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105+ Easy Road Trip Meals & Snacks: Best Road Trip Food

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Road trips are exciting adventures to take with your friends, family or solo. However coming up with a list of the best road trip food & easy road trip meals and snacks can be hard.

Which is where our ultimate list of the best food for road trips comes in handy. To help you avoid hangry companions, outrageous food costs, and unhealthy gas station food stops.

We’ve taken our share of cross country & multi-day road trips over the years, both as adults, and with kids from months old to teenagers. So we know quite a few tricks when it comes to road trip meal planning.

Our list includes easy ideas for healthy snacks, breakfasts, lunches & dinners, for all ages we love. As well as gluten-free, and vegetarian options too.

Plus we provide essential packing tips and a list of non-food items to bring along, at the end of this post. Hop in the car, & let’s go!

Table of Contents

ULTIMATE HEALTHY ROAD TRIP MEALS LIST

If you plan ahead and pre-make some yummy snacks and meals, your family will be well fed on the road. Whether you are heading on a Southwest USA road trip or a coastal road trip from Boston to Acadia National Park or elsewhere.

Healthy road trip food & easy meals the whole family will love.

Why Bring Make Ahead Meals For Road Trips?

Before I get into our epic food list, I’ll quickly go over a few reasons why we bring our own make-ahead road trip meals and snacks. And why you should too:

• Road trip meal planning is a great way to reduce fast food temptation, junk food and save money for your family road trip .
• Bringing good food for road trips frees up some of your hard earned cash to splurge on meals you will actually look forward to . 
• We find our own make-ahead meals & road trip food tends to be healthier.
• If you have dietary restrictions or allergies, creating a road trip meal plan will allow you to have safe meal options on the road.
• Have fun picnics at rest stops, parks, or in your hotel room along your long drive.
• Avoid hungry kidlets with healthy road trip snacks , so they can focus on road trip activities , not driving you crazy with whining. I know you feel me on this one!

Bringing your own food is well worth the time and money you can save on your adventure. Use our road trip planner to help organize your trip.

I love how make ahead easy travel meals are great for cutting down on the mess, stress and time it takes to prepare and clean up on the road. Because as a parent anything I can do to make my life easier is golden.

Road Trip Breakfast Ideas

We’ve found it’s easy to take these road trip breakfast ideas to go, or quickly eat hot in the morning.

As long as we’ve made them ahead of time, and brought them in our cooler. Or if we have access to hot water or basic kitchen facilities or a microwave.

Grab tasty breakfast recipes .

Cold, Non-Perishable Road Trip Breakfast Ideas

• Granola 
• Cereal Bars & Granola Bars
• Breakfast Bars
• Fruit & Veggie Pouches 

⭐️ PRO TIP : Bring a reusable coffee mug and water bottles for each family member. They’re a great option for filling up with hot water, tea, coffee and water on the go. We’ve found they’re less likely to spill in the car if you use a spill-proof refillable cup and snack cup for the littles.

Cold Breakfast Ideas for Road Trips

• Yogurt – Tubes, Drinks
• Fresh Fruit
• Rye Crisp Breads & Goat Cheese
• Chia Pudding – Make the night before
• Granola & Overnight Oats – Make the night before
• Muffins & Peanut Butter (or other nut or seed butters)
• Egg Muffins or Mini Quiches (To heat or not to heat. That is the question)
• Hard-Boiled Eggs
• Breakfast Cookies 
• Vegan Blueberry Muffins
• Bagels and Cream Cheese
• Peanut Butter and Banana Wrap
• No Bake Oat Bites 
• Apple Pie Oat Bliss Balls
• Croissant, ham, cheese
• Croissant, jam & cream cheese
• Pancake Sandwiches – nut butter / jam between two mini pancakes (make ahead)

Hot & Quick Breakfast Ideas

• Instant Oatmeal 
• Cup of Soup or canned soup
• Pre-made Mini Quiche (just heat up)
• Egg, Cheese, & avocado tortilla wrap
• Haloumi Cheese and Bacon Breakfast Sandwich
• One Pan Chickpea Hash (fried chickpeas, veggies, herbs) & Fried eggs

More kid friendly breakfast ideas here .

Road Trip Lunch Ideas

Road trip lunch ideas are probably the easiest for most people to come up with, when it comes to thinking of meal planning for road trips . We like to think of them as picnic lunches.

What is the first thing that comes to mind, but sandwiches. Sandwiches are such a staple we’ve given them their own section below. 

To be honest, I often just prepare and pack foods I would usually take for lunch at work, for the first day or two.

Then I add easy road trip lunches to grab and prep along the way, like sandwich fixings. Or cheese, meat  and cracker plates for a longer trip.

Easy Non-Refrigerated Road Trip Lunch Ideas

• Canned Tuna & crackers – The mini pull tab tins come in many flavours
• Protein Bars , Energy Bars
• Sardines or Mackerel canned with avocado, crackers or bread
• Snacks for lunch: Beef Jerky, Trail Mix, Smoothie Pouches, Nut Butter Pouches
• Peanut Butter (or other nut & seed butter) & Jam Wraps
• Canned grape leaf rolls

Cold Road Trip Lunches

• Sushi / nori rolls – sweet potato, cucumber and avocado,  smoked salmon, cucumber and avocado, smoked salmon & cream cheese
• Sandwiches (see Road Trip Sandwiches below for ideas) 
• Tortilla Pinwheels
• Meat Kabobs
• Pasta Salad
• Corn & Zucchini Fritters
• Fruit (apple slices, cantaloupe, grapes), cheese and bread or crackers
• Charcuterie plate – cheese, deli meats, olives, dried fruit
• Chickpea or Bean Salads
• Quinoa Salad
• Mason Jar Salad – keep the dressing separate
• Pre-made Quesadillas – Refried beans and cheese. Keep salsa & sour cream separate in small leak-proof containers

Sides to Add to Lunch Ideas

• Cut up veggie sticks and hummus
• Fruit – apple, berries, melon, grapes
• Homemade cookies or energy balls
• Cucumber, cherry tomatos & peppers salad

Road Trip Sandwiches

What’s a road trip, without a sandwich or two. In fact sandwiches are so iconic, portable, easy to make and ideal for lunch and family vacation dinners they deserve a section, all on its own.

For easy,  awesome sandwiches we’ve found you will only need a few things to mix and match:

• Bread: First you’ll need some kind of hearty bread (kaiser bun, wraps, pita, baguette, ciabatta)
• Protein: Pair with protein such as deli meat, sliced chicken or beef, bacon, eggs, tofu, nut butters
• Extras: Add on the extras such as cheese, lettuce, pickles, fruit 
• Condiments: mayo, mustard, olive tapenade, other sauces

Tasty Sandwich Ideas for Traveling:

• Cheddar and Jam
• Egg Salad 
• Cream cheese and cucumber
• Spicy Tuna and Cucumber – leave out the spice if it’s not your thing
• Pesto Egg Salad Baguette
• Ham & Cheese Baguette or Wrap
• Turkey and Cheese Baguette or Wrap
• Turkey Club Sandwich
• Turkey, Pear, Feta Wrap
• Apple, Cheddar and Mustard Sandwich
• Roasted Red Pepper & Hummus Sandwich
• Curry Chicken or Curried Chickpea Salad Sandwich

Tips for Packing Sandwiches on Road Trips

• Start with heartier bread or toast it first . Put a layer of mayo, or mustard on each side. It actually helps prevent soggy sandwiches.
• I often toast the bread, and then wait until it’s completely cooled before making and storing the sandwiches.
• Keep wet sandwich ingredients separate like tomatoes. We add them right before eating.
• Pack each ingredient separately . Then everyone can assemble their sandwich how they like, on-the-go. We’ve found this helpful with our pickiest eater.
• Pack sandwiches in a hard sided container . Either use reusable individual sandwich containers or larger leak-proof containers for multiple sandwiches. We also love silicone sandwich bags to cut down on plastic.
• Keep the sandwiches on top of the cooler for easy to grab meals on the road.

You may also like 50+ Easy to make, healthy road trip snack recipes

Easy Road Trip Meals Dinner Ideas

Dinner is the one meal we often splurge on, and choose to eat out at a local restaurant, instead of on the road when possible. 

I like to do a bit of research and see what the area is known for, or if there are special meals we can’t get at home. Also after a few days of packed road trip meals, it’s nice to sit down at a restaurant and have someone else clean up and organize.

However, there are times I find when you need a few dinner in the car ideas on hand. You can always re-use the lunch or even the travel breakfast ideas , because they are all tasty anytime of day. 

Check out our favourite easy vacation dinner recipes .

Cold Road Trip Dinner Ideas

• Pasta Salad & Greek Salad
• Cobb Salad 
• Other Cold salads – Potato, bean, egg, chickpea, salmon, tofu, quinoa, rice and bean
• Sandwiches – check out ideas in sandwich section
• Chicken salad / caesar wrap
• Falafel Wrap
• Rice Paper Rolls & Peanut Sauce
• Chicken wings & pre roasted veggies
• Grilled or roast chicken, rice and veggies
• Tortilla Chips, Bean Dip and Salsa
• Egg roll pinwheels with spinach, and cheese 
• Mason Jar grain + protein + roast veggies (pre-made)

Salad Tips – Keep the ingredients & dressing separate. That way each person can assemble to their liking, and the lettuce doesn’t get soggy from swimming in the dressing all day.  

KOA has 10 fun on-the go recipes to try.

Mason Jar Meal tips

Mason Jars are a fun and easy way to store pre-made meals.

They are fairly sturdy (I’ve dropped them many times without breaking them) and come in different sizes. The 500ml and 250 ml are perfect for individual meals.

Choose a grain + a protein + roasted, steamed or stir fried veggies and you have a delicious meal to go.

• Pre-cook a grain: brown rice, basmati rice, white rice, quinoa,
• Choose a protein : roast chicken or beef, curried chickpeas, tofu
• Cooked veggies: stir fries, steamed broccoli, curries, stew,

Hot Road Trip Dinner Ideas

One pan or pot dinner ideas are perfect for travel, camping and road trips. Especially if you ‘ve been entertaining the kids with road trip conversations all day.

As long as you remember the hot plate, or cook stove. I’ve been there, done that, forgetting the stove. Another option is to choose motels, or places to stay that have basic kitchen facilities. 

I’ve also gone the route of meal prepping ahead of time and putting individual meals in separate containers that are easy to reheat and clean up. 

If you are a camping family, what you plan for pre-made camping meals is similar.

Think easy camping type meals:

• Baked Beans
• Cup of Soup or Canned Soup
• Frozen Homemade Soup (use the first day or two after it defrosts. Bonus it helps keep the cooler cold)
• Bacon or Sausages and Eggs
• Quesadillas
• Rice and beans or ground beef for tacos or wraps
• Chickpea Curry and Rice (pre-make and heat up)
• Spaghetti 

ROAD TRIP SNACK & DRINKS LIST

We have a full article on our favorite road trip snacks to bring that both adults and kids will love. Good food for long journeys.

