Bags packed? Check! Car gassed up? Check! How about snacks? What are you going to eat during the trip? You’ll save money if you skip fast food places and costly gas station and convenience store food. The road trip snacks listed here are easy to pack and eat in the car. Packing a variety too, salty, and sweet, will help keep everyone in the car satisfied with what you bring.
Here are some of the best snacks to pack for road trips.
- Gum
- Beef jerky
- Dried fruit
- Hand-held, no-peel fruits such as apples, berries, and grapes
- Pre-popped popcorn
- Pre-made veggie packs, like carrots
- Granola bars or protein bars
- Trail mix
- Nuts
- Fruit snacks
- Crackers and non-greasy chips
- Banana chips
- Peanut butter filled pretzels
- Mini muffins (minus ingredients like chocolate chips that melt)
- Dry cereals
Putting together your own packaged snacks will save you money because it’s much cheaper than buying individual servings of pre-packaged items. Buy single-serving sized zip-top snack bags and fill them with crackers, pretzels, cookies, dry cereal, and other things you like to eat.
Snacks to Avoid
Steer clear of the following risky, messy snacks on your road trip if you want to guarantee an easy ride. If you end up feeling bloated, sluggish, sleepy, or counting the minutes until you get to the nearest rest stop, a long road trip ends up being more of a headache than an exciting journey. Here are a few snacks you shouldn’t take on your road trip.
- Anything sticky like pineapple or lollipops.
- Anything that needs to be kept cold like yogurt or string cheese.
- Things that leave lots of crumbs like chips or cookies.
- Things that melt rapidly like Slurpee’s and ice cream.
- Greasy fast foods: They can make you feel sluggish and bloated.
- Anything that can melt like chocolate: one 10-minute trip to a rest stop will turn your candy bars into a gooey river of chocolate, especially if you live in Arizona.
- Soft drinks and coffee: Consuming massive amounts of caffeine will increase the need to find a bathroom urgently.
- Snacks that are high in sugar: Eating candy can give you a shot of energy, but you could face a sugar crash and discomfort later. This is especially the case with children – something you don’t want to deal with on the road.
Bonus tip: Never forget your water!
Other Things to Consider
Make it Healthy
The healthier you and the family eat, the more you’ll all enjoy your road trip. By giving your body the nutrients it needs, you’ll have the energy and physical comfort you need to enjoy your road trip to the fullest.
Keep Hand Wipes and Trash Bags within Easy Reach
Give everybody in the car their own hand wipes and trash bags. This will help keep your car clean and sticky finger residue-free during the trip.
Snack Management
If you do plan on eating fast food once in a while, consider picking up some plastic caddies or bins to hold the “to go” meals you order. It will keep things orderly and avoid piles of bags beneath your seats.
Keep it Cold
Consider purchasing and bringing an electric cooler along for the ride on summer vacations. Not only do they keep your drinks cold, some even keep temperatures at a below-freezing level. This would be handy if you want a take popsicles, ice, chocolate, or cold beverages with you.
Make Sure Your Vehicle is in Tip-Top Shape
Even if you are good about having regular maintenance performed on your vehicle (oil changes, etc.), do yourself a favor and have it checked out before you hit the road. Help prevent potential problems that could ruin your trip with a comprehensive vehicle inspection from Hi-Tech Auto Care.
