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Having the right snacks is one of the most essential parts of any road trip and planning ahead becomes even more important when having braces. For most, travel is almost inevitable during the holiday season. With so much to celebrate, remember to think ahead for snacks that are braces-friendly.

As tempting as it is to reach for your favorite chocolate caramel candy bar, this could have some immediate consequences! The wrong snack choice can damage your wire or bracket, extending the treatment time. Here are a few ideas to get you started when planning for your next family road trip.

Braces Friendly Road Trip Snacks | Do’s!

  • Hard-boiled eggs
  • Pretzels- extra thin !
  • Apple sauce
  • Goldfish crackers
  • String cheese
  • Mandarin slices

Snacks to Avoid | Don’ts!

  • Popcorn ( Puffcorn is a better alternative-no kernels!)
  • Sunflower seeds
  • Fruit snacks
  • Hard raw vegetables, such as carrots & celery

When it comes to protecting your braces, remember to avoid road trip snacks that are hard, sticky, or chewy. At Cardinal Orthodontics , we want you to have a fun holiday season without having to make extra trips to see the orthodontist! If you have any questions regarding an orthodontic emergency, give our office a call at 314-962-6242 or visit our blog to learn all about orthodontic emergencies!

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road trip snacks for braces

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24 Delicious Braces-Friendly Snacks | Ultimate Food List

Dr. Sam F. Lowe

What are good snacks for people with braces?

What should you not eat when having braces.

If you’re looking for some braces-friendly snacks to keep your smile healthy and shining, look no further than this list of 24 delicious options. From fruits and veggies to yogurt and granola, there’s something on this list for everyone, not just for kids. And with tips for choosing the right snacks, you’ll be sure to find something that fits your orthodontic needs. So indulge in some snack time – your teeth will thank you!

People with braces may change their diet slightly to accommodate their new hardware. Specific soft snacks may be more challenging to eat or chew with braces, so it’s essential to know which snacks are good options.

This type of brace is less noticeable than metal braces, and some people find them more comfortable since they don’t have the sharp edges that metal braces have.

24 recommended snacks for people with braces include:

1) Soft Fruits

road trip snacks for braces

2) French Fries

French Fries are a good source of carbohydrates and nutrients like vitamin B6 and iron. They’re also relatively easy to eat with braces, making them a perfect snack choice. Just be sure to choose fries that aren’t too hard or crunchy, as this may damage your braces.

road trip snacks for braces

Yogurt is an excellent source of protein and calcium, two critical nutrients for strong teeth and bones. It’s also relatively easy to eat with braces, making it a perfect snack choice. Be sure to choose yogurt that doesn’t have too much sugar added.

4) Soft Granola without seeds and nuts

Granola is another good option for people with braces. It’s packed with nutrients like fiber and protein, and it’s easy to eat because it doesn’t require a lot of chewing. Just be sure to choose granola that doesn’t have too many sweeteners or added sugars.

Dairy products like milk, cheese, and cottage cheese are all excellent sources of calcium, which is essential for strong teeth and bones. They’re also relatively easy to eat with braces, making them great snacks.

road trip snacks for braces

Pudding is an excellent option for people with braces because it’s soft and easy to eat. It’s also a good calcium source, vital for strong teeth and bones. Just be sure to choose a pudding that doesn’t add too much sugar.

7) Sweet Pastry

The pastry is a good source of carbohydrates and nutrients like vitamin B6 and iron. It’s also relatively easy to eat with braces, making it a perfect snack choice. Just be sure to choose a pastry that doesn’t add too much sugar.

8) Smoothies

Smoothies are a great way to get all the benefits of fruits and vegetables without chewing them. They’re also packed with nutrients like vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Just be sure to choose a smoothie that doesn’t add too much sugar.

road trip snacks for braces

Hummus is an excellent source of protein and fiber, two essential nutrients for good overall health. It’s also relatively easy to eat with braces, making it a perfect snack choice.

10) Pancakes

Pancakes are a good source of carbohydrates and nutrients like vitamin B6 and iron. They’re also relatively easy to eat with braces, making them a perfect breakfast choice. Just be sure to choose pancakes that don’t have too much.

11) Soft Chips

Chips are a good source of carbohydrates and nutrients like vitamin B6 and iron. They’re also relatively easy to eat with braces, making them a perfect snack choice. Just be sure to choose chips that aren’t too hard or crunchy, as this may damage your braces. Check out this article to find a list of chips that are braces-friendly.

road trip snacks for braces

Corn is a good source of fiber and antioxidants. It’s also relatively easy to eat with braces, making it a perfect snack choice. Just be sure to choose corn that isn’t too hard or crunchy, as this may damage your braces.

13) Oatmeal

Oatmeal is an excellent source of fiber and nutrients like zinc and iron. It’s also relatively easy to eat with braces, making it a perfect snack choice. Just be sure to choose oatmeal that doesn’t add too much sugar.

14) Popcorn

road trip snacks for braces

Popcorn is a good source of fiber and antioxidants. It’s also relatively easy to eat with braces, making it a perfect snack choice. Just be sure to choose popcorn that isn’t too hard or crunchy, as this may damage your braces.

15) Rice cakes

Rice cakes are a good source of carbohydrates and nutrients like vitamin B6 and iron. It’s also relatively easy to eat with braces, making it a perfect snack choice. Just be sure to choose rice cakes that aren’t too hard or crunchy, as this may damage your braces.

Quinoa is a good source of protein, fiber, and nutrients like magnesium and zinc. It’s also relatively easy to eat with braces, making it a perfect snack choice. Just be sure to choose quinoa that isn’t too hard or crunchy, as this may damage your braces.

Pasta is a good source of carbohydrates and nutrients like iron and calcium. It’s also relatively easy to eat with braces, making it a perfect snack choice. Just be sure to choose pasta that isn’t too hard or crunchy, as this may damage your braces.

18) Soft crackers

Crackers are a good source of carbohydrates and nutrients like vitamin B6 and iron. They’re also relatively easy to eat with braces, making them a perfect snack choice. Just be sure to choose crackers that aren’t too hard or crunchy, as this may damage your braces.

19) Soft Cereal

Cereal is a good source of carbohydrates and nutrients like vitamin B6 and iron. It’s also relatively easy to eat with braces, making it a perfect breakfast choice. Just be sure to choose a cereal that isn’t too hard or crunchy, as this may damage your braces.

road trip snacks for braces

20) Milkshakes

Milkshakes are a great way to get all the benefits of milk without drinking it. They’re also packed with nutrients like calcium, protein, and vitamins A and D. be sure to choose a milkshake that doesn’t add too much sugar.

Soup is another excellent option for people with braces. It’s usually relatively easy to eat and can provide essential nutrients like vitamins and minerals. Just be sure to choose a soup that isn’t too thick or chunky, as this may be more difficult to eat with braces.

22) Applesauce

Applesauce is a good source of fiber and nutrients like vitamin C and potassium. It’s also relatively easy to eat with braces, making it a perfect snack choice. Just be sure to choose applesauce that doesn’t add too much sugar.

23) Ice Cream

road trip snacks for braces

Ice cream is a good source of carbohydrates and nutrients like calcium and protein. It’s also relatively easy to eat with braces, making it a perfect treatment choice. Just be sure to choose an ice cream that doesn’t add too much sugar.

24) Vegetables

Many vegetables are also good choices for people with braces. While some may be a bit more challenging to chew, they offer the same benefits as fruits in terms of nutrition. Try softer cooked veggies like carrots, zucchini, and squash, or go for raw options like celery and cucumbers.

If you’re looking for something more filling, try peanut butter and jelly sandwiches or trail mix. Both options provide plenty of protein and fiber to help keep you satisfied. Just be sure to avoid any sticky or crunchy snacks, as they can be challenging to eat with braces.

Ultimately, listening to your body and paying attention to how your braces make certain foods feel is essential. If something doesn’t feel right, stop eating it and try something else instead. With some experimentation, you’ll figure out which snacks work best for you and your braces.

You will want to avoid certain foods while you have braces. Hard and crunchy foods can damage your braces, so avoid tortilla chips, Cheetos, pretzels, and popcorn. Sticky and chewy foods can also be a problem, so steer clear of gum, gummy bears, and Skittles. Lastly, sugary foods can cause cavities, so avoid candy and soda while you have braces.

Ask your orthodontist if you have any questions about what foods to avoid with braces. They will be able to give you a complete list of foods to prevent and help you make sure that you are taking care of your braces.

Are there healthy foods to avoid during braces?

Yes, there are healthy foods to avoid during braces. The main reason to avoid healthy foods is that they can damage your braces. For example, hard fruits and vegetables can break brackets or wires. So, while you may want to eat an apple a day to keep the doctor away, it’s best to wait until your braces are off.

You should also avoid sticky and chewy foods, which can lead to tooth decay. And lastly, sugary foods can cause cavities, so limiting your intake of candy and soda is best. Ask your orthodontist if you have any questions about what foods to avoid with braces.

There are a variety of healthy and delicious foods that you can eat with braces. While you may have to avoid some of your favorite foods, there are plenty of other options. With a little trial and error, you’ll be able to find the perfect snacks for you and your braces.

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5 Road Trip Tips for Braces

July 1, 2022

Dental Care

5 Road Trip Tips for Braces

Summer is a fun and exciting time! If you’ve worried braces might hold you back, don’t be afraid! Here are our favorite 5 road trip tips for braces so you can travel without worrying about what to eat for snacks or how to keep your braces in top shape!

1. Pack Your Tools

Our number one tip when you’re getting ready to leave for a trip: pack your braces and dental care tools! It’s important to brush and floss your teeth and braces, just like you do at home, no matter where you are. It’s a good idea to also pack some dental picks and extra floss threaders, just in case one goes missing when you’re unpacking and packing.

2. Keep Safe Snacks on Hand

Next on our list of road trip tips for braces is to keep some braces-safe snacks on hand, just in case you can’t find braces-safe snacks on the road. It’s more important than ever when you’re traveling to avoid damaging your braces by eating unsafe foods (anything crunchy, chewy, hard, or foods that you need to bite into such as whole apples) because not only are you away from home, but you’re farther away from your orthodontist, as well.

3. Prepare Before You Go

Scheduling your next appointment with your orthodontist so that you get in before you leave for vacation can give you extra peace of mind while you’re traveling. Often, the unexpected happens when you’re away from home, whether it’s delayed flights or changing travel plans, so it’s always good to prepare ahead of time in case your trip gets stretched out.

4. Keep Up Your Routine

One of our simplest yet most important road trip tips for braces is to keep up your normal dental care routine that you keep at home. It’s fun to snack on road trips and those food particles and sugars can stick around long afterwards if you don’t brush them away.

Wherever you are, just make sure to brush after each meal with a fluoride-containing toothpaste and floss daily to help keep your smile healthy, bright, and strong for the big day when you get your braces off.

5. Keep Your Orthodontist’s Number Handy

Last but not least, before you hit the road, make sure your orthodontist’s phone number is in your phone contacts. Even if you’re traveling far away, it’s important to be able to call your orthodontist in case a wire or bracket pops loose, so that they can advise you on what to do to get you back on the road as soon as possible.

Call our to make an appointment with a dentist who may be able to help you find out more about this topic, and improve your oral health.

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Braces Friendly Snacks Ideas for Kids

road trip snacks for braces

Keep your kids smiling with our brace-friendly snack ideas! Discover mouthwatering treats that are gentle on braces and perfect for satisfying snack cravings.

braces on teen teeth

Having braces doesn’t mean saying goodbye to tasty snacks! If your little ones have braces, you know how important it is to find treats that won’t cause discomfort or damage 

We’ve curated a list of delicious and brace-friendly snacks that are sure to keep your kids smiling throughout their orthodontic treatment. 

We are well aware of how hungry kids can get, and being prepared is crucial. These great options are both wholesome and delicious for kids of all ages. Meal prep your snacks into a zip lock bag as an added bonus so they’ll be ready to go for your child.

Serve braces friendly snacks that are both satisfying and gentle on braces to keep kids fueled and happy all day long, including the throughout the school year in school lunches.

From crunchy options to smooth delights, these snacks are gentle on braces while delivering a burst of flavor. Read on to explore our kid-approved snack ideas that are both satisfying and safe for those precious smiles.

Why Snacks for Braces

Braces can cause some discomfort for your child’s teeth, especially during the initial adjustment period with new braces. Braces-friendly foods are softer and gentler on sore teeth and gums.

These delicious foods are less likely to get stuck between brackets and wires, helping to maintain good oral hygiene and prevent plaque buildup.

Consuming braces-friendly foods reduces the risk of breaking or damaging braces, which can lead to an extra trip to the orthodontist. 

snacks for kids with braces

Complete Guide to Braces-Friendly Snacks

Dairy products .

  • cottage cheese 
  • soft cheese triangles
  • string cheese 
  • Overnight oats
  • Plain Yogurt

Fresh Fruit & Veggies 

  • Whole Apples, hard fruits and whole fruit should be cut into smaller pieces
  • Soft fruits like bananas , watermelon , berries or citrus fruits are great healthy snacks to get vitamin c into your child’s diet
  • Apple Sauce
  • Fruit Cocktails
  • Slices of avocado
  • Fresh blueberries
  • Blended fruit smoothies
  • Sweet Potatoes
  • Veggie sticks like cucumbers or bell peppers paired with soft and braces-friendly dips like hummus .
  • Blend pureed fruits and freeze them in ice pop molds for a cool and soothing treat.

cut into pieces ripe red Apple on a cutting Board, close - up of food

Snacks 

  • Soft Toast (stick to whole grain products)
  • Softer foods like muffins
  • Soft granola bars
  • Cheese crackers
  • Cheese puffs
  • Almond butter or Peanut butter
  • A sweet treat every now and then like Ice cream or soft cookies is ok to quench that sweet tooth

Stay away from crunchy foods and sticky foods like:

  • Chewy candy
  • Crunchy Fruits
  • Hard Candies
  • Large Nut Pieces
  • Crusty Bread
  • Pizza Crust
  • Tootsie Rolls
  • jelly beans
  • Ice cream toppings like caramel
  • Hard Pretzels
  • Raw vegetables
  • Corn on the Cob or meat on the bone that you will need to tear with your front teeth.
  • Sports drinks that are high in sugar
  • Hard taco shells 
  • Candy canes

Top view image of a woman holding colorful Jelly gum in hands

If your child would like snacks like tortilla chips, crackers or potato chips, cut them into bite-sized pieces. 

Remember to avoid types of foods that are hard, sticky, or overly crunchy that can damage braces or cause wires to loosen. By choosing braces-friendly foods, kids can enjoy their favorite treats without compromising their orthodontic treatment. 

brushing teeth with braces

Do you have any helpful tips on the types of foods your kids’ enjoy with braces?

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Monday 21st of June 2021

Awesome tips that everyone can refer through to learn what you can eat when you have braces.

Live A Wilder Life

THE ULTIMATE ROAD TRIP FOOD LIST: 50 Scrumptious Travel Snacks

Post Summary: The definitive road trip food list with 50 snack ideas and meals to keep you happy the entire car ride. Plus, tips for what else to bring and recommendations for the best road trip coolers.

Road trips are the classic adventure that everyone needs to do at least once in their life, whether you’re traveling solo, with your best buds, or packing in the whole family. What’s the secret to a great road trip? Besides having your maps already downloaded to your phone (travel must #1), it’s to have a collection of the best road trip food at your disposal. Being prepared with good travel food will ensure you don’t:

  • Kill your travel mates because you’re hangry.
  • Get killed by your travel mates because they’re hangry.
  • Get lured in by every gasoline stop and somehow end up with bright orange Cheetos and Slim Jims.
  • Waste your travel budget dining on Subway and Wendys road trip meals.

After road tripping with a toddler for half a year around the US, we’ve figured out the ultimate road trip food list so we can enjoy the journey together feeling nourished and happy. Our list includes road trip food ideas for adults and kids as well as healthy car snacks.

After the road trip food list, we’ve included non-food items you’ll want to bring and some tips on choosing the best road trip cooler.

Need More Road Trip Tips? Check out our other articles below:

The Ultimate Road Trip Packing List: 41 Essentials For The Road 160 Fun, Deep, and Sometimes Silly Road Trip Questions 41 Fun and Challenging Road Trip Trivia Questions 17+ Fun Things To Do On A Road Trip How To Survive A Road Trip With A Toddler 40 Must Have Items To Have In Your Camper

*This road trip food list post may contain affiliate links, which means we might earn a small commission if you purchase from them. This is at no extra cost to you! We only recommend products and services we genuinely think are helpful.

The Ultimate Road Trip Food List

prepared food on top of a map

Healthy snacks for a road trip

We’ll start with healthy snacks for the road. I don’t know about you, but when we go on road trips, we tend to fall back on fast food and junk food. In an effort to have a quasi healthy road trip we make sure to include some healthy options so we can at least feel like we’ve balanced out all our snickers bars and Wendy’s frosties. Here’s our list of the best road trip foods that won’t leave you feeling sluggish at the end of the day. We also added in a few recommendations of some of our favorite brands.

Healthy Snacks For Car Rides 1. Fruit: Bananas, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, grapes, apples, oranges 2. Sliced veggies: carrots, cucumbers, celery, bell peppers, pickles, radishes 3. Cherry tomatoes 4. Olives (buy the pitted kinds) 5. Salsa 6. Deli sandwiches or wraps (already made from home or pre-purchased) 7. A simple charcuterie spread (summer sausage, pepperoni, sliced cheese, dried apricots, olives, crackers, etc.) 8. Popcorn 9. Yellow corn chips, blue corn chips, kale chips 10. Granola Bars and Energy Bars ( Munk Bars are our favorite! ) 11. Dried Fruit 12. Crackers (cheese crackers, saltines, whole wheat crackers, these almond crackers are my favorite!) 13. Pretzels 14. Nuts (almonds, peanuts, cashews, macadamia, walnuts, pecans) 15. Trail mix 16. Tuna (Get the kind that doesn’t need to be refrigerated! It can become a snack on crackers, a sandwich, or added to a salad) 17. Coconut chips ( Dang chips are our favorite. ) 18. Dark chocolate 19. Wasabi peas 20. Fruit leather 21. Whole-grain muffins 22. Bread (pretzel rolls, pita bread) 23. Water (Preferably in a water bottle like a Hydro Flask that will keep your water cold for hours.) *The following are all still healthy snacks for a road trip but will require a cooler. Skip them if you are going sans cooler. Further down, we’ll talk about the best road trip coolers. 23. Hard-boiled eggs 24. Small yogurt containers or drinkable yogurts 25. Humus 26. Guacamole 27. Pasta salad 28. Lentil salad 29. Grocery store salad kits (Can be eaten out of the bag! Just cut the top, pour in the salad dressing, and shake it away. You can also opt to do salads in a jar) 30. Cheese

Essential Road Trip Snacks

Pile of potato chips for a road trip

These road trip snacks might not be the healthiest, but look…you can’t always be perfect!