Here are a few snack ideas to get you started:

• Energy Balls
• Baby Carrots, Cherry Tomatoes, Snap Peas, Celery Sticks & Dip 
• Cheese and Crackers
• Apple Pear Muffins
• Jerky, Beef Sticks
• Potato Chips
• Plantain Chips
• Moon Cheese
• Cheese Crisps
• Seaweed Snacks
• String cheese
• Sunflower seeds
• Gluten-Free Bars –  We like these mini Gluten-Free Bars  

Who doesn’t drink too much on the road because they are avoiding using restrooms at pull-outs or gas stations?  

I’m guilty of this too, but this often leads me to crankiness and wicked headaches, sooo…… Do as I say, not as I do (said Parents everywhere).

Staying hydrated is super important. While water should be the number one choice, sometimes you need a little something different like:

• Coconut water
• Water with crushed berries, or cucumber slices, or lemon
• No sugar added fruit juices 
• Flavoured Sparkling water 
• Almond / Oat / Soy Milk

🚙 More road trip ideas 7 day Zion, Bryce and Grand Canyon itinerary

Road Trip Food & Meal Planning Tips

Meal Planning Tips

When meal planning healthy road trip foods, I think it’s important to consider a few key important things:

• What road trip meals you want to bring, and which one’s you’d like to buy.
• If travelling with kids, which foods do they already like. They aren’t going to magically start liking raw broccoli and raisins on your long trip. Adapt your food for road trips with kids.
• Road trip meal ideas – Make a list of food ideas for breakfast , lunch, dinner, snacks and drinks. Make sure they’re easy food to travel with.
• Creating a road trip grocery list is a good idea, so important items don’t get forgotten. But don’t stress, as usually you’ll be able to pick up ingredients along the way if needed.
• How to pack food for your road trip, so it doesn’t get squished, and stays cool longer.

With so much to do when planning a road trip, it’s sometimes hard to be prepared when it comes to traveling food.

Road Trip Food Tips

Beyond throwing a bunch of items into the cooler and food bag and hoping for the best. Let’s give you a few of my top tips to make packing a bit easier:

• Bread: Bring wraps, pitas and flatbreads – we find they take up less room, and won’t get squished like bread loaves
• Perishables: Eat your perishables and more fragile fruits first (bananas, raspberries, pre-cut fruit like melons, pineapple, mango etc.)
• Freeze Water bottles: When hot out, freeze a couple of the water bottles the night before. They’ll keep your cooler cold, and we love that they give us cold water to drink as they melt.
• Pre-Make Meals & Portion Out: Pre-make meals, and portion them out in mason jars or reusable plastic or glass containers.
• Place your cooler somewhere cool the night before, or pre-chill the cooler for up to 12 hours with ice / ice packs you won’t be using on your trip. 
• Lay solid blocks of ice or reusable ice packs on the bottom, plus put a layer of ice on the top
• Pack the cooler full – too much space helps the inside heat up faster
• Freeze food you won’t need for a couple of days, and use frozen water bottles to help keep the inside colder, longer
• Try to limit the number of times you open the cooler in the day.
• Pack your food in order of when you want to eat it, leaving the next day or two’s meals on top. 
• Garbage Bag for the car: We always have a designated garbage bag for the car. It helps to keep the garbage contained, and the car organized.
• Clean-Up Kit :  Bring a clean up kit. Kids, adults, toddlers all on occasion make messes. Having a clean-up kit handy just in case is good practice. Include wipes, paper towel, extra water, and an easily accessible change of clothes.
• Storage: To keep things organized, we usually use small stackable Rubbermaid containers to pack our non-perishables.

🚙 More Road Trip Ideas: 4 Day family friendly itinerary in Acadia National Park

Road Trip Essentials

Now that we’ve got the meals all planned out, and the best road trip SNACKS organized  let’s move on to the non-food items you’ll need to add to your road trip packing list. 

Reusable Items

Our goal is to reduce our impact on the earth whatever mode of travel. Bringing reusable items on our trips to cut down on waste is one simple way to do this. If you make it part of your routine, you will be pleasantly surprised how easy it becomes.

Here are some other reusable items to pack for your road trip:

• Plastic, glass or stainless steel containers – Can be used for leftovers, as dishes, hold snack packs, or even small toys, art supplies
• Cutlery – knives, forks, spoons, 
• Dishes – Cups, plates, bowls
• Coffee Mugs – Our favs are Yeti Mugs or the Klean Kanteen  
• Reusable Straws
• Water bottles for the kids
• Water bottles for the adults
• Cloth fruit bags 
• Bento Boxes
• Garbage bags – reuse grocery bags

Storage & Cleaning Supplies

• Reusable Ice Packs 
• Hand sanitizer
• Paper Towels & Wet Wipes 
• Biodegradable Soap

Travel Backpacks

You will definitely want to make sure you and your kids have their own travel backpack for the trip.

A good travel backpack can be multipurpose, for hiking, storing road trip activities and entertainment, plus give easy access to a couple of snacks, and a handy change of clothes.

There’s been numerous times my “safety first” approach & extra clothes has saved us on long trips. From puking children, to epic diaper blow outs, and unexpected spills, with kids it’s always better to be safe than sorry.

Best Road Trip Coolers

Coolers provide more flexibility with the types of meals and snacks  you can bring on your trips. We think they are a road trip essential, without a doubt. Before choosing one, there are a few things to consider:

• How long is your trip?
• Which meals will you be packing from home?
• How often will you have access to a grocery store?
• How much space do you have in your vehicle? Where do you want to put the cooler?

Answers to these questions will give you an idea of the size and cooling ability needed from your cooler. We’ve put together a list of the best coolers to try, that are easily available on Amazon.

Best Overall Cooler – Yeti Roadi 24 Cooler

The Yeti Roadi 24 Cooler is narrow, so it easily fits behind the seat, is well insulated, which holds the cold, and is lighter than previous versions.

It can also be transformed into a stool if you buy the cushion. It’s a bit of an invesment, so a good buy if you are planning on using it a lot.

Best Afforable Family Cooler – Coleman 316

The Coleman 316 Cooler is a top pick for size, flexibility and price. It can hold a lot of food and ice, which can be kept cool at higher temps for 2-3 days.

Perfect for shorter trips, or if you plan on replenishing your food / ice every few days.

Best Soft Sided Cooler – TOURIT Leak-Proof Backpack

The Tourit Leak Proof soft-sided backpack is an excellent option for shorter road trips or if you are planning a picnic or day at the beach. This leak-proof high-density insulated backpack can keep food cold for up to 3 days. It also has side pockets for extra storage.

Tips to Prepare For Your Next Road Trip

Anything you can do the day or two beforehand to prep your food, and pack your non-perishables, do it. This will save rushing around at the last minute, and forgetting important things like your water bottles.

We recommend doing the following ahead of time:

• Make a Shopping list and meal plan.
• Check off the items as you pack them. 
• Wash and cut veggies and fruit
• Prepare sandwiches, meat slices, cheese slices
• Freeze meals and water bottles the night or two before
• Prepare the snack bags or snack tote 
• Prepare your Clean up kit
• Pack non-perishable foods in small totes or bags
• Pack your perishable foods in the cooler, & an airtight container, right before you leave.

PRO TIP: Pack your car the night before you leave, to make sure everything fits. Make sure your cooler and essential road trip snacks are easily accessible. 

Conclusion: Ultimate Easy Road Trip Meals & Snacks List

With over 100 delicious and easy road trip meal ideas, you will find a party in your cooler for all taste buds or your next long journey.

 Plus don’t forget that a little pre-trip planning can go a long way towards a stress free vacation.

Grab a great road trip snack or two and head on out on the open road. I hope this helps you have an epic road trip.

Related travel tips and destination articles:

• Easy ways to take a frugal road trip
• Epic RV Gift Ideas: Gifts RV Owners will love and use
• Epic Gifts for Beach Lovers – prep for your beach vacation
• Best Walkie Talkies For Road Trips
• Complete Road Trip Packing List For Families

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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Road Trip Food List: Easy to Pack Meals & Snacks

This post may contain affiliate links, view our disclosure policy .

Are you looking for a road trip food list that includes the best road trip snacks and other food to bring on a road trip?

Road trips can range from being budget-friendly to out-of-this-world expensive if you do not plan ahead, especially when it comes to eating food.

The temptation to grab a snack at every gas station, as well as to eat out at restaurants or gorge on fast food, can really start to add up in terms of money and wasted time.

One way to save money and time while road tripping, however, is to bring your own food!

By making a road trip food list and packing fun road trip snacks, you’ll avoid having to stop and spend as much.

Our road trip food list includes easy road trip snacks, as well as portable breakfast, lunch, and dinner options – plus, a FREE Road Trip Food List printable to take with you to the grocery store.

The links on this page are Amazon affiliate links. If you click on the links and make a purchase, I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Table of Contents

Road Trip Food List: Breakfast

One of our absolute best family road trip tips is to leave bright and early in the morning when starting a long road trip.

As the most important meal of the day, luckily, having breakfast on the road is the easiest meal to eat cold and on the go.

If you decide to hit the road early, or if your hotel en route doesn’t offer a free breakfast, plan ahead by bringing along these simple road trip breakfast foods.

Our tried-and-true road trip food list awaits!

Road Trip Breakfast Ideas

• Yogurt tubes and granola bars
• Muffins, donuts, and scones
• Bagels and cream cheese
• Squeezable applesauce
• Hard-boiled eggs
• Peanut butter, banana, and granola wrapped up in a tortilla
• Make-Ahead Fruit & Yogurt Breakfast Parfaits

Additional planning tip: For added morning fun, use the category “breakfast foods”, “brands or cereal”, or “types of fruit” while you play a road trip word game .

Road Trip Food List: Lunch

When it comes to planning for lunch and beyond, your road trip packing list should always include a reliable portable cooler .

Whether you chill made-ahead sandwiches, salami & cheese, fruits, or veggies, there are so many awesome road trip food ideas when it comes to having lunch on the go.

What we love about these road tip lunch ideas is that they keep us out of congested cities and fast-food drive-thrus during the busy noon hour.

Road Trip Lunch Ideas

• Premade sandwiches with deli meat and cheese (make them extra fun by using shaped sandwich cutters !)
• Peanut butter sandwiches (skip the jelly to avoid sogginess)
• Pita pocket with mozzarella, tomato, basil, turkey, cheese, hummus, cucumber, and/or tuna salad
• Home-ade Lunchables with summer sausage, cheese, and crackers
• Tortilla with cream cheese, sliced olives, and pepperoni
• Veggies and single-serve packs of ranch dressing, hummus, or guacamole
• Pre-assembled Salad In A Jar

Road Trip Food List: Dinner

If there is one meal that you choose to splurge on, I recommend stopping to have dinner at a roadside restaurant or cafe.

