My Go-To Travel Snacks

If there’s one thing I’ve gotten down pat while traveling, it’s prepping my food for when I’m on the go. Flying from Hawaii often means long flights, connecting flights with short layovers and flying at weird times. On top of all this, my dietary needs don’t always align with what airports offer. Plus – eating in an airport is EXPENSIVE and if you are flying in at something crazy like 3AM, nothing will be open! All of this means that I need to be prepared with food of my own. A little prep work before your trip pays off BIG TIME! Let’s chat about my my go-to travel snacks…

I know myself and I know that I’m going to crave three main food groups – savory, sweet and salty, so I make sure I have a little something of each when I pack my carry on bag. I also like to make sure that I have something that is full of protein so I’m not reaching for another snack in 20 minutes.

Let’s start with RX Bars. Touted as the no-bullshit bar (seriously – the bottom of their packaging says “No B.S.”), RX Bars are whole food protein bars packed with 12g of egg white protein and come in a variety of flavors. They’re gluten free and have no added sugar which is probably the best part considering most bars have that plus other things I can’t pronounce. My favorite flavors are Chocolate Sea Salt and Peanut Butter, but I will warn all you Whole30-ers that the Peanut Butter flavor is the only RX Bar that is not Whole30 compliant. I also love that they taste like real food and don’t leave a weird protein-y flavor in your mouth as an aftertaste. 10/10 recommend!

Next up is my traveling guilty pleasure – licorice. I can’t buy it when I’m at home, because it will be devoured in SECONDS, but when I’m traveling it’s a treat for me. Any kind will do, but my favorite is Darrell Lea Soft Eating Liquorice. It’s an Australian brand that has been around since 1927, but made its way to the U.S. and can be found at Target or Whole Foods (or if you’re on the mainland try World Market or Kroger!) or on Amazon. It’s still made Down Under and I’m not sure what magic they have over there, but holy cow – it’s so soft and packed with flavor. If you’ve never had Aussie liquorice (see – they even spell it fancy) you are really missing out! My favorite flavor is strawberry (and I don’t share), so I always pick up the mango flavor for Dane.

Another snack I like to have on hand is dried coconut. Not flakes, but the bigger chunks that have been dried and are often found in the “health food aisle” at normal grocery stores, or in the “Hawaii food aisle” if you live here in Hawaii, or, of course, on Amazon. I discovered these about two years ago when a woman who was traveling next to me pulled them out of her bag. I always knew coconut came in more than just flakes (duh), but I never really thought about it as anything other than a pantry staple. I like the natural taste of coconut without added flavoring and sugar, but it comes both ways so just be sure to look at the label 🙂

And finally, granola or nuts. We are big fans of homemade granola protein balls or bites, but sometimes when you’re prepping for a trip there’s no time for getting in your kitchen and whipping something up, am I right? I don’t typically reach for store bought granola bars unless I take a close look at the label, so reaching for a jar of nuts and throwing it in my bag is usually what I do. That said, these Setton Farms Pistachio + Blueberry Infused Cranberry and Coconut Chewy Bites are like two of my favorite things rolled into one. They’re pistachio based (no granola), but made into bar form and are dairy, gluten + GMO free, vegan and have zero trans fat. I like that you get a lot in each bag and they’re all individually wrapped. But I’ll be straight with all of you – they’re also really high in dietary fiber and if you travel frequently, you know that it often messes with your regularity. I don’t need to go on here, but just trust me on this one. Plus, they are really good!

On top of these snacks, I also carry my Hydro Flask with me everywhere. You’ve heard me talk about it before I’m sure, but if you haven’t – listen up! Hydro Flasks are insulated stainless steel water bottles that are leak proof and come in a variety of sizes. If I’m flying, I empty it out prior to going through security and fill it up with ice and water once I’m through security. You’re supposed to drink 8 ounces of water for every hour you’re flying. For me, that’s usually a minimum of 6 hours, so I like to be prepared and not have to hassle the flight attendants for water nonstop. Also – bottled water in the airport is EXPENSIVE! So be prepared, people 🙂

For my fellow travelers, what are you go-to snacks?

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