Road Trip Snack List 32. Beef Jerky 33. Chips 34. Fun candy (Any kind of candy that brings you joy for your road trip. Gummy bears, reeses pieces, airheads) 35. Ranch dip to go with your healthy veggies 36. Fun drinks (Just make sure the drink is able to be resealed or small enough that you’ll drink it all quickly. My favorite road trip drink is coconut water!) 37. Cookies

Road Trip Snacks For Kids And Toddlers

While we don’t put a distinction between road trip food for the adults and road trip food for kids, here are some fun ideas you can add in addition to the travel food listed above. We found that allowing for leniency with what we let our kid snack on will mean a more fun time for everyone in the car.

Road Trip Snacks For Toddlers and Kids 38. String Cheese or Babybels 39. Peanut butter pretzels 40. Clementines 41. Squeezable applesauce 42. Squeezable nut butters (peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter) 43. Graham crackers 44. Goldfish 45. Fruit snacks 46. Fruit roll ups 47. Peanut butter and jelly sandwich 48. Dry cereal 49. Nutella 50. Snap pea crisps ( I love the wasabi ones from Harvest Snaps . I can only get them online because my grocery store never has them!)

Essential Non Food Items

Utensils and napkins for a road trip

Now that you’ve got your travel food and made your road trip food list, let’s talk about non food items to have on your road trip packing list. We are both advocates for minimal waste living so we do advise using reusable items like real utensils, glass containers, and reusable straws rather than single-use items. I know it can feel like a nuisance, but once you get used to doing it, it’s easy to integrate it into your habits. We’ve provided links to different products, so you can check out some good options.

-Trash bags (old shopping bags work well) – Stackable glass or plastic containers (While glass may feel like a hazard, I find that most of them are built for endurance and would require some extreme throwing around to actually break. Either way, bringing containers rather than an entire bag of snacks is a great space saver.) -Reusable straws (we like this multipack option here ) -Bento boxes (another option is to make individual bento boxes with everyone’s preferred snacks put in. It’s essentially a healthier version of a Lunchable. Great option if you’re traveling with kids.) Check out these cute bento boxes here . -Utensils -Plates -Paper towels -Hand sanitizer -Ziplock bags -Wipes -Cups if you want to share drinks -Ice packs for the cooler (We prefer to use reusable ice packs like these , but frozen water bottles or ice cubes in a ziplock back will do the job as well.) -Reusable grocery bag to carry your non-perishable stuff -Plastic tub (If you’re going on a long road trip and will have lots of snacks, a good option is to pack all your non-perishable items in a tub like this .) -Cooler

Related : A Comprehensive Guide To the Best Toddler Carriers For Traveling

Best Road Trip Coolers

road trip snacks for braces

If you’re going on a long road trip, you’ll definitely want to bring a cooler so you can have more options for the journey. Things to consider when deciding what kind of road trip cooler to bring.

  • How much space will you have in your car?
  • How many days will you be driving and subsequently how much food will you need?
  • Cost of the cooler
  • If you road trip or camp a lot and will use a cooler several times a year.

Yeti Roadi 24 Cooler

YETI Roadie 24 Cooler, Tan

Our choice for the best road trip cooler is the Yeti Roadi 24 Cooler . It’s a mid-sized cooler that can fit a bottle of wine standing upright. We like its lightweight design and that its compact size can fit on the ground behind the passenger seat.

It has a mid-range price point, so if you are wanting something more economical, you’ll probably want our next pick.

Igloo MaxCold Cooler

Igloo Maxcold 40-100 Qt Commercially Insulated Coolers

If all you need is a no-frills cooler to keep your food cold, the Igloo Maxcold Cooler is a great option. The thin design also makes it a great choice for someone wanting to save room in the car.

Arctic Zone Titan Deep Freeze

Arctic Zone Titan Deep Freeze Cooler - 30 Can Zipperless Hardbody Cooler - Navy Blue with Deep Freeze Insulation, HardBody Liner, and SmartShelf

If you like a soft cooler, the Arctic Zone Titan Deep Freeze consistently offers the best bang for your buck.

Yeti Tundra 45

YETI Tundra 45 Cooler, Navy

Lastly, if you are wanting a high-end cooler that will be great for camping and can take the wear and tear of consistent use, the Yeti Tundra 45 is your best bet. Yeti is the reigning champion of coolers and you can’t go wrong with anything you purchase from them.

Before you head out on your epic road trip, we suggest packing the night before. Alleviating as much stress as possible on the day you leave, especially when you’re doing a road trip with a toddler , is key to enjoying the road trip journey. We find that the night before, it’s best to:

  • Wash, cut, and peel all vegetables and fruit.
  • Pack up all non perishable food and supplies.
  • Prepare any road trip sandwiches you plan to eat.

Lastly, don’t forget to make sure all your tasty road trip snacks are within reaching distance in the car.

We hope you enjoyed our complete road trip food list. Happy road tripping!

** For more road trip inspiration follow us on Instagram . We travel… a lot.

NEED SOME TRAVEL INSPIRATION? A Complete Guide To A Utah National Parks Road Trip How To Plan A Cross Country Road Trip + Fun Routes To Take 10 National Parks To Visit In The East 50 Family Bucket List Experiences In The US

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road trip snacks for braces

Hi, we’re Christina and Brad, Idaho based writers and photographers who live to explore. We did a short stint of traveling full time with our two year old and discovered we're much happier as part time nomads. What does that mean? We travel a lot! And then we go home. We love helping fellow parents and everyday adventurers discover new places and experiences.

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5 Road Trip Tips for Braces

Summer is a fun and exciting time! If you’ve worried braces might hold you back, don’t be afraid! Here are our favorite 5 road trip tips for braces so you can travel without worrying about what to eat for snacks or how to keep your braces in top shape!

1. Pack Your Tools

Our number one tip when you’re getting ready to leave for a trip: pack your braces and dental care tools! It’s important to brush and floss your teeth and braces, just like you do at home, no matter where you are. It’s a good idea to also pack some dental picks and extra floss threaders, just in case one goes missing when you’re unpacking and packing.

2. Keep Safe Snacks on Hand

Next on our list of road trip tips for braces is to keep some braces-safe snacks on hand, just in case you can’t find braces-safe snacks on the road. It’s more important than ever when you’re traveling to avoid damaging your braces by eating unsafe foods (anything crunchy, chewy, hard, or foods that you need to bite into such as whole apples) because not only are you away from home, but you’re farther away from your orthodontist, as well.

3. Prepare Before You Go

Scheduling your next appointment with your orthodontist for braces in Gainesville so that you get in before you leave for vacation can give you extra peace of mind while you’re traveling. Often, the unexpected happens when you’re away from home, whether it’s delayed flights or changing travel plans, so it’s always good to prepare ahead of time in case your trip gets stretched out.

4. Keep Up Your Routine

One of our simplest yet most important road trip tips for braces is to keep up your normal dental care routine that you keep at home. It’s fun to snack on road trips and those food particles and sugars can stick around long afterwards if you don’t brush them away.

Wherever you are, just make sure to brush after each meal with a fluoride-containing toothpaste and floss daily to help keep your smile healthy, bright, and strong for the big day when you get your braces off.

5. Keep Your Orthodontist’s Number Handy

Last but not least, before you hit the road, make sure your orthodontist’s phone number is in your phone contacts. Even if you’re traveling far away, it’s important to be able to call your orthodontist in case a wire or bracket pops loose, so that they can advise you on what to do to get you back on the road as soon as possible.

Call our Gainesville Dental Office to make an appointment with a dentist who may be able to help you find out more about this topic, and improve your oral health.

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5 Road Trip Tips for Braces

July 1, 2022

Dental Care

5 Road Trip Tips for Braces

Summer is a fun and exciting time! If you’re worried braces might hold you back, don’t be afraid! Here are our favorite 5 road trip tips for braces so you can travel without worrying about what to eat for snacks or how to keep your braces in top shape!

1. Pack Your Tools

Our number one tip when you’re getting ready to leave for a trip: pack your braces and dental care tools! It’s important to brush and floss your teeth and braces, just like you do at home, no matter where you are. It’s a good idea to also pack some dental picks and extra floss threaders, just in case one goes missing when you’re unpacking and packing.

2. Keep Safe Snacks on Hand

Next on our list of road trip tips for braces is to keep some braces-safe snacks on hand, just in case you can’t find braces-safe snacks on the road. It’s more important than ever when you’re traveling to avoid damaging your braces by eating unsafe foods (anything crunchy, chewy, hard, or foods that you need to bite into such as whole apples) because not only are you away from home, but you’re farther away from your orthodontist, as well.

3. Prepare Before You Go

Scheduling your next appointment with your orthodontist so that you get in before you leave for a vacation can give you extra peace of mind while you’re traveling. Often, the unexpected happens when you’re away from home, whether it’s delayed flights or changing travel plans, so it’s always good to prepare ahead of time in case your trip gets stretched out.

4. Keep Up Your Routine

One of our simplest yet most important road trip tips for braces is to keep up your normal dental care routine that you keep at home. It’s fun to snack on road trips and those food particles and sugars can stick around long afterward if you don’t brush them away.

Wherever you are, just make sure to brush after each meal with fluoride-containing toothpaste and floss daily to help keep your smile healthy, bright, and strong for the big day when you get your braces off.

5. Keep Your Orthodontist’s Number Handy

Last but not least, before you hit the road, make sure your orthodontist’s phone number is in your phone contacts. Even if you’re traveling far away, it’s important to be able to call your orthodontist in case a wire or bracket pops loose, so that they can advise you on what to do to get you back on the road as soon as possible.

Call our to make an appointment with a dentist who may be able to help you find out more about this topic, and improve your oral health.

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road trip snacks for braces

5 Road Trip Tips for Braces

by Allied Dental Associates | Jul 1, 2022 | Dental Care

5 Road Trip Tips for Braces

1. Pack Your Tools

Our number one tip when you’re getting ready to leave for a trip: pack your braces and dental care tools! It’s important to brush and floss your teeth and braces, just like you do at home, no matter where you are. It’s a good idea to also pack some dental picks and extra floss threaders, just in case one goes missing when you’re unpacking and packing.

2. Keep Safe Snacks on Hand

Next on our list of road trip tips for braces is to keep some braces-safe snacks on hand, just in case you can’t find braces-safe snacks on the road. It’s more important than ever when you’re traveling to avoid damaging your braces by eating unsafe foods (anything crunchy, chewy, hard, or foods that you need to bite into such as whole apples) because not only are you away from home, but you’re farther away from your orthodontist, as well.

3. Prepare Before You Go

Scheduling your next appointment with your orthodontist so that you get in before you leave for vacation can give you extra peace of mind while you’re traveling. Often, the unexpected happens when you’re away from home, whether it’s delayed flights or changing travel plans, so it’s always good to prepare ahead of time in case your trip gets stretched out.

4. Keep Up Your Routine

One of our simplest yet most important road trip tips for braces is to keep up your normal dental care routine that you keep at home. It’s fun to snack on road trips and those food particles and sugars can stick around long afterwards if you don’t brush them away.

Wherever you are, just make sure to brush after each meal with a fluoride-containing toothpaste and floss daily to help keep your smile healthy, bright, and strong for the big day when you get your braces off.

5. Keep Your Orthodontist’s Number Handy

Last but not least, before you hit the road, make sure your orthodontist’s phone number is in your phone contacts. Even if you’re traveling far away, it’s important to be able to call your orthodontist in case a wire or bracket pops loose, so that they can advise you on what to do to get you back on the road as soon as possible.

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The Best Road Trip Snacks, According to Eater Editors

From Swedish Fish to charcuterie, these are the snacks that keep Eater staffers sated on long car rides

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A wall of packaged snacks at a rest stop.

This summer, the road trip was the only option for many of us to get in some kind of vacation or pay a long-overdue visit to faraway loved ones. And given the unpredictability of food options along routes these days, road trip snacks — always an essential item on the road trip packing list — were more important than ever.

There are certain essential qualities to a road trip snack: You should be able to eat it with one hand and with minimal mess. But beyond that, there are several interpretations of the genre. Road trip snacks may be the foods you find at gas stations and convenience stores, or indulgent treats that make the trip more bearable. Some road trippers select snacks based on their resemblance to an actual balanced meal, or on whether or not they’ll ensure the driver stays alert at the wheel. Eater staffers’ preferred snacks run the gamut. Here’s what fuels them through long car rides these days, as well as in better times.

Bit-O-Honey: Bit-O-Honey works as a road trip snack because you can eat an entire bag of them and not feel awful (trust me, I just did this on a six-hour drive from Northern to Southern California). It’s somewhat hilarious that this honey-flavored taffy seems to only be available at truck stops and gas stations. Drivers and passengers alike will crush hours gnawing on these glorious sweets, with microscopic almond pieces giving a modicum of texture. Getting the sticky bits out of your teeth is the rest of the fun. — Matthew Kang, Eater LA editor

Swedish Fish: I always have a bag of Swedish Fish on hand for a road trip. They perk you up, they’re chewy and sweet, and they’re the kind of candy I don’t eat every day. It’s also the ONLY time I drink Red Bull. — Lesley Suter, travel editor

Frozen Snickers: I’ve always maintained that a frozen Snickers bar is much, much better than an ice cream Snickers bar, the latter being an inferior product that melts too quickly and the former being something that will last in the car. — Ryan Sutton, Eater NY chief critic/data lead

Sour Patch Kids: My husband and I both agree that Sour Patch Kids are an absolute must on the road. I prefer the watermelon, but he likes the classics. I’m still bitter that the classic recipe seems to have changed, though; I swear they’re not as sour as they used to be. — Rachel Blumenthal, Eater Boston editor

Beaver Nuggets: Road-tripping in Texas means you have to stop by Buc-ee’s and grab a bunch of their packaged snacks. Despite the unfortunate name, the Beaver Nuggets (actually sweet corn puffs) are really great. — Nadia Chaudhry, Eater Austin editor

Trail mix: I buy Archer Farms trail mix from Target — specifically the Monster one with tons of chocolate. Ignore the raisins. — Ellie Krupnick, managing editor

Snyder’s of Hanover Pretzel Pieces, Honey Mustard & Onion: These carry a Midas touch, covering your fingertips in a golden powder that plays off plain hard pretzels with two sources of tangy-sweet flavor: onion and honey mustard. Grasping for the few thin pieces that hold more powder than pretzel turns every bag into a treasure hunt. — Gabe Hiatt, Eater D.C. editor

Blue Diamond Almonds, Bold Wasabi & Soy: Those thin tubes of wasabi and soy sauce almonds are my road trip snack of choice for a number of reasons. First, they give you all the savory and salt pop of potato chips without the gross “ugh, did I just eat a whole bag of potato chips?” hangover. Second, the pain of wasabi build-up is a great way to stay awake during more monotonous stretches, far less cliched than slapping yourself or other self-abuse you see in the movies. Third, its narrow container is perfect to just tip into your mouth — an act that seems obscene (and obscures your vision) when it’s a chip bag, but makes perfect sense when the bag is long and narrow... and it saves your steering wheel, upholstery, etc. from every road tripper’s nemesis: snack grease. — Eve Batey, Eater SF news editor

Corn Nuts : Corn Nuts are not the sexiest snack, but they fit conveniently in your cupholder and you can just pick at them and shove a handful in your mouth with relative ease. Bonus: If you drop some, they don’t melt all over your car like a bunch of jerks. — Stefania Orrù, coordinating producer

Pizzeria Combos: Combos are so good, but not just any kind: pizza-flavored Combos are the best. They are super salty, bite-sized, and filled with some type of cheesy pizza flavoring. It’s like getting to dip a pretzel in cheese in every bite. I will always eat the whole entire bag on the road regardless of how long the drive is. — Stephen Pelletteri, executive producer

Regional chips: I go for regional takes on barbecue/red hot chips, especially if I am in a new-to-me area where there’s more opportunities to experiment with unfamiliar brands. Pennsylvania gas stations are the best bet for the intersection of multiple brands: One place might get you Snyder’s, Wise, Herr’s, Martin’s, Middleswarth, Utz... No real interest in mesquite/sweet varieties, though. — Missy Frederick, cities director

Ritz Bits, cheese: I only ever buy them at rest stops; I’m scared to invite them into my life outside of that context. — Emma Alpern, senior copy editor

The more holistic meal plans

Carrots and celery: My most recent preferred road trip snack is just straight carrot sticks and celery. I did that on a road trip recently and, magically, I didn’t feel like crap at the end of the trip. Plus, they have that snap and crunch that’s a necessity for a good snack. — Brenna Houck, Eater Detroit editor

Cheese and charcuterie: On the very Los Angeles end of the spectrum, I get mini-cheese and charcuterie boards from Lady & Larder in Mar Vista and then hand feed my boyfriend soft cheeses and cured meats while he drives. — Nicole Adlman, cities manager

Beef jerky, nuts, coffee, and electrolytes: Most of my road trips of late are about the destination, not the journey, and involve driving for 10-14 hours straight — so the idea is to make as few as stops as possible. My road diet therefore is gas station hillbilly x keto bro: beef jerky, nuts, coffee, and Smart Water (or any other electrolyte-loaded water). All the salt means you only need to pit stop when your car does, no matter much you drink, while a zero carb regimen blunts any possible post-prandial zzzs; there’s nothing worse than feeling super full when you’ve got six more hours in a car, even if you have that many episodes of You’re Wrong About left in your podcast queue.

The deep flaw in this plan is that you’re totally at the mercy of the gas station and whatever it merchandises. It’s sort of cheating, because going with the flow is how I approach long drives, but on my usual run between New York and Georgia, I’ve taken to plotting out where the territories of Wawa and Sheetz begin and end to guarantee access to actually edible jerky (the national brands are all trash now, RIP Field Trip) and potable coffee. (As someone who has no particular dog in that regional skirmish , I think Wawa and Sheetz are equally good? SORRY.) At the end of the day, it’s a road trip, and you can’t really appreciate arriving if you haven’t suffered along the way. — Matt Buchanan, executive editor

Illustration of Ruffles chip bag, big plastic container of cheese balls, Chips Ahoy cookies, a toaster oven with two Pop-Tarts popping out, and a box of Cheez-Its.

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Insanely Good Recipes

21 Best Road Trip Snacks for Long Drives

Road Trip Snacks

From granola bars and cookies to chips of all kinds, here are some of the best road trip snacks to take with you on your next road trip.

Road trips aren’t complete without snacks. Be sure you’ve packed enough nourishment for the long drive!

A Bowl of Vegetable Chips

Whether you’re in the mood to indulge or want something clean to nibble on, I have you covered.

This last has everything from healthy roasted chickpeas to sinful caramel corn.

Fill up the tank and get your itineraries ready. This list will take care of the snacks.

21 Healthy Snacks for Your Next Road Trip

1. trail mix   .

Let’s start things off with a snack that’s loved both by kids and adults. This trail mix isn’t just about nuts and dried fruit.

