Best Road Trip Snack Ideas Columbus Day 2018

Rest stop chicken nuggets will only get you so far

By the time you decided to go somewhere for the long weekend, plane ticket prices skyrocketed past cruising altitude and Amtrak was booked solid. So, road trip it is. Ward off the special type of agitation that comes along with being enclosed in small spaces by having these snacks on hand.

Fishpeople Wild Alaskan Salmon Jerky

You probably shouldn't trust a landlocked rest stop with a seafood meal, so when you're jonesing for a piece of fish, this jerky has you covered. Four different flavors, including ancho chili-lime and sweet-smoky BBQ, will bring variety to the long drive ahead of you.

La Colombe Pumpkin Draft Latte

Stay awake at the wheel with this canned version of a PSL—the first of its kind in the U.S. The sugar quotient is turned way down and it has real pumpkin puree, making it the best way to get your inaugural taste of fall.

Verb Energy Bars

If you'd rather take your caffeine in solid form, these bars are the way to go. Each one has as much caffeine as an espresso, but since you can't chew a double shot and it definitely doesn't taste like maple-sweetened blueberries, these have the liquid stuff beat.

Photo: Verb Energy

Crispix Arare

For a craft project that doesn't ask you to break out a glue gun, make your own sweet-salty Japanese treat. It's a DIY snack mix that will satisfy both your hunger and your innate need to feel accomplished.

Superfood Almond Butter

Nut butter is clutch for an instant energy boost, and this won reigns supreme both for its quality taste and space-saving pouch design. Whether or not you take apples, crackers or celery as a vehicle is up to you—there's always the option of squeezing it straight to the face.

Salsa Verde Popcorn

"Superfood" doesn't have to mean "smoothie," especially because "smoothie" always means "speedbump-induced spillage all over your car." This popcorn is turbo-charged with spirulina, chlorella and kale, for when your heart is saying crunchy snacks but your mind is saying salad.

Hu Chocolate

When road rage sets in, there's nothing like chocolate to calm you down. That Range Rover may have passed you on the right, but he doesn't have this stone-ground organic chocolate bar.