33 Healthy Road Trip Snacks​ to Keep You Fueled Up in 2025

There are a few things every road trip needs: a good soundtrack, a camera to capture memories, a pillow for a good nap and healthy road trip snacks​. But then the question arises: What food to bring on a long road trip? 

Some travelers may make a few snacks at home, while others may load up at the convenience store before getting on the road. However, food rules on vacation, even a road trip, can sometimes get a little tricky and veer towards unhealthy road trip snacks.

Vacations tend to be the time when many put health goals or routines aside and instead indulge a little more. While you don’t have to eat healthy your entire vacation, packing some healthy road trip snacks​ can satisfy your cravings without adding too many calories.

According to dietitian Mia Syn via GoodRx, it’s important to focus on protein and fiber when snacking. Snacks full of fiber can keep you feeling full, give you energy and won’t affect your overall appetite.

Luckily, there are plenty of options that can provide fiber and protein, as well as other essential vitamins. Whether you’re looking for crunchy, sweet or salty, there are healthy road trip snacks​ that’ll be perfect for a long drive.

Jump to Section

• The Best Healthy Road Trip Snacks
• Homemade Road Trip Snacks
• Healthy Road Trip Snacks to Buy
• Non-Refrigerated Healthy Road Trip Snacks
• Healthy Car Snacks for Adults
• Healthy Road Trip Snacks​ FAQs

The Best Healthy Road Trip Snacks

1. Pistachios

What's a healthy road trip snack? Pistachios are a great healthy option because of their fiber, protein and healthy fat content. They can be good if you’re looking for a crunchy option. To keep them healthy, opt for the unsalted options.

2. Fresh Veggies and Dips

Fresh vegetables are one of the best healthy road trip snacks. Simple to make and relatively inexpensive, they’re a great option for any trip. Enjoy sticks of carrots, celery and peppers as well as broccoli, cauliflower and tomatoes. Bring along a low-calorie ranch dip to enjoy with the crisp vegetables.

3. Fresh Fruit

Fresh fruit is one of the best healthy road trip snacks​. Have it either as slices of fruit or as a fruit salad. Fruit is also one of the best foods that boost the immune system because it’s full of antioxidants, especially blueberries, raspberries and strawberries. Apples, pomegranates, oranges and cherries are also high in antioxidants.

4. Apples and Nut Butter

Fresh apples and nut butter is a snack combination from childhood that is also one of the best healthy road trip snacks​. You can dip apple wedges into nutter butter or spread thenutter butter onto apple disks. Plus, you can add dried cranberries or raisins on top.

5. Kale Chips

It’s always a good idea to have healthy road trip snacks that incorporate your greens. Kale chips have plenty of vitamins, calcium, potassium and iron. All their healthy benefits will give you plenty of energy to play all your road trip games.

6. Smoothies

Smoothies are one of the best healthy road trip snacks​ because they’re an easy way to get vitamins and nutrients from a variety of fruits and vegetables. There are tons of combinations, which makes them customizable. You can also add powders for more protein or fiber.

7. Grapes and Mini Cheese Wheels

Mini cheese wheels are a great source of protein. Pair them with grapes and you’ll have a healthy road trip snack. These are great because they’ll help satisfy both sweet and savory cravings. Choose from a variety of cheese flavors to customize to your taste.

Homemade Road Trip Snacks

8. Homemade Muffins

Muffins are one of the best homemade road trip snacks because you can control all the ingredients. You can make your favorite muffin flavors full of fiber, low in sugar and low in calories. It’ll feel like one of the most indulgent healthy road trip snacks​.

9. Trail Mix

Trail mix is another healthy road trip snack easily made at home. Add your choice of seeds, nuts and dried fruit to your taste. You can also add banana chips or chocolate chips for a little bit of sweetness. These are great to give you bursts of energy or to snack on while you hike.