Also loaded with pretzels, Cheerios, mini-marshmallows, and M&M’s, it gets a 12/10 for color, flavor, and texture.

It’s so good, it’s almost impossible to stop snacking on it.

So instead of packing it in one big bag, I suggest you place it in smaller bags so everyone gets their own.

Homemade Puppy Chow

2. Puppy Chow  

Puppy chow, also called muddy buddies, doggy bag, and reindeer chow is a snack made of rice cereal squats (such as Chex) coated in peanut butter and chocolate and dusted with powdered sugar for good measure.

While its sounds like something a dog would it, it is nothing of the sort.

In fact, no matter how your pup begs for it, you mustn’t give in. Remember, it contains chocolate.

3. Beer Nuts  

Personally, I don’t find peanuts a fun and exciting snack. Beer nuts, however, is an entirely different story. These nuts I can eat all day!

Cocktail peanuts are cooked in sugar syrup. Once it sets, the sugar crystallizes, forming a sweet and crunchy coating covering the nuts. 

Finishing it off is a sprinkling of sea salt, adding a nice salty contrast to the sweet sugar coating.

Caramel Popcorn

4. Popcorn  

If you’re a sucker for caramel corn, you’ll love this recipe.

If you think there’s no way to make your very own without making a huge mess, think again.

This recipe for caramel popcorn takes place in the microwave. This is not a drill, people!

Yes, you can achieve that sweet, crunchy, beautiful golden brown caramel popcorn by only using this nifty kitchen appliance.

Salty Snack Party Mix with Cereals and Pretzels

5. Texas Trash  

The name may be disgusting, but Texas Trash is a treasure.

It’s a sweet, salty, and savory mix of Cheerios, pretzel crisps, peanuts, and a variety of Chex cereals.

It doesn’t end there, though. The medley of crunchy munchies is coated in a garlic-y, buttery, and umami-rich sauce to tie all the flavors together. 

Finally, they’re popped in the oven to give them that extra crunch.

6. Granola Bars  

Granola bars are awesome at keeping you energized throughout the day. The only thing is, they cost a lot.

Don’t spend all your money on granola bars. Save it for pocket money and souvenirs. With this easy, budget-friendly recipe, your problem is solved. 

A mix of almonds, oats, peanut butter, maple syrup, and dates, these homemade granola bars are just as delicious, if not more, than any you can find in stores.

The best part? You’ll get to enjoy as many granola bars as you can at a fraction of the cost. 

Homemade Chocolate Chip Cookies

7. Chocolate Chip Cookies  

Nothing adds more joy to a road trip than chocolate chip cookies do. These classic treats are iconic for a reason – they’re seriously delicious.

These aren’t your average chocolate chip cookies, though.

This recipe is a copycat of the famous Doubletree cookies – gigantic cookies that are outrageously buttery and chewy.

They’re not just packed with chocolate chips, but walnuts as well – a wonderful combination of gooey and crunchy.

8. Fire Crackers  

Let’s be honest – saltines are no fun. If there’s any way to put a damper on your road trip, it’ll probably be saltine crackers.

That’s not to say you can’t turn the boring crackers into something exciting, though.

This recipe for fire crackers will revamp those squares from bland to banging.

Saltin crackers are drizzled with spiced melted butter and baked until golden. The difference it makes is simply astonishing.

Apple Chips

9. Apple Chips  

Excursions with friends and family are generally fun, but the long drive can get boring.

What better way is there to pass the time than with a bag of chips?

Sure, potato chips are king, but if you’re looking for a cleaner option, these apple chips have you covered.

They’re just as crispy and crunchy as potato chips, but they won’t make you feel guilty. 

Stacks of Fantasy Fudge with Nuts

10. Fantasy Fudge  

These fantasy fudge squares are truly a dream come true.

They’re chewy, ooey-gooey, and oh so chocolatey. They’re loaded with walnuts, too, giving you a crunchy surprise in every bite.

Here’s a bonus: fudge is so easy to make. It’s impossible to fudge up!

The hardest part is waiting for it to set. It takes 4 hours, but the wait is worth it.

11. Bagel Chips   

Got some stale, leftover bagels? Put it to good use and turn it into bagel chips. You’ll be snacking on these crispy-crunchy delights all day and night!

It couldn’t be easier to make. You can use seasoned bagels for a flavorful snack, or use unseasoned and flavor them yourself.

You can make them smokey and savory with BBQ seasoning, or sweet and spicy with cinnamon sugar. Either way, these chips will be a road trip hit.

Apple Fritters

12. Apple Fritters  

Got a hankering for fall flavors? Scratch that itch with these glorious apple fritters.

Pillowy cakes are bursting with sweet apple chunks and bathed in a sweet cinnamon-sugar glaze.

These fritters are extra special, too, because, for this recipe, we’re using donut batter.

That’s why they’re so plump and pillowy. Move over, Krispy Kreme! 

13. Roasted Chickpeas  

Chickpeas aren’t exactly the first thing that comes to mind when it comes to road trip snacks.

But trust me, you’ll definitely want to take this treat with you wherever you go.

Canned chickpeas are soft, sometimes mushy. But when you pop them in the oven, a magical transformation occurs. 

They become wonderfully crispy and addictive. Seasoned with a slew of herbs and spices, they’re so tasty they’ll blow your taste buds away.

Banana Muffins

14. Banana Muffins  

Muffins are always a good idea for road trips. These grab-and-go snacks aren’t only mess-free, but insanely delicious as well.

These banana muffins are dense and moist at the same time.

Flavored with sweet, overripe bananas, their delicious banana flavor can’t be denied.

The recipe calls for Bisquick for the batter, so you know it’s an easy one.

15. Peanut Butter Pretzels  

Pretzels are already a fun snack, but you can always take it up a notch.

Coat those crunchy treats with a mixture of melted chocolate and peanut butter, and they become a thousand times better.

Drizzled with even more melted chocolate garnish, these pretzels are as tasty as they are pretty.

16. Coconut Chips

I love all things coconut. Whether it’s in cake or cookie form, I’ll eat it all. So when I saw this recipe for coconut chips, I just had to give it a try. 

These coconut chips are mind-blowingly amazing! They’re sweet, nutty, and unbelievably crunchy.

They’re sprinkled with a bit of salt, so they also have that sweet and salty contrast going on.

Best of all, these chips are healthy.

17. Baked Veggie Chips

Just because you have diet restrictions doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy an addictive snack.

These veggie chips are oil-free, vegan, gluten-free, and definitely guilt-free. 

Most importantly, they’re delicious. With this recipe, you get a mixed bag of crispy beetroot, zucchini, carrots, sweet potato, and rutabaga.

How fun is that? The colors alone will make your mouth water.

Blueberry Muffins

18. Blueberry Muffins  

Need some last-minute road trip snacks? These blueberry muffins are here to save the day. 

They’re soft, moist, and bursting with fresh blueberries. Also, they’ll only take you 15 minutes to make – and that’s not a typo!

Thanks to Bisquick, these muffins come together in no time, without sacrificing flavor. 

19. Green Bean Chips  

If you have a dehydrator, I know exactly what you should make.

These green bean chips are a billion times tastier and healthier than store-bought veggie sticks, and they’ll cost you a lot less.

Flavored with just a bit of salt and nutritional yeast and dehydrated overnight, these green bean chips are surprisingly crispy and delicious.

Believe me, even the kids will love them. 

20. Chocolate Covered Almonds

Almonds and chocolates are great. Put them together and you’ll get a snack that’s even better.

I can never say no to chocolate-covered almonds.

They have the perfect combination of smooth and crunchy, sweet and nutty. They’re absolutely addictive.

Instead of buying them, I prefer making them myself. It’s more affordable and tastes just as good, if not better.

If you want to stay within budget, this recipe is a must-try.

Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie

21. Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie

How about some thirst quencher? If you’re looking for a sweet, hearty, and refreshing drink to bring on your next road trip, this smoothie perfectly fits the bill.

Bananas and peanut butter are an age-old combination that never disappoints.

Turn them into a smoothie, and you’ll have an outrageously tasty refreshment that’ll keep you full throughout the long drive.

21 Best Road Trip Snacks For Long Car Rides

21 Best Road Trip Snacks For Long Car Rides

These road trip snacks are a must for your next car trip! From roasted chickpeas to caramel corn to trail mix, don’t hit the road before packing these tasty snacks.

Ingredients

Texas Trash

Granola Bars

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Fire Crackers

Apple Chips

Fantasy Fudge

Bagel Chips

Apple Fritters

Roasted Chickpeas

Banana Muffins

Peanut Butter Pretzels

Coconut Chips

Baked Veggie Chips

Blueberry Muffins

Green Bean Chips

Chocolate Covered Almonds

Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie

Instructions

  • Select your favorite recipe.
  • Organize all the required ingredients.
  • Prep a road trip snack in 30 minutes or less!

Road Trip Snacks

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30 Healthy(ish) Road Trip Snacks To Bring on Your Next Adventure

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We share our favorite road trip snacks (and which types of snacks you should definitely avoid!) 

A box full of road trip snacks

We lived on the road for over two years, and we also run a camp cooking blog. So we feel uniquely qualified to share our thoughts on what foods make great road trip snacks. We have given this topic A LOT of thought. 

We’ve learned a lot over the thousands of miles we’ve travelled and countless hangry meltdowns we’ve had, and we’re excited to share our best road trip snack recommendations with you. 

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We feel snacks are an essential part of any long distance road trip . And we never leave home without them! 

Sometimes you need a little energy boost, sometimes you need to stabilize your blood sugar, and sometimes you need to munch on something just to stay alert and keep blood flowing to your brain.

Snacks can also dramatically improve the overall road trip experience. They turn an otherwise monotonous process into a moveable feast. 

Below we share our thoughts on what snacks you should bring on your next road trip (and which snacks you shouldn’t). 

What snacks should you bring on a road trip?

This will largely depend on your personal taste, but the general rule is that road trip food should be easy to access and easy to consume. They should keep your body fueled, your blood sugar stable, and your mind alert. Keep reading for some of our favorite suggestions!

While there are lots of foods that are great for long road trips, there are few food categories you will absolutely want to avoid. 

Here are some of the worst foods for a long road trip: 

  • Food that creates lots of crumbs or waste (e.x. crackers, pistachios) 
  • Powdery foods (e.x. Cheetos)  
  • Greasy or oily foods (e.x. olives) 
  • Foods with strong smells (e.x. some soft cheeses, bananas) 
  • Foods that can spoil on a dime (e.x. avocados) 
  • Food in excessive packaging

Eating While Driving 

Snacking while driving can be done safely if you have taken the time to properly set up your cab area beforehand. Food should be within easy reach and not require you to take your eyes off the road. 

When driving with another person, delegate as much as possible so you can stay focused on the road. For example, asking them to grab a snack, unwrap it (if necessary), and hand it to you.  

While eating on the road is possible, whenever possible, we highly recommend stopping at roadside rest stops. Taking a 10-15 minute break to eat, go to the bathroom, stretch, and readjust your setup is sooo worth it. 

We know the urge to press on is strong, but taking a few small breaks can improve everyone’s mood. 

The Best Road Trip Snacks 

These are some of our favorite road-tripping snacks. We’ve personally consumed every item listed below at some point or another and can attest to their roadworthiness and superior snackability. 

Greenbelly Meals

Greenbelly Meal Bars

Taking a page from hikers & backpackers, these Greenbelly meal bars contain 650 calories per serving, which is as much as a complete meal. While we don’t recommend skipping meals on the road, if you need to, one of these could be a good option.

Vegan Bars

Energy Bars

There are a million kinds of energy bars, so our advice is to go for variety. Just stay away from those super crumbly ones like Nature Valley. Here are some of our favorite brands: Bobo , RX Bars , GoMacro , Lara Bar , Dang , Aloha , and 88 Acres Seed Bars .

Munkpack Cookies

Energy Cookies 

If you prefer your energy bars in a circular form, then perhaps you would be interested in the growing energy cookie sector. (This is just a way to stand out from the 8 billion energy bar brands!) Nevertheless, we are fans of MunkPack Cookies and Lenny & Larry Cookies

Fig newton product image

Fig Newtons

Fig Newtons are by far our preferred road trip cookies. They’re soft, don’t generate crumbs, and are absolutely delicious. 

Yum butter product image

Nut Butter Packets

Yum Butter nut butter packets make them super easy to eat while on the road. Sometimes we eat it straight from the packet, but it would also be good with sliced apples or bread if you’re taking a break at a rest stop. This resealable squeeze packet means you don’t have to dirty a knife or spoon to scoop it out of a jar.

Rye chip bag product image

Roasted Rye Chips 

Rye chips are our go-to gas station pick up. They are fairly robust and don’t generate crumbs like other chips. When compared to the other deep-fried options in the chip aisle, this is on the healthy-ish-er* side of the spectrum. 

*Healthy, only by comparison to other very unhealthy options. 

Good Crisp Co product image

The Good Crisp Co. 

While these potato chips violate our no-crumb rule, these Good Crisp Co. chips are just too good to leave out. These are basically a healthier version of Pringles and feature the same cylinder, which protects the crips from getting crushed. 

Chocolate covered espresso bean product image

Chocolate Covered Espresso beans

These are a great little caffeine and sugar burst all at once. We like to reserve these guys for the end of our trip when we’re likely at our most fatigued. 

Yogurt covered raisins product image

Yogurt Covered Raisins

These are a real treat and can easily be picked up at a bulk bin in most grocery stores. If you are able to keep these chilled in a cooler, we highly suggest it! 

Peanut butter pretzel bites product image

Peanut Butter Filled Pretzels 

We love these things. We often pick them up from Trader Joe’s and Quinn’s makes a gluten-free version you can find on on Thrive Market . We find that the bags tend to split down the middle, so we like to repack these into a sealable container or a big ReZip bag . These also make great hiking snacks !

Apples oranges and grapes

Fresh no-peel fruit 

Grapes are great for road trips because they don’t need to be peeled and don’t have cores. Apples and pears are also good options. Oranges, clementines, and tangerines will hold well in a sealed container if you peel and segment them ahead of time.

*Do not throw fruit cores (or anything else for that matter) out the window. Just because something is biodegradable doesn’t mean it will decompose sitting on the shoulder of the freeway. It just attracts wildlife, which leads to more roadkill and more accidents. 

Cucumbers carrots and cherry tomatoes

Fresh Vegetables

Fresh vegetables are one of the healthiest road trip snack options out there. Baby carrots, sliced cucumbers, celery sticks, cherry tomatoes are all super healthy and easy to eat while driving.

Veggie chips product image

Veggie Chips 

Veggie chips are another snack we often pick up at the bulk bin or from Nuts.com . These are the perfect “bored/hungry” snack and don’t need to be refrigerated.

Plantain chips product image

Plantain Chips

Healthier than potato chips, less pungent than a fresh banana, plantain chips are slightly sweet, salty, and crunchy—which checks a lot of boxes!

Bag of trail mix

Opt for trail mix with large pieces. You don’t want to deal with a handful of finely chopped nuts and tiny seeds. They’re just going to get all over the car. The bigger the pieces, the better. 

Cashews and almonds

We prefer cashews or almonds when driving. They are big enough to easily handle and don’t need to be shucked. Peanuts are just a little too small for us and pistachios and sunflower seeds are the worst.

Whisps packaging

Cheese 

Hard cheese that doesn’t need refrigeration is a great option. We also LOVE the Trader Joe’s Baked Cheese Bites as well as Parmesan or Cheddar Whisps (the latter are a bit less sturdy though).

Epic bar product image

Jerky And Meat Bars

Unlike a lot of the carb-heavy options on the list, Jerky and meat bars have some serious sticking power. We are big fans of Epic Provisions, Wild Zora, and other meat products that don’t have a ton of additives (looking at you Slim) 

Gin Gins package

If you or your road trip buddies tend to feel a little queasy on those winding roads, ginger is a natural way to settle your stomach without causing drowsiness like over-the-counter meds can. We like to keep a bag of Gin Gins ginger chews in our snack bin for this reason.

Pur gum package

Need help staying alert while driving? In addition to the usual caffeinated remedies, there has been a lot of scientific evidence that suggests that the act of chewing gum can help focus and alertness.

Masticating (the act of chewing) increases blood flow to your head and helps increase cognitive ability and focus. So if you often get drowsy when driving, consider picking up a pack of gum . 

Best Road Trip Drinks 

This is where having a small soft sided cooler really comes in handy. After a couple of hundred miles, a cold drink can really make a big difference to revive you. 

Spindrift can

Sparkling water/seltzer

Take it from us, it’s really easy to get dehydrated on long drives. So be sure to drink water along the way. There’s a world of sparkling water out there, but our favorite brand is Spindrift ! 

Rise coffee can

Iced coffee

A can of iced coffee or even nitro cold brew coffee can be a great pick-me-up to carry you through that final stretch. 

Humm kombucha can

Another lightly carbonated, non-alcoholic option, kombucha is another one of our favorite drinks on the road.

Best Road Trip Snacks For Kids 

If you’re road tripping with kids, having a strong snack game is an absolute must! Some enticing snacks may not prevent a meltdown entirely, but it can buy you some time. 

However, unlike snack time at home, the kids will be strapped in the backseat. So whatever snacks you choose, they’ll have to be able to deal with themselves.

Carrots snap peas and bell pepper

Sliced vegetables 

Cut slices of bell pepper, carrot, celery, or snap peas are a great snack option for kids since they are healthy and don’t have the potential to become a mess or leave crumbs everywhere.

Fresh fruit

Likewise, fruit that has been pre-sliced makes a great snack for kids. Choose fruit that isn’t overly juicy or soft. Apples, pre-peeled oranges, and grapes (for older kids) are good places to start. 

To keep apples from browning, try soaking them in a water & lemon juice bath for a few minutes before packing them.

String cheese

String cheese

Kids love these and they’re a great way to add some protein into their diet. Ideally, these should be chilled in a cooler or insulated lunch bag.

Clif mini energy bar

Kid-sized energy bars

If the kids see mom or dad partaking in an energy bar, you can bet they’re going to want one too! These “kid-sized” bars are a great way to include them, without having to split your own bar!  Clif Minis and Lara Bar minis are a good place to start.

Annies snack mix

Annie’s Snack Mix

You’ll probably be cleaning these out from between the car seat cushions, but this is just such a popular snack – particularly if your kids like salty & crunchy things. For toddlers, pair this type of snack with a snack-catching cup, like this one by Munchkin .

Annies bunny graham crackers

Annie’s Bunny Grahams: 

Annie’s Bunny Grahams are usually a crowd favorite! Since they are bite-sized graham crackers, there won’t as many crumbs left behind as there would with full-sized graham crackers.

Mini peanut butter crackers bag

Mini Peanut Butter Sandwiches

Bite-sized mini peanut butter sandwiches are perfect for little hands. They are a nice balance of carbs, protein, and fats to help satiate your backseat companions.

