How many French fries and potato chips are underneath your driver’s seat right now? If you’re anything like me, the answer is “a lot!” I know I’ve dropped many a potato chip or Cheeto on the floor while driving.
These quick and “easy” snacks might seem like they’re made for long road trips, but they’re messy, greasy, and although definitely tasty, they’re not the healthiest option. On your next adventure, perhaps try one of these snack alternatives. Not only are they healthy and tasty, but they’re also road trip-tough and easy to store in even the smallest tow rigs or camper vans—no fridge or freezer required!
1. Oranges
Fruit-lovers always have a hard time on the road. Bananas are easily squished, and smashing a small berry into your floormats is never a fun stain to get out.
However, there is one fruit that’s almost designed for road trips: the simple orange. It’s small, tasty, and the hard peel is definitely road-tough. You can beat them around all over the place, and they won’t bruise, break, or leak. Plus, they’re a great source of vitamin C!
As an added bonus, once you peel the skin off, they fill the vehicle with a delicious, sweet aroma. It’s perfect for those coming back from a nice sweaty hike (or those who travel with campers who follow the one shower per week rule…).
The only downside to oranges is that you do have to peel them, which takes some coordination. If you’re the driver, get someone else to peel it for you. Don’t peel and drive!
2. Protein bars
The hiker’s dream snack. Protein bars are super durable and stay fresh for a long time. You can forget one in your fanny pack over the winter off-season, and it’ll be right there waiting for that first spring hike, all wrapped up and ready to go!
Because they’re packed full of protein, they’re perfect for active campers. They’ll fuel any hike, bike, or kayak adventure you can get into. They’re also easy to eat one-handed, which is perfect for the driver looking to refuel without stopping.
3. Carrots
Like oranges, carrots are tough and can handle just about any road conditions.
Baby carrots are bite-sized, which is perfect for drivers snacking on the go. You can even get full-sized carrots and eat them like Bugs Bunny! Either way, they’re easy to eat one-handed, and they’re virtually mess-free.
While you might not get that air freshener effect you get with oranges, carrots don’t have juice, which definitely helps with the cleanup effort. Aka, they’re kid-friendly!
Add a dip like hummus for an extra blast of flavor—as long as you’re not the driver, that is.
4. Nuts, trail mix, and seeds
Nuts, trail mix, and/or seeds are also packed full of nutrients, just like protein bars. They’re just a bit more finger-friendly.
Most trail mixes come in hard plastic containers, which makes them great for road-tripping. Some even fit in your vehicle’s cupholder for an easy-to-grab option for drivers.
The only downside to nuts, trail mix, or seeds is that they do tend to get lost under seats. Not every sunflower seed from that massive handful ends up in your mouth…
5. Dried fruit
If you love fruit but can’t stand the bruises and cuts they get during a rough road trip, dried fruit is a great alternative. It doesn’t need refrigeration and can handle getting banged around during the packing process.
You can find dried fruit in either bags or plastic containers. Either way, they’re typically small and easy to pack in even the smallest rigs.
When looking for dried fruit, just make sure to watch for added sugars or syrups. It might make the fruit taste extra delicious, but it’s also extra bad for your waistline (just like most delicious things in life…).
6. Rice cakes
Popcorn was always one of my go-to snacks on road trips, but I find it nearly impossible to hit my mouth with every handful. It seems like there’s more on the floor of the truck than in my belly by the end of the trip.
If you’re looking for a similar texture and flavor(ish) of popcorn but don’t want the mess, try out rice cakes. They’re healthy, tasty (if they’re seasoned right), and easy to eat. You won’t have to worry about breaking out the vacuum every time you get home from a trip, like you do with popcorn.
7. Beef jerky
There’s no more iconic road trip snack than beef jerky. There’s a reason there are about fifteen-thousand flavors at every gas station, rest area, and truck stop!
Beef jerky is super tasty, durable, and easy to eat on the road. If you’re looking for a one-handed snack, grab a jerky stick. If you’re more of a handful eater, bagged jerky is great, too! Just watch out for those little silicon packs…
For healthy eaters out there, beef jerky is packed full of protein. Just watch the sodium intake.
8. Apples
Apples are another portable, healthy, road-friendly snack. Pack them whole or cut them into slices for a quick on-the-go sweet treat. They aren’t quite as durable as some of the other snacks, but a bruise here and there never hurt anyone.
Where apples really shine is the juice content. When you eat other fruit like oranges or peaches, you really have to make sure there’s a napkin (or seven) nearby to clean up all that juice. While apples are just as sweet and tasty as their other fruity counterparts, they won’t leave a sticky trail running down your chin that you have to clean up on the road.
9. Dark chocolate
Who doesn’t get a sweet tooth every now and then? When that hankering for something savory hits, go for a piece (or two) of dark chocolate. It might not be as sweet as milk chocolate, but it’s much healthier and still pretty delicious!
Dark chocolate is an ideal road snack because it comes in little, bite-sized pieces. Not only does it satisfy your sweet cravings, but it’s also portable and prevents you from eating too much!
We always have a few pieces of either Dove Dark or Hershey’s Special Dark in the camper—you know, just in case.
10. String cheese
String cheese is another snack that doesn’t take up much space, can handle the bumps and bruises of road travel, and if I might say so, is quite delicious. You don’t have to be in middle school to enjoy a piece of string cheese!
Cheese packs plenty of nutrients to fuel active campers. Plus, it’ll fill you up, so you don’t keep eyeing up the other snacks in the car while you’re traveling. There’s nothing worse than getting a neck cramp because you whipped your head around to stare at that McDonald’s you just drove past.
Officially, string cheese is supposed to be refrigerated, but it’ll be fine for a few hours in the car if you stuff it into your snack bag or console. Just make sure you don’t leave it in the heat for too long.
Fuel Up and Travel On
Road trips don’t have to mean greasy fast food and messy chips. There are plenty of portable and nutritious goodies you can throw in the car to satiate even the most snack-obsessed travelers. No matter where the road takes you or how far it is to the next campsite, fuel up and travel on!