Though this may not be your final destination, experiencing another city in this way will help you check more places off of your family travel bucket list !

If you’re not keen on stopping, however, here are the road trip foods we enjoy that are tasty and hearty enough to serve as dinner.

Road Trip Dinner Ideas

• Cold rotisserie chicken, chunked and served with a garden salad (package in a disposable salad container )
• Pre-made pasta salad, such as Pizza Pasta Salad
• StarKist ready-to-eat tuna salad in an avocado half or on a bun
• Chicken and pickled veggies in pitas
• Hummus veggie wrap

Additional planning tip: If you’re road tripping in the winter when driving conditions are much more unpredictable, packing extra road trip food is an essential component of your winter road trip packing list .

Road Trip Food List: Snacks

In my opinion, snacks   are the No. 1 way to keep everyone (including you!) happy on a family road trip.

Homemade snack mixes and individual pre-purchased snacks are also a great way to help cut costs associated with buying food on the road.

For this reason, I suggest assembling an entire tub filled with fun and appetizing snacks and surprises that you know your kids will love.

We use these  16-quart storage tubs from Sterilite  that are the perfect size, price, and durability!

Road Trip Snacks Ideas

• Chips and pretzels
• Animal crackers (Suprise them with Barnum’s Originals !)
• Filled crackers (peanut butter, cheese)
• Nuts (cashews, almonds, peanuts)
• String cheese, Babybel, Laughing Cow cheese wedges
• Fresh or dried fruit
• Healthy no-bake cookies
• Candy and gummy candy

Be extra organized for your family road trip by clicking the following image to get your FREE family vacation packing list that is both customizable and printable!

Travel Snacks for Toddlers

Road tripping with toddlers presents its own set of challenges and requires additional thought when it comes to toddler-friendly road trip activities and food.

(It’s much harder to keep a close eye on them when they’re in the backseat, and you’re in the front.)

When considering toddler road trip foods, the most important thing is to avoid giving them anything to eat that could be deemed a choking hazard.

In addition, opt for healthy versus overly sweet options that may give them a tummy ache.

Our favorite healthy toddler car snacks and road trip foods include:

• Graham crackers
• Snap pea crisps
• Applesauce and/or yogurt pouches
• Cheese sticks
• Soft mini muffins
• Whole-grain crackers
• Bananas and/or this apple slices

9 Essential Tips For Traveling With Food

As seasoned travelers, we’ve assembled a list of tips for traveling with road trip foods and make-ahead hotel room meals.

• Use up your most delicate fruit first when on long-haul road trips.

In other words, start by eating bananas and berries, then move on to more sturdy produce such as apples and oranges that don’t spoil as easily.

2. Every family needs an organized packing strategy !

When it comes to road trip food, tortillas, pitas, or other sturdy flatbreads work better to bring along than do loaves of bread. They take up a lot less room and do not risk getting smashed.

3. When packing a cooler with items that need to stay chilled, be sure to lay the ice on the top, versus the bottom of the cooler.

This is because cold air sinks and will, therefore, disperse itself more evenly if laid on top of the food.

4. Aim to open the cooler only 1 or 2 times a day in order to maintain its refrigeration and keep the ice from thawing.

5. Also, make all food, including snacks, easily accessible throughout the duration of your family road trip.

This prevents someone (likely mom or dad!) from having to constantly bend over the back seat or stop to open the trunk every time hunger or boredom hits.

6. Avoid bringing anything made of glass on your road trip, including glass food containers. Glass is heavy, bulky, and very dangerous when broken within the confines of your family vehicle.

7. Assemble and bring along a road trip kit with the following road trip essentials for spills, clean-ups, and car sickness:

• Anti-bacterial wipes
• Hand sanitizer
• Garbage bags
• Ziplock bags
• Napkins/paper towels
• Saltine crackers and motion sickness medicine

8. Each time you stop while on a road trip, don’t forget to pitch any garbage that has accumulated.

This prevents build-up and smelliness.

9. Head to the grocery store with our FREE printable checklist and purchase all of your road trip food in one shopping trip!

If you enjoyed reading our best Road Trip Food List , click here to check out our Related Posts:

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• The Ultimate Guide for International Travel with Kids
• 8 (Unexpected) Benefits of Traveling With Kids

*Before leaving, be sure to check our  Travel Resources Page  to find our exclusive travel discounts and to book hotels, rental cars, and guided tours.*

Jen Brommer is a family travel expert. She has been featured as an authority on several notable travel websites and is a member of the Family Travel Association (FTA), Midwest Travel Network, and TravMedia global media network.

A prominent content creator and influencer on Instagram, Jen has over 150K unique monthly blog readers from countries all over the world. She has spent the last 16 years planning fun, and hassle-free family vacations for her family of 5.

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Thank you for the road trip food list and travel tips.

You’re welcome! Was there something you saw that you hadn’t thought of before? Happy travels!!

This is a great list as we also big in road trip. Snacks is so important especially to keep them from asking are we there yet. Haha… I myself like peanuts to keep me awake when it’s my turn to drive.

Thanks for reading and for sharing your favorite road trip snack!!

This is such a comprehensive list and it is so helpful as I predict a lot of us will be going on more road trips once we can. Prepping these meals will definitely save some money and help the kids feel less bored. I know that my kids are usually pleased munching stuffs during road trips. I also like that it is more likely for the road trip snack to be more healthier than what you’ll buy elsewhere.

Thank you! Yes, the health factor of pre-packing is a big one, as is the enormous cost savings 🙂

I like to have a good mix of healthy (kids like apples, those are easy to eat) and snacky/salty. I am also very particular. about road trip drinks. Big coffees, la croix, iced tea!

I like your ideas! We’d be good road trip buddies!

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25 Easy Make-Ahead Road Trip Meal Ideas they’ll love!

Planning a road trip? Looking for easy, make-ahead meal ideas, whether for a weekend break or a longer trip? Or maybe you want some easy recipes for meals on the road? Here are 25 great ideas for you!

*We work hard to make this the best motorhome travel blog and road trip website possible, full of helpful content for you. The website is supported by our readers, so if you buy through links on this site we may earn a commission- at no extra cost to you. All opinions remain our own .

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Easy Make-Ahead Road Trip Meals

I’ll be honest- planning meals for a road trip is one of the things I dislike most.

Don’t get me wrong- I like cooking and I DEFINITELY like eating … but I am not good at creating a meal plan.

I also have a daughter who has gone from eating whatever we give her to being more and more particular about what she likes- and she’d rather not eat at all than eat something she doesn’t love. At home, it’s pretty easy to cook separate meals, but in the van, it becomes a whole different issue- and it makes the process of meal planning a lot harder.

Why plan meals on a road trip at all??

Oh, I hear you. In an ideal world, we’d just head off into the unknown and see what we find. One of the things we enjoy most about travelling is sampling local foods and dishes and enjoying discovering new things.

Both Mr WB and myself are fairly easy to please and can make do with all sorts, but anyone with kids knows that it’s just not that easy. I also don’t want to spend my time on the road worrying about whether she’ll eat anything- so it makes MY life easier if I plan it out a little in advance.

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Road Trip Meal Planning

So, where do you even start with planning meals for a road trip??

For me, I break it down into 2/3 day intervals. Generally, we like to pop into a shop and buy fresh bread, fruit and other bits every 2/3 days. We don’t do MASSIVE week long shops when we travel- our fridge is nowhere near big enough to deal with that and there’s the worry about what happens if you lose power or gas? All that food will go to waste.

Of course, if you’re only going to a weekend, you can easily make-ahead several dishes and just heat them up- much easier.

TOP TIP for picky eaters- Make them choose some meals

One way I tackle our favourite picky eater is to get her to pick 5-7 dinners she will eat. (Annoyingly, this seems to change every week or so!) I also make her come shopping with me- I find if she chooses it, there’s a higher chance she’ll eat it.

While we’re on the subject of kids, here are some posts you might find useful:

• 21 EPIC Children’s car games & road trip activities
• 14 quiet time activities for kids, tweens and teenagers

Our Normal Road Trip Food shopping method

On a ‘normal’ two-week road trip to mainland Europe, this is my tried and trusted routine:

• Buy stuff in UK which we struggle to get overseas (see below)
• Make-ahead meals for first night or two
• Buy things as you travel (at local markets, supermarkets or Lidl)
• Do this every couple of days so we can buy fresh bread, fruit and croissants! Yum!!
• Try to ignore jeans not doing up….!! 
• Remember that people eat EVERYWHERE and try not to overbuy before you leave the UK.

This system has worked fairly well for us. It’s allowed us to discover new things, let Jade choose what she fancies and my stress levels don’t get too high trying to plan out a whole weeks worth of meals.

What about perishable foods?

We have a fridge which works both whilst we’re driving (battery) and when we’re parked up (gas). So we bring a small amount of perishable food with us- milk, cheese, ham, meat, yogurt, fruit, bacon.

We don’t buy too much in case there is a problem and the fridge breaks- it’s always been a little tempermental and is the part of the motorhome I trust the least!!

Easy Road Trip Recipes

When I’m on a road trip, especially if it’s a holiday, I don’t want to spend hours of my time in the galley, prepping, washing, chopping, cooking and washing up!

Here are a few easy recipes we use and love. Most only use one pot and many can be made in advance if you prefer.

5 easy road trip Breakfast ideas

• Greek Yogurt and fresh fruit
• Muesli/ cereal
• Scrambled eggs in a wrap or on toast (toast is HARD to cook on a gas hob though!)
• Bacon/ sausage sandwich (bring your own bacon from the UK. Alternatively, look in European supermarkets- but it won’t look the same. It’s usually much thinner and cooks MUCH faster.)
• One Pan English Breakfast 

Note how those went from fairly healthy to full-on delicious! I’m making myself hungry!

10 easy Lunch ideas for a road trip

We tend to do lunch as we travel- or if we’re exploring we’ll treat ourselves to a cheeky lunch out. Just don’t do that at Neuschwanstein Castle ! ( Jeez- you thought Norway was expensive!!!! )

• Fresh crusty bread and… anything. Cheese, ham, tuna, butter, garlic cheese, crisps, chicken, leftover beef, fish fingers…
• Salad. We try and add some fruit or salad in where possible- we’ll pretend to be healthy every once in a while! If we’re parked up I love to fry up some chicken and pop it onto a quick salad with avocado, tomatoes and peppers. Or try these delicious healthy salad recipes . TOP TIP- WASH your salad. Even the ones in bags. They don’t always wash it in Europe. It also doesn’t seem to last as long (that might be the heat) so don’t over buy.
• Grilled Cheese (see below for recipe)
• Couscous (see below)

I have still not found a decent way to make toast in the van. It’s an ongoing process that I will continue to work at! Still, Grilled Cheese sandwiches are a perfect snack:

Grilled Cheese Sandwich Recipe

• Sliced Bread
• Cheese (Cheddar and Mozzarella work well)

Butter bread thinly and put butter side down into hot frying pan (not too hot and use butter, not oil.) Add slices of cheddar and mozzarella cheese. Add other slice of bread on top, butter side up. After a couple of minutes (when bottom slice is brown but not burnt), flip sandwich over. Grill for a couple of minutes. For an extra touch, transfer sandwich to oven tray and bake in oven at 170’c for 5-7 minutes until cheese is totally melted.