Fruit tape box

Organic Fruit Tape

Ok, fruit rolls might not make it to the top of every parent’s “Healthy Road Trip Snacks” list, but they are just so nostalgic for us! 

This version is organic and made from real fruit and not much else, so it’s gotta be healthier than whatever we were eating in the 90’s, right?

These can also be used (leveraged?) as a reward or perhaps as a last resort if things start to really go sideways.

Helpful Snacking Items

You don’t need much, but there are a few pieces of gear that we find to be very useful on long haul trips. 

Soft-Sided Cooler : Generally speaking, you should select road trip snacks that don’t need refrigeration. But having a way to keep some items cold can be very helpful—particularly fresh fruits & veggies. 

Mini Trash Can / Large Sealable Container : We like to keep a mini trash can or sealable container nearby to help us keep the front cab area clean and tidy. Don’t let this be you . A clean, uncluttered car can really improve your overall driving experience. 

Insulated cup with lid : An insulated cup with a lid can keep your morning coffee hot or your afternoon kombucha cold for hours. It can really extend the enjoyability range of your beverage.  It’s also reusable, so your car doesn’t fill up with paper coffee cups.  

ReZip Bags : Ditch the single-use baggie, and consider using these reusable zip bags instead. They are great for sliced fruit and veggies, bulk bin items, or pre-portion out serving for kids. 

Wet Wipes : Sticky, greasy fingers are the worst. Having some easily accessible wet wipes handy is a great idea. 

Megan & Michael are the creators of Fresh Off The Grid, a blog dedicated to helping you fuel your adventures by sharing camp cooking recipes, backpacking meals, and outdoor travel guides. Their recipes and outdoor cooking expertise have been featured in Backpacker Magazine, Outside, REI Co-Op Journal, Food & Wine, and New York Times Cooking.

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I love pistachios. I buy a big, shelled bag at Costco for road trips. And no shells!

Oh, smart! I love pistachios, too, but always find the shells to be a hassle. Good to know you can pick them up pre-shelled!

I really enjoy reading all your tips and tricks from your various trips. They are all SO helpful and well communicated. Keep ‘em coming!!

I’m so glad to hear that! Thanks, Danielle 🙂

I love you guys! Such good ideas and great information. I’ll be looking into an Oregon trip for sure!

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5 Road Trip Tips for Braces

by BLVD Dentistry | Jul 1, 2022 | Dental Care

5 Road Trip Tips for Braces

Summer is a fun and exciting time! If you’ve worried braces might hold you back, don’t be afraid! Here are our favorite 5 road trip tips for braces so you can travel without worrying about what to eat for snacks or how to keep your braces in top shape!

1. Pack Your Tools

Our number one tip when you’re getting ready to leave for a trip: pack your braces and dental care tools! It’s important to brush and floss your teeth and braces, just like you do at home, no matter where you are. It’s a good idea to also pack some dental picks and extra floss threaders, just in case one goes missing when you’re unpacking and packing.

2. Keep Safe Snacks on Hand

Next on our list of road trip tips for braces is to keep some braces-safe snacks on hand, just in case you can’t find braces-safe snacks on the road. It’s more important than ever when you’re traveling to avoid damaging your braces by eating unsafe foods (anything crunchy, chewy, hard, or foods that you need to bite into such as whole apples) because not only are you away from home, but you’re farther away from your orthodontist, as well.

3. Prepare Before You Go

Scheduling your next appointment with your orthodontist so that you get in before you leave for vacation can give you extra peace of mind while you’re traveling. Often, the unexpected happens when you’re away from home, whether it’s delayed flights or changing travel plans, so it’s always good to prepare ahead of time in case your trip gets stretched out.

4. Keep Up Your Routine

One of our simplest yet most important road trip tips for braces is to keep up your normal dental care routine that you keep at home. It’s fun to snack on road trips and those food particles and sugars can stick around long afterwards if you don’t brush them away.

Wherever you are, just make sure to brush after each meal with a fluoride-containing toothpaste and floss daily to help keep your smile healthy, bright, and strong for the big day when you get your braces off.

5. Keep Your Orthodontist’s Number Handy

Last but not least, before you hit the road, make sure your orthodontist’s phone number is in your phone contacts. Even if you’re traveling far away, it’s important to be able to call your orthodontist in case a wire or bracket pops loose, so that they can advise you on what to do to get you back on the road as soon as possible.

Call our 5th Street, Riverside, Galleria, Heights, Oak Forest, Rice Village, Richmond, Spring or Hulen dental offices to make an appointment with a dentist who may be able to help you find out more about this topic, and improve your oral health.

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road trip snacks for braces

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50+ Easy, Healthy Road Trip Snack Recipes: Road Trip Foods

Packed for Life contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase using one of these links, we may receive compensation at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. See my Disclosure policy for more info.

Planning a road trip? It’s important to keep up your energy, and avoid the lows of sugar crashes by bringing along some easy to pack road trip foods and snacks. We’ve rounded up the best healthy road trip snack recipes to make your trip planning a breeze. 

From energy balls and granola bars, to cookies, muffins, salty mixes, and heartier savoury snack foods we’ve got it all. Making our own road trip snacks are a family tradition for all our road trips. These are all kid and adult approved travel snacks.

Satisfy all your travel companions cravings (and your own). A lot of these homemade road trip snack recipes also have gluten free, vegan, or low carb options . So no matter what your dietary requirements are, there’s something specially for you.

Are you ready for some quick, healthy road trip snacks to make? Grab your car cooler and Let’s go!

Table of Contents

How to Eat Healthy on Road Trips

First things first is to plan out your travel snacks and meals.

The times we’ve not prepped ahead, inevitably we’d end up starving in the middle of nowhere, with only a gas station for food. And end up feeling low energy or tired afterward.

Bring a cooler and shop at your local market / grocery store.

When driving long distance you should bring and eat a combination of proteins, fats, fibre, textures and tastes . As well as nutrient dense whole foods to curb your cravings, and satisfy your hunger.

Delicious and healthy homemade road trip snacks will help make sure you and your family stay nourished and energized.  Use our free Road trip templates to make things easier.

Some of the best road trip snacks include:

  • Granola Bars
  • Energy Balls / Energy Bites
  • Sweet and Savoury Muffins
  • Salty or sweet  crunchy snacks: Roasted Chickpeas, Kale Chips, Dried Fruit
  • Dips / Spreads & Veggies, Crackers or Pretzels
  • Veggie Fritters
  • Fresh Spring Rolls
  • Chicken Kabobs or Poppers

road trip snacks for braces

Easy, Healthy Road Trip Snack Recipes

Prepping your road trip snacks, and meals is just as important as finding a great deal on your car rental , and booking your accommodations.

We’ve gathered easy & tasty recipes together to make this easier for you.

Homemade Road Trip Snacks 

While it may take a bit of extra time, bringing homemade road trip snacks can save you time, and money on your journey with family or friends.

We’ve broken these DIY road trip snacks into the following categories:

  • Energy Balls / Bites  and Protein Bites Recipes

Healthy Snack Bar Recipes

  • Healthy Cookie Recipes
  • Sweet and Salty Road Trip Snack Recipes
  • Dried Fruit and Veggie Chips
  • Roasted Chickpea Recipes
  • Road Trip Muffin Recipes – Sweet and Savoury
  • Granola and Overnight Oats Recipes
  • Savoury Make Ahead Road Trip Snacks

We’ve rounded up some delicious, healthy and easy to make recipes for you to try. Let us know which ones are your favourites!

Please note : All the photos you see in this post belong to the website / bloggers the recipes are from.

Grab your Free Road Trip & Meal Planner HERE :

Free Road Trip Planner fanned over paved road through barren hills and sunset

More road trip snack ideas here.

Quick Road Trip Snack Recipes: Energy Balls, Energy Bites, Protein Bites

Whether you call them energy balls, bites, bliss balls or protein bites , they all have something in common.  They are super quick and easy to make, nutritious and versatile enough to fit all your travel companions road trip snack preferences and dietary needs. 

Plus they are no-bake and can be made in under 15 minutes. 

Sweet, salty, protein filled bites of goodness, these one bite wonders are easy to pack and store in your cooler. The perfect quick road trip snack recipes for busy parents.

road trip snacks for braces

1. Coconut Date Balls | Healy Eats Real

Easy No Bake Coconut Date Balls have only three ingredients, and are a naturally sweet paleo and vegan snack. Crunchy coconut taste on the outside combined with creamy, soft inside = bliss in one bite. Plus no nuts!

Road Trip Snack Ideas Balls of dried fruit Ladoo on a plate.

2. Dried Fruits Ladoo – Easy Energy Balls | Dassana’s Veg Recipes

Dry Fruits Laddu is an easy, nutritious recipe of energy balls that are healthy and tasty. Packed with nutrients, good fats and fibre, these energy balls are made with dates, figs and various nuts. An ideal long road trip snack.

road trip snacks for braces

3. Lemon Coconut Chia Balls | Cathy’s Gluten Free

Lemon Coconut Chia balls are a refreshing and sweet snack. With only 5 nutrient packed ingredients, they are easy to make and bring along for the day.

If you want a little more protein, check out this similar recipe for Coconut Protein Balls

road trip snacks for braces

4. Pumpkin Energy Balls | Plant Powered Cooking

Looking for a unique energy ball recipe? You’ve found it. Pumpkin Energy balls are made with inexpensive chickpeas, lots of spices, and are gently sweetened with dates. Pumpkin pie in  hand held form.

road trip snacks for braces

5. Pistachio Energy Balls | Hoorah to Health

Pistachio energy balls are great for road trips, as they don’t need to be refrigerated and provide a nice energy boost so your travelers don’t get too cranky!

10 different road trip snacks; energy balls, cookies, overnight oats, pretzels, corn fritters, roasted chickpeas and granola bars. Text overlay  50+ Easy to amke recipes. Road trip snacks kids and adults will love.

6. Low Carb Peanut Butter Balls | Cassidy’s Craveable Creations

Looking for an alternative to eating cookie dough straight from the bowl? This recipe has got you covered. These sweet, peanut butter cookie dough flavoured balls will satisfy your cravings and hunger. 

road trip snacks for braces

7. Salted Caramel Bliss Balls | It’s Not Complicated

With just 5 ingredients, these delicious Salted Caramel Bliss Balls are so easy to make. A perfectly healthy sweet road trip snack or treat, they are vegan, gluten and refined sugar free.

road trip snacks for braces

8. Vanilla Coconut Bliss Balls | My Plantiful Cooking

Vanilla coconut bliss balls are a wonderful, healthy sweet treat to have on hand. Naturally sweetened with dates, they are perfect for a midday pick-me-up after a long hike or drive.

🚙 You may also like Simple Ways to Save Money on Road Trips

road trip snacks for braces

9. Apple Pie Oat Bliss Balls | Kidgredients

Yummy and portable, these apple pie bliss balls are the perfect road trip snack. Plus they are super kid-friendly, nut free, and no bake. When you are craving the apple pie taste, without all the work, or mess on the road, these will satisfy.

These healthy snack bar recipes are easy to make, with minimal ingredients, so you can spend more time enjoying your trip, than preparing for it. Add these to your list of healthy snacks for road trips.

road trip snacks for braces

10. Low Carb Granola Bars | Wholesome Yum

These homemade Kind Bar copycats are the easiest low carb, gluten-free, sugar-free granola bars you can make at home. Plus they take only about 10 minutes to make, so you are ready to head out on your adventures in no time at all.

road trip snacks for braces

11. Coconut Candy Bars | A Sweet Alternative

If you are looking for an alternative to store bought chocolate bars, and love coconut, then you have found the right recipe!

These coconut candy bars are refined sugar free (sweetened with maple syrup, YES!) and made from simple, nutritious ingredients. They’re easy to make and so satisfying. 

road trip snacks for braces

12. Homemade Protein Bars  | Masala Herb

Homemade protein bars without protein powder are enriched with nuts and dried fruits. Know what’s in your protein bars!

road trip snacks for braces

13. Vegan Raspberry Rhubarb Bars | By The Forkful

Raspberry Rhubarb Bars are my dream breakfast snack on the go. Quick and easy to make, portable, and filled with fresh summery fruit. What more would you want?

road trip snacks for braces

14. No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch Bars  | Vegan Huggs

Five ingredients + fifteen minutes  = No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch Bars. A cross between a Rice Krispie treat and Nutty Buddy bars this portable snack is perfect for indulging any time of day.

🎒 Check out this Road Trip Packing List & tips too

road trip snacks for braces

15. Healthy Carrot Cake Protein Bars | Any Reasons Vegan

Carrot Cake Protein Bars are a perfect road trip snack made of carrots, dates and pistachios, a no bake dream. These nutritious bars are full of protein, vitamins and iron, but shhhhhh don’t tell the kids they’re healthy.

road trip snacks for braces

16. Peanut Butter, Banana Oatmeal Bars | My Plantiful Cooking

Peanut Butter, Banana, Oatmeal Bars have only three ingredients, are vegan and a wonderful on the go snack. Whether you are looking for breakfast to go, or a snack mid day these chewy moist bars will satisfy.

road trip snacks for braces

17. Two Ingredient Nutella Brownies  | Momma Lew

Two ingredient fudgy, rich nutella brownies will satisfy your sweet tooth. Cooked in a muffin tin, they are easy to transport wherever you travel. Sometimes you just need to indulge a little.

road trip snacks for braces

18. Homemade Granola Bars | Ottawa Mommy Club

Homemade granola bar recipe is slightly different as it does not contain any oats. It is also a great snack for when you are hungry, but want an alternative to store bought bars.

road trip snacks for braces

19. Oat and Honey Granola Bars | Healthy Life Trainer

Chewy No-bake Oat and Honey Granola Bars are quick and easy to prepare in under 15 minutes. They are loaded with wholesome ingredients such as oats, almond, honey, butter, and cranberries.

Homemade Road Trip Snacks – Cookies

Cookies! Now who can resist a delicious cookie especially homemade ones. They are portable, easy to make and pack, and can be full of nutritious and delicious add ins, so are ideal for road trips.

road trip snacks for braces

20. Anzac Biscuits | Mama Loves To Cook

Tap into a  tradition from Australia and New Zealand with some buttery, caramel flavoured Anzac Biscuits. These coconut oat cookies are quick and easy to make, travel well and last for ages.

road trip snacks for braces

21. Best Road Trip Breakfast Cookies | Boulder Locavore

The name says it all, but don’t be fooled by the title. You don’t have to be on a road trip or only eat them for breakfast. As the name suggests they are a great source of nutrition in a few bites without a crazy amount of sugar and processed ingredients. They pack a great amount of protein, fiber and essential fats into their two-bite form as well.

Two round Besan Ladoo cookies topped with nuts.

22. Besan Ladoo – Chickpea Flour Sweet Cookies | So Yummy Recipes

Make these chickpea flour  sweet treat balls for your next trip and enjoy them as your scrumptious sweets that offer an energy and protein boost.

road trip snacks for braces

23. Carrot Cake Breakfast Cookies | Just As Tasty

Combining two of my favourite things into one is heavenly. Carrot Cake Breakfast cookies are soft, bursting with flavour, and can be eaten as a snack any time of the day.

road trip snacks for braces

24. Flourless Chocolate Chip Cookies | Living Healthy With Chocolate

Amazing flourless,  gooey and  soft cookies, filled with chocolate chips that are super easy to make (and eat). This recipe is gluten-free, dairy-free, and Paleo with Keto and Vegan options.

Road Trip Snack Ideas – Sweet and Salty Recipes

If you are looking for healthier, homemade road trip snack ideas to replace the frequent stops at gas stations, and grabbing a bag of chips and pop, then this section is for you. 

Trail mix is a must bring travel snack for all our road trips, camping trips and adventures. Kids love it when you add a bit of smarties & gummy bears.

road trip snacks for braces

25. Smoky Trail Mix | Boulder Locavore

Snackers unite! Trail Mix is a perfect snack when on the go or for traveling. This version takes it up a flavor notch with smoked almonds as the central ingredient. The mix to sweet, salty and crunchy can’t be beat. If not a lover of the smoky almonds, regular almonds may be substituted.

road trip snacks for braces

26. Sweet and Salty Trail Mix | Neighbor Food

Curb your crunch craving with this sweet and salty trail mix. The beauty of homemade trail mix is you can mix and match your favourite nuts, seeds, dried fruits and extras to your liking.

road trip snacks for braces

27. Instant Pot Popcorn | Nourish Plate

This recipe just blew my mind. Popcorn in an instant pot is a brilliant idea. Cheap, easy to make, popcorn travels well and is a tasty snack, with many seasoning choices to try.

road trip snacks for braces

28. 3 Ingredient Popcorn Balls | Crave The Good

Delicious 3 ingredient popcorn balls are a sweet addition to your day. Technically the base recipe is 2 main ingredients, with customizable options. Popcorn + Honey + Seasonings = endless options for hand held snacks.

road trip snacks for braces

29. 5 Minute Cheese Snack Mix | Recipes From A Pantry

Need a quick last minute snack before heading out on your road trip? This 5 minute cheese snack mix will save the day. Plus it can also be used as last minute snacks for guests, holiday gifts, potlucks, so it’s a good one to keep in your back pocket. 

road trip snacks for braces

30. Snickerdoodle Muddy Buddies | The Short Order Cook

Chex sweet treat meets Snickerdoodle taste equals an addictive road trip snack. Plus it’s no bake, which is a bonus for prepping in the summer months.

road trip snacks for braces

31. Seasoned Ranch Pretzels  | Budget Delicious

Nothing says road trips more than a pack of pretzels. Take your snacking up a notch with ranch seasoned pretzels. If you aren’t a fan of ranch, not to worry there are many other variations you can try as well.

road trip snacks for braces

32. Slow Cooker Candied Nuts | Casserole Chrissy

Poppable, sweet and crunchy, these candied nuts make the perfect on-the-go snack, any time of year.  You can choose any combination of nuts that you like for a unique blend each time.

Need road trip ideas? Check out this One Day in Zion National Park or this 4 Day Itinerary in Acadia National Park , both are family friendly .

Easy Road Trip Snack Recipes: Dried Fruit & Veggie Chips

One of the simplest, whole food ways to prepare foods is by dehydrating. Dried fruit and veggie snacks make for some delicious crunchy, sweet and salty road trip snack ideas.

road trip snacks for braces

33. Easy Homemade Fruit Rollups | Amanda’s Cookin’

Plum fruit rollups have just 3 ingredients and are a fun and healthy snack that the whole family will love. Plus they’re easy to pack and carry around for all your family vacations.

road trip snacks for braces

34. Crispy Air Fryer Apple Chips | Recipes From A Pantry

Addictive, crunchy and healthy,  cinnamon apple chips are the next best thing to add to your road trip snack list. Using an air fryer cuts down dehydrating time to a fraction of what you need for the oven so makes this snack even easier.

road trip snacks for braces

35. Chewy Dried Bananas | Healthy Green Savy

Sometimes you just want something a little sweet with a chewier texture. Dried bananas do just this. It’s a great way to use up those fast ripening bananas on your counter, and have an easy road trip snack to bring with you. 

road trip snacks for braces

36. Dried Mango  | Masala Herb

Dehydrated mangoes can turn into a food obsession. They are super good and ridiculously easy to make from scratch.

road trip snacks for braces

37. Dehydrated Pears | Emily Fabulous

Dehydrated pears are so easy to make and are a healthy snack, that’s perfect for kids, adults anytime, anywhere. 

road trip snacks for braces

38. Oven Baked Beet Chips | Pink Fortitude

Crispy, curled beet chips, are a slightly sweet and salty chip alternative, that adds a little colour to your palate. Plus beets are high in vitamin C, fiber, potassium, protein, folate, and manganese, so you’re getting your vitamins and satisfying your crunchy salty tooth.

