Maybe you’re planning a quick weekend road trip, or maybe you’re venturing back into the world of travel! Wherever this summer takes you, I want to make sure that your snack game is strong so your nutrition and health can still have priority! I’ve rounded up a list of healthy, portable snack options to hold you over until you reach your destination. Here are my top 5 road trip must-haves: Hard-Boiled Eggs With 77 calories and 6 grams of protein per egg, hard-boiled eggs are an easy travel snack you can eat with your bare hands in a pinch. Try sprinkling an umami seasoning, everything bagel salt or another flavored topping for some extra pizazz! Jerky Beef jerky provides protein along with micronutrients, says registered dietitian Kristin Gillespie, M.S., R.D. If you want to keep the sodium lower try a turkey or chicken based jerky, or pack a plant-based option! There are so many varieties to try; this is an easy to eat, easy to pack must have! Protein Bars Protein bars are a quintessential travel snack, but the sugar and artificial flavoring can really kill your clean eating plans. Look for bars that have 6g of sugar or less and an ingredients list that you can actually read! (If you can’t pronounce it, you probably shouldn’t be eating it) Nuts Nuts are a nutrient-dense snack, so pack some before you go! Pistachios are a great option because they can be considered a complete protein, meaning they contain all nine essential amino acids in one little snack! If you like flavored nuts, skip the store-bought version and try making your own! You’ll be able to better control the sodium levels and notice that a sprinkling of seasoning goes a long way. Cheese Sticks Snack cheeses like string cheese and Babybel provide protein and calcium for under 100 calories per serving. These are great to pair with a piece of fruit to offset the sugar content. They are best, however, for short trips - like most perishable foods, you’ll want to eat cheese within two hours of taking it out of the fridge. Taking a quick trip? Cheese sticks are your friend, or pack a cooler with lots of ice to keep these fresh. What one is your fav?!
XO, ALI