10. Granola

Granola is one of the best healthy road trip snacks​ to make yourself. You can sweeten it with maple syrup or honey and add your choice of oats, nuts and dried fruit. These are especially great if you’re hiking or camping; they’ll give you an extra boost of energy and keep you full.

11. Homemade Chips

It’s not uncommon to want to reach for unhealthy road trip snacks, like potato chips. However, you don’t have to give them up completely. You can make homemade chips by slicing potatoes thinly and baking them with a little bit of olive oil. 

They’re one of the best alternative healthy road trip snacks and will quickly become one of the favorite healthy snacks for kids.

12. Salad in a Jar

You can make salad a to-go snack by preparing it in a jar. Layer all your ingredients–lettuce, spinach, vegetables, croutons, cheese and more–in a mason jar. When you’re ready to eat, add your salad dressing and shake. This is one of the best healthy road trip snacks​ that’s more filling.

13. Roasted Chickpeas

Roasted chickpeas are simple, healthy road trip snacks​ that you can make in just 25 minutes. Plus, you can add your own seasonings like paprika, cayenne pepper or garlic powder to make a flavorful snack. It’ll keep you filled and provide you with great protein and fiber.

14. No-Bake Peanut Butter Protein Bars

An easy recipe that has peanut butter, oats and protein powder, this is one of the best homemade road trip snacks. They’re especially good if you want to give yourself extra energy on a hike or camping. You can also top with chocolate for a little more sweetness

Healthy Road Trip Snacks to Buy

15. Turkey Jerky

Jerky is a classic road trip snack; however, processed meats aren’t always the healthiest. Instead, you can satisfy your jerky craving by swapping in turkey jerky. It’s one of the healthy road trip snacks​ made with lean protein, so it’s a better option than the traditional jerky sticks.

16. Granola Bars

If you’re looking for healthy road trip snacks to buy on the go, grab a granola bar. These are often good sources of fiber and protein while keeping calories low. Be sure to look for granola bars that don’t have added sugar or use honey instead.

17. Pretzels

Pretzels are readily available at most convenience stores or gas stations. An ounce is typically about 100 calories, so it’s a great traditional snack that’s also one of the best healthy road trip snacks​. Opt for unsalted flavors when possible to help keep your sodium levels low.

18. Sunflower and Pumpkin Seeds

Sunflower and pumpkin seeds are great healthy road trip snacks​, often sold on the road for added convenience. Sunflower seeds are a good source of healthy fats, antioxidants, vitamin E and some essential minerals. Pumpkin seeds have similar nutritional value and are good for improving heart health and maintaining blood sugar levels.

19. Chocolate Covered Almonds

Chocolate-covered almonds are one of the best road trip snack ideas for adults, for a little bit of health benefits and a little bit of sweetness. Almonds can help regulate blood sugar and support heart health. Opt for dark chocolate to make this one of the best healthy road trip snacks​.

20. String Cheese

String cheese is great for protein and calcium, which helps support bones and muscles. You can buy packs of string cheese, which will allow you to have the cheese as healthy road trip snacks​ throughout your journey. They also pair with other snacks like vegetables and fruits.

21. Graham Crackers

Graham crackers actually have about 85% of their fats coming from healthy fats, which makes them one of the best healthy road trip snacks to buy. Look for whole grain options that can provide you with fiber. 

While there are healthy road trip snacks​ that are nutritionally better, Graham crackers are good in moderation or for appeasing children.

Non-Refrigerated Healthy Road Trip Snacks

22. Popcorn

If you’re looking for non-refrigerated healthy road trip snacks, pop a lot of popcorn. You can make a large quantity of it and be able to enjoy it for days. Plus, you can add different seasonings or herbs to make unique flavors. It’s one of the healthy road trip snacks​ that every rider will love.

23. Bean Chips

An alternative to potato chips is bean chips. These are one of the best healthy road trip snacks​ if you’re looking for the crunch that chips provide. Black bean chips are a good source of plant-based protein and fiber, offering great nutritional value.

