A family indulges in their healthy roadtrip snacks during a break from driving.

Healthy Roadtrip Snacks for Your Next Family Vacation

Healthy Roadtrip Snacks for Your Next Family Vacation

Healthy roadtrip snacks strike some as an oxymoron, but the world of snacking has opened up to what real people want and need. Snacking does not have to mean junk, and in fact several brands make a point of putting out treats that are some combination of low fat, low salt, all-natural, and sugar free. For the best roadtrip experience we recommend a few dry goods and cooler fare options below. Here are seven healthy roadtrip snacks that travel very well.

Pickles, dill or sweet

Pickles in a bowl serve as one of many healthy roadtrip snacks.

Pickles were once cucumbers, a delicious and hydrating vegetable. They are preserved in brine and some combination of spices. These days, you can find chilled pickles at some convenience stores, so they are as popular as ever. Use dill if you like them and/or want to avoid sugar, but sweet pickles are delicious as a substitute for sugary treats. Once the jar is open, this healthy roadtrip snack should be tossed in the cooler.

Nuts

Peanuts surrounding a peanut butter jar make a healthy roadtrip snack.

Any nut will do, because they are all extremely healthy. Studies show those who eat nuts regularly live longer, period. We love macadamias and pistachios as fancier options, but almonds and cashews are well-loved and mild.

Hard-boiled eggs

A person peels a hard-boiled egg.

Need protein? Eggs are a great source, and they are also easy to eat because they come in packages in bulk, and require very little in terms of utensils. Kids generally go for eggs, and they can double as breakfast or lunch. Boil a dozen or half dozen and store in plastic egg containers in your IceMule Pro cooler – they last up to a week.

Dried fruit

A person eats oatmeal with dried fruit and a cup of tea for their breakfast.

As a blood sugar booster, dried fruit is a superhero. It is easy to transport, lightweight, tastes great and it’s only downside is the tendency to eat too much of it. Try out a few new fruits, like dried apples, peaches or figs, and even try adding them to your morning oatmeal. Avoid sulfites (the thing that makes apricots bright orange) as many people have allergies and go with the homely, browner looking options.

Sliced carrots & ranch

Organic carrots in rich colors recently uprooted from a garden.

Carrots are great, healthy and a vibrant orange but they can be boring. With such an amazing nutritional profile, why not gussy them up a bit and enjoy. The make great dippers in ranch dressing, so bring a few packages of pre-cut mini-carrots and some ranch dressing packets and you are ready for the road.

Orange juiceA kid drinks fresh orange juice out of a mason jar.

It’s a juice, but it’s one snack that is better than most juices. The reason? It’s high in potassium and helps stabilize blood sugar. It also mixes well with soda water to cut down on sugar and it’s much cheaper to bring your own! Obviously, this will take up some of your cooler real estate, but with 40L of space in your Pro XX-Large cooler, there'll be plenty of room for a large bottle of OJ and the rest of your healthy roadtrip snacks.

Homemade trail mix

A hiker holds out a handful of homemade trail mix.

Combine dried coconut, raisins, your favorite salted nut, and a little chocolate and voila! You have a trail mix that includes protein, carbs, fat, sweet and salt. We recommend individual bags so fights don’t’ break out. For chocolate, M&Ms and chocolate kisses work well. If you want to ratchet up the sweetness, a second dried fruit like banana chips or dried pineapple will do the trick.

Looking for more roadtrip recipes? Check out some of our favorite energy bar recipes, a perfect way to supplement your awesome roadtrip snacks.

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