Check out this list of 15 of the best healthy snacks for holiday travel! Traveling can be stressful around the holidays, but making sure you have the right snacks packed can save you from temper tantrums {from both kids and adults ?}!
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Thanksgiving is this Thursday, and I still can’t get over how fast this year has been flying by! I mean just a month ago I was saying that I couldn’t believe it was already Halloween, and here we are on the threshold of one of the best holidays.
Deeming it the “eat-all-day-long” holiday and “wear-stretchy-pants-to-a-holiday-and-get-away-with-it” holiday. I think that makes it one of the best holidays. Plus food is what brings everyone together, so that makes it an even better holiday to celebrate.
Because many of you travel for the holidays {I know we do!} I wanted to share some of my favorite {and mainly healthy} snacks that are great for traveling.
Healthy Breakfast Ideas:
Let’s kick things off with breakfast. The most important meal of the day {which you’ve obviously heard way too many times to count}. But it’s so true! Having a good breakfast starts your day off on the right foot, and the rest of your eating habits for the remainder of the day.
Plus eating a healthy breakfast will likely keep you from eating ALL THE FOOD the rest of the day. Just make sure you find your “dessert stomach” at the end of the day for a slice of pie.
Sweet Potato Apple Muffins
So you’ve probably heard me talk about these sweet potato apple muffins multiple times. Mainly because they’re a new obsession of mine. They’re fluffy, moist and low in sugar, which makes for a great way to start off your day. And the biggest bonus? They freeze perfectly! So you can make all of them ahead of time, freeze, and then thaw the night before you travel.
Healthy Waffles
This is another great make-ahead-eat-later breakfast recipe. These waffles are super easy to make and easy to eat in the car. If you really want some syrup to go with them, pack a small container with pure maple syrup and dip your waffle in it. {Obviously you’re not the one driving while dipping and eating this lightly sweet waffle}.
Granola
I LOVE granola as a healthy snack for holiday travel! Crunchy granola clusters are always my favorite, but this soft and chewy peanut butter granola is a must have on my list for traveling. I honestly crave this granola because it’s salty and sweet and packed with peanut butter flavor.
Healthy Road Trip Snacks
Now on to the best part of this post, the snacks! I don’t know about you, but when I was younger and we would travel, I always looked forward to getting something to drink and a snack from the gas station. Normally a pop {soda for non-midwesterners} and a bag of chips was the highlight of traveling for 6 hours.
But now, I bring my own water {and drink sparingly because I think I have the tinniest bladder ever….thanks Mom!} and my own snacks. After finding out how many extra calories I’m consuming eating packaged gas station snacks, I thought it best to bring my own along.
So here are some great healthy snack ideas for your next road trip. I know I’ll be bringing a few of these along as well!
Protein Bites/Energy Bites
Energy bites. Protein bites. Energy balls. Bliss balls. Whatever you want to call them, they sure are delicious. And they make for a quick and easy snack to throw together. Package them up and have a quick and healthy snack to take on the road. They’re so filling, and have just the right amount of sweetness to count as dessert. Check out these trail mix energy bites, or these chunky monkey protein bites {see…different names, because I can never decide what to call them}.
Protein Bars
Sticking with the protein theme, protein bars are one of my favorite healthy snacks to pack for road trips. They normally come in a box of four, but if you’re looking for variety, hit up your local grocery store’s health section for individually packed protein bars. These RX Bars that are pictured were good, but I think Quest bars are some of my favorites. They’re so filling, and come in a variety of fun flavors. Some of my favorites are: blueberry muffin
, s’mores, cookies & cream and chocolate chip cookie dough
.
Fresh Fruit and Veggies
Fruit and veggies are some of the easiest snacks to take along while traveling. Apples and bananas are great options because they already have an outer layer to keep them safe. But it’s just as easy to bag up some blueberries or grapes to take along.
Baby carrots, celery sticks or cucumber slices are all great options to keep travelers from getting too hungry during long car rides. It might be difficult to get kids excited about these snack options, but check out the next snack below and you might be able to turn that frown upside down.
Hummus or Peanut Butter
I really love both of these options for snacks to go with fresh veggies. Peanut butter is a healthy fat that will help keep you full. If you use some of those small containers you bought for syrup for your waffles, use a few to portion out peanut butter.
Hummus is great because it’s full of protein that will also help keep you full for long periods of time. Dipping some carrots or celery into hummus definitely makes those veggies go down easier.
One bonus snack dip option I really love is whole milk Greek yogurt with some dry ranch dressing mixed in. It’s thick, cool and creamy, and the perfect option to get the little ones to munch on more veggies in the car.
Cheese and Crackers
What’s not to love about cheese and crackers? It’s a staple for almost any event. Probably because you can pluck crackers and a tasty cheese off the shelf and still look like you put some effort into your snack. String cheese is a great option because it’s individually wrapped, and makes for great entertainment. Whoever bites their string cheese can just leave now {okay, not really, but WHY would you do that??}.
Make sure to pick crackers that are whole grain and haven’t been fried. This will make for a healthier alternative to the traditional potato chip. I love these Van’s Foods crackers, or Cheez-It whole grain crackers.
Nuts and Popcorn
Both nuts and popcorn make for healthy snack options while on the road. Well, maybe not according to Burken since I seem to always spill popcorn everywhere while traveling.
But both are filling and healthy options. Just make sure to portion out your nuts ahead of time. The calorie count and fat can add up pretty quickly. But I’ve noticed that I really don’t need too many to feel full anyway. So go nuts! {ha…I just had to!}
Turkey Jerky
Jerky is a great alternative to the traditional sausage that you would see with cheese and crackers. It’s still salty and meaty, but has a whole lot less fat. Plus with this resealable pouch, you won’t have to worry about packaging it up later. This teriyaki turkey jerky is one of my favorites!
Cookies
And because no road trip is complete without cookies, I had to add in these little pumpkin spice oatmeal cookies. They’re tiny, low in sugar and gluten free. So pop a few when times get rough in the car to keep your composure. Then zen out because they’re so delicious!
You’ve reached your destination!
Congratulations! You’ve made it through your car, plane or train ride successfully because you were prepared with all of the snacks.
Now it’s time to get through the rest of your holidays with all of your relatives. I know you can do it!