24. Chickpea Puffs

Chickpea puffs are great, healthy road trip snacks​ that can replace cheese puffs. They have high protein and fiber while being low in fat and sodium. They come in a variety of flavors, so every rider will be satisfied with a bag of chickpea puffs.

25. Rice Cakes

Rice cakes are one of the best healthy road trip snacks​ because they’re low in calories but can be really filling. You can eat them on their own or add nut butters, cottage cheese or yogurt on top to add more protein.

26. Cheerio Cereal

Original Cheerios can be one of the best non-refrigerated healthy road trip snacks. This cereal is high in fiber, low in sugar and has essential vitamins and minerals. You can make preportioned bags for healthy road trip snacks​ that’ll appease the whole family, but especially younger children.

27. Dehydrated Fruit

If you’re looking for healthy road trip snacks​ with a little bit of sweetness, consider dehydrated fruits. Snacks like banana chips, apple crisps and dried apricots are great to enjoy on their own or in cereals and yogurts. They’re also great to enjoy alone as a replacement for chips.

Healthy Car Snacks for Adults

28. Veggie Wraps

If you’re looking for more hearty, healthy road trip snacks, make a few vegetable wraps before you set off on your journey. These can include spinach, carrots, avocado, peppers, cucumbers and other vegetables. 

You can also add hummus for creaminess and flavor. Full wraps are great for lunch but if you want to make them more of a snack portion, you can cut them into pinwheels.

29. Edamame

Edamame is one of the best road trip snack ideas for adults. You can purchase large bags of them and steam them before you leave for your trip. 

They’ll provide you with good protein, fiber, folate, copper and vitamin K. You can add a little bit of salt to taste. Be sure to bring a bag for these healthy road trip snacks​ so you can toss out the shells.

30. Tex-Mex Popcorn

Popcorn is one of the best healthy car snacks for adults and one of the best to experiment with seasonings. Use smoked paprika, chili powder and garlic powder to capture the Tex-Mex flavors. Popcorn is one of the best healthy road trip snacks​ because it has about 100 calories per ounce.

31. Chocolate Date Energy Balls

Healthy road trip snacks​ can satisfy your sweet tooth. Chocolate date energy balls use almond butter, cocoa powder and medjool dates for a snack that feels decadent but is still healthy because there’s no added sugar. The protein and healthy fats are great for giving you some energy to keep driving.

32. Yogurt with Fruit

One of the best healthy car snacks for adults is a cup of yogurt with fresh fruit. Slice fruits like peaches, berries and bananas to top your yogurt. Fruits are an easy way to make healthy road trip snacks​ a little sweeter. 

You can also add a bit of granola for crunch. These homemade yogurt parfaits are easy to make and can be a good source of calcium and protein, great for providing energy.

33. Hard Boiled Eggs

Hard-boiled eggs are one of the best sources of protein. You can make a batch of them to serve as a healthy road trip snack. Plus, you can season them in a variety of ways so it won’t feel like you’re eating the same snack twice.

Consider using chives, dill, curry powder, paprika, sriracha or pesto to make delicious bite-sized snacks.

Healthy Road Trip Snacks​ FAQs

What Are the Healthy Snacks for a Long Journey?

When you’re in a car for a long time, you may feel tempted to snack. That’s why it’s always a good idea to have healthy road trip snacks​ on hand. Trail mix, which is a combination of dried fruit, seeds and nuts, is a great option because it can help you maintain energy levels. 

Jerky and hard-boiled eggs are great for protein. Fruits and vegetables, both fresh and dehydrated, are a good source of vitamins and antioxidants.

No matter where your destination is, it’s essential to pack healthy road trip snacks​ for your journey. Many healthy snacks are easy to prepare before you leave and others are readily available to purchase, even at convenience stores and gas stations. 

Eating healthy road trip snacks​ ensures you’re getting healthy protein, fats and vitamins, which can keep your energy up and your calories low. Of course, they’re also yummy ways to keep you satisfied on the open road.

For even more delicious things to try, check out other experiences happening on Classpop!