39. Baked Kale Chips | Healthy Green Savy

Kale chips are a delicious new fad, that I hope doesn’t go outta style. Kale chips are a great way to get your kids, or partners in to travel to eat more veggies. Easy to make and very addictive, they help curb your  salty-crunchy cravings. The only problem is trying not to eat them all right away. They may not make it into your car for the road trip.

Roasted Chickpea Snacks 

Roasted chickpeas are a crunchy, salty alternative to too many potato chips on the road. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy my salt n’ vinegar chips, but sometimes  you need something a little heartier that packs a protein punch.

Not to mention roasted chickpea snacks are vegan, full of fibre, iron and folate. 

road trip snacks for braces

40. Crispy Air Fryer Chickpeas | Little Sunny Kitchen

Crispy Air Fryer Chickpeas are spicy, crunchy, and packed with plant protein.  Using an Air Fryer makes sure that every single chickpea is perfectly crunchy.

41. Curried Air Fryer Chickpeas | That Girl Cooks Healthy

This easy to make recipe is packed with protein and flavour from herbs and spices. Plus they are easy to make in large batches, right in your air-fryer. The hard part will be not eating them all before you pack them away for your road trip.

42. Healthy Roasted Chickpeas with Seasonings | Amy Gorin Nutrition

If you don’t have an air fryer try this general roasted chickpea recipe  with over 10 seasoning options. Packed with all the tips you’ll need on how to make a grab-and-go chickpea snack that keeps it’s crunchy texture. 

Healthy Snacks for Road Trips: Muffin Recipes

I have a confession to make. Muffins are not my favourite. There I said it, don’t judge me too harshly. Mostly because I find commercially they are made too sweet, and taste more like cake. 

But muffins are super handy to have on hand for long (or short road trips), especially with kids. Which is why I often tend to make and pack savoury muffins or lean towards recipes that use alternatives to white sugar. 

We’ve rounded up some yummy, healthier road trip ideas with these muffin recipes to expand your snack offerings. My favourite “sweet” recipe is below:

43. Packed for Life’s Kid Favourite Muffin Recipe – The Best Banana Muffin Recipe

This is my favourite muffin recipe by Chocolate Covered Katie. I make it 2-3 times a month, and everyone I’ve fed them to have loved them.  So if you are looking for an easy recipe, you can’t go wrong with this one. 

Sweetened only with ripe bananas, easy to make, they are kid-friendly and delicious. To make them gluten-free I use GF oat flour, plus add my own spin by adding  ½ tsp to 1 tsp each of ground cinnamon, and  ginger and about  ¼ tsp of ground cardamom. 

I am excited to add some of these next sweet and savoury muffin recipes below to my regular muffin rotation.

Savoury Road Trip Muffin Recipes

road trip snacks for braces

44. Broccoli and Cheese Breakfast Muffins | End Of The Fork

Savoury muffins filled with broccoli and cheesy goodness. These muffins are delicious warmed up at breakfast time or for an on-the go road trip snack. Light, fluffy, fits in your hand and so easy to make, your kids can help you.  

road trip snacks for braces

45. Greek Breakfast Egg Muffin | Always Use Butter

Not just for breakfast, these greek egg muffins are packed with feta cheese, sun-dried tomatoes and black olives. Savoury goodness in a couple of bites, to fill your belly on the road.

road trip snacks for braces

46. Air Fryer Pizza Rolls | Crave The Good

Ok, so these are not technically a muffin, but air fryer pizza rolls would be soooooo good for a road trip snack, or an afternoon snack, or breakfast, or anytime really. Stretch, gooey mozzarella cheese, and delicious tomato sauce wrapped in pizza dough cooked to perfection in an air fryer, can’t be beat.

Road Trip Snack Ideas: Sweet Muffin Recipes

road trip snacks for braces

47. Peanut Butter Banana Muffins | Wholesome Family Living

Peanut Butter and Banana muffins are versatile, packed with protein, and are delicious any time of day. Plus this recipe makes a big batch, so whether you’re road tripping with hungry kids or friends, there will be more than enough to share.

road trip snacks for braces

48. Vegan Blueberry Lemon Muffins | Get Set Vegan

Not just for vegans! These Blueberry Lemon Muffins combine the best things, fresh berries and lemon for a moist, delicious portable snack.

road trip snacks for braces

49. Banana Pear Muffins  | Mrs. Jones’s Kitchen

Banana Pear Muffins will be  well loved by the kids in your life, big and small. With no added sugar, they are  naturally sweetened with banana and pear, and travel really well.

Healthy Road Trip Snacks: Granola & Overnight Oats Recipes

road trip snacks for braces

50. Cocoa Fig Granola | Healy Eats Real

Cocoa Fig homemade granola is a flavour explosion filled with crunchy clusters of chocolatey goodness.  Sugar free, paleo and vegan,  pack this granola snack for the road and don’t look back. It’s ok if you don’t want to share.

road trip snacks for braces

51. Cinnamon Vanilla Granola | Brooklyn Active Mama

Cinnamon Vanilla Granola is so full of dried cranberries, chia, flax seeds, nuts, and yummy goodness, this will quickly become your favourite on the go snack.

road trip snacks for braces

52. Chunky Peanut Butter Banana Protein Granola | My Plantiful Cooking

Peanut Butter and Banana is such a classic taste combo.This high protein granola is chunky, crispy & utterly delicious. Happens to also  be naturally vegan & gluten-free. A portable snack to have on hand. Grab a handful whenever you are feeling snacky.

road trip snacks for braces

53. Dark Chocolate Cherry Granola | Aspen On Main

Chocolate and cherry are such a classic taste combination, that this granola is sure to please even the crankiest of road trip companions. Naturally sweetened with maple syrup and includes other healthy ingredients like oats and flax seed, making it a great on the go snack with or without yogurt.

road trip snacks for braces

54. Banana Cinnamon Overnight Oats | Plant Powered Cooking

These banana cinnamon overnight oats are a  well-balanced, easy to pack and eat  breakfast that tastes like banana bread!

What I love about overnight oats are: 

  • They are easy to make even while on the road, as long as you have a few simple ingredients and a container. 
  • Versatile – don’t like bananas, switch them out for applesauce, or berries.
  • Can be eaten any time of day, not just for breakfast.
  • One of the best road trip snacks for kids as they can combine good fats, proteins, and other nutrients.

Road Trip Foods: Savoury Make Ahead Road Trip Snack Recipes

Sometimes you just want something a little more substantial than an energy bite, or a handful of trail mix. Take a look at these delicious, savoury make ahead road trip snack receipes. Easy to grab and eat as snacks on your next adventures.

road trip snacks for braces

55. Chicken Seekh Kabob | So Yummy Recipes

These succulent chicken seekh kebabs are delicious to have as they are. But you can have them rolled in tortilla wraps, naan bread, flatbread or just in hot dog buns. Making them easy to take with you for a quick snack or meal on the road.

road trip snacks for braces

56. Air Fryer Popcorn Chicken | Budget Delicious

Air Fryer Popcorn Chicken is the perfect recipe for making an appetizer or a road trip snack that will be well  loved by the whole family. 

road trip snacks for braces

57. Cheesy Smashed Chickpea Spread | Veeg

Looking for a protein packed, delicious spread to dip your veggies, pretzels, or crackers on the road? This cheesy smashed chickpea spread is just the ticket and it’s kid approved. 

road trip snacks for braces

58. Fresh Vegan Spring Rolls | Happy Kitchen

Fresh spring rolls with peanut sauce are a family favourite while being a healthy mess-free portable snack. Mix and match your favourite veggies, add in some tofu or tempeh if desired roll em’ up and away you go. 

If you are wanting a non-vegan version we usually add cooked prawns/shrimp to ours.  

road trip snacks for braces

59. Vegan Zucchini Corn Fritters | Happy Kitchen

Crispy, delicious and full of veggies such as zucchini and corn, these fritters are a perfect addition to your family road trip snack list.

road trip snacks for braces

60. Vegan Pinwheels | Get Set Vegan

If you are trying to avoid dairy, or just want to expand your recipe horizons, these vegan pinwheels are a great addition to your road trip. Full of beans, beets, avocado and veggies, these pinwheels  will provide a delicious on the go snack or lunch.

Six free road trip planner pages fanned out over colored background. Awesome road trips await. Never eat bad gas station food again. Check off all your bucket list goals. Be prepared so you can focus on what's important - having fun!. Grab it heree.

Conclusion: Road Trip Foods: 50+ Easy, Healthy Road Trip Snack Recipes

Whether you are heading out for a day trip or an epic week long family road trip up Vancouver Island, there are 50+ easy, healthy road trip snack recipes to inspire your vacation planning and taste buds.

Enjoy the journey while munching on these scrumptious yet nutritious bites that’ll keep your energy levels high and your taste buds satisfied.

So, buckle up, hit the road, and let these wholesome goodies fuel your wanderlust. Don’t forget to bring a cooler, and share your favorites with friends and fellow travelers. Because great snacks and epic road trips are always better together!

Happy snacking, explorers!

What’s your favourite road trip snack recipe? Let us know in the comments below, or connect with us on social media. We’d love to hear from you.

ROAD TRIP IDEAS & RESOURCES

Here are our favourite resources we use to research and book our trips. They offer competitive deals, and good customer service. Plus itineraries and more travel ideas for Acadia area: Bryce Canyon in One Day Tips for Zion National Park with Kids Road Trip Meals Ideas Big Sur Road Trip Itinerary Boston to Acadia: New England Road Trip —- 150 Car Conversation starters to beat boredom Essential road trip packing list Easy Toddler & Kid Road Trip Activities Simple ways to have a budget road trip RV Travel gift ideas Booking.com – Book your accomodations here. Excellent booking site for lowest lodging rates. VRBO – Book family friendly accommodations here, but no cleaning! Viator – Find & book even more experiences, tours & lessons world wide. Discover Cars – Make finding the cheapest or best car for your trip easy (worldwide) Going (Formerly Scott’s Cheap Flights) – Find cheaper flights Anything else? Check out our Family Travel Resources & Tips page

Packed for Life is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com, amazon.ca.

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Donna Garrison is the founder of Packed for Life, an ever curious traveler with a passion for making memories with her family. With a unique perspective on travelling on a budget gathered over 30 years, 20 countries and 5 continents she gives families the tools & resources they need to experience the joys of travelling more for less through practical solutions. She helps over 20,000 families a month plan & take the family travel, camping and road trip adventures of their dreams in Canada, the USA and around the world. Contact her at: Donna [at] packedforlife.com

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Thanks for some tasty options! I am really looking forward to being able to travel again one of these days! Pinning for later 🙂

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My Favorite (Mostly Healthy) Road Trip Snacks

Mom Handing Container of Snacks to Kids in Back Seat

In this Article

road trip snacks for braces

There’s nothing quite as American as a road trip – a packed car, the open highway, and lots of snacks! From healthy to not so much, these are my favorite road trip snacks.

Whether I’m traveling solo, exploring with a friend, or vacationing with several family members, the trip is always as much about the food as it is the sights and experiences. But eating three meals a day on the road can take a big bite out of a travel budget. So we try to eat at least one meal a day (and all of our road trip snacks) with items we’ve brought from home or picked up at a grocery store or market along the way.

With options that range from healthy to sweet-tooth satisfying, these are the best road trip snacks to take on your next adventure.

Woman Tossing Apple Core from Car

Sage Advice: Even if a road trip snack is unprocessed and fully biodegradable (like an apple core), always dispose of any remains properly. When you leave crumbs and scraps in a parking lot or toss them out of your car window, you encourage wildlife to approach the remnants, where they may be hit by a vehicle and killed. When you feed ducks chunks of bread, you can cause them to be malnourished. And when you leave food at a picnic table or campsite, you may prompt an undesirable bear encounter .

road trip snacks for braces

To help offset the costs of running EverydayWanderer.com, you’ll find affiliate links lightly sprinkled throughout the site.   If you choose to make a purchase via   one of these links , there’s no additional cost to you, but I’ll earn a teeny tiny commission.   You can read all of the legal blah blah blah (as my little niece says) on the   full disclosure page .

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What are Your Favorite Road Trip Snacks?

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How to Pack Snacks for a Road Trip

How you pack your road trip snacks may be just as important as the snacks themselves. You’ll need to stow the food so it doesn’t spoil, get crushed, or take up unnecessary space. Plus it needs to be within easy reach of the driver and passengers. 

To keep snacks like sliced vegetables fresh, a cooler is a must-have. I prefer soft-sided coolers because they offer more flexibility when squeezing them into tight spaces. I also like reusable cold packs that I can stick in my hotel room’s mini fridge at night. 

Plastic bags that seal tightly are also essential to ensure that your snacks remain edible and don’t cause a mess. Reusable food storage bags will help keep snacks like granola from scattering crumbs everywhere and sliced peppers from absorbing condensation in the cooler. I typically use multiple sizes of bags and bring extras for when I restock with local snacks along the way. 

And don’t forget the kids when you’re planning your snack-packing strategy. A lunch bag with some finger food will keep kids content and minimize the number of times they need adult assistance. 

Sage Advice: Adding local snacks to the mix will enhance your cultural experience at each stop, so check out farmers markets and local shops on your road trip!

Accessories to Pack for a Road Trip

Don’t forget to pack accessories for your road trip snacks. Having the right tools on hand will ensure you don’t have to spread peanut butter with your finger or try to slice cucumbers with a plastic fork. 

Packing the following accessories will make snacking more enjoyable:

  • One set of camp silverware per traveler. Sure, plastic utensils are more convenient, but they’re flimsy and bad for the environment. 
  • Paring knife. A small, sharp knife comes in handy for slicing fruits, vegetables, meats, and cheeses. For safety, look for one with a sheath cover. 
  • Apple corer/slicer. You might be surprised at how handy a good apple corer/slicer can be on the road. Apple slices are often more convenient to snack on than the whole fruit, plus they’re easier to share when cut into pieces. This apple corer/slicer is my favorite because it comes with a safety cover.
  • Small cutting board. Whether you’re trimming the tops off of strawberries or slicing an apple, it’s helpful to have a clean, flat surface available.
  • Travel-size bottle of dish soap. A small bottle of dish soap will help keep all your snack gear clean. 
  • Roll of paper towels. In addition to wiping down surfaces, a paper towel can double as a plate and then serve as a napkin when your road trip snacktime is over.  
  • Tablecloth. Public picnic tables aren’t always the cleanest surfaces, but instead of trying to disinfect them, just cover them with a tablecloth . You can also spread it on the ground for picnic-style snacking. 
  • Travel coffee mug. Skip Starbucks and fill it up at the hotel to kickstart your morning. If you need a pick-me-up later in the day, many convenience stores and truck stops will let you refill your own mug , helping to reduce the number of single-use coffee cups that end up in landfills.
  • One reusable water bottle per person. Choose a more earth-friendly way to rehydrate by opting for reusable water bottles . You should be able to find plenty of places to fill them along your route. 
  • Mini trash can or large, sealable container. Your road trip snacks will likely generate some waste you’ll want to manage. I like sealed containers that trap the smell of old banana peels and apple cores.
  • Assortment of reusable zip bags . These babies aren’t just for organizing road trip snacks. They can also be used to seal things like wet swimsuits or leaky shampoo bottles. 

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Is It Illegal to Eat While Driving?

You already know you shouldn’t drink alcoholic beverages and drive. But is it illegal to eat and drive? The short answer is that no US state currently prohibits eating while driving. However, most states have laws against distracted driving. So if you do eat in the car on your road trip, be sure you’re nibbling foods that aren’t too complicated to open, assemble, or consume while operating a motor vehicle. 

Some road trip snack lists omit messy snacks. I’m talking about foods that are crumbly ( like crackers ), powdery ( like mini donuts ), or potentially stinky ( like cheese sticks ). But I don’t automatically exclude foods like that from my list. Why? Because not everything you pack for your road trip needs to be consumed while you are in the car. You can always enjoy these foods when you stop at a picnic table or tailgate during regular stops along your route.

Good Snacks for a Road Trip

The best road trip snacks are durable foods that don’t bruise, smash, or spoil easily. It’s best for your blood sugar levels and waistline to pack healthy road trip snacks, including fruits, veggies, and high-protein options. But you’re also on vacation, and everyone knows that vacation calories don’t count, right? So my list of snacks for a road trip also includes a few sweets and special treats.

Fruit to Pack as Road Trip Snacks

When you pack fresh fruit for a road trip, it’s best to focus on options that don’t bruise or spoil very easily. If you do pack more fragile fruits, consider varieties that can be frozen before your trip.

road trip snacks for braces

Whether you like red, yellow, or green, apples are a healthy, durable road trip snack. I always wash the apples before we leave home and pack an apple slicer . I can slice the apple when I stop to fill gas and then easily eat the pieces when I slide back behind the wheel and resume driving. Or, I can easily split an apple with a travel companion.

Sage Advice: If you pack sliced cheddar or peanut butter for your road trip, they pair well with apple slices.

Jar of Homemade Applesauce Surrounded by Apples

While it does contribute to landfill waste if you purchase applesauce in individual cups or squeeze pouches , applesauce is another relatively healthy road trip snack. We love this organic unsweetened applesauce in cups, and the same brand also offers guava applesauce . GoGo squeeZ has pouches of applesauce without added sugar, including variety packs with several flavors, like apple cinnamon applesauce . 

Sage Advice: Use these refillable food pouches to reduce the number of single-use cups and squeeze pouches that you put into the trash.

road trip snacks for braces

Red or green seedless grapes travel well. We wash the grapes at home and cut the large bunches into smaller segments before placing them in large zipper bags for the journey.

road trip snacks for braces

From mini Mandarin to the juicy navel, oranges travel well. They don’t require any prep work, and you can peel the fruit and separate the segments when you’re ready to eat.

Wooden Bowl of Kiwi

High in vitamin C and dietary fiber, kiwi is another good fruit to pack for a road trip. Simply slice the fruit in half and scoop out the green flesh with a spoon . 

road trip snacks for braces

Although they can bruise if tossed around a lot, bananas are another road trip snack we frequently pack. They don’t need to be washed before eating, and their natural “wrappers” are biodegradable. 

