17 Best Road Trip Snacks For Spring Break
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After a long, cold winter, we can all finally take comfort in the coming of Spring. For some of us, this time of year means dusting away the cobwebs or planting a garden. For others, it means taking a spring break road trip. When traveling by car, one easy way to save time, money, and hassle is by packing your own snacks. You can take just about any type of food and drink on the road with the help of a decent cooler.
Keep in mind that when going the distance, it may be best to avoid certain foods. Fast food items like greasy burgers and french fries can lead to blood sugar spikes, unwelcome fatigue, stomach upset, and other short-term and long-term health issues (per Medical News Today). Then again, we completely understand how tasty, decadent treats can often enhance the journey by emphasizing that oh-so-glorious vacation freedom, as well as helping to pass the time.
Below, we cover some of our favorite road trip snacks to keep you (and your taste buds) alert, well-nourished, occupied, and more ready than ever to take in all of the sites along the way.
Mush
Although you can enjoy Mush's ready-to-eat overnight oats at any time of day, these handy snacks are especially great for early morning starts. Overnight oats differ from traditional oatmeal in that they are soaked in liquid overnight instead of cooked. This may lead to a more nutrient-dense experience. Made from wholesome clean ingredients like oats, coconut milk, and fruit, Mush products are also dairy-free, gluten-free, and free of any artificial flavors and colorings.
Mush was originally sold at farmers markets in San Diego and is now available across the country in a wide variety of flavors. Some of our favorite flavors include Apple Cinnamon, Coffee, and Peanut Butter Chocolate. Whichever one(s) you choose, be sure to bring along a spoon and store Mush in your car's backseat cooler for the drive. The fresh product requires refrigeration and is meant to be eaten cold.
Almond-quinoa energy bars
While energy bar brands like RX Bars and Keto Krisp can pack a whole lot of nutrition into a convenient little package, you can also make your own snack bars at home. Our recipe for almond-quinoa energy bars calls for healthy whole ingredients like oats, almonds, quinoa, cranberries, and honey. The result is a protein-rich, flavorful snack that can be easily wrapped up and taken on the road.
If you don't have the time or interest in making your own, you may wish to check out our round-up on the best healthy nutrition bars. Additionally, we love most flavors of KIND and LUNA bars –– and your little ones in the back seat may even appreciate some of our top picks for best nutrition bars for kids.
Starbucks Bottled Mocha Frappucino
While driving, you may find yourself in need of a caffeine fix. Instead of scrambling to find the nearest Starbucks, why not take some bottled coffee drinks with you? Starbucks bottled mocha frappuccinos are creamy, chocolatey, and completely delightful –– particularly when you need a quick pick-me-up. Although we think this drink is best served chilled, you do not need to refrigerate unopened bottles for food safety reasons. Also, if you're not into mocha (chocolate), other yummy flavors include Caramel and Coffee.
Plenty of Starbucks competitors have come out with their own lines of bottled (and canned) coffee beverages, including Dunkin' Donuts. For some dairy-free options, check out Califia Farms. The brand offers a range of appealing coffee flavors (Vanilla, Mocha, Salted Caramel) that are made from almond and oat milks.
Grilled almond butter and jelly sandwiches
The reality is that chips, nuts, and pretzels can only take you so far, but a hearty road trip sandwich will allow you to go the full distance. But why settle for a basic PB&J when you can bring along gourmet sandwiches?
One option is to make our grilled almond butter sandwich recipe. It suggests upgrading peanut butter to almond butter, choosing soft white bread, adding apricot jam, and sauteing your sandwich in butter. (This final step may help prevent the jelly from seeping through the bread onto your car's upholstery.) Go ahead and wrap the whole thing in foil to help maintain the warmth and crispy texture, then pack it up with all of your other snacks and goodies.
Other awesome travel sandwiches include sous-vide chicken salad, roasted Caprese, and Italian sub sandwiches. (Just be sure to keep these ones chilled.)
Sensible Portions Veggie Spring Eggs
Sensible Portions provides a fun seasonal snack with Garden Veggie Spring Eggs. Made from potatoes and other vegetables (including spinach and tomato), these health(ier) chips offer only 70 calories per bag, with 30% less fat than other leading brands. Perhaps more importantly, Garden Veggie Spring Eggs manage not to skimp on either flavor or crunch. The end result is a reasonably guilt-free and fully satisfying snack for the road. The only real drawback is that you'll need to pack these chips carefully so they don't get crushed.
Chip-loving travelers could also go with one of our favorite chip brands like Tostitos, Doritos, or Kettle Chips (mmmm ... Honey Dijon!) to munch on in the car. And you dill pickle fans out there may want to be on the lookout for Utz Ripples Fried Dill Pickle Chips, which make a particularly zesty road trip snack.
