Last Updated on March 21, 2023 by Ellen Christian
Check out these road trip food ideas for a few of my favorite road trip snacks. There’s no need to rely on what you can find at the gas station with these ideas!
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Road Trip Food Ideas
This road trip food list has a few of my favorite healthy snacks to bring with you on your next road trip. You won’t need to worry about meals and snacks when planning your ultimate road trip food list.
So, what kind of food should I bring on a road trip? Skip the junk food and fast food and use a few of these ideas instead.
What is the best road trip food?
There are a lot of great road trip foods out there, but the best road trip food is the one that works best for you. If you’re looking for healthy road trip snacks, then this list is a great place to start. If you have specific dietary needs, then be sure to take those into account when planning your road trip food list.
Taking a family road trip has been part of our summer fun for as long as I can remember. It’s important to take along some healthy road trip food so you don’t need to be stuck on a long road trip with no options.
We all know that the food you find in gas stations can be questionable. Just how long has that tuna salad sandwich been in the deli meat case?
Road trip meal planning tips
The best way to avoid eating unhealthy road trip food is to plan ahead. That way, you can pack your own healthy snacks and meals and have them ready to go when you’re feeling hungry.
Remember, it’s almost always cheaper to bring your own food than to buy things on the road. Here are a few tips for planning your road trip food:
- Make a list of the snacks and meals you’ll need for the trip.
- Decide how you’re going to store and keep your food fresh.
- Choose foods that are easy to eat while driving, like granola bars or sandwiches.
- Make a smorgasbord lunch with a variety of different finger foods. Make sure you include delicious salty snacks like Pop Art Popcorn and Stars to accompany your fresh fruit. These delicious snacks have bold, innovative flavors that will add some wow to your lunch. Find them here.
- Pack enough food for everyone in the car, plus a few extra snacks in case of emergencies.
- Avoid packing perishable foods unless you have a cooler.
- Bring along some reusable plates and utensils so you don’t have to rely on paper products.
With a little planning, you can make sure you have healthy road trip food options available no matter where your travels take you.
What type of road trip food should I bring?
1. Easy to eat fruits and vegetables: Road trips can be a great opportunity to load up on easy-to-eat fruits and vegetables. I love bringing carrots, celery, grapes, and apples on road trips. They’re easy to eat while driving and they make great snacks. Try dried fruit too like raisins.
2. Protein bars or shakes: If you’re looking for something a little more substantial, then protein bars or shakes can be a great option. I like to have a few of these on hand in case I get hungry between meals.
3. Snacks that don’t need to be refrigerated: It’s always a good idea to have some snacks that don’t need to be refrigerated. This can be anything from nuts and seeds to granola bars and trail mix.
4. Easy to prepare meals: If you’re looking for road trip food ideas that are a little more substantial, then easy to prepare meals are a great option. I like to bring things like pasta salad, quinoa salad, and wraps on road trips.
5. Sweet treats: Road trips can be a great time to indulge in some sweet treats. I like to bring things like cookies, brownies, and candy on road trips.
Road trip meals
Most of these road trip meals will require refrigeration. Be sure to bring along a cooler full of ice. If you want road trip lunch ideas, you can bring along:
- Pre-made sandwiches: I like to make my sandwiches the night before and then pack them in a cooler. This way, they’re all ready to go when I’m feeling hungry.
- Salad: Salads are another great option for road trip lunches. I like to make a big batch of salad at home and then pack it in a cooler.
- Wraps: Wraps are another great option for road trip lunches. I like to make my wraps the night before and then pack them in a cooler. This way, they’re all ready to go when I’m feeling hungry.
- Hard boiled eggs: This is a great option for road trip snacks. They’re easy to eat while driving and they’re packed with protein.
Best road trip sandwiches
Sandwiches make great road trip meals.
1. The classic PB&J: Peanut butter and jelly is a classic for a reason. Peanut butter sandwiches are easy to make and it’s always a hit with kids.
2. The turkey and cheese sandwich: This is a great option if you’re looking for something a little more substantial. Turkey and cheese sandwiches are easy to make and they’re packed with protein.
3. The veggie wrap: This is a great option if you’re looking for a healthy road trip sandwich. Veggie wraps are easy to make and they’re packed with nutrients.
4. The BLT: Bacon, lettuce, and tomato is a classic sandwich for a reason. It’s easy to make and it’s always a hit with kids.