Sage Advice: If you eat this road trip snack at a pit stop, dress it up with a dollop of peanut butter and dip it into a small container of granola .

Cardboard Containers of Blueberries

Blueberries

Full of antioxidants, blueberries are easy to snack on in the car. They can also be used to “dress up” yogurt cups that you pack or pick up at the hotel breakfast bar.

Sage Advice: Consider freezing blueberries before your road trip. They can double as an ice pack in your cooler, and make a healthy snack once thawed. If you do freeze berries, just be sure to freeze them unwashed in Ziploc bags and rinse them before you eat them. Otherwise, you’re likely to have a frozen slab of berries.

Wooden Scoop of Banana Chips and Dried Fruit

Fruit Chips and Dried Fruit

Bare Snacks makes crunchy fruit chips that make great road trip snacks. Try baked apple chips , banana chips , and pineapple chips – all made with no added sugar. Or pack dried mango or dried figs for a more exotic fruit snack for your next road trip.

Vegetables to Pack as Road Trip Snacks

Another category of healthy road trip snacks is vegetables. Munch them as they are, or dip them in hummus or ranch dressing .

Bunch of Carrots on Plate

Full of vitamin A and beta-carotene, the fastest way to add this crunchy snack is with a bag of baby carrots. Or, peel a bunch of carrots and cut them into sticks before you leave home.

road trip snacks for braces

Sugar Snap Peas

Another healthy road trip snack that can be enjoyed straight out of the bag is sugar snap peas. Enjoy them pod and all for a slightly sweet snack that is a good source of vitamins A, B, C, and K. 

road trip snacks for braces

If you eat out of boredom on road trips, celery is a great snack option. Not only is this vegetable low in calories (at less than ten per stalk), but the fiber in celery helps you feel full. Prep celery before you go by trimming the tops and bottoms and separating the stalks into individual pieces. 

Sage Advice: For a heartier celery snack, fill the center with cream cheese or peanut butter . Put the filled sides together to make the stuffed celery sticks portable for your trip.

Cucumber Sliced into Discs

Whether you like English (long and thin with few seeds) or a backyard variety (like burpless), cucumbers are another healthy road trip snack. Cut them into spears before you go, or slice them into circles when you stop.

Sweet Bell Peppers

Sweet Bell Peppers

Load up on vitamins A and C with sweet bell peppers. Purchase a bag of sweet mini peppers that need no preparation, or cut larger peppers into strips before you leave home or when you take a break on your journey. 

Sage Advice: If you cut a big pepper into strips, be sure to watch this video on the fastest way to get the job done! 

High-Protein Road Trip Snacks

To feel full (and keep that “full feeling” longer), be sure your road trip snacks include options that are high in protein.

road trip snacks for braces

Hard-Boiled Eggs

Before hitting the road, I hard boil eggs and pack them as snacks for our road trip. Not only does that clear out the fridge, but at 7 grams of protein per egg, it also means I have a good source of protein for breakfast if the hotel buffet is heavy on carbs and sugars (as many are).

Assortment of Granola Bars Next to a Bowl of Oats and Almonds

Granola Bars and Other Snack Bars

While I have yet to meet a granola bar I don’t like, some are full of sugar and low in protein. Are Nutri-Grain soft-baked breakfast bars delicious? Absolutely! But they only contain two grams of protein and are loaded with about a quarter of the day’s sugar, so I prefer to pack other options as snacks when we hit the road. My current favorites are KIND crunchy peanut butter protein bars , with 12 grams of plant protein.

Chocolate Chip Energy Bites - Build Your Bite

Homemade Protein Balls

Homemade protein balls make a perfect road trip snack because they are typically packed with healthy ingredients that satisfy a road tripper’s need for both flavor and protein. On top of that, they’re easy to make. 

Check out these recipes: 

  • These no-bake brownie energy bites will naturally satisfy your craving for something sweet and rich in protein. And as an added bonus, they’re both vegan and gluten free. 
  • Peanut butter gives these gluten-free, vegan energy balls protein while dates make them naturally sweet. A delicious, healthy snack! 
  • At six grams of protein each, these no-bake energy balls make a great road trip snack. Best of all, the chocolate chips and rolled oats make them taste like cookie dough. Win, win!

Bowl of Jerky on Wooden Table

Jerky, Meat Sticks, and Meat Bars

From its origin as pemmican, a Native American dried meat dish typically made from bison or elk, this high-protein food has been consumed by travelers for centuries. Today’s road trippers have many dried meat options to choose from, ranging from traditional beef jerky to bison sticks to venison meat bars. And they come in updated flavors like bacon cranberry , apple bacon, and chicken sriracha . Yum!

A note of warning: Although a great source of protein, dried meat products can be full of salt. Make sure you have plenty of water on hand and prepare to make extra potty stops when you eat this tasty treat. 

Safe Catch Wild Pacific Salmon

Food manufacturers have made it easy to enjoy tuna and salmon on the go . I always pack a couple of fish pouches for tasty, convenient protein. With flavors like hot Buffalo , lemon dill , and ranch , you don’t need to add anything to the fish. Just spread the tuna or salmon on crackers and you have a protein-packed road trip snack. 

However, it’s important to be aware that fish such as tuna, salmon, and mackerel can contain high levels of mercury . That’s why I trust Safe Catch as my preferred brand for fish pack snacks. They thoroughly test every fish to guarantee that their products maintain the lowest mercury levels compared to other brands. This ensures not just great flavor, but also peace of mind when it comes to health.

Sage Advice: Fish is another reason to pack air-tight containers on your trip. No one wants to smell tuna in a confined car! 

Bowls of Various Nuts

Nuts are a great source of plant-based protein and typically a crowd favorite. I like to buy a big bag of almonds at Costco and divide them into smaller zip bags . They’re the perfect thing to include in kids’ snack bags, and at 7 grams of protein per ¼ cup, almonds will help travelers feel full for a while. 

Bowl of Roasted Sunflower Seeds

Sunflower Seeds

Sunflower seeds are another road trip favorite. Not only does a ¼ cup contain 6 grams of protein, but cracking them open, chewing the seed, and spitting the shell into a cup keeps you busy while driving those long stretches of interstate on cruise control. Yes, I’m looking at you, Western Kansas!

Bowl of Steamed Edamame with a Pinch Bowl of Salt

Dry-Roasted Edamame

For a slightly more exotic snack, try dry-roasted edamame . Edamame, which are immature soybeans, are delicious and loaded with protein, fiber, and vitamins and minerals. If you like your snacks spicy, dry-roasted wasabi-flavored edamame will do the trick. 

road trip snacks for braces

Roasted Chickpeas

You can’t go wrong with roasted chickpeas . This crunchy snack is a good source of protein and fiber. For those of you who like to sample different flavors, check out this variety pack . 

Summer Sausage Cheddar Cheese and Crackers Make Great Adult Lunchables

Adult Lunchables

One of my all-time favorite snacks is DIY adult Lunchables. Cut cheese and deli meat into smaller pieces that fit your favorite cracker before you leave home. Or pack nut butter packets to pair with a jelly packet from the breakfast buffet to make peanut butter or almond butter and jelly crackers.

Sage Advice: Don’t have time to cut up deli meat before you go? Toss a package of sliced pepperoni into your cooler instead.

Dairy Snacks for Road Trips

Dairy products may not be the first things that come to mind when you think about good road trip snacks. But because they’re convenient and loaded with protein and bone-building calcium, they deserve a spot in your cooler. 

road trip snacks for braces

Have a craving for something sweet en route to your destination? Instead of loading up on sugary candy, grab a container of yogurt from your cooler. If your hotel has a breakfast bar, you might be able to snag a container on your way out to replenish your stock. For kids, I prefer squeezable yogurt tubes for a low mess treat.

Just be sure to read the label before you load up or dig in as some brands of yogurt have as much sugar as a candy bar! My favorite low-sugar options include Chobani’s less sugar Greek yogurt , Siggi’s lower sugar yogurt , and Oikos Triple Zero yogurt . 

Sage Advice: Pack granola to stir into your yogurt (along with a few berries) to make an instant parfait. And keep mess to a minimum with these reusable containers . There’s even a separate compartment for your stir-ins!

Stack of Mini Babybel Cheese Rounds

String Cheese and Mini Babybel

Cheese is one of my very favorite road trip snacks, and there are many travel-friendly options. Tuck some individually wrapped string cheese in your cooler for a treat that both kids and adults will enjoy. Or grab a bag of Mini Babybel cheeses . Your fellow travelers will perk up when they see that familiar red wax coating. These cheeses can be eaten on their own – no crackers required! 

Other Nibbles to Enjoy as Road Trip Snacks

Trail Mix

Snack Mixes/Trail Mix

Trail mix is a versatile road trip snack that can be sweet or salty, healthy or not so much. You can buy it already prepared, or you can easily make your own to ensure that your trail mix satisfies your taste buds. If your trail mix has chocolate chips, M&Ms, or any other ingredient that can melt, store it in your cooler in – you guessed it – a reusable zip bag . And if you do include chocolate, consider using dark chocolate, which is typically lower in sugar and a great source of antioxidants. 

Silver Bowl of Gummy Bears

Gummy Bears

Gummy bears aren’t the healthiest snack, but your munchies don’t all need to be nutritious. I like to buy a big box of Black Forest organic gummy bears in individual bags. Made from real fruit juice, they are a low-mess treat that satisfies my sweet tooth. 

Red Licorice on a Bright Yellow Background

Licorice is also a handy sweet treat to take along on your travels. Whether you opt for a classic – like Twizzlers strawberry-flavored twists – or a unique flavor – like huckleberry licorice – this is a road trip snack that will please travelers of all ages. 

Bowl of Veggie Chips

Veggie Chips

Veggie chips and straws, which come in flavors like spinach and tomato, are delicious alternatives to greasy traditional snack chips. My favorite? Sweet potato chips ! 

Plantain Chips

Plantain Chips

Plantain chips are slightly sweet and a decent source of fiber. For travelers on a paleo, gluten-free,  or vegan diet, plantain chips are a good snack to have on hand. 

Cheese Crisps

Cheese Crisps

For travelers who like their munchies a little cheesy, cheese crisps are a great road trip snack option. They have less fat than other cheese-flavored chips, and with flavors like parmesan and cheddar, they’ll satisfy your need for cheese. 

road trip snacks for braces

Yogurt-Covered Raisins, Nuts, or Pretzels

Although not as healthy as the name implies, yogurt-covered raisins are a deliciously sweet road trip treat. Brands like Sunmaid offer yogurt-covered raisins in individually portioned boxes for easy snacking. And for nut lovers who like a combination of sweet and salty, it’s hard to go wrong with yogurt-covered almonds or peanuts. 

Dark Chocolate Covered Pretzel Sticks

Dark Chocolate-Covered Nuts, Raisins, or Pretzels

For a healthier alternative to yogurt-covered treats, try raisins and nuts covered in dark chocolate. In addition to being a good source of antioxidants, dark chocolate is surprisingly high in iron, with one serving providing nearly 20% of the recommended daily allowance (RDA) for women and over 40% of the RDA for men. Bon appetit! 

road trip snacks for braces

Fig bars have come a long way since your daddy’s Fig Newtons . Today you can find them in whole wheat versions and enhanced by flavors such as apple cinnamon and peach apricot . 

Sage Advice: Don’t like figs? Look for versions made from other fruits, such as strawberries and blueberries. 

road trip snacks for braces

Although it takes up more space than other road trip snacks, popcorn is another great option. With flavors like sweet-and-salty kettle corn and white cheddar, Skinny Pop is one of my favorites. As an alternative, bring some low-fat, low-salt bags of microwave popcorn to pop in your hotel’s microwave for a road trip snack before bed.

road trip snacks for braces

Goldfish Crackers

Goldfish crackers have long been a lunchtime favorite for kids. But let’s be honest: What adult doesn’t enjoy nibbling on a handful of these tasty munchies? To save money, buy a large carton of goldfish and divide it into snack-sized bags. 

road trip snacks for braces

In addition to the yogurt- and chocolate-dipped option mentioned above, regular old “naked” pretzels are another good low-fat snack to take on road trips. I love Dot’s Homestyle Pretzels , which come in flavors like Southwest and honey mustard. For a little added protein, bring along some pretzel bites that are filled with peanut butter . 

Green Pea Snack Crisps

Green Pea Snack Crisps

Rounding out the list of my favorite road trip snacks are green pea snack crisps . These tasty munchies are a decent source of fiber and even provide some iron and protein. 

Sage Advice: While it’s not exactly a snack, gum is a great way to keep your mouth busy if you tend to be a bored snacker. And if you chew a brand that contains xylitol – like Trident , Icebreakers , and Orbit – it also protects against tooth decay from all the sweet snacks listed above!

What Are Your Favorite Road Trip Snacks?

What are your favorite road trip snacks? Do you tend to pack salty snacks or sweet snacks, healthy snacks or not so much? Any additional tips and tricks to pass along? Share your experiences in the comments section below.

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4 thoughts on “My Favorite (Mostly Healthy) Road Trip Snacks”

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I love the balance between healthy and not-so-healthy snacks! For fruits, I love grapes and bananas. My favorite junk food is Hot Cheetos but it makes me drink a lot of water so I need to pee, so I like eating Cheez-its on the road instead!

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Oh, man! I’m SO in love with Cheetos that I only allow myself to buy (and eat) the little lunch-size packets. If I had a Costco sized bag of them on a road trip, I would serious eat the entire bag!

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Exciting snack list, with great tips! I love healthy snacks while traveling. I often pack nuts, hard fruits and vegetables such as apples or carrots, and high-energy protein bars that give me strength during hiking.

Those sound like smart, healthy snacks. Perfect for hiking!

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40 Road Trip Snacks for Kids

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Healthy and fun ideas to enjoy while you’re on the move

Do kids seriously grow an extra stomach the second your car’s wheels hit the tarmac?

At home or in a child’s usual routine, it’s much easier to have structured meal times and deny the repeated whining for a snack. However, when you’re in a confined space and hurtling along at 65 miles an hour trying to keep to a schedule… you want to be prepared!

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Our Top 5 Tips for Packing Road Trip Snacks for Kids

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  • Eat Well! Keep the snacks as healthy as possible; Your aim with a car trip snack is to satisfy bellies until the next proper meal stop. If you give kids highly sugared snacks, they will likely have their energy peak while strapped into the car. Aim for foods that give longer-lasting energy and save sweets for special treats.
  • Portion Control . Keep the number of snacks you give kids in one go contained. If they open up a delightful big bento box of treats all in one, go you’ll find everything’s gone before lunch, they don’t eat lunch, then they whine all afternoon for something more!
  • Fresh or Packaged? Think practically about what will keep and what prep tools you will have when traveling. A weekend away, you can certainly bake up a storm and have lots of fresh homemade goodies to go. However, a multi-day road trip without a fridge or stove can limit your options.
  • Provide Choices . Yep, that same kid that ate 4 rice cakes yesterday can’t stand them today. We all have our moods and moments, so it’s wise to have a range of options in your goodies bag each day.
  • Bin it or wash it? It’s essential to have a cleanup process in place on a long trip. If food comes in disposable wrappers, have a trash bag system . Containers to wash? You’ll need a separate spot for empty containers, so they don’t leak and mess through the rest of your supplies, as well as a few small washing tools with you.

After countless hours on the road with our kids, here are the finger food snacks that we’ve found work best for a family road trip.

Top 40 Road Trip Travel Snacks For Kids

Kar's Nuts Variety Pack Trail Mix Snacks - Sweet 'N Spicy Mix, Yogurt Apple Nut, Mango Pineapple Mix, Individual Packs (Pack of 24)

Our favorite make-ahead road trip snack is to prepare our own trail mix. What you fit in is totally up to you but could include various nuts, raisins, and other dried fruits, seeds, and grains and even throw in a few extras like desiccated coconut or choc chips.

Make them up into portion-sized treat bags and share them out as you go. You can also find some fun and interesting packet trail mixes too.

Plain, buttered, salty, caramel, sugared – however you like it, the base ingredient here is pretty simple! Popcorn is a super easy snack to pop in your motel microwave at the start of the day, then loads of munching fun whenever your kids start to feel famished.

Veggie Sticks

Premium Ceramic Knife 4 inches, Kitchen Paring Knife - Ultra Sharp Fruit Knife for Vegetable Food with Hippo Shaped Cover, Small Portable Pairing Knives Food knife with Sheath, Green, by Jonbyi

Packed with nutrients and delivering a satisfying crunch, mix and match to your kids’ taste for a colorful rainbow treat in the car. Try cucumber spears, sliced peppers, celery sticks, and carrots (just remember you’ll need to pack a sharp travel knife if you’re preparing snack boxes on the move).  

You can add a dip with veggie sticks too to make them more interesting, but be warned this does increase your chances of sloppy spillages!

Cherry Tomatoes

These sweet little treats are the perfect healthy road trip snack, on their own or in a snacking box. Slice them in half so there’s no choking hazard.

Fresh Cut Fruit

Humangear GoBites Uno Portable Silverware Utensils Camping Gear Accessories Kitchen Equipment for Cooking or Lunchbox, 1-Pack, Gray

Fresh fruits are arguably one of the best natural sweet treats you can give kids. Understandably, though, in a car, chopping an apple, peeling a banana, or dissecting an orange isn’t always so easy. If you’re going with fresh fruits, try and chop ahead and avoid overly juicy chunks. (Looking at you, sorry, watermelon!) Including a little spork is helpful.

Raisins & Craisins

Sun-Maid Raisins Seedless. 1.33 OZ, pack of 6 (36 total)

Another super easy win for the road. Raisins and Craisins (dried cranberries) can be purchased in small individual packets, but the cost does significantly add up. If you can buy a bulk pack for mixing with your trail mix or dividing them into their own containers you’ll save a lot.

A super simple snack for when you’re on the move (and especially good for when you’re making an early morning start). Honey Nut Cheerios, Rice Krispies, Frosted Flakes, and Corn Pops all make great finger food snacks for the car that can be consumed without milk.

Granola Bars

Nature Valley Protein Granola Bars, Snack Variety Pack, Chewy Bars, 15 ct

Bake granola bars yourself ahead of time or store-bought (but do check how much added sugar is going in). These are a wonderful, chewy energy treat packed with goodness to fill grumbly bellies on the road.

Veggie Straws

Sensible Portions Garden Veggie Straws, Sea Salt, Snack Size, 1 Oz (Pack of 24)

Rather than traditional highly salted potato crisps, introduce your kids early to the fun flavors of veggie straws! Although not AS nutritious as fresh veg, they have way less sodium and more fiber than potato chips, and are a lot more colorful!