Fruit salad with whipped cream
While fresh fruits like mandarin oranges, grapes, and apples can absolutely be packed as is into your car, why not make your road trip fruit selections a little more interesting? A seasonal mixed fruit salad is easy enough to make in advance, provides essential nutrition for weary travelers, and can be a real treat while out on the road. Consider including fruits like apples, pears, grapes, oranges, bananas, kiwi, and berries in the mix.
To transform your fruit salad into a sweet dessert, bring along some whipped cream in the cooler. Alternatively (or additionally), you could cut your fruit into wedges or chunks to dunk into a divine Caramel Pecan Cheesecake Fruit Dip. And finally, vegetables (such as baby carrots, celery sticks, and radishes) also make good traveling companions –– especially when paired with creamy hummus or spinach dip. Along with tasting good, fresh fruits and vegetables can help stave off the unpleasant effects of constipation, a common ailment affecting travelers (per Healthline).
Moon Cheese
If you want a little crunch on the road but prefer to skip the chips, Moon Cheese may be a good solution. This unusual cheese snack is flavorful, low-carb, high-protein, gluten-free, and keto-friendly. Plus, it does not require refrigeration. Five classic flavors are available, including Cheddar Believe It, Garlickin' Parmesan, Get Pepper Jacked, Oh My Gouda, and White Chedda Black Peppa. The brand also offers Crunchy Cheese Sticks, Protein Blitz mixes (nuts with crunchy cheese bites), and Crumbles.
Since snack-sized cheese offers a quick and healthy protein punch, it generally makes for a great on-the-go snack. If you bring along a cooler, you could also tuck in some fresh cheeses. We love tearing into a good string cheese, but sharp cheddar and spicy pepper jack cheese sticks also make great traveling companions.
Trader Joe's Peanut Butter Filled Pretzel Nuggets
There's nothing like a little crunch and salt while driving, making pretzels a must-have snack for road trippers. However, not all pretzels are created equal. Trader Joe's Peanut Butter Filled Pretzel Nuggets offer an elevated spin on traditional pretzels by adding creamy peanut butter to the insides of each crunchy, salty nugget. Let's just say that the result is a win-win for all, and that you may want to pick up more than one bag!
If you prefer to buy snack foods in bulk (and considering how addictive these goodies are, this is probably a good idea), both Target and Costco sell large tubs of peanut butter-filled pretzels. For a sweet, chocolatey twist, you may want to try Trader Joe's new almond butter chocolate pretzels. If you like pretzels but want something more savory, go with Snack Factory's delicious Pretzel Crisps. We especially like the Everything flavor.
Chomps meat sticks
Chomps makes 100% grass-fed meat sticks that are packed with both protein and flavor. The brand offers a range of savory flavors made from different cuts of meat. These include Original Beef, Taco Seasoned Beef, Pepperoni Seasoned Turkey, and Salt & Pepper Venison, along with variety packs so that you can try them all. Chomps make great road trip snacks since they are individually packaged and shelf-stable. To prepare for your upcoming drive, remember to pick up your favorite flavors at stores or online.
Of course, you could also make your own beef jerky at home with ingredients like Dr Pepper(!), soy sauce, honey, and seasonings. FYI: Aside from beef, the best cuts of meat for jerky include venison, salmon, and duck. Jerky can also be made from plant-based sources like mushrooms, cauliflower, and eggplant.
Spicy Citrus Popcorn
Let's talk a little more about what a crunchy car ride should look like. In our opinion, it should definitely involve some combination of chips, pretzels, nuts, and crackers –– but don't forget the popcorn. Although you can find plenty of convenient, pre-popped popcorn brands in stores, you can also opt to pop your own at home before leaving town.
Making your own popcorn gives you a lot more flavor options. For one, you can make spicy citrus popcorn, a recipe shared with us by The Lark in Santa Barbara. This popcorn involves using Calabrian chile oil and citrus zest to create a delicious combo that may just keep you busy all the way across the country. In other words, you will probably need to make a double (or triple) batch. To avoid stale leftovers (as well as major car spills), we recommend packing individual portions in Ziploc bags or reusable storage containers.
Bunny Bait Trail Mix from Target
Looking for a spring-themed road trip snack? Get ready for a happy-hoppy sugar rush. Target's Favorite Day brand has just released Bunny Bait Trail Mix –– and we are SO there for it. This limited edition product includes honey-roasted peanuts, white chocolate-covered pretzel balls, M&Ms, confetti cookie pieces, white-chocolate-covered raisins, and marshmallows. (Wowsers!) You can purchase either an 8-ounce bag or a package of 1-ounce snack packs.
