8 Quick & Healthy Road Trip Snacks

Growing up as one of four kids, it's no surprise that I didn't hop on my first plane until I was 17. My family would take a few road trips per year and my favorite part was getting to go into the store and pick my own special snack for the drive. We'd load up with beef jerky, Twinkies, Twizzlers, ham sandwiches and CapriSuns and before we left the state most of our snacks would have already been consumed. Looking back, maybe not the best possible snack choices. I've compiled 10 easy-to-pack snack ideas below that are healthy and keep well for a long drive.

1. Grapes

I love grapes as a road trip snack because they are easy to pack and way less sticky than most other fruits, making them a great option for families traveling with small kids or travelers who don't like to stop often. Additionally, they don't need to be kept cold and hold up well for long periods of time.

2. Good Thins

Good Thins are a super versatile snack option that can be eaten with lots of other things like cheese, dips, or spreads, but hold up on their own as a tasty snack. Good Thins contain about half the calories of traditional chips and are made with natural ingredients, with rice as one of the main components. I prefer the traditional sea salt flavor, but they offer lots of different options to try!

3. Freeze-Dried Fruits

These are shelf-stable and still offer many of the nutrients found in fresh fruits. I like the Trader Joe's varieties because they don't have any additional preservatives or sugars. Trader Joe's offers popular fruits like strawberry, banana, mango, and pineapple, among others. These are also a great snack to pack for avid hikers since they're easy to reseal and store and contain some sugar content in the event of an emergency.

4. Carrots or Celery & Ranch

Okay, I know what you're thinking, ranch dressing is not a healthy food and I would say that you're probably right, but it's a way to pair a negative calorie food with a dip I love (for me, ranch). Carrots and celery are foods that burn more calories than they contain in the digestive process and for that reason, I find this to be a moderately healthy snack that I actually enjoy. While ranch doesn't offer too many health benefits, carrots and celery are dense in nutrients. This snack should be kept cold, so it probably isn't the best thing to bring along without a cooler on your trip.

5. Cheese Cubes

Another great choice as long as you have a cooler handy, especially if you've planned to pack the grapes as well. While most cheeses are high in saturated fat, they do contain a hefty amount of protein, which is why I usually opt to bring some cheese along for long drives to help keep a little fuller in between stopping for meals. My favorite versatile cheese to bring along is Havarti, but the pre-cubed Cheddar and Colby Jack varieties are even easier with no prep required.

6. Skinny Pop

For all the crunchy snack lovers out there, I pack Skinny Pop popcorn as a calorie-conscious road trip option because it includes the salt and crunch that I love about potato chips but has a lot less calories per serving, with bigger serving sizes. This snack doesn't offer much by way of nutrients or protein, but makes a great substitute for packing a bag of potato chips if you already planned on bringing chips anyway. This snack is one that is shelf-stable but can be a little messy. I love the traditional butter flavor, but enjoy the white cheddar flavor as well. While you can always just throw a bag in the car, I recommend portioning this snack out beforehand since the serving sizes are in cups, and I couldn't tell you what a cup of popped popcorn is if I tried. Pre-portioning this snack ensures that we stick to the calories we think we're eating and also makes it much easier to share with kids along the way.

7. Nuts

Obviously unsalted nuts are the healthier option here, but I commend whoever can eat plain nuts as a standalone snack and enjoy it, so I tend to just go ahead and pick some salted or honey-roasted cashews. This road trip snack is another good source of protein and also works well in a trail mix with the freeze-dried fruits mentioned earlier.

8. Veggie Chips

Though these aren't as calorie conscious as some of the other options on this list, I like this snack because it's easy to portion and pack. Veggie Chips have a bit more sodium than some of the other road trip snacks on this list but do offer a significant content of vitamins C and B6. I like these as a potato chip replacement that still have great flavor!

I hope this list has given you some ideas for your next road trip or cross-country drive! While I love these snacks as healthy options, I usually end up sneaking in a pack of Twinkies too - YOLO right?? What are your go-to road trip snacks not listed here? Let me know in the comments section below!