Squeezable Yogurt Tube

YOPLAIT YOGURT GO-GURT FOR KIDS 16 TUBES VALUE PACK STRAWBERRY SPLASH & COOL COTTON CANDY PACK OF 2

I can’t believe after how many post-road trip car cleans I’m still going to recommend these – but they are a great fun travel snack! Keep your yogurt tubes chilled, and if you can, freeze them overnight for a special icy treat in summer! Be ready with the Kleenex though…

String Cheese

Natural String Cheese Low Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella. Walnut Creek. 12 oz., 12.0 Ounce, 12.0 ounces

I don’t love how processed and packaged these are, but they definitely DO keep little hands busy on the road. Packed with calcium and protein, cheese strings are a fun little snack and so easy to add to a snack box.

Jack Link's Beef Jerky, Original - Flavorful Meat Snack for Lunches, Ready to Eat Snacks, Great Stocking Stuffers - 7g of Protein, Made with Premium Beef - 0.625 Oz Bags (Pack of 5)

Make your own or pre-packed and store-bought? However you like your jerky this is a great protein-filled and flavorsome special treat, finger-sized pieces make them ideal for the car.

Amazon Brand - Happy Belly Mini Twist Pretzels, 40oz

Whatever shape or size you prefer your pretzel in, these are a great salted snack ideal for snack boxes.

Oh! Nuts Trail Mix Snack Pack - Healthy Meals for Office, Travel, School, Hiking - Rich in Protein, Antioxidants - Assorted Box of 12 Individual Bags (Dried Fruits & Nuts)

A family pack to share, in a bento box, or an individual snack size – nuts are a GREAT energy-rich snack for kids. Look for mixed nuts, peanuts, and almonds – just check how much added salt (Always check there are no nut allergies before traveling!)

Seapoint Farms Dry Roasted Edamame, Sea Salt, Vegan, Gluten-Free, Kosher, and Non-GMO, Crunchy Snack for Healthy Snacking, 100 Calorie Snack Pack (12 Boxes)

High in iron and protein and packed with fiber! You can buy these pre-packaged or as a fresh treat. Parents looking for a healthy road trip snack, here is your solution!

Dried Fruit

Mavuno Harvest Organic Dried Fruit Variety Pack | Dried Mango, Pineapple, and Jackfruit | Healthy, Vegan, No Sugar Added, Non GMO Snacks for Kids & Adults | 2 Ounce, Pack of 3

Naturally bursting with sweet goodness, we love sharing a bag of dried fruits. In moderation, of course, as too many can upset bellies. Try a huge variety of fruits including apricots, mango, apple, peach, pear, pineapple, and paw paw.  

Animal Crackers

Stauffer's Original Animal Crackers 48oz jug

Cute and fun little crackers in the shape of your kids’ favorite animals, need we say more! Have fun lucky dipping and swapping and trading, they may even eat them too!

Quaker Rice Cakes Variety Bundle - Pack of 3 Flavors, Chocolate Crunch, Apple Cinnamon, Caramel Corn

A wonderful crispy treat for kids that’s light on the calories. Long gone are the days where these were a horribly boring snack for dieters, rice cakes come in many varieties packed with flavor – though be warned, these ones can leave the car in a bit of a crumbly mess in their car seats!

Rice Crackers

KA-ME Original Rice Crackers 3.5 oz, Authentic Asian Ingredients, Certified Gluten-Free, No Artificial Flavors/Colors, Non GMO, Served with Asian Salmon, Cream Cheese, Egg & Tuna Salad, Asian Guacamole, Hummus & Many More

These small, round crackers are harder than rice cakes but deliver a lovely crispy, salty treat. You can get rice crackers or rice thins in a variety of flavors to make them a little more interesting, or if you trust the kids with a dip in the car they are the perfect dipping cracker.

Variety Crackers Snack Bulk Packs - Honey Maid - Cheeze it - Goldfish - Animal Crackers and more. (Pepperidge Farm Goldfish Baked Snack Crackers, Var)

The perfect finger-sized salty treat for the car, Goldfish are ideal for mixed trays or just eat your favorite flavor all on its own! Watch the sodium levels though, the more kids eat, the more they then drink!

Chex Mix Classics Snack Mix, 1.75 Ounce (Pack of 30)

If you’re going for a salty pre-packaged snack, then Chex Mix really hits the spot with kids. They come in salty, sweet, and savory flavors and a variety of different shapes including pretzels and mini bread sticks.

Peanut Butter Sandwich

Keeping it super simple, a swipe of peanut butter between two slices of bread can be the perfect filling energy snack between meals. The only question is, crusts on or off?

Hard-boiled Eggs

Good for the start of your trip, where you can freshly boil eggs. We pre-peel them too to prevent too much mess in the car. Eat them on their own or with some crackers, the perfect protein hit.

Energy Balls

A lovely homemade treat you can prepare in advance with the kids. Naturally sweetened with honey, these pack a powerful pick-me-up. And when the kids have helped make them, they’re more inclined to try their own creations!

Pepperoni/Pepperami

Old Wisconsin Snack Sticks, Pepperoni, 6-Ounce Package

These chewy little meat treats are an absolutely super filler snack. Keep them in their wrapper until they’re ready to eat though, they do omit a rather strong smell!

Rolled Sandwich Meats

You don’t have to eat sandwich meat in a sandwich! Cos, you know bread is fine, meat is fine, but together?! They are a great quick and easy treat and keep well in the car with some cooling. We look for multi-packs in the supermarket with different types of ham and turkey.

Pringles Potato Crisps Chips, Lunch Snacks, Office and Kids Snacks, Grab N' Go, Original (12 Cans)

The convenience of the cylindrical container releasing one chip at a time makes these the road trip crisp of choice around the world! Far fewer crumbs to deal with than regular bags of chips and as they say, once you pop, you can’t stop!

Mini Bagels

A simple and filling treat. If your tot prefers a little more flavor you can add some cream cheese and jelly or whatever their favorite filling is.

Fruit Pouches

GoGo SqueeZ Fruit On The Go Variety Pack, Apple Apple, Apple Banana, & Apple Mango, 3.2 oz. (20 Pouches) - Tasty Kids Applesauce Snacks - Gluten Free Snacks For Kids - Nut & Dairy Free - Vegan Snacks

Don’t think these are just for babies! Well, into our toddler and preschooler years food pouches were one of the most convenient and easy-to-grab meals on the go for our kids. The fact they can suck on them straight from the packet tends to minimize mess, and unlike fresh fruit, refrigeration is not essential.

Some Slightly Sweeter Road Trip Treats

These all make great road trip snacks but are higher in sugar. Include them in your snack arsenal in moderation.

Fruit Roll-ups / Fruit Leather

Betty Crocker Blastin' Berry Hot Colors Fruit Roll-Ups, 72 ct. SA

If you’re looking for pre-packaged snacks that are easy to grab and pack, these are a sure-fire winner. They are exceptionally sweet (why most kids love them!) so in moderation but they’ll keep kids busy sucking and chewing (pack wipes for after!)

Fruit Crisps

Brothers-ALL-Natural Fruit Crisps, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Variety, 0.35 Ounce (Pack of 12)

Another great option when kids are craving something crispy but you’re trying your best to keep it healthy. So many delicious flavors to try – think apples, bananas, peach, and strawberry. Warning though – even when packaging marks them as 100% fruit – they are still super packed with natural sugars so in moderation.

Mini Cookies

CHIPS AHOY! Mini Original Chocolate Chip Cookies, 12 - 3 oz Big Bags

A few mini choc-chip cookies or Oreos can’t hurt as a sweet addition to their snack pack.

Teddy Grahams

Teddy Grahams Honey Graham Snacks, 4 Boxes of 12 Snack Packs (48 Total Snack Packs)

Sweet crackers in the shape of a teddy bear. Clearly, very, very different to animal crackers (when you’re under the age of about 6!) You just gotta judge what sort of cracker fan you have on your hands!

Fruit Loops

Kellogg's Froot Loops Cold Breakfast Cereal, Fruit Flavored, Breakfast Snacks with Vitamin C, Variety Pack (4 Boxes)

Another that fits within the dry cereal category but a little more sugary so we’re including them separately down here in sweet treats! You’ll still get the carbs and protein kids need though with the wholegrain base.

Mini Muffins

A great make at home treat if you can, as they can freeze until you need them ready for your trip! Otherwise, we won’t judge if you go the store-bought option. A sweet treat but packed with fiber.

Yogurt Covered Raisins

Mariani Vanilla Yogurt Raisins - Gluten Free, Healthy Snacks for Kids & Adults, 4oz (Pack of 4)

These can be a little messier and a little sweeter than raisins just on their own, but oh so delicious! A much better alternative than actual sweets or chocolate covered fruits.

Mentos Chewy Mint Candy Roll, Mint, Non Melting, Party, 14 Count (Pack of 15) - Packaging May Vary

Our special reward of choice! Mentos take a little longer to suck and chew on than other sweets, so we feel like we get the best bang for buck from this sweet treat. They are also a great sweet for airplanes when you need kids to suck for take-off and descent. Obviously, reserve these for your older kids as they can be a choking hazard for your under 3’s.

And don’t forget drinks!

Takeya Kids Insulated Water Bottle w/Straw Lid, 16 oz, Blush/Super Pink

The need to stay hydrated whilst on the road is crucial, but obviously needs to be balanced with the subsequent need to pee! Make sure every person in the car has their own water bottle, and save fruit juices and sodas for special treats only.

We aim for a 12-16oz insulated bottle for the kids and adults a 24oz insulated bottle .

How To Transport And Distribute Your Road Trip Snacks

Shared containers or one each.

I personally hate having too many boxes to clean each night when we get to our destination. However, with such individual tastes – plus fussy ones who will simply cry if the meat has been placed in the same container as their fruit – I have taken to providing kids with an individual box each or separate zip lock bags of dry snacks.

We try to give these out at set times, then collect them back in once they’ve had a few bites, so they don’t eat everything all at once, and we have a few things left for the next driving stint.

We also keep a bag of packaged snacks they can pick and mix from once they’ve had something from their “healthy box”. Even if they’re still healthy, anything with the shiny wrappers seems to be viewed as a special treat!

Others prefer to go bento box style lunch boxes which offer a variety of choices in one tray which can then be shared around. Our experience has been these have a higher probability of spillage occurring. Nonetheless, they make for simpler packing and cleaning and give everyone a wide variety of choices.

Little Hands Need Special Containers

When it is safe to start giving your toddler unsupervised snacks in the back, be conscious they will, of course, try and tip it out! We highly recommend if you’re giving dry cereals and crackers to use a cup with a spill-proof lid.

And of course – wet wipes! Always have wipes to hand for before and after handing out snacks to little ones, along with a good spritz of hand sanitizer.

The Emergency Snack

No matter how you store and hand things out, ALWAYS keep at least one emergency snack packed away! Especially if you get stuck in traffic or delayed in your final arrival for the day, this might be just the trick to get you over the line without a total backseat meltdown.

Keeping It Cool

If you have perishable items such as fresh-cut fruit and veg, you’ll want to transport them in a suitable car cooler to keep them fresh for as long as possible. You will need to keep up with remembering to freeze ice packs in your motel fridge each night to keep things fresh for the following day.

What Else Do You Need On A Road Trip?

So now you’ve got your snacks sorted – arguably the most important element! What else will you need to keep your kids comfy and entertained on the move?

  • Pop over to our Road Trip Essentials Checklist to grab all the ideas for preparing your car and your family for a long trip.
  • We have more handy tips here on essential items you’ll want when traveling with kids, plus a bumper list of toys and entertaining games you can play in the car with family .

© Family Road Trip

Planning A Road Trip In Australia: Essential Tips For First Timers

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2024’s Best Road Trip Snacks List: Favorite Car Ride Eats

We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post.

There are a few things that are a must-have for any road trip. A great destination, a carefully selected playlist, and some great road trip snacks. But what are the best road trip snacks ? We did an informal survey. Are your favorites on the list? Check it out below.

For years, any time my family went on vacation, it was a road trip. Whether it be to Disneyland or another theme park in Southern California , a trip to one of our favorite Oregon destinations , or somewhere else in the mainland United States… we almost always drove.

And one thing we always do is pack some of our favorite road trip snacks,

Here are some tips for road trip snacks before we get into the results of our “Best Road Trip Snacks” poll.

What We Will Cover

Planning Your Road Trip Snacks

When planning snacks for a road trip, it is important to take a few things into consideration. You don’t want to just go out and buy everything on our list, and you also don’t want to take something that you end up having to throw out for some reason (we will cover those reasons in a bit).

Below are some things you should consider before stocking up on road trip snacks for your next vacation.

road trip snacks for braces

Where To Buy Road Trip Snacks

This seems silly to spend time thinking about, but you should. Are you going to buy all of your snacks beforehand at your local grocery store? Will you only buy snacks when you stop at a gas station?

There is no right or wrong way to purchase your snacks, but you will want to think about what makes it easier for you.

It also doesn’t have to be one or the other.

In my family we personally buy some snacks we will take with us at the grocery store, and then now and then, when we stop at a convenience store, we will let the kids pick out a treat or snack.

road trip snacks

How Will You Store Your Snacks During Your Trip?

With this, we aren’t just talking about where will you put it in the car.

You need to think about if you will have a cooler that can fit your road trip food in it for items needed to be kept cool. How will you handle ice/cooling in the cooler?

Extra day free Disneyland ticket deal. Click to book

Dry snacks like potato chips that can be squished and turned into crumbs need to have a way to be protected.

How will people share the snacks? Specifically, if you have little kids. Will you just hand them a large bag of chips? Buy individual serving sizes of chips?

Insider Tip: If you want the savings of buying a larger bag, but don’t want to pass it around the car, you can bring paper or plastic cups to put snacks in and hand to kiddos. Bonus if they also have a cup holder they can put it in.

I can’t mention the storing of the snacks without thinking of The Middle. If you haven’t seen the series, basically they have an infamous “blue snack bag” that they pack, but it always gets left behind, on top of the car and flies away, etc.

So make sure you put your snack bag on your road trip packing list so it doesn’t get forgotten.

road trip snacks

How Will Snacks Play Into Your Meal Planning

Road trip snacks can be just extra fun to snack on, but some families may want to use road trip snacks as part of their meal planning.

An example might be that you know during your road trip, you will most likely stop at fast food places for meals, so you want to make sure you have some healthy snacks like fresh fruit or vegetables available.

Others, they may want to pack items that will make it so they don’t have to stop for meals at restaurants. In that case, you may want to pack sandwich fixings, protein bars, and maybe some string cheese.

How you plan to utilize snacks will play a big part in which snacks you choose. Either way, snacks are a must have for a long road trip.

Will Your Snacks Be Allowed?

This may seem silly, but depending on where you are heading (looking at you California) you may not be allowed to bring some of your snacks in.

The biggest example of this is that California has agricultural checkpoints as you enter the state. While sometimes you will be waved through, other times they may be limiting certain produce products due to disease, etc that they are trying to keep away from their own crops.

Just be aware that you may be required to fork over things like bananas, apples, grapes, oranges, carrots, etc. In this case, I think it is best to only pack what you know will be eaten before these checkpoints, and then purchase more in state.

2024’s Best Road Trip Snacks

Enough of the tips, right? You are just here to find some good road trip snacks.

Below we will cover some of the best road trip snacks based on a little bit of my research, polls I have done with my readers and social media followers, and my personal opinions.

It doesn't matter how old you get, buying snacks for a road trip should always look like an unsupervised 9-year-old was given $100. — bananafanafofisa (@lisaxy424) June 9, 2016

I think one of the best ways to break down this list is by the type of snacks. I won’t label any of the sections “healthy road trip snacks” because people’s idea of healthy foods is always different, but I will break them down by things like protein, fresh produce, salty snacks, etc

Best Road Trip Snacks – Protein Options

Here are the best protein snacks according to the sources I mentioned above.

I think when most people think of a protein snack on road trips, beef jerky comes to mind. This dried meat snack can be found in various sizes and flavors. From long sticks of beef jerky, to diced-up pieces, you can find an option that works for you.

One thing to think about with this snack though is the smell. Beef jerky has a strong odor, and some people (like me) who get motion sickness can find the smell triggering.

Beef jerky is also a great option if you plan on getting your snacks when you do a rest stop as most gas stations sell it. It is also available at grocery stores, but I think buying it at a gas station is part of the road trip experience.

Jerky is a great road trip snack

Protein Bars

Protein bars were mentioned a lot by my social media audience. My family doesn’t normally buy them, but we might need to for our next road trip.

Some of the brands that came up often included Clif, No Cow, Pure Protein and N!CK’S.

Peanut Butter

No I am not saying to bring a jar of peanut butter and have your kids eat it straight from the jar… oh the mess that would make.

There are a lot of great snack options that include peanut butter in them.

Ritz Peanut Butter Cracker Sandwiches are a perfect example. They even come in convenient snack size packaging. The only down side is they can leave a bit of crumbs, but we find that it isn’t bad.

Hard-Boiled Eggs

This one came up a few times, and it is something my mother-in-law often likes to have for a long drive. Hard-boiled eggs are something you can prepare at home, but are also sold in the travel snacks section of many larger convenient stores.

Hard-boiled eggs usually have about 6 grams of protein, making them a great option for those looking for soemthing that is not peanut butter or beef jerky.

Best Salty Road Trip Snacks

A salty snack option is nearly a requirement for a family road trip. First, if someone starts feeling a little motion sick, a salty snack like a saltine cracker can help calm their stomach long enough for Dramamine to kick in. Plus, it can balance out some of the sweet items you might be eating in the car as well.

This one was such a debate on where to put it, but ultimately I figured the salty snacks was the best fit. Trail Mix can offer protein, a sweet treat (if you get the ones with candy in the mix), and of course… saltiness.

Close up of trail mix with nuts, raisins, and candies as a road trip snack

You can either make your own trail mix for the road, or you can purchase your favorite mixes at the store or gas station. Depending on what you include, trail mix can be a great source of protein in a small amount of food. If you want to add a little something for your sweet tooth, some dark chocolate chips or mixes containing M&M’s are a great option.

If you can find a variety pack at the store, with snack sized packaging, this is a great option.

Trail mix can come in packaging of all sizes to fit your needs, but definitely think about how you will serve it up.

Sunflower Seeds

My husband loves having sunflower seeds on long trips. We usually buy a few different flavors, mix them together and put them in a ziploc bag. We also bring a cup for the shells. The cup fits perfectly in the cup holder in the driver side door, so the rest of us don’t have to look at it, and it is easy to grab and dump at a rest stop trash can.

Of course, you can also find some that have already removed the shells but that is not my husband’s favorite.

Potato Chips or Corn Chips

When most people think about easy road trip snacks, chips come to mind. Chips are pretty much a road trip staple and are something the whole family can enjoy.

With chips, you can easily buy a big bag and share (using the cup idea or snack bags), or you can let everyone pick out individual-sized bags when you stop at the gas station to fill up the tank.

Yeah, some people would classify this as junk food, but chips are almost like a requirement for a long car ride.

