Between health and cost concerns, I’ve always been one to prepare snacks and meals ahead of travel. Taking food with me has become my signature. Food that packs well isn’t just for traveling, I’ve taken healthy travel snacks to music festivals, events where I might get hungry, and hiking. As a gluten-free individual, it’s hard to find food I can eat when I need it, so I always have something with me. Bringing and making your own food while traveling is also a great way to save money when you budget travel.
Gluten-free alternatives linked!!
Healthy Road Tris Snack To Keep Cold
As a kid, the cooler full of food was my favorite part of road trips; my mom would pack snacks and meals easy to eat while driving. The best foods for traveling in a car don’t require utensils or a plate as these things take up valuable space and are hard to clean.
- Fresh vegetables:: snap peas and pre-cut bell peppers
- Fresh fruit:: Oranges and apples
- Hard-Boiled eggs:: pre-peeled
- Kebabs:: remove the stick to have bite-size pieces without the safety hazard of a stick
- Celery and peanut butter packets
- Deli meat with cheese dipped in hummus
- Wraps:: gluten-free tortillas
- Egg salad sandwich:: gluten-free bread
- Mini Babybel Cheese or Mozzarella Cheese Sticks
- Cheese, crackers, and sausage:: an adult Lunchable
- Frittata:: eat it like a pizza and it’s utensil-free!
NONPERISHABLE FOODS FOR TRAVELING?
Airport food is expensive and plane food is even more expensive, so I like to bring my own meals and healthy packaged snacks for international flights. The best travel snacks to take on a long flight are portable and travel well at room temperature. Filling on-the-go meals that don’t need refrigeration or high protein snacks are also great for when you don’t want to interrupt your sightseeing. Local cuisine is great, but sometimes I don’t want to stop what I’m doing to find food.
- Popcorn
- Granola Bars:: RXBars, Larabars, Epic Bars, ProBar
- Protein powder + water
- Fruit and nut trail mix
- Beef jerky
- Roasted chickpeas
- Bare Apple Chips
- Packaged olives
- Apple and peanut butter
- Plantain chips
- Dried mango
- Roasted Edamame
- Peanut butter sandwich:: with gluten-free bread
- Chicken salad sandwich:: with gluten-free bread
- BLT sandwich:: with gluten-free bread
- Eggplant and grilled chickpea wrap:: gluten-free tortillas
- Protein pancakes
- Fig, honey, and sticky rice cakes
Easy Travel Meal Ideas to Prep On Vacation
No one wants to spend their vacation cooking and doing dishes (if you do, contact me – I’ll let you cook and do dishes on vacation with me), but health and budget-conscious travelers may prefer to cook a few simple meals rather than eat out every meal. I like to pack a few nonperishables foods when traveling abroad and pick up fresh ingredients at a local grocery store to make quick no-hassle meals. All of these meals contain minimal ingredients and can be made in a limited kitchen; cook in bulk to make meals even easier the rest of the trip!
- Oatmeal:: regular or instant packets
- Rice & beans
- Eggs
- Fruit, yogurt, and granola
- Breakfast tacos:: gluten-free tortillas
- Fried rice
- Skillet fried potato, sausage, onion
- Beef and broccoli stir fry
- Spaghetti or any pasta with a pre-made sauce:: gluten-free noodles
- Tacos:: gluten-free tortillas
- Simple chili:: ground beef, canned beans, Rotel, chili powder, and other seasonings
- Currywurst:: bratwurst and ketchup mixed with curry powder
- Broccoli, rice, and chicken casserole
Guilty Pleasures
If you’re like me you don’t sleep a wink on planes, so those long international flights are brutal, and snacking is one way to fight off the boredom. I may be health-conscious, but all bets are off when I’m running on no sleep, jet lag, and no coffee. Enjoy these healthier options for satisfying your sweet tooth.
- Dark chocolate.
- Chocolate-covered fruit or nuts.
- Pure Fruit Strips:: They taste like fruit roll-ups, but made with real ingredients
- Super Hero Muffins:: replace raisins with chocolate chips to make it a sweet treat
- BarkThins
- Justin’s Peanut Butter Cups
- Sahale Glazed Nuts
- Oatmeal chocolate chip cookies