Burritos are basically large wraps, with beans and/ or rice added into the wrap. One of the easiest ones is the bean and cheese burrito, but you can easily add in meat, sauces and any leftovers you might have.

Ingredients: 

• 1 whole-grain tortilla wrap
• 1 medium-sized can of black beans (cook in advance if needed)
• Cheese- sliced or grated

Simply spread ingredients over wrap, fold in all ends tightly and enjoy!

5 Easy Road Trip Sandwich ideas

Sometimes, simple is best. Here are some easy road trip sandwich ideas:

• Sausage or Bacon Sandwich – great for breakfast or lunch!
• Ham/Chicken/ Salami Sandwich – with or without cheese
• Jam or Peanut Butter Sandwich
• Egg Mayo Sandwich
• Tuna sandwich

Couscous is magical. Lighter than rice and so versatile. I make a big helping of this and it lasts for lunch and dinner quite happily.

The trick is to double the amount of liquid to cous cous. One cup couscous= 2 cups stock. I love to use chicken or vegetable stock. Nothing fancy; those little cubes in some boiling water are just fine. Stir until the cube disolves, then pour it over the couscous. Leave to stand for 10 minutes. The beauty of this is you can add whatever you like to it. We like lemon, mint, feta, avocado, red peppers, spring onions, celery… the list is endless. I generally make a bowl of plain couscous and we each add different fillings to it.

10 easy or make-ahead road trip meals for dinner

Ahhhh… now this is the fun part. Everyone’s been driving in the exact same motorhome for several hours… and as soon as you arrive somewhere and the van is parked up for the night, they all turn to you and ask ‘what’s for dinner?’…!

All of these recipes take no more than 30 minutes or you can make many of them ahead for the first few days of the trip.

TOP TIP- Be kind to yourself. Many people dislike ‘pre-made’ sauces, feeling that they’re ‘cheating’ if they don’t cook everything from scratch. But it’s your trip too, so don’t be judgemental about sauces from a jar. Yes, there might be a bit more sugar or salt- but it’s a heck of a lot better than a pizza or McDonalds. So be kind to yourself and make things easy.

Some easy or make-ahead meal ideas for dinners on the road:

• 3-way mince (Bolognaise, Chilli, Savoury)- can be made in the slow cooker

Spanish Omelette

• Easy make-ahead taco Bowl

Chicken Quinoa

• Pea/ Pesto Pasta

Cheats Pizza

3-way mince: bolognese, chilli or savoury.

Here’s the recipe for 3 way mince bulk cooking. You can get savoury mince, bolognese and chilli from 1 pack of mince. It’s the perfect ‘make-ahead’ recipe and is very easy to heat up on the road.

1 pack of 500g mince makes 5 meals: 2 x savoury mince 2 x chilli 1 x bolognese

Start with chopped onion, pepper, garlic and grated carrot all in one large pan with a little oil (or butter) until softened.

Split the mix between 3 pans & add the mince. Cut it long ways in the packet before adding so it’s easier to break up in the pan.

You can add any vegetables at this point. Previously I’ve used courgette, mushrooms and aubergine, all finely chopped. You can get 6/7/8 kinds of vegetables in there!

Brown the mince on a low to medium heat so it doesn’t clump together, break it up with a spoon as it cooks.  Add the seasoning to the chilli pan (cumin, turmeric, chilli powder, garlic powder and paprika) and garlic powder to the savoury mince & bolognese pans. 

Once browned, strain peas & sweetcorn (one small can of corn & 1 small can of peas and add to savoury mince pan.

Add one can of chopped tomatoes to the chilli pan & 1 to the bolognese, stir through. Drain and rinse the kidney beans and add to the chilli. I used half a can of beans, I’ll save the rest for a salad.

Rinse the tomato cans out with a little water & add to the savoury mince pan. Stir in Bisto granules (or beef stock & maybe cornflour or thickener as needed). Add a little Worcestershire sauce & pepper to taste.

Taste & adjust seasonings if necessary.

Divide & eat, or store in the fridge until ready.

Many thanks to Phillippa from PhilyaBelly for the recipe – follow her on Instagram

Serve with:

• Spaghetti, rice or potatoes.
• Garlic or crusty bread
• Grated cheese
• Side salad if your family will eat it.

I LOVE this Spanish Omelette. It’s so easy to make and only uses one pan.

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, chopped

Heat the oil in large frying pan. Peel potatoes and slice thinly. Put the slices in the pan with the onion & garlic. Cover the pan and cook until the potatoes are tender, turning them occasionally. Beat the eggs.

When the potato and onion mixture is cooked, add it to the eggs and mix together. Heat another spoon of oil in the pan, and turn the heat down as low as it will go. Pour the egg, onion & potato mixture into the pan.

The essence of this dish is slow cooking and it should take about 20 minutes. When there is no liquid left turn omelette over for 2 minutes. It’s now ready to serve and eat! Delicious- perfect with salad or french loaf.

Lamb Kebabs

Take 500g (4 people) of lean lamb mince and add spices (salt, pepper, cumin, coriander, paprika… whatever you like!) Mould into balls or around a skewer and cook on BBQ or in oven until browned.

If using BBQ and wooden skewers, soak the skewers in water for about 30 minutes first.

Serve with Tzatziki- Greek yogurt, mint, lemon and cucumber

Easy make-ahead Taco bowl

• 1 can of beef
• ½ of a small jar of salsa
• Bag of tortilla chips
• 1 can of beans
• 1 avocado/ guacamole

Warm beef and cook beans as directed on label. Mix and add on top of chips (can be warmed in oven) Add Salsa, avocado/ guacamole, sour cream and grated cheese as desired (we pop the whole thing in the oven to melt the cheese.

Ingredients

• 4 chicken breasts
• 1/4 tsp. herb de Provence (or any herbs)
• 1 cup. quinoa
• 1/4 cup. white wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup. olive oil
• 2 green onions
• 2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 4 cup. rocket/ lettuce/ salad
• 2/3 cup. olives, quartered
• 12 oz. tomatoes, halved
• Season chicken breasts with herbs, salt and pepper. Grill 3 minutes per side on medium-high or until cooked through.
• Cook quinoa as label directs.
• Mix vinegar, olive oil, green onions, Dijon mustard and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Toss half of the vinaigrette with cooked quinoa, salad/ rocket, tomatoes and olives. Serve chicken over quinoa with remaining vinaigrette.

Pea / Pesto Pasta

• Pasta  
• fresh or frozen peas
• Chopped chives, for serving
• Cook pasta. Drain and return pasta to pot. 
• While pasta is cooking, roughly chop 1 cup peas. Add ricotta and lemon zest and mix well. Season with salt and pepper. 
• Add ricotta mixture, remaining 1/2 cup peas, and pasta water; toss to combine. Sprinkle with chopped chives, if desired.

Alternatively, cook pasta, add several large spoons of pesto and some grated cheese and mix well.

Salmon with rice and vegetables

We eat salmon a lot- it’s very good for you.

Grill (or use a low-wattage air fryer ) and serve with rice, couscous (see above) and vegetables.

Sure, you can make your own dough and add toppings- and if that works for you, then go for it. However, we cheat.

• Grab 2 pitta breads per person and pop them under the grill
• You want them warm, but not ‘crispy’
• Turn over, and spread with pesto (green or red)
• Add mozzarella cheese, ham, salami, mushrooms… whatever you like!
• Grill until bubbling

If you’d like more inspiration, here are a couple of our favourite camping cookbooks:

Healthy Road Trip Snacks

We’ve done an entire post on 15 quick & healthy road trip snacks (many of them Keto friendly) but here are a couple more ideas for you:

• 1 large can of tuna
• ½ cup of cranberries
• A packet of whole-grain crackers

First, take the tuna out from the can and empty it into a bowl. Next, mash a whole avocado and add it with the cranberries into the tuna. Use whole-grain crackers to dip into your tuna.

Apple Cookies

• 2 green apples
• Peanut butter
• Dark chocolate chips
• Almond slices

Cut an apple into slices that resemble a cookie, then layer the rest of the ingredients in between two slices to make the snack look like an apple sandwich. The snack will stay fresh in an ice cooler for two days.

Barabrith – great snack for afternoon tea!

Other things:

Whilst we’re on the subject, don’t forget to bring:

• Washing up liquid
• Big scrubbing pad for BBQ if using
• cleaning supplies
• Kitchen roll
• Bottle/ can opener
• Mugs and glasses
• Tea/ coffee/ sugar

How else can I help you today??

• See the BEST Road Trip Journal to record your adventures!
• Show me essential Road Trip Accessories
• Get 100+ essential road trip songs (+ playlist)
• Help me plan my road trip
• See gift ideas for road trippers

Kat never planned to buy a motorhome. She also never planned to quit her job as an air traffic controller, go touring around Europe in said motorhome, start one of the UK’s largest motorhome travel websites… or get a cocker spaniel.

Find out how she went from stuck in the rat race to being a digital nomad and inspiring thousands of people to have their own epic adventures here.

If you’d like to connect with Kat, send her an email or follow her adventures on social media.

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Hi Kat I’ve not tried these yet but they get a good review on Amazon. As I’ve bought the barbecue you recommended in your blogs I thought I would try to keep my new BBQ clean as I absolutely hate scrubbing it after use. Just bought a pack to try on our trip to France in September BBQ Grill Mat, Set of 5 Beeway® Non Stick Barbecue Baking Mats for Charcoal, Gas or Electric Grill – Heat Resistant, Reusable and Easy to Clean, FDA Aproved – Bonus 12″ Just thought you may also find these useful

They look amazing- let me know how you find them 🙂

The https://wandering-bird.com website is one of the best we have found, and the 15 Easy Road Trip Meal Ideas article is very well written and useful! Thanks and kisses! 🙂

I recommend a ridge monkey for camper van cooking. You can cook chicken breasts, steaks, poach eggs, bake a cake, make an omelette, and it also makes great toast!

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The Ultimate American Foodie Road Trip (Map Included)

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Delicious food is one of the main reasons we all travel. & every region of the world has its own unique delicacies & flavor combinations. The United States is no different. If you’re itching for a great American foodie road trip, you’ve come to the right place.

I just finished eating & hiking through an epic 3-month long American road trip in my converted camper van.