Best road trip snacks for family vacation

If you choose to bring any cheese-flavored chips, like Dorito’s Nacho Cheese, Cheese Puffs, or Cheetos, you will want to make sure you bring wet wipes or something to clean off cheesy fingers. Especially with young children who will be touching everything from their car seats to the windows.

I would also put corn nuts in this category of our list.

Insider Tip: If you are eating lots of salty snacks, be sure you are also drinking plenty of water. Pack water bottles (refillable or otherwise) and make sure to drink. Sometimes we already drink less to hopefully lower bathroom stops, but you don’t want to start your vacation off dehydrated.

Best Road Trip Snacks – Fruits and Vegetables

So you want to make sure you get some fruits and veggies into your snack list. I think that is a good idea.

Stores have also come up with an easy way to encourage this by packing many items in snack-size containers. You can find everything from baby carrots to celery sticks, and grapes and apple slices, pre-packaged in snack-sized servings.

Apples and mandarin oranges for road trip snacks

Of course, if you don’t like the store-bought kind of prepackaged produce, you can also bring your own. If you bring full apples, or other produce with parts you will need to discard, I highly suggest bringing a gallon size ziploc bag. You can easily put the core, etc in the bag and seal it so your car doesn’t start smelling like rotten produce.

Some of the top fruit and vegetable options that made the list are:

  • Mandarin or Clementine Oranges
  • Baby Carrots
  • Dried fruits (apple, pineapple, mango)
  • Watermelon (though this one can get very messy)

Best Road Trip Snacks for Young Kids

Planning road trip snacks for older kids and adults is one thing, but what should you bring for young kids?

As a note, it is important that parents know their own kids, and watch young children while they have snacks in the car. Especially toddlers that are still prone to choking. Our family would usually have an adult in back with them, or we would just eat at rest stops.

Whether it is a Go-Gurt style option, or you are using a spoon to feed them greek yogurt, this is a great option for kids. I definitely suggest this one be something they eat at a rest stop, and not in a moving car because if there is a spill… good luck cleaning that up.

Fruit Snacks

Most kids love fruit snaxks, and they come in packaging that makes them great car snaxks. They are easy to travel with, and most kids love them.

No they aren’t what many would call healthy, but they are a great option for younger children.

Granola Bars

When my kids were little, we often drove overnight to our destinations (especially Disneyland). Our kids would sometimes wake up well before we were near an area where we could stop to order breakfast at a restaurant.

Having granola bars on hand was a great option to hold them over until we could stop somewhere else.

Close up photo of granola bars as a road trip snack

Apple Chips and Veggie Straws

This is one we would give our kids when they wanted something like potato chips, but we wanted them to have something a little different.

I am not sure if they make these in snack-sized containers, as we always bought large bags and then broke them up into smaller pint-size bags.

If your kids enjoy these items, I definitely suggest bringing them.

Insider Tip: Have kids that like to be in charge of their car snacks? Try packaging the different items and placing everything in a plastic container (like those used for crafts). Kids can choose their own snacks through out the road trip. Parents can set rules for how often they will refill items, when they can choose a snack, etc.

Best Sweet Snacks For The Open Road

In general, I suggest avoiding candy bars and other sweets for a road trip. The sun beating through car windows can make them melt easily, causing quite a mess. If you do bring chocolate, be sure to have a cooler available to store it.

That said, there are some sweet treats that are fun snacks for road trips.

Licorice, Red Vines, Etc

I asked on my website’s Facebook page if it was just my mom that always had some sort of licorice or red vines on vacation. The overwhelming response was it was everyone’s mom. At least if you grew up in the 1980s or 1990s.

My mom always had the Red Vine style, and always brought both the original flavor and the chocolate or black licorice flavor (I don’t remember which it was exactly). It was definitely a road trip staple for her.

road trip snacks

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Another one that my family did a lot growing up, but I do not as a parent, is chocolate chip cookies.

I don’t know why we did this.

Every time we were preparing for a big road trip though, my family would bake up a large batch of chocolate chip cookies and pack them in a Tupperware container for the trip.

Insider Tip: Bringing baked goodies (whether cookies or bread for sandwiches)? Get one of the “ Brown Sugar Softeners ” and put it in the container with those items to help keep them soft.

While I said I don’t allow my kids to have candy bars as a road trip snack, it is something that is great to pick up once in a while at a convenience store.

If my kids are extra well-behaved, at the next stop I might let them grab a Snickers Bar, Milky Way, or another candy bar. They do have to eat it before we get going on the road, but it is a nice treat for them now and then on a trip.

Other Road Trip Snacks That Are Popular

There are so many options when it comes to road trip snacks that I don’t think I could name all of them if I tried. But the above are some of the most popular. If none of those items are what your taste buds are craving, here are some more of the best foods that came up a few times in my research.

road trip snacks for braces

  • Tortilla chips
  • Energy bars
  • Fresh fruit from a roadside stand
  • Crackers of all kinds
  • Favorite sodas
  • String cheese, cheese sticks
  • Capri suns or other juice boxes
  • Sports drinks

Did your family’s favorite snacks make the list? Let me know what your perfect snack for a road trip is in the comments.

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Healthy Snack Ideas for Teens to Keep Them Happy on the Road and at Home

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Judy Antell

road trip snacks for braces

If you thought it was a challenge keeping little ones fed and happy on a road trip, wait until you have to road trip with ravenous teens. It seems like they can never get enough food. Never fear! These healthy snacks for teens go way beyond granola bars and trail mix. They are virtually guaranteed to keep teens satisfied whether you serve them as special treats during a road trip or every day as after school snacks.

When my kids were little, they required a steady stream of snacks in the car, particularly my youngest, who would usually puke the moment we started driving, then announce that she was ‘done’ and needed food. On the plus side, this cut down on the appetites of everyone else in the car.

As anyone who has ever raised, and tried to feed, a teenager knows: They can’t get enough food. And teens often seem to have mysterious sources of income (cat-sitting is quite lucrative in my neighborhood) so if I didn’t have a stash of relatively healthy food, they would produce their own money at gas stations and use it to buy sugary snacks, chips or other junk food.

Individually packed snack foods are best for road trips; you don’t have to worry about resealing a bag and it limits the amount of food that can be spilled in the back seat.

You might have exceedingly neat children. Lucky you! If that’s the case, don’t shy away from messier healthy snacks like Greek yogurt. Personally, I would never try that. Instead, I stick with the following snacks that are both healthy and relatively mess-free.

road trip snacks

Healthy Hummus

One of our fave to-go items is the hummus-to-go from Sabra- pretzels and a mini tub of hummus. Or you can make your own hummus from canned chickpeas, garlic, tahini, and olive oil using this easy recipe , and cut up whole wheat pita for healthy eating on the road. Or substitute edamame for the chickpeas using this recipe .

If you prefer, cut up veggies for dipping in the hummus, especially sliced cucumbers, celery sticks and baby carrots. Veggies are a great snack anytime.

Sabra Roasted Red Pepper Hummus Singles - 12oz/6pk : Target

Peanut Butter Packets

We often bring the jar of peanut butter, particularly if our family of five is traveling together. But airplanes frown on PB, somehow classifying it as a liquid (seriously, we had a 16 ounce jar thrown away at security – have they not heard of how peanut butter gets stuck to the roof of your mouth? Try that with orange juice).

So the individual packets of peanut butter or other nut butter work well. We like Justin’s organic , which comes in squeeze packets. There are also almond butter varieties, and snack packs with pretzels. Our kids like to squeeze their peanut butter on a banana, or a finger.

Justin's Classic Peanut Butter Squeeze Packs, Only Two Ingredients, Gluten-Free, Non-GMO, Responsibly Sourced, 1.15 Ounce (10 Pack)

Nuts to You

The one healthy snack you can usually find at gas stations is a packet of nuts, but they can cost so much that I make sure to buy them in advance. Emerald makes 100 calorie packs of almonds that are just ideal for the car, or to carry in your pocket if you are feeling peckish.

Emerald Nuts, Dry Roasted Almonds, 100 Calorie Packs, 10 Ct, 6.3 Oz

SheBuysTravel Tip: Nuts are strictly a teen or tween snack; I would never advise giving nuts to a toddler in a car; it’s a choking hazard.

Squeeze Fruits

My youngest daughter used to bring low-fat squeeze packages of unsweetened applesauce with her for breakfast in high school, so there’s no shame in eating what could be  – indeed is – considered baby food.

A new company has organic fruit pouches packed with vegetables too, but they taste just of fruit. Upon a Farm makes cold pressed pouches; by not using heat, the nutrients remain. The banana – chocolate – avocado is a big hit, along with the mango, for my family. The mango is also great for smoothies at home, if you find slicing up a mango to be too annoying (plus there’s no waiting for a mango to ripen).

The packets have to be kept refrigerated, but they can stay out for four hours (about the time they would be in a lunchbox) so they are fine for a road trip. And they can also be frozen, and used as an ice pack as they defrost.

Once Upon a Farm | Organic Farmer's Finest Sampler | Cold-Pressed | No Sugar Added | Dairy-Free Plant Based

Dried Fruit

Dried fruit is one of the healthiest ways to stave off the sugar cravings. Fresh fruit is best, but try eating fresh blueberries in a car without staining the beige colored plush seats!

For that reason alone we prefer dried fruits over fresh. And one piece of dried fruit contains about the same amount of nutrients as fresh fruit, but condensed in a much smaller package. By weight, dried fruit contains up to 3.5 times the fiber, vitamins and minerals of fresh fruit, according to Healthline . Just be sure to buy dried fruit with no added sugar.

Raisins, dried cranberries, bananas and mangoes all make yummy healthy snacks for teens. And it’s definitely better than eating ice cream!

Cheese and Crackers

Cheese — take your pick of cheddar, mozzarella, swiss or any other variety — is an easy way to slip some protein into your teen’s snacking rituals.

If you don’t want to buy the pre-packaged string cheese sticks , you can buy bricks of cheese and cut it into slices the kids can put on whole grain crackers for a satisfying snack.

Teen-Friendly Trail Mix

Yes, we said this list would go beyond granola bars and trail mix. But both are tried and true healthy snacks for teens. The key is to go easy on the sweet treats and high fat ingredients when concocting a home-made healthy version of trail mix.

Choose options that offer healthy fats like dark chocolate chips, cashews, walnuts and sunflower seeds to mix in with the dried fruit and M&Ms.

Read More: Check out our favorite healthy trail mix recipe .

road trip snacks

More Little Kid Packs that Big Kids Love

Sometimes you just have to have a chip. Kiddlylicous has a line of vegetable crisps that satisfy that crunch desire, but are so much healthier than potato chips.

The sweet potato chips actually have small amounts of vitamin C and iron, and the carrot ones have some protein and calcium to boot.

No, they are not multi-vitamins, but they aren’t loaded with salt and fat and they taste great. They also have a long list of no’s: no gluten, high fructose corn syrup, lactose, GMO ingredients.

Don’t Forget the Water

Cars come loaded with cup holders for a reason; no one seems to go anywhere anymore without a drink or three. I drove a Ford Edge recently that had eight cupholders, in a vehicle that only has room for five people.

Make sure everyone in the vehicle has a refillable water bottle to cut down on soda and soft drink consumption and to save on waste.

road trip snacks for braces

COMMENTS

  1. 101+ Best Snacks for Kids with Braces

    When kids get new braces or when braces are tightened, teeth are sore for a day or two. When teeth are sore, eat these soft foods for a snack. PASTA. Spaghetti, macaroni, and other pasta shapes are soft and easy to manage when braces are tightened. SCRAMBLED EGGS. If you want a warm protein snack, try scrambled eggs.

  2. Road Trip Snack Do's and Don'ts

    Road Trip Snack Do's and Don'ts | Braces Friendly! Posted on December 14, 2021. Having the right snacks is one of the most essential parts of any road trip and planning ahead becomes even more important when having braces. For most, travel is almost inevitable during the holiday season. With so much to celebrate, remember to think ahead for ...

  3. 24 Delicious Braces-Friendly Snacks

    It's also relatively easy to eat with braces, making it a perfect snack choice. Just be sure to choose quinoa that isn't too hard or crunchy, as this may damage your braces. 17) Pasta. Pasta is a good source of carbohydrates and nutrients like iron and calcium. It's also relatively easy to eat with braces, making it a perfect snack choice.

  4. 5 Road Trip Tips for Braces

    Here are our favorite 5 road trip tips for braces so you can travel without worrying about what to eat for snacks or how to keep your braces in top shape! 1. Pack Your Tools. Our number one tip when you're getting ready to leave for a trip: pack your braces and dental care tools! It's important to brush and floss your teeth and braces, just ...

  5. The Best Snack Ideas for Kids' With Braces

    Apple Sauce. Fruit Cocktails. Slices of avocado. Fresh blueberries. Blended fruit smoothies. Sweet Potatoes. Veggie sticks like cucumbers or bell peppers paired with soft and braces-friendly dips like hummus. Blend pureed fruits and freeze them in ice pop molds for a cool and soothing treat.

  6. THE ULTIMATE ROAD TRIP FOOD LIST: 50 Scrumptious Travel Snacks

    20. Fruit leather. 21. Whole-grain muffins. 22. Bread (pretzel rolls, pita bread) 23. Water (Preferably in a water bottle like a Hydro Flask that will keep your water cold for hours.) *The following are all still healthy snacks for a road trip but will require a cooler.

  7. 5 Road Trip Tips for Braces, Saddlebrook Dental & Orthodontics, TX

    2. Keep Safe Snacks on Hand. Next on our list of road trip tips for braces is to keep some braces-safe snacks on hand, just in case you can't find braces-safe snacks on the road. It's more important than ever when you're traveling to avoid damaging your braces by eating unsafe foods (anything crunchy, chewy, hard, or foods that you need ...

  8. 5 Road Trip Tips for Braces

    Here are our favorite 5 road trip tips for braces so you can travel without worrying about what to eat for snacks. ABOUT. Meet The Doctors. Dental FAQs. Services.

  9. 5 Road Trip Tips for Braces, Allied Dental Associates of Choctaw, OK

    If you've worried braces might hold you back, don't be afraid! Here are our favorite 5 road trip tips for braces so you can travel without worrying about what to eat for snacks or how to keep your braces in top shape! 1. Pack Your Tools. Our number one tip when you're getting ready to leave for a trip: pack your braces and dental care tools!

  10. The Best Snacks for Road Trips

    Grasping for the few thin pieces that hold more powder than pretzel turns every bag into a treasure hunt. — Gabe Hiatt, Eater D.C. editor. Blue Diamond Almonds, Bold Wasabi & Soy: Those thin ...

  11. 21 Best Road Trip Snacks for Long Drives

    1. Trail Mix. Let's start things off with a snack that's loved both by kids and adults. This trail mix isn't just about nuts and dried fruit. Also loaded with pretzels, Cheerios, mini-marshmallows, and M&M's, it gets a 12/10 for color, flavor, and texture. It's so good, it's almost impossible to stop snacking on it.

  12. 25 Best Road Trip Snacks to Keep You Fueled On Long Drives

    Snacks that pack protein and complex carbs are your allies. Try almonds, apples, bananas, whole grain crackers, or cheese. Drink plenty of water, too - staying hydrated keeps you alert. But dodge high-sugar snacks - they can lead to a quick energy burst followed by a slump.

  13. 30 Healthy(ish) Road Trip Snacks To Bring on Your Next Adventure

    Here are some of the worst foods for a long road trip: Food that creates lots of crumbs or waste (e.x. crackers, pistachios) Powdery foods (e.x. Cheetos) Greasy or oily foods (e.x. olives) Foods with strong smells (e.x. some soft cheeses, bananas) Foods that can spoil on a dime (e.x. avocados) Food in excessive packaging.

  14. 5 Road Trip Tips for Braces

    Here are our favorite 5 road trip tips for braces so you can travel without worrying about what to eat for snacks or how to keep your braces in top shape! 1. Pack Your Tools. Our number one tip when you're getting ready to leave for a trip: pack your braces and dental care tools! It's important to brush and floss your teeth and braces, just ...

  15. 50+ Easy, Healthy Road Trip Snack Recipes: Road Trip Foods

    Plus no nuts! 2. Dried Fruits Ladoo - Easy Energy Balls | Dassana's Veg Recipes. Dry Fruits Laddu is an easy, nutritious recipe of energy balls that are healthy and tasty. Packed with nutrients, good fats and fibre, these energy balls are made with dates, figs and various nuts. An ideal long road trip snack. 3.

  16. My Favorite (Mostly Healthy) Road Trip Snacks

    Green Pea Snack Crisps. Rounding out the list of my favorite road trip snacks are green pea snack crisps. These tasty munchies are a decent source of fiber and even provide some iron and protein. Sage Advice: While it's not exactly a snack, gum is a great way to keep your mouth busy if you tend to be a bored snacker.

  17. 30+ Road Trip Snacks (Easy and affordable)

    We love to bring carrot sticks or baby carrots, almonds, grapes, raisins, granola bars, protein bars, hard-boiled eggs, dried apricots, beef jerky, celery sticks, string cheese, ants on a log, dried cranberries/craisins, dried bananas, dried pineapple, dried mangos, and other veggies for healthy road trip snacks.

  18. 37 Tasty Road Trip Snacks With Healthy Options and Recipes

    Sliced Bell Peppers with Guacamole. Dip vibrant and crunchy bell pepper slices into creamy guacamole for a flavorful and healthy snack. This veggie-packed option provides essential nutrients and is easy to pack in a leak-proof container for mess-free snacking. We hope you enjoyed this wide selection of healthy road trip snacks.

  19. 40 Road Trip Snacks for Kids

    A super simple snack for when you're on the move (and especially good for when you're making an early morning start). Honey Nut Cheerios, Rice Krispies, Frosted Flakes, and Corn Pops all make great finger food snacks for the car that can be consumed without milk.

  20. What Are The Best Road Trip Snacks? We Have The Answer!

    A salty snack option is nearly a requirement for a family road trip. First, if someone starts feeling a little motion sick, a salty snack like a saltine cracker can help calm their stomach long enough for Dramamine to kick in. Plus, it can balance out some of the sweet items you might be eating in the car as well.

  21. The Best Road Trip Snacks

    Best dried fruit: Bare Simply Pineapple Chips. $23.99 for 6. This simple but tasty healthy road trip snack is made from one ingredient and one ingredient only: baked pineapple. The result is a ...

  22. The 38 Best Road Trip Snacks You Can Pack

    Caramel Chex Mix. This wonderfully crunchy snack is loaded with cereal, pretzels and nuts—and coated with a not-too-sweet brown sugar mixture. Pack this mix in resealable bags for easy eating while you're on the road. Go to Recipe. 22 / 38.

  23. Healthy Snacks for Teens on the Road and at Home

    By weight, dried fruit contains up to 3.5 times the fiber, vitamins and minerals of fresh fruit, according to Healthline. Just be sure to buy dried fruit with no added sugar. Raisins, dried cranberries, bananas and mangoes all make yummy healthy snacks for teens. And it's definitely better than eating ice cream!