save your treats for a glass of wine once you’ve reached your destination) roll-ups are a tasty alternative. You can literally just roll some good quality deli meat with some good quality cheese, or you can get as creative as you want.

Meat & Cheese
Plain and simple. Roll a couple of slices of good quality deli meat up with some good quality cheese. Quick, easy, done.

Meat, Cheese and… Pickle, lettuce, nuts
Throw a pickle in the middle of that meat and cheese to feel fancy, or roll the whole thing up in a lettuce wrap. Feel super fancy? Roll some turkey around a bit of goat cheese and walnut pieces. Yum. This snack is your oyster (er… roll up).

So now you know some of my favorite traveling snacks.

You’re set! Time to pack up, get in your car, and go!  And just in case you need something to listen to on that trip check out some of my podcast recommendations!  Audio books are good too!  Or, if you really want to know what music I’m listening to while I drive down the highway in my little red convertible, you can check out some of my Spotify mixes.