And although vanlife is definitely not as glamorous as it’s made out to be, it’s undoubtedly the best way to see America ( & there are loads of other benefits of vanlife ). Just set your GPS to avoid highways & hit the road.

Don’t have a lot of cash to spare? Don’t fret. Every item on this list is under $23. It turns out the iconic American dishes don’t break the bank.

Let’s ditch the fast food on your road trip and travel better this year.

What Exactly is American Food?

Burgers & fries. Malted milkshakes. What else is America famous for? Turns out a lot more than I originally thought.

American food is regional. The Deep South and New England regions couldn’t be more different. From the climate to the foods they lay claim to…they might as well be completely different countries.

American food is also heavily influenced by immigrants . Many of the iconic dishes created here were developed by Italian, Jewish, or Russian immigrants and paid homage to their ‘home’ countries. Think Deep Dish Pizza (Italian) or a Traditional Fish Fry (Russian) .

If you’re up for an “American” foodie road trip expect it to be a very diverse, unhealthy, & delicious adventure.

The Ultimate American Foodie Road Trip

Here is a breakdown of all the iconic American eats we stumbled upon on our trip across America and a map to guide you on your foodie quest.

Burgers, burgers, & more burgers. Montana likes its meat. These were our favorites. I’ll save you some time right now, if you’re looking for a vegan foodie road trip….this isn’t gonna be the map for you.

Cowboy Burger at Mint Bar & Grill (Livingston)

The single best burger I’ve ever eaten. I can still taste the perfectly cooked juicy patty. Paired with PBR battered fries it’s truly an American staple on a foodie road trip.

Buffalo Burger with Habenero Huckleberry Jam at Cowboys Bar & Grill (Gardiner)

You won’t find a more Montana burger. A locally sourced buffalo patty topped with house-made sweet and spicy habanero huckleberry sauce (you’ll want extra to dip your fries in) & white cheddar cheese curds.

South Dakota

The Dakota’s food scene owes thanks to its original inhabitants. The Native Americans. You’ll find a lot of buffalo meat and traditional fry bread at local restaurants all over the state.

Be sure to thoroughly explore South Dakota during your trans-American road trip. It became one of my favorite US states.

Chislic at Buglin’ Bull (Custer)

Tender grilled chunks of buffalo served with house-made steak sauce.

Indian Taco at Cedar Pass Lodge (Badlands National Park)

Imagine the lightest fluffiest fry bread topped with ground buffalo, lettuce, tomato, cheese & hot sauce. Think taco salad sitting atop a savory doughnut.

This is technically an iconic drink stop. But it still makes the cut.

Root Beer Float at Schooney Malt Shop (Taylor Falls)

A good old fashioned root beer float. Served with any ice cream your heart desires. I’m not a big soda person but there’s just something about fresh-tapped root beer from a malt shop that really satisfies.

We didn’t get to delve into the Mid-West much on this trip but Wisconsin provided the perfect taste.

I know I said to forgo the fast food BUT Wisconsin is home to Culvers. The best fast food joint in the entire United States. (Sorry In & Out fans) They specialize in frozen custard, tasty fresh burgers, and cheese curds.

Cheese Curds at The Old Fashioned (Madison)

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Half a pound of piping hot, gooey, perfectly crispy fried cheese curds. These are regularly voted the very best in Wisconsin. For good reason.

Fish Fry with Potato Pancake at Lakefront Brewery (Milwaukee)

Beer-battered cod (or walleye/perch), that’s both light and satisfying paired with a pineapple juice coleslaw, & traditional potato pancake. You can even kayak straight up to this brewery and eat along the water.

Friday night Fish Frys are a tradition in Wisconsin. German and Czech influences, as well as the practice of avoiding meat on Fridays during Lent, made it widely popular.

Illinois (Chicago)

I say Illinois, but this is really just a list of places to eat in Chicago. & there are hundreds more. Chicago is one of the best foodie cities in the entire US. (Most likely because it was an immigration hotspot in the 1920s)

Chicago Dogs at Portillos.

The most basic (& delicious) Chicago dog. An all-beef dog wrapped in a steamed poppyseed bun topped with mustard, relish, tomato, onions, sport peppers, and a large dill pickle spear. You’ll want 2-3 to make it a meal.

These hotdogs rival the world-famous Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur dogs of Iceland.

Italian Roast Beef Sandwich at Al’s Italian Beef.

Dipped with hot peppers. It’s the only way to go. This un-assuming sandwich joint serves up a sopping wet flavorful beef masterpiece.

Deep Dish Pizza at Pequods.

If your thinking “I’m really more of a thin crust person”, let me change your mind. Pequod’s isn’t an over-touristed joint turning out mediocre pies. It’s the real deal. Thick fluffy crust topped with homemade Italian sausage and hand-cut pepperoni served in a black cast-iron dish. Pequods is unique because of their burnt layer of cheese covering the top.

Chicago was once a thin crust city itself. Neapolitan immigrants brought over their cheap working-class thin crust pizza just like New York. Then in 1943, Pizzeria Uno (which still exists today), created the Italian-American hybrid…deep dish pizza.

Vermont. It’s practically Canada. The states focus on small local farming and organic produce means tasty healthy food.

Poutine from Citizen Cider (Burlington)

Crispy fries covered in house made gravy and local Maplebrook cheese curds.

Apple Cider Doughnuts from Cold Hollow Cider Mill (Stowe)

Get there are peak hours and every doughnut will be piping hot & fresh. They only have one flavor, no-frills old-fashioned apple cider. & I’m not exaggerating when I claim it’s the best doughnut I’ve ever had.

Maple Syrup from Nebraska Knoll Sugar Farm(Stowe)

Everyone has heard of Vermont maple syrup. Syrup tastings (some with cheese pairings) are one of the top Vermont things to do.

Where the most important question is ‘hot with butter’ or ‘cold with mayo’? Either way, it’s a damn good lobster roll. If you don’t like seafood…you probably shouldn’t be in Maine.

Mussels, Clam Chowder, & Lobster Bisque at Galyn’s (Bar Harbor)

YUM. Hit Galyn’s for their epic Happy Hour & stay for the seafood.

Lobster Roll at The Highroller Lobster Co. (Portland)

Whether you’re a lobster fanatic or a slight skeptic you’ll LOVE their BYO Lobster Roll. Each roll is served on a toasted brioche (locally made) slice with 4 oz of chilled claw meat. The rest is up to you. Choose from ghee, drawn butter, jalapeno mayo, curried ketchup, or roasted pineapple mayo to spice up your sandwich.

Blackened Fish & Chips at Thirsty Whale Tavern (Bar Harbor)

A massive pile of fried cod covered in “blackened” seasoning. A dressed up Maine classic.

Fried Clams at Pilot House Restaurant (Kennebunkport)

Love them. Fresh clams, I’ll take them or leave them. But I could have eaten 3 baskets of these scrumptious little snacks.

Whoopie Pie from The Landing Store (Kennebunkport)

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It looks like a giant Oreo & it is the unofficial state dessert of Maine. It’s two circles of fluffy chocolate cake sandwiched around rich creamy frosting. Traditionally, it was made from the leftover cake batter. Waste not, want not.

Massachusetts (Boston)

With 15% Irish & nearly 10% Italian you know you’re getting good food in Boston.

Roast Beef Sandwich at Kelly’s.

Kelly’s was the original inspiration for the fast-food chain Arby’s. It’s been featured on the food Network numerous times & a 6-generation family-owned chain in Massachusetts.

Cannoli at Mike’s Pastry or Modern Pastry.

There’s a heated debate over which cannoli is better & everyone in Boston seems to have an opinion. For me, Modern Pastry took the cake with its traditional ricotta filling & pistachio sprinkle.

Classic Italian Sub from Monica’s Mercado.

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This is the best sandwich I have ever eaten. It was so good when we passed through Boston a second time it’s the only place we stopped. The Italian sub is stacked with 4 different cured meats, fresh provolone cheese, balsamic, and pickled veggies.

New York (New York City)

Is there a city that has a better food reputation? We stuck to budget food options (it is a road trip after all) but if you’re looking for a world-class high-end meal…this is the city to find it in.

Jewish Deli

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A New York staple. Matza Ball Soup or a pile of Pastrami on Rye. These delis have been thriving in New York since the late 1800s. Check out 2nd Ave Deli or Carnegie Deli for New York’s best.

A simple slice of Thin NY Pizza from Joe’s Pizza. Or Mama’s Too. Or Lombardi’s.

These are infinite good pizza options in New York City. But these three are the best. Joe’s is serving up the simple & iconic cheap slice. Mama’s Too has a slightly thicker crusted pepperoni square that will knock your socks off. & Lombardi’s is the oldest coal oven pizza joint left in the city creating a perfectly tasty charred crust.

NY Bagel from Murrays Bagels or Utopia Bagels.

It’s a sin to toast them. NYC bagels are perfectly steamed and require no additional toasting. It will make you question if those circular pucks you buy at the grocery store can even be called bagels.

If you’re looking to burn off those pizza calories there are plenty of hikes in New York State to keep you busy.

Pennsylvania

In the 19th century, Americans avoided food waste at all costs. So, What is there to do with leftovers and drying out bread? Out of resourcefulness and frugality, the sandwich trend began. & Pennslyvania has some of the best American sandwiches in the country.

Rueben at Hershel’s Eastside Deli at Reading Terminal Market (Philidelphia)

You simply cannot fit more meat on this sandwich.

Philly Cheesesteak at Johns Roast Pork. (Philidelphia)

This is the unanimous favorite for Philly cheesesteaks. Perfectly melty & a family recipe from 1930. Their Hot Pork Sandwich is equally as tasty.

Washington D.C.

The heart of America’s melting pot.

Asian Fusion at Copycat.

Why here? Because it’s an exceptional meld of classic Chinese street food & American techniques. & it’s an amazing cocktail bar to boot.

North Carolina

There are 4 styles of BBQ born out of the United States: Kansas City, Texas, Memphis, & North Carolina.

North Carolina BBQ from Luella’s Bar-B-Que. (Ashville)

Tasty succulent pork with southern sides. Don’t skip the pineapple upside down if it’s available.

Southern cooking is my favorite style of American food. Fried veggies coated in butter & pig chunks, perfectly crisp fried chicken, and fluffy biscuits with gravy. What could go wrong?

Fried Chicken from Mary Macs Tearoom. (Atlanta)

Mary Macs Tearoom is historic & for the past 75 years, everything has been made in-house fresh daily. You even get a pile of fresh-baked cinnamon rolls and bread if it’s your first visit.

& Waffles from Homegrown. (Atlanta)

Chicken & Waffles. A southern staple. Don’t forget to try their Comfy Chicken Biscuit since you’re there.

Southern Cooking from Mrs. Wilkes Dining Room. (Savannah)

This place made me fall in love with southern food. All you can eat home cooking served at a community dining room table. Fried chicken, Jambalaya, Sweet Potato Souffle, and Banana Pudding were our favorites. Don’t forget to drink your fill of sweet tea.