5 Chicken Salad: Chicken salad is a great option if you’re looking for something a little more substantial. Chicken salads are easy to make and more affordable than deli meats.
For a non sandwich idea, try cold rotisserie chicken and cubes of cheese. If you want something to eat cold, this works quite well.
Road trip breakfast ideas
Breakfast can be as simple as a slice of banana bread or blueberry muffins. If you’re looking for road trip breakfast ideas, then you can bring along:
- Overnight oats: Overnight oats are a great option for road trip breakfasts. They’re easy to make ahead of time and they’re packed with nutrients.
- Yogurt: Yogurt is another great option for road trip breakfasts. It’s easy to eat while driving and it’s packed with protein.
- Fruit: Fruit is a great option for road trip breakfasts. It’s easy to eat while driving and it’s packed with nutrients.
- Cereal: Cereal is a great option for road trip breakfasts. It’s easy to eat while driving and it’s a quick and easy option.
- Cereal bars: Easier than cereal, a cereal bar may be the answer. Kids will enjoy the delicious taste of Dino Bars.
Dino Bars are all-natural fruit bars for kids. They are healthy, yummy, and mess-free. If you want a GMO-free and USDA organic snack for kids, Dino Bars are the answer.
They contain fruits, oats, hemp hearts, and coconut oil. Find them on Amazon.
What food travels well in a cooler?
Here are a few suggestions to add to your road trip food list.
- Hard boiled eggs
- Yogurt
- Fruit
- Salad
- Wraps
- Overnight oats
- Cereal
- Protein bar or shake
- Snacks that don’t need to be refrigerated: nuts, seeds, granola bars, trail mix
- Sweet treats: cookies, brownies, candy if you have a sweet tooth
- Cheese sticks or string cheese
You may want to skip things like deli meats that might not make the road trip as well.
Best road trip snacks
- Fresh fruit
- Fresh veggies
- Celery with cream cheese
- String cheese
- Pumpkin seeds
- Trail mix with dry cereal and dark chocolate chips
- Hard candy like Tamalitoz
Tamalitoz hard candies are ribbon-style candy with a fierce sweet taste that grown-ups will enjoy. These candies are inspired by the sweet tastes of Mexico and are infused with the tastes of chili and sea salt.
They come in five fiery and fierce flavors that are all-natural. Enjoy a bag or two on your road trip today. Find them on Amazon, Michaels, and select Walmarts.
Best road trip drinks
- Coffee
- Tea
- Water
- Lemonade
- Sports drinks
- Upright Oat Milk (shelf-stable)
Upright Instant Oat Milk is an easy way to add non-dairy milk to your road trip. Each bag contains individual serving-sized bags. These are shelf-stable and can be mixed up right in the bag or in a cup.
Just add water and you have a delicious high protein oat beverage in original unsweetened, chocolate, or vanilla. Enjoy a drink with your meal. Or, pour it over dry cereal for breakfast.
Find out more or order on their website.
- KO Matcha
Start your day off right with a hot cup of matcha tea by KO Matcha. This ceremonial grade tea is a wonderful way to start your morning. Find it on Amazon.
Awaken your body, renew your mind, and energize your soul with a hot cup of tea. Find a few quiet moments on your trip to enjoy this ceremonial grade tea. If hot tea is not your style, you can also enjoy this over ice.
Try this delicious green milk tea recipe.
Nonfood essentials for road trips
Of course, there are other non-food items that you’ll want to bring on your road trip. Here are a few road trip essentials:
- Wet wipes to clean hands and faces
- Trash bag for garbage
- Reusable ice packs
- Water bottles
- Lap trays for the kids
What are your favorite road trip food ideas? Save money this year and pack food for your family to enjoy the most epic road trip ever.
I’d love to hear about your favorite road trip food ideas! Leave me a comment below and let me know what your go-to road trip snacks are.
Related Reading
- Keeping safe on the road
- Fear of driving alone
- Natural peanut butter cookies
- How to get your frozen car doors unstuck
Ellen is a busy mom of a 24-year-old son and 29-year-old daughter. She owns six blogs and is addicted to social media. She believes that it doesn’t have to be difficult to lead a healthy life. She shares simple healthy living tips to show busy women how to lead fulfilling lives. If you’d like to work together, email info@confessionsofanover-workedmom.com to chat.
