There are many reasons to consider packing at least a handful of healthy travel snacks for your next trip. Packing your healthy travel snacks will help you resist the temptation to buy something unhealthy (and frankly, quite expensive) while waiting for your flight at the airport.

Also, it will give you something healthy to munch on if your flight gets delayed or you’re stuck on a long flight. I don’t know about you, but I hate the thought of only having access to stale pretzels to curb my hunger.

And one final but essential reason, packing healthy travel snacks helps you stay committed to your nutritious diet and lifestyle—even while you’re traveling. It’s hard to stay healthy while on the go, but just the small step of bringing along your own nutritious and delicious snacks can make all the difference.

Without further ado, here is a list of my all-time favorite healthy travel snacks! I broke the list down into four separate categories: high-protein snacks, healthy fats, carbohydrate snacks, and fruits & veggies. The right mix of snacks in all four categories will ensure great healthy travel success!

High-Protein Snacks:

Jerky. Mushroom, turkey, bison, salmon, etc. Surprisingly enough, dried meat jerky provides your body with a whopping 13 grams of protein and only one gram of fat. When I was cutting weight and building muscle, jerky was one of the foods my trainer recommended to curb my hunger! Keep in mind; however, dried meat is high in sodium, so watch your intake!

Pistachios. Pistachios are a great healthy travel snack because they’re one of the lowest-in-fat tree nuts, keeping you at just 100 calories per 32 nuts! They are also an excellent source of fiber, potassium, and other essential nutrients.

Mozzarella Sticks (a.k.a. string cheese). These easy to travel with cheese sticks are a great protein-rich snack and usually (depending on the brand) less than 100 calories. For people on keto or low-carb diets, string cheese is perfect for traveling!

Greek Yogurt. One of the BEST things you can consume while traveling is probiotics. We’ll discuss this in an entirely separate blog post. In short- probiotics are a type of gut bacteria that is optimal for digestion while traveling and consuming new, unfamiliar foods. In addition to probiotics, Greek yogurt is high in protein and calcium!

Hard-boiled eggs. Believe it or not, most convenience stores carry ready-to-eat hard-boiled eggs, or you can just hard boil them yourself right before your trip! Because they still have the shell protecting them, hard-boiled eggs are effortless to travel with and a great source of high-quality protein without any unnecessary fat! You’re looking at about 6 grams of protein per egg, with just under 70 calories!

Starkist Tuna Packets. These are a LIFESAVER. Tuna is high in protein (roughly 15-20 grams per packet) and only one gram fat! They come in many delicious flavors as well, so try them all!

Protein Powder. Mix this in water or your favorite drink. I like Vital Protein’s Collagen Powder because it’s tasteless and can mix with anything!

Healthy Fats:

Almonds. Almonds are high in fiber, potassium, protein, and vitamins B & E. they’re also high in a vitamin called biotin, which is proven to improve the health of hair, skin, and nails!

Avocados. The avocado has been dubbed a “superfood” by health gurus, and after learning all the incredible health benefits, it’s clear why. With just one avocado, you’re packing your body with just under 1,000 mg of potassium! Not to mention vitamins A, B, C, D as well as calcium, iron, magnesium, and cobalamin!

Peanut Butter or Almond Butter. To add high-quality fats and protein to a snack, pack a small tub of your favorite peanut butter or almond butter. I like to add it to celery sticks, carrots, apples, or whole-grain crackers for the perfect healthy travel snack!

Trail Mix. Trail mix is quick, easy, and filled with healthy fats and protein. Avoid ones with unnecessary processed carbs like pretzels, chocolate chips, or candy-covered nuts. Instead, try ones with nuts, seeds, legumes, and dried fruits!

Sunflower seeds. Sunflower seeds are easy to travel with and even scientifically known to improve feelings of happiness and mood swings. These seeds contain tryptophan, which helps you process serotonin, a feel-good hormone in the body. On top of that, they’re high in healthy fat, protein, calcium, iron, and magnesium!

Carbohydrate Snacks:

Hippeas Organic Chickpea Puffs. When you have the munchies, try these! They’re baked, not fried, and a good source of protein and fiber!

Whole Grain Cereal. Cereal is easy because they conveniently come in little cups for an excellent healthy travel snack. You’ll, of course, want to read the nutrition labels before purchasing to make sure you’re getting the best whole grains with low sugar, high fiber, and low sodium. Most airlines do not have milk as a beverage option, but it never hurts to ask as some carry it for their coffee and tea beverages. Or you can be like me and eat it dry!

Whole-grain granola bars. Make sure to read labels carefully as some “healthy” granola bars can be misleading with added sugars! I recommend Kind Bars, RXBAR, or Clif Bars as the top healthiest (and most delicious) granola bars!

Dried fruit. Dried fruit is loaded with powerful antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. Just one piece of dried fruit contains about the same amount of nutrients as it’s fresh fruit counterpart but in a much smaller, travel-friendly package! My favorite are dried apricots and BareSnacks Apple Chips.

Popcorn. Light and airy popcorn is the perfect snack to satisfy your munching tendencies while still keeping in line with your health and fitness goals. Just one cup of air-popped popcorn has only 30 calories and also contains many vital vitamins and minerals and is high in fiber. Just make sure you skip the butter and added salt!

Hummus Snack Cups. For a high in fiber and plant-based protein snack, pack a hummus cup. They’re perfect for dipping in whole-grain crackers or your favorite fruit.

Travel Fruits & Veggies:

Baby-Cut Carrots. Super easy to travel with and a good source of vitamins B, C, and K! they’re also an excellent source of fiber, keeping your tummy nice and full on your flight!

Broccoli. Call me a health nut, but raw broccoli is one of my favorite all-time travel snacks! Half a cup of broccoli is only 15 calories. But, in those 15 calories, you’re packing your body with fiber, protein, vitamins A, B, & C, and minerals such as potassium, iron, and magnesium! You can bet money that I’ll be one of those mom’s shouting, “Eat your broccoli kids!”

Bananas. For a quick source of energy, pack a banana! They’re also very high in potassium, as well!

Apples. Pack an apple or two to help control weight, detoxify your liver, and lower bad cholesterol! They’re also high in fiber, potassium, and vitamins B and C!

Celery Sticks. Celery sticks can help keep you feeling full longer. It helps curb cravings by absorbing water into the digestive tract, tricking your body into thinking it’s full. Celery is also high in vitamins A, C, and K!

Mandarin Oranges. Mandarin oranges are great because they’re seedless, SUPER easy to peel, and a tasty treat packed with antioxidants and vitamin C! Consuming foods high in vitamin C is vital while traveling to help prevent you from getting sick!

Berries. Berries are small (making them perfect for traveling with) and loaded with powerful antioxidants, fiber, and vitamins! My personal favorites: strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries…who am I kidding?! I like them all!

See also:

• 9 Ways to Keepin’ it Healthy at the Airport

 

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The Messy Bun Traveler is a travel lifestyle health & wellness blog that provides great advice for staying healthy on the go. If you’d like to receive exclusive info as well as weekly post updates, be sure to subscribe to my newsletter!