I’ve been traveling my entire life. For as long as I can remember, I’ve been taking long road trips. By the time I was in high school, I had already taken over 10 cross country road trips.
I moved out West when I was 18, and that was really when my spark for travel was reignited. Not only did I spend a tremendous amount of time traveling, but I actually ended up moving into my van full time for awhile.
“Fast food, gas station food, and unhealthy snacks are the easiest ways to eat while traveling.”
Has anyone heard this said before? This is what I like to refer to as people’s “travel diets.”
When I traveled with my family as a kid, I remember this very well. For days in the car we would only eat junk food or fast food. I can remember my stomach always hurting by the end of the journey!
Over time, I have spent time and energy in learning about and developing my own conscious eating habits. By choice I am vegetarian, and by doctors’ orders I am gluten free. This meant that my “travel diet” had to change.
I had to come up with and find enjoyable healthy road trip snacks.
So what are some of the best road trip snacks for people with restrictive diets? There are obviously many good road trip snacks out there, but I will share some of my favorites! And remember these are tailored to my specific diet, so feel free to make adjustments that fit your lifestyle!
BEST ROAD TRIP SNACKS WHEN YOU ARE VEGETARIAN AND GLUTEN FREE
1. NUTS
Some of my favorites include almonds, cashews, and pecans.
Nuts are loaded with many nutrients, vitamins, and antioxidants. Healthline has a wonderful article that goes over 8 Health Benefits of Nuts.
2. NUT BUTTERS
I personally love peanut butter and almond butter. However there are many different options out there! Cashew butter and sunflower butter are other great alternatives!
Peanut butter specifically is loaded with protein, low in carbs, and high in healthy fats.
3. HUMMUS AND GUACAMOLE
Both of these are great for dipping and very healthy! I usually dip carrots, cut up bell peppers, or potato chips in them. If you are not gluten free, pretzels is another great option!
4. CEREAL
My favorite cereals for good road trip snacks are Cheerios and Honey Bunches of Oats.
They are both healthy, gluten free cereal options! Plus they taste great without milk, in my opinion.
5. STRING CHEESE
Low-fat string cheese is a wonderful source of calcium, protein, fiber, and vitamin C. All nutrients you want to make sure you are consuming while on the road!
6. FRUIT AND DRIED FRUIT
Dried fruit of any sort is definitely easy and healthy, making it one of the best road trip snacks!
However, if you want fresh fruit, there are a few I would recommend over others. You want to find ones that are easy to eat while driving or being in the car.
Grapes, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries are all some of my favorites that don’t have any waste after! I also love having bananas, apples, and pears. Just be aware you will want somewhere to put the waste close by!
7. GRANOLA
Although granola is usually considered a breakfast cereal, I eat granola as a snack throughout the day. There are many different flavors you can get, making It delicious to eat by itself!
Granola is another excellent source of nutrients and protein! Smilizer has a magnificent article talking ahout 15 Fabulous Health Benefits of Granola.
8. PROTEIN BARS
In just one small serving, protein bars give you a large amount of protein, as well as fiber and healthy fats. When I made the switch to gluten free, I had to switch some of my favorite protein bars!
Some great gluten free protein bars are Luna bars, Quest bars, and Kind Protein Bars.
9. VEGGIES
I really love almost every vegetable, but some are easier to eat in the car than others!
Baby carrots, celery, snap peas, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, and cut up bell peppers all make healthy traveling snacks!
10. SALAD
Making a quick salad is one of my favorite in the car meals. Almost every gas station will have pre-packaged salad options for you!
Or a cheaper option is to get salad mix from the grocery store! I usually put salad mix and dressing in a jar or bowl, mix It up, and you can enjoy quickly and easily while traveling!
I hope this helped give you some healthy, easy snack ideas for traveling! What are some of your favorite ‘on the road snacks’. Would love to hear other options for similar and different diets!