South Carolina

The true breakfast of champions.

Shrimp & Grits from Acme Low Country Kitchen (Isle of Palms)

From traditional to flavor-packed Acme has this South Carolina favorite all day long. Super rare since it’s technically a breakfast food. My favorite version had fried green tomatoes and rich polenta cheese grits.

The Southernmost point in the United States. Home to teeny endangered Key Deer and of course Key Limes. & the best state for van life.

Key Lime Pie from Kermits Key West Key Lime Shop. (Key West)

It looks touristy from the outside but they really know how to whip up a mean slice of Key Lime Pie.

Louisiana (New Orleans)

Everything in Louisiana is an 11/10 for taste. Here’s what made the short list of dishes you must try.

Shrimp Po’ Boy & Jambalaya from Parkway Bakery and Tavern.

Flash-fried perfectly seasoned Louisiana gulf shrimp. You’ll find Po’ Boys all over the state even in gas stations…but trust us, this one is the best.

Muffuletta from Central Grocery & Deli.

A Sicilian sandwich created right here in the ol’ USA. & at this very Deli! Back in 1906 a Sicilian immigrant threw together the classic Muffuletta round sesame roll & topped it with an olive spread, cured meats, and cheese. It’s pure magic & a New Orleans creation.

Beignets from Cafe Du Monde.

Serving coffee & beignets since 1862 in the French Quarter. Coated in powdered sugar these french treats create a line that wraps around the block every morning.

Catfish from Toast.

Fried catfish is most popular during lent but you can find. it year round in New Orleans.

Crawfish Boil at Schaefer Seafood.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Emma Poling, RD, LDN (@emmaeatsnola)

Perfectly boiled little crustaceans with all the fixings.

It’s not Mexican food. It’s New Mexican food. A combination of Northern Mexican influence & Pueblo Indian foods. The heaping mounds of green chile are a dead giveaway.

Carne Adobada from Perea’s New Mexican Restaurant. (Albuquerque)

Melt in your mouth pork chunks marinated in red chile sauce.

Frito Pie from Horseman’s Haven. (Santa Fe)

Texas & New Mexico have been in a long-standing feud over who created the sloppy dish. But either way, this pile of Fritos topped with taco meat, lettuce, & tomato are delicious.

USA Foodie Road Trip Map

Here’s a complete map of every destination on this list to make your foodie road trip even easier to plan.

America is a lot more than burgers. The US is blessed with one of the most diverse cuisines in the entire world and these iconic dishes are essential stops on your next foodie road trip.

Need the Perfect Vehicle for Your Next Getaway?

Rent one with RV Share. Click the add below to browse what’s available for cheap in your area.

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Further Reading...

Food of Rajasthan: My Favorite Restaurants for Local Rajasthani Cuisine

Slab City, California: The Last Free Place on Earth

The Definitive Guide on Where to Eat in Ho Chi Minh City District 3

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50 Embarrassing Travel Fails & Mishaps You Can Learn From

The ultimate florida road trip: 21 spectacular places you must-see, beyond_the_bucketlist.

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Road Trip Food: How To Pack Food For A 7-Day Road Trip

October 9, 2022 | by Workweek Lunch | Leave a Comment

One of the most exciting parts of our cross country move was planning all of our road trip food! I can’t wait to share how exactly we planned meals for this seven-day trip from NYC to Seattle, where we stayed and my best tips and tricks for eating healthy on a budget on the road.

What's In This Post

Planning Our Road Trip

I’m the planner in my family, so plotting out a road trip across the country was my responsibility. I loved every second of it. My app of choice is called Roadtrippers . I’ve used it for years to plan amazing road trips and I think it’s well worth the cost of $25/year even if you only do one big road trip in a 12 month period. It’s way easier to plan a road trip with this app compared to Google Maps.

Even though we could have done a much longer trip, because this was a moving road trip, we decided to do it in 8 days, following almost the most direct route to Seattle. We aimed to average about 6 hours of driving per day and pretty much no sightseeing.

If you want to do a sightseeing road trip, you shouldn’t do more than 4 hours of driving/day.

We chose this route because not only is it more direct, but it also came super close to Glacier National Park. So we designed the trip around stopping there for two nights to be able to get a taste of the park, instead of just one night.

How we chose where to stay during our cross country trip

We did a mix of Airbnb, camping, hotels and glamping on this trip! The variety was awesome and I’m glad we branched out of Airbnb, to be honest.

Having a hotel one night was perfect after a night of camping and sleeping on the ground. And Airnbns that had access to laundry came in handy in the middle of our trip, since we packed pretty light!

Every Airbnb also had a fridge which helped us with taking food on this trip and preparing meals for the road.

Here are links to all the places we stayed:

• Airbnb in New Wilmington, PA – $88
• Fancy Airbnb in Chicago, IL – $130
• Airbnb in Minneapolis, MN – $103
• Campsite in Bismarck, ND – $30
• Hotel in Lewistown, MT – $160
• Glamping Site in Lakeside, MT (Glacier) – $150 (2 nights)

How I Plan Meals For Road Trips

Meal planning helped us save a lot of money and reduce stress during this trip. I approached it the same way I approach regular weekly planning by focusing on breakfast, lunch and dinner for myself and my partner. It was overwhelming at first, but once I filled in where we’d be and thought about the amenities we had at each place, it was easy.

While this really depends on the type of road trip you want to take, my golden rule is to eat one takeout full meal per day .

When you’re sitting in a car for hours, it’s more fun to snack and it’s really nice to end the day with a big meal, rather than eat takeout multiple times and feel overstuffed and sleepy in the car. This method also saves money , which is important to me (but maybe not important to you!).

That being said, if I were designing a trip around visiting different foodie spots along the way, I would approach meal prepping and takeout very differently. This move was not a foodie trip, but we did make a point to try local beer and coffee everywhere we stopped.

Our trip was one week long, so it was easy to plan with an excel spreadsheet. If you want to try out our regular meal planning template/spreadsheet, you can download it here !

How much food cost on our road trip

My partner and I were pretty focused on saving money with our move happening at the same time. We spent about $1,500 total on the trip, including lodging, food, gas and random/emergency stuff.

This trip was all about driving. The pandemic definitely made things we would have normally done not possible, like local comedy shows, concerts and day tours.

Our Road Trip Grocery And Food Packing List

• Old fashioned oats*
• Peanut butter*
• Canned tuna*
• Pre-mixed salad bags
• Olive oil, salt, pepper and cooking spray*
• Cheddar cheese
• A small milk bottle
• Brown sugar*

The list above includes some ingredients we purchased before the trip as well as some that we grabbed from our pantry (marked with an *). We spent a total of $50 on groceries before the trip.

We also packed homemade baked banana bread and cookies!

During the trip, we spent about $30 on groceries we needed for cooking, like our two camping meal and a few picnic lunches . For these meals, we just needed fresh veggies and proteins to cook with! We kept things super simple and by the end, I was a little bit sick of tortillas.

Where We Stopped Ate On Our Cross Country Road Trip

The list below includes places we would eat at again, which we, unfortunately, can’t say of every place we stopped at.

Youngstown, OH (coffee): Culture House Coffee

Granger, IN (beer): Bare Hands Brewery

Minneapolis, MN (dinner): Red Cow

Minneapolis, MN (coffee): Zoe’s Cafe

Bismark, ND: Stonehome Brew Pub

Lakeside, MT (dinner): Tamarack Brewing Co

Lakeside, MT (breakfast): Glacier Perks Coffee House

We spent about $200 total on restaurants during this trip! We stuck pretty well to our one takeout meal per day, so we only spent $28/day for two on food. I’m happy with that!

Easy Meals To Make On A Road Trip Without Equipment

Overnight oats.

Here’s our Master Overnight Oats Recipe if you want to try it out!

Fresh Wraps

Here’s an easy no-cook wrap recipe that would be perfect for road trips.

Crunchy Salads

This is more of a hack – pre-made salad kits are so easy to find in grocery stores on the road, and you can customize them however you like.

Meals You Can Cook While On A Road Trip

With the help of our stove and access to grills/a campfire, we were able to cook several meals on our trip.

Grilled Wraps & Paninis

We had a blast eating apple cheddar quesadillas at a rest stop! We happened to have apples and cheddar with us, but you can use really anything. All you need is a portable stove, a small non-stick pan and cooking spray to make it happen.

Loaded Campfire Baked Potato

You really can’t go wrong with a loaded baked potato or sweet potato. All you need is foil, your favorite kind of potato, cheese and any other baked potato fixin’s you like!

Roasted Veggie Wraps

We made these grilled veggie wraps on a grill at our KOA campsite! They tasted so good with just a dash of salt and pepper.

How We Cleaned Our Cooking Equipment On Our Road Trip

So we made a point to stay at places every few days with access to a sink or area to clean our dishes. We brought dish soap, a sponge and paper towels with us to do light cleaning at the campsites as needed. It wasn’t such a big deal! At the end of our road trip, we just loaded up the dishwasher with all our camp cooking equipment for a final wash.

How long does food last in a cooler on a road trip?

I highly recommend the cooler we bought for families or people going on long road trips. It’s not great for solo travel, as it was almost too big for us!

Every other day, we put a new bag of ice in the cooler (purchased at a gas station) and drained it before adding a new bag of ice. By the very end, some of the food definitely smelled a bit inside the cooler – but not in a bad way. We may have not kept up the ice re-stocking toward the end as well as we could have.

All in all, no food spoiled on our trip. Everything made it through the seven days, and whatever we didn’t eat we were able to store in our fridge when we got home.

Essential Equipment For Packing Road Trip Food

Bamboo Travel Utensils  – love these compact utensils for travel meals!

Coleman Cooler – we loved this cooler! It fit all our food

Mini Camp Stove – essential for when you don’t want to/can’t make a campfire

Food Containers – we used these to store food and as bowls!

Stasher Bags  – useful for dry snacks for any travel occasion

Small Non-Stick Pan – perfect for cooking on the camp stove

Cast-Iron Pan – ideal for campfire cooking

Cozy Flannel – I wore this every day of the trip! Super handy for the transitioning summer/fall weather.

I hope this inspires you to plan an epic road trip and stay within your budget!

If you want more travel meal ideas, here are some other posts that could help:

10 Best Lunch Boxes for Food on the Go

Make Ahead Camping Meals: 10 Camping Dishes You Can Meal Prep

18 Meal Prep Recipes For When You Have No Microwave or Fridge At Work

This post contains affiliate links.

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Road Trip Food Ideas: Packable Snacks and Make-Ahead Meals

This post may include affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I (The Winding Road Tripper) earn from qualifying purchases.  Read more . 

Are you planning a road trip and looking for snack and meal ideas that are convenient, mostly healthy, and money-saving? Then look no further.

We love a good road trip and one of our favorite things is packing fun snacks and meals to eat along the way.

This list of road trip food ideas will give you everything you need to plan all of your food for your next road trip. 

We include both refrigerated and non-refrigerated options to help you free up space in your cooler or to provide you options if you don’t have a cooler on this road trip. And we also share our tips for packing your cooling and restocking while on the road. 

Let’s dive in and find some mouth-watering road trip food ideas.

What Makes for Good Road Trip Food

When packing road trip snacks and meals, it is important to understand what makes for good road trip food. Not every meal or snack works well on the road. 

When coming up with your meal plan here are a few things to keep in mind when picking out your road trip food.

Try to focus on these types of foods when planning your road trip:

• Easily packable
• Easy to clean up
• Individual packaging 
• Easy to open
• Finger food
• Avoid strong odored food
• High protein and fiber (to keep everyone feeling fuller longer)

Road Trip Healthy Snack Ideas

Road trips are all about the snacks. And, of course, we always include our favorite sweet treats. 

But we also try to pack a bunch of healthy snacks to keep the hunger monster away and keep us energized until our next meal break. 

Non-Perishable Healthy Snacks

• Dehydrated fruits and vegetables (Mango is our favorite)
• Trail mix (w/o chocolate)
• Laughing Cow Cheese and Crackers
• Roasted almonds
• Whole apples
• Sunflower seeds
• Homemade energy bars, such as no-bake peanut butter energy bars  

Cooler-Required Healthy Snacks

• Fruits and vegetables, including celery, grapes, cut apples and pears, and baby carrots
• String Cheese
• Individual hummus, dressing, or dips for fruits and vegetables
• Spicy Hummus and Veggie Jar 
• Crackers and cheese
• Pre-packaged all-natural smoothies that come in drinkable containers
• Dark chocolate

Road Trip Indulgent Snack Ideas

Indulgent snacks are an essential part of a road trip because they are fun, tasty, and decadent. In addition, indulgent snacks, such as potato chips and cookies, are affordable and easy to pack in individual plastic baggies. 

Non-Perishable Indulgent Snacks

• Banana bread
• Cookies, such as sugar cookies (they don’t melt) 
• Fruit leather
• Potato chips
• Pretzel, cracker, and peanut mixtures
• Snack cakes and cupcakes
• Boiled peanuts
• Snack box – Check out Amazon for some unique snack boxes. We love the snack boxes from different countries.

Cooler-Required Indulgent Snacks

• Mini Roasted Vegetable Burritos 
• Peanut butter sandwiches
• Parfaits in a jar 
• Cheese spread for crackers
• Pudding cups 
• Power Balls

Make-Ahead Road Trip Breakfast Ideas

Enjoying a road trip often means early days and breakfast on the go. These make-ahead breakfast meals are perfect for those early mornings.

Non-Perishable Breakfast Ideas

• Granola bars
• Cake Donuts
• Power Scones – A Winding Road Tripper Favorite
• Whole fruits

Cooler-Required Breakfast Ideas

• Parfaits in a jar (see recipe above)
• Rainbow fruit kabobs with yogurt dipping sauce
• Bagels and cream cheese
• Hard-boiled eggs
• Peanut butter, granola, and banana wrap

Make-Ahead Road Trip Lunch Ideas

Make-ahead lunch meals provide easy-to-eat food items if you plan on driving through lunchtime. Road trip lunch ideas are perfect if you want to take a break, stretch your legs, and have a roadside picnic lunch. 

Non-Perishable Lunch Ideas

• Nut butter with pita chips
• Snack packs with crackers, grapes, and peanut butter
• Rice cakes with peanut butter
• Pita bread with canned tuna and mayo packets

Cooler-Required Lunch Ideas

• Vegetables with ranch, hummus, guacamole, or veggie dip
• Premade lunch sandwiches with deli meats and cheeses
• Salad in a jar
• Fruit salad
• Cucumber sandwiches
• Pita pockets stuffed with turkey, cheese, hummus, and cucumber
• Homemade lunch packs with summer sausage, crackers, and cheese
• Tortillas rolled with olive cream cheese and deli meat (such as turkey or pepperoni)
• Roll-up or pita sandwiches, such as a chicken tortilla wrap 

Make-Ahead Road Trip Dinner Ideas

Road trips are often exhausting. And by the time you make it to your destination, you may be ready to shower, eat dinner, and get some sleep. Making dinner meals ahead of time allows you to do these things while eating comfortably in your hotel or campsite. 

Non-Perishable Dinner Ideas

• Canned chili and cornbread
• Couscous and white beans, topped with salsa
• Garlic bread and marinara sauce (to go with the buffalo chicken pasta salad listed below)
• Microwave macaroni and cheese cups (if microwave is available)

Cooler-Required Dinner Ideas

• Salad topped with cubed rotisserie chicken
• Buffalo chicken pasta salad 
• Cold veggie pizza 
• Mediterranean pasta salad 
• Hummus and veggie wrap

Eating on the Road Non-Food Essentials

To help enjoy your preplanned road trip snack and meal ideas, it is helpful to pack some non-food essentials. Use this list to make sure you have everything you need for an easy and clean road trip meal time. 

• Paper plates
• Paper bowls
• Plastic cutlery — forks, knives, and spoons
• Sharp knife (for cutting fruits, veggies, and sandwiches)
• Paper towels or napkins
• Zip-locking food storage bags
• Plastic food storage containers
• Hard-sided cooler for trunk
• Soft-sided cooler for inside the car
• Reusable grocery bags to organize and store food
• Refillable water bottles
• Plastic trash bags

Protip: Splurge on Stasher bags (or any other silicon bag) for road trips. They are pricey but they are in your budget we highly recommend them as they are one of our favorite splurges. They are great to keep things dry in the cooler and to keep things organized and portioned out. 

More Road Trip Essentials: Road Trip Accessories You Need for Your Next Road Trip Family Road Trip Essentials: Things You Need to Pack for a Road Trip with Kids The Ultimate Camping Road Trip Camping List

Tips for Road Trip Meal Prepping 

Meal prepping before heading out on a road trip helps save time while on the road and makes grabbing snacks and meals easier. Additionally, road trip meal prepping helps ensure you have all the food, snacks, and beverages you need to keep everyone full and satisfied. 

• Create a list of meals and snacks to make ahead of time.
• Select meals with foods that can easily be mixed and matched together for more options.
• Choose finger foods to avoid the need for cutlery.
• Consider the trip length and plans to determine foods and how long ice will keep cooler-required foods cold.
• Pack ingredients for meals together using plastic and paper bags.
• Pack individual packets of condiments, such as mayo, ketchup, mustard, salt, pepper, and barbecue sauce.
• Clean and cut vegetables and store in individual size plastic bags for quick access.
• Split big bags of snacks into individual serving sizes.
• Consider storage space, such as how much room you have in the car and coolers.
• Keep things simple.
• Pack plenty of water or refillable water bottles to keep everyone fully hydrated.

Tips for Packing a Cooler for a Road Trip

Efficiently packing a cooler for a road trip means the difference between having all the foods you want and having to leave some food behind. Plus, the issue many road trippers face is their food getting soggy as the ice in the cooler starts to melt. 

• Use zip-locking plastic or silicon bags to keep ice in the cooler from getting things wet.
• Use zip-locking plastic or silicon bags to store food in the cooler in case ice bags break open.
• Keep what you plan to eat that day on the top, so you do not have to dig around the cooler, letting cold air out.
• Use leak-proof containers for meats and poultry, especially if raw, and pack these items on the bottom, separate from foods that will be eaten raw.
• To keep cooler food colder longer, freeze items, such as juices, and milk before packing in the cooler.
• Refrigerate items overnight before putting them in the cooler
• Keep the cooler full to help keep it colder longer.
• Layer food with ice bags, ice, or ice blocks (ice blocks take longer to melt than ice cubes).
• If not bagging ice, consider bagging some ice cubes to use for beverages.
• If possible, keep the cooler in the car instead of the hot trunk.
• If there is room, use two coolers, one for food and the other for beverages.

Tips for Restocking Food On Your Road Trip

When preparing meals for a road trip, you may realize that you cannot pack all the food you need for the duration of your trip. Additionally, you may run out of items sooner than expected because of excessive hunger or kids eating out of boredom.

• Make a list of everything you packed, and when you use items, mark them to know which items to pick up at the store. 
• Make a list of meals and snacks you could not fit in the cooler before leaving and use that to shop during your trip.
• To save time, check online for a grocery store ahead of you and see if they offer curbside pick-up. If so, order ahead of time for pickup, and you can save time not having to shop yourself.
• Consider shopping for fresh fruits, veggies, and homemade snacks at a farmers’ market where you stop for a night or two. Stopping at a local farmers’ market offers the opportunity to explore the area and restock your snacks and meals.

More Road Trip Tips: How to Prepare Your Car for a Road Trip Best Weather Apps for Your Road Trip 20 Road Trip Hacks for a Stress-Free Road Trip

You Got This!

Preparing for a road trip may feel overwhelming, especially when you decide to do some meal prepping in advance. 

Don’t worry you got this. 

Use this list to help you prepare make-ahead food and pack the snacks you need for your upcoming road trip.

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5 Tips for Packing Road Trip Food

Published: Jul 25, 2021 · Updated: Feb 8, 2022 by Kristi Winkels, RDN, LD · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

Planning a road trip? Then you’ll need a road trip food list that includes healthy and satisfying meals and snacks!

Tip 1: Create a meal plan

Tip 2: pack road trip foods strategically, tip 3: bring a water bottle, tip 4: convenience store picks, tip 5: take notes for the next trip.

• Road trip food list 

Related recipes

Road trips are such a fun way to see new sights and spend quality time with the family! But for my family, traveling is complicated a bit by my kids' food allergies.

We can’t just drop into any restaurant or convenience store and count on finding allergy friendly foods to eat. And, even if there are restaurants that can accommodate our allergies, it often feels more stressful to dine out than to prepare something ourselves.

With some up front planning, meal time stress on the road can be reduced greatly!

Here are my best tips for eating well on road trips:

When I'm planning a trip, I write down meal ideas for each day we'll be traveling. Usually we eat the same things for breakfast and lunch while dinner is a different meal everyday.

Consider your equipment

When making your plan, you'll want to consider what cooking tools you'll have available on your trip. Will you have a microwave? Refrigerator? Full kitchen?

I love bringing my Instant Pot on road trips because it's perfect for one pot meals. I can sauté and pressure cook all in one pot. Plus, it’s easy to pack, cook with, and clean up. I have even taken it camping!

In addition to what equipment you can use, you’ll also want to think about where you’ll be at mealtime.

We usually had breakfast before leaving our hotel or cabin for the day so that was easy. Lunch was often on the road or hiking trail so meals had to be packable. And for dinner, we planned to be back at the cabin so we could cook a meal.

Here is what our allergy friendly meal plan during a recent road trip looked like:

• Breakfast at home
• Lunch: Sandwiches, fruit, and vegetables
• Dinner: Dine out (we knew we would be in a larger city that would have some options we’re comfortable with)
• Breakfast: oatmeal packets, no-bake energy bites , fruit (clementines, bananas)
• Lunch: Sandwiches, fruit, vegetables, chips
• Dinner: Instant Pot pasta
• Breakfast: Waffles (we made a full batch and used leftovers for sandwiches), fruit
• Lunch: Beef jerky and meat sticks, no bake energy bites , fruit, vegetables, chips
• Dinner: Taco bowls with taco meat and black beans, chips, lettuce, black olives, salsa
• Breakfast: Allergy friendly, nut free protein bar , fruit
• Dinner: Chicken breasts, baby red potatoes, and carrots in the Instant Pot

Cooking tools

Whether we’re camping or staying in a hotel or cabin, I have a plastic tote that is designated for cooking tools. Items I might pack in the tote include:

• Instant Pot
• Mini waffle maker
• Batter mixing bowl with cover
• Large spoon
• Cutting board
• Measuring spoons
• Cooking oil
• Salt and pepper
• Dish scrubber and towel
• Plastic utensils
• Paper plates and bowls
• A few zip lock bags in various sizes
• A couple of plastic containers for leftovers
• Oatmeal packets
• Small can of black olives (for the taco bowls)
• Small jar of salsa (also for taco bowls)

If we know we won’t have access to electricity, we bring our small camp stove and supplies to light a fire. In this case, these hobo dinner foil pack meals would definitely be on our menu and, of course, smores for dessert!

When it comes to packing a cooler for a road trip, the main goal is, of course, is to make sure everything stays cold to prevent food-borne illness. 

If a food or beverage can be frozen ahead of time, that helps keep the food cool as well as the entire cooler. I do this with the meats that I’ll be using for our dinners.

For example, for the menu above, I prepared some of the meat ahead of time by following these steps:

• I browned a pound of ground beef and a pound of ground turkey together with a chopped onion
• I set aside half of the meat mixture to cool and added beans and taco seasoning to the other half.
• When both were cool, I put them in quart or gallon-sized zip lock bags and put them in the freezer. This way, it stays cooler longer and helps keep the cooler...cooler! 🙂
• I packed these in another gallon-sized zip lock to prevent water from the cooler from getting into the meat.

I also like to put things like lunch meat, veggies, and fruits in containers so they’re easy to pull out and create a little buffet on a picnic table or tailgate.

We like to use a separate smaller cooler for beverages to reduce clutter in the main cooler and prevent it from being opened as often.

Shelf-stable foods

I have a large canvas bag with lots of pockets that I load up with shelf-stable snacks, plastic utensils, some plates, paper towels, etc.

Allergy friendly foods that we often put in this bag include:

• Applesauce cups or pouches
• Sunflower butter cups
• Rice cakes or safe crackers
• Granola bars / protein bars
• No bake energy bites

We usually keep this bag in the backseat with the kids so snacks are easy to access, although, this might not be the best plan with smaller kids!

Staying hydrated is just as important as being well-fed, especially if you’ll be doing activities outdoors like hiking. Having a water bottle for each traveler reduces the number of beverages you have to buy which helps reduce waste and saves you money.

Even though I’m not a huge fan of flavoring water all day long, my kids sometimes like adding an individual lemonade packet or another flavoring to their water bottle for a little variety. These are easy to pack and mix!

We often bring a gallon jug of water that we’ve frozen ahead of time which not only helps keep things cool but also becomes a very refreshing beverage as it melts! 🙂

When you’re on a road trip, you’re probably stopping at convenience stores frequently. It can be really tempting to grab a bag of chips, candy, and soda each time you stop. But, at the end of the day, all of that sugar and salt can make you feel pretty crummy. 

Sure, some of those treats have their place but there are some healthy options at convenience stores, too. Some of my favorite allergy friendly options include:

• Nuts and seeds - these provide protein, fiber, and healthy fats and are very satisfying. If you have allergies to nuts obviously you wouldn’t choose nuts but also be sure the seed options don’t have any cross-contact with nuts.
• Seed butters - Sunflower butter, watermelon seed butter, pumpkin seed butter - there are so many options these days! You can also make a jar of this nut free chocolate spread for a sweeter option.
• Fruit - Some convenience stores might only have bananas, oranges, and apples (if they have fruit at all) but I’m seeing more of them with fresh fruit cups. Dried fruit is also an option (again, be sure there’s no cross-contact with nuts) as well as fruit cups like applesauce.
• Vegetables - These are a little more difficult to find but some of the bigger convenience stores sometimes have mini bags of carrots or cups of fresh-cut vegetables.
• Meat sticks/jerky - While this would be considered more processed meat which means it’s salty, it does provide protein which can leave you feeling more satisfied than a bag of chips or animal crackers.
• Whole-grain crackers (gluten free if needed) - Look for items that have 2 or more grams of fiber per serving. Again, this is helpful for feeling full and satisfied.

One thing I always appreciate after a trip is having some notes written about what worked well, and what I wished I had done differently.  

I try to journal a little every day of our trip about what we did, and what we saw, and I might add a couple of notes about what/where we ate.

It doesn’t always happen but sometimes I will type up my meal and snack plan along with a list of groceries and cooking utensils and save it in a vacation folder. After the road trip, I can update it based on what worked well and what I would do differently.

Then, when I start planning for the next trip , I already have a meal plan, snack list, and list of kitchen tools I need to pack. This makes the next trip so much easier to plan for!

Road trip food list 

Breakfast Ideas

• Overnight oats
• No-bake energy bites
• Granola bars
• Protein bars
• Fruit: apples, oranges, clementines, bananas, grapes, pre-cut melon, berries, applesauce cups/pouches, fruit cups, dried fruit
• Protein shakes ( we like these from Orgain and they also have a kids version . Use code KRISTI30 for 30% off your first order)

Lunch Ideas

• Sandwiches with deli meats on “safe” bread, a bun, tortilla, or waffle
• Seed butter (like Sunbutter) on a rice cake or apple slices
• Fresh cut veggies with individual hummus cups or homemade hummus
• Homemade "lunchables" with cubes of deli meat, gluten free crackers, fruit, and veggie sticks.
• Pasta salad
• Preassembled salad jars
• Chicken salad (made with vegan mayo if needed)

Dinner Ideas

These dinner ideas are for limited kitchen equipment. If you have a full kitchen available, there are many more!

• Taco bowls (corn chips, taco meat with black beans, shredded lettuce, salsa, black olives, cheese (if safe)
• Instant Pot pasta
• Hobo dinners or other foil pack meal
• Precooked rotisserie chicken with instant potatoes or rice and a frozen vegetable
• Grilled burgers with foil pack potatoes and carrots
• Chicken breasts or thighs grilled and served with rice from a pouch and veggies

Snack ideas

• Cereal (we really enjoyed chocolate Cheerios on our last trip!)
• Cereal bars
• Nuts* or seeds
• Tuna or salmon pouches*
• Banana Bread Muffins
• Oatmeal applesauce cookies

* A top 9 allergen

• Recent Posts

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• Dairy Free Mashed Potatoes {Stovetop OR Instant Pot} - December 16, 2023
• Are Candy Canes Vegan? - December 10, 2023

More Food Allergy Nutrition

About Kristi Winkels, RDN, LD

Kristi Winkels is a Registered Dietitian and food allergy mom who helps people navigate dietary restrictions due to food allergies and intolerances. Read more about Kristi and get in touch here.

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50+ Road Trip Food Ideas- Easy Meals On the Go!

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When you’re taking a road trip, bringing the right food can make a huge difference.

Not only is sustenance a necessity on a long trip, but it also breaks up the drive and gives everyone something to look forward to. Especially when you’re traveling with kids! 

There are a lot of factors to consider when picking food for a road trip. Which foods are best for eating on the road? How much should you pack? How should you store it? How can you stay organized and neat? 

Not to worry, this guide has all the information you need to create a perfect road trip meal plan!

Road trip food

Everyone has different road trip strategies and traditions.

Some families prefer to bring food for breakfast and lunch and eat out for dinner, whereas others would rather bring all the food they will need for their entire trip.

Some families prefer to focus on healthy meal and snack options, while others see road trips as a perfect excuse to let loose and enjoy some “fun” food choices.

Whatever your preferences are, we’ve got you covered. 

We’ve divided up our food ideas by meal, although there may be some overlap (a meal that’s good for lunch can also be a great option for dinner, etc).

How to store your road trip food

For any road trip longer than a couple of hours, we highly recommend bringing a cooler with ice or ice packs . This allows you to bring food that needs to be kept refrigerated and greatly increases your meal and snack options.

A few tips on coolers:

• The ice in your cooler should last for several days, depending on the kind of cooler you have and how often you take the lid off.
• If you find you need more ice, you can pick some up at a gas station or grocery store.
• Avoid opening your cooler frequently to prevent the ice from melting quickly and to keep the food cool for longer. 
• Keep ice/ice packs on top of your food, not just at the bottom of the cooler. This will keep your food cool better and longer, as cold air sinks.

**Meat and dairy products should not be left at room temperature for longer than two hours. The warmer the room (or car), the shorter the time perishable food can be left out. 

Road Trip Breakfast Ideas

Breakfast is arguably one of the easiest road trip meals to plan for. There are a variety of breakfast foods that are simple to pack and convenient to eat on the go. Here are a few of our top choices.

• Banana bread
• Banana with peanut butter
• Fresh fruit
• Protein bars
• Boiled eggs
• Bagel and cream cheese
• Yogurt parfait
• Mini cereals

Road Trip Lunch Ideas

There are a lot of different options for lunch on a road trip. Some people might prefer light snacking throughout the day, whereas others might want a full lunch meal. If you prefer hearty snacks as opposed to a large meal, scroll down to the snack section for ideas of foods to supplement your lunch. 

And even if you’re packing a lunch instead of eating out, this still might be a convenient time to stop and get out of the car for a little bit. A park or rest stop is often a convenient place to stretch your legs and have a quick picnic lunch. 

Sandwich tip – wait to add ingredients that have any moisture (tomatoes, condiments, avocado, etc) until right before you eat to prevent your bread from getting soggy.

• Peanut butter and jelly sandwich
• Sub sandwich with lunch meat and cheese
• Cream cheese and raisin bread sandwiches- this has been a favorite of our family’s for years. We would always have it for road trips growing up, but I’ve never seen anyone make it like we do, so I’m sharing the love by including the recipe here! Scroll to the bottom to learn the simple recipe. They are a huge hit with kids!
• Hawaiian roll with cheese
• Rotisserie chicken- presliced, great on a roll, bread, or just eaten plain
• Crackers with cheese and