simpWherever your summer travels take you, finding healthy snacks for long car rides can be challenging. If you’re planning on spending an extended period in the car, you’ll want to plan for healthy options that will curb hunger without causing a sugar high. Here are some great snack ideas for your summer road trip.

The key to balancing your snack options is not to go for the flour-based processed snacks. These are designed to be appealing, but they boost blood sugar followed by a crash.

Consuming these carb-heavy snacks will make you hungry before you reach the next exit. The key to road-trip satiety is focusing on snacks that offer protein, fat, and fiber.

Nuts & Seeds

Packing various nuts and seeds is a great way to stay full throughout your travels. Almonds, walnuts, and peanuts provide healthy fats, protein, and other essential nutrients.

Sunflower and pumpkin seeds are also excellent sources of protein and fiber. Nuts and seeds are easy to pack in small bags or containers, so they’re perfect on the go.

Trail Mix

Trail mix is an excellent snack for road trips because it’s healthy, easy to pack and eat, and will keep you full on long drives. There are wide varieties of trail mix available in stores—you can get them in bulk or single-serve packages.

I recommend choosing one that has more nuts than dried fruit or chocolate so that it doesn’t encourage overconsumption. You can’t go wrong with creating your own mix. Toss what you like together and enjoy.

Fruits & Vegetables

Fresh fruits like apples, oranges, berries, or grapes are easily transported in a bag or container. Small Clementine oranges (such as Cuties or Halos) are easy to peel and less messy than larger oranges.

Vegetables like carrots or celery sticks can also travel well if sliced into smaller pieces before being packed. Avoid soft or very juicy fruits and vegetables that are more likely to make a mess as you eat them.

Not keen on plain vegetables? You could grab some pre-packaged containers of hummus, guacamole, or Ranch dip to enjoy with your raw veggies.

Hard-Boiled Eggs

Hard-boiled eggs are a great source of protein, that will keep you full and energized on the road. They’re easy to pack and eat – you just need an insulated lunch bag and freezer pack.

Other protein-focused snacks would be individual Greek yogurts, individual nut butter packets, or string cheese.

Protein Bars

Protein bars are another option, but I recommend that you examine the ingredient and nutrient labels. Choose a bar that has less than 6g of sugar, at least 10g of protein, and no Aspartame, Sucralose, Acesulfame Potassium (or Acesulfame K). These are artificial sweeteners that damage gut or brain cells.

If mom wants to plan a moment of chocolate indulgence, choose individually packaged dark chocolate chunks. This helps you control portions, and you can extend the enjoyment by biting off a piece and letting it melt in your mouth. If you want to share the bliss, you could make a batch of Black Bean Brownies and package them in individual servings to share.

Don’t forget to plan how you will package your snacks. Whether you are taking a cooler or insulated bag or not, I recommend that you use disposable, stackable plastic containers.

Fruit, vegetables, nuts, and hard-boiled eggs can be corralled in these without risk of being crushed. When the containers are empty, simply nest them together to save space. Then they are handy to refill for the drive back home. And if they get damaged, it’s not a big loss to toss them.

Summer Travels

Where will your travels take you this summer? My husband and I will be joining over 1000 Mini Coopers for the Mini Takes the States road rally in July. The route will take us from Albuquerque up the west side of the Rockies to Seattle. We will be leaving the pack in Montana to spend time with family and friends.

Eating healthy while on the road doesn’t have to be boring or difficult. With just a little bit of planning ahead of time, you can find snacks that not only taste good but also provide sustenance for long drives this summer. Be sure to pack plenty of water to stay hydrated during your travels. Happy travels!