Of course, Favorite Day is no stranger to creative trail mixes. In keeping with the springtime theme, you can also find Caramel Bunny Kisses, Carrot Cake, Spring Clover, and Spring Shimmer trail mixes at Target stores. If you'd prefer something with a little less sugar, there are countless other packaged options. You can also make your own trail mix with ingredients like pistachios, unsweetened coconut, walnut halves, and ginger.
Good & Gather Honey Roasted Cashews
Trust us on this one: Good & Gather Honey Roasted Cashews are absolutely delicious. They are crunchy. They are sweet. They are filling. What more can we say? We think that Good & Gather has really hit the nail on the head with this particular product, but the brand also offers a wide variety of savory nut flavors if that's more your bag. These include Dill Pickle Cashews, Raw Mixed Nuts, Everything Seasoned Cashews, and Hickory Smoked Almonds. Oh, and chocoholics really won't want to miss the Dark Chocolate Almonds.
Of course, many other types of nuts, as well as trail mixes, make for excellent road trip snacks. There's just something about passing the miles one nut at a time. Bottom line: Remember to pick up a bag (or two) of your favorite nut variety for the big trip.
Spitz Sunflower Seeds Dill Pickle
As many long-distance drivers will attest, eating sunflower seeds on the road can help keep you awake. But perhaps the best thing about sunflower seeds is that they're actually good for you. Sunflower seeds offer many important nutrients, including Vitamin E and selenium, and may even help prevent chronic disease (per Healthline).
Of all the brands and flavors out there (and there are many!) we especially enjoy Spitz Sunflower Seeds Dill Pickle. This product comes in multiple sizes, so purchase accordingly based on the length of your journey. The dill pickle flavor is trending these days –– particularly among those under 40. This demographic seems to really enjoy bold, bright, tangy flavors. As a result of dill pickle fandom, it is now easy to find the flavor's seeds, chips, nuts, dips, and seasonings everywhere.
Homemade chocolate chip cookies
For that late afternoon driving slump, it may help to eat something comforting –– and nothing says comfort quite like homemade chocolate chip cookies. Typically made from flour, sugar, butter, eggs, vanilla, salt, baking soda, and chocolate chips, this winning combination will quickly fill your house (or car) with a mouth-watering aroma. Of course, we recommend baking plenty of extras so that you don't just eat them all before you leave home.
If you have too much going on before heading out of town and need to cut some corners, you can always use a store-bought refrigerated cookie dough product like Trader Joe's Chunky Chocolate Chip or Nestle Toll House Chocolate Chip. Alternatively, go ahead and grab a package of your favorite packaged chocolate chip cookies. We won't tell.
Rice Krispies treats
When it comes to Rice Krispies treats, it's hard to go wrong. Whether you decide to make the original recipe, try out a fun upgrade, or simply buy them pre-packaged at the store, Rice Krispies treats are a long-standing favorite snack food for kids and adults alike.
To make your own Rice Krispies snacks, all you need to do is melt butter and marshmallows on the stove, stir in some Rice Krispies, and then press the sticky combo into a pan. For a gooier version, consider adding the "secret ingredient" of sweetened condensed milk. You can also jazz up Rice Krispies treats by dipping them into melted chocolate chips and sprinkles. Or, you can even drizzle them with salted caramel. Just be aware: Since these variations can be extra sticky, make sure to pack some wet wipes.
La Croix sparkling water
While out on the road, it is important to maintain proper hydration –– even when you'd rather avoid taking too many pit stops. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention explains that drinking enough water is essential for good health, though daily recommended intake levels can vary based on age, sex, and other factors.
Along with filling up your reusable water bottle, you may want to toss some of your favorite La Croix flavors into the cooler for your trip. Our top picks include Pamplemousse, Hi-Biscus, and Passionfruit, but there are many more flavors to choose from. You do you.
If you're traveling in colder weather, consider packing a thermos of green tea to keep you warm and hydrated. Green tea can help improve your brain health, lose body fat, and even help prevent disease (per Healthline) –– so drink up.
M&M's
If ever there's a time to break out a bag of M&M's, this is it. M&M's make the perfect road trip snack because they are conveniently portable, won't easily melt, and, of course, are incredibly sweet and satisfying. Along with year-round flavors like Milk Chocolate, Peanut, Pretzel, and Peanut Butter, don't miss this year's spring flavors. These include White Chocolate Marshmallow Crispy Treat, White Chocolate Key Lime Pie, and Mystery Mix Eggs. Another new flavor, Caramel Cold Brew, is also quite likely to hit your sweet spot and may even help keep you alert for the drive.
Chocolove, another of our favorite chocolate brands, is also planning to offer some fun spring flavors this year in bite-sized pieces. Look for filled chocolate eggs in Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter, Dark Chocolate Salted Caramel, Milk Chocolate Marshmallow, and Dark Chocolate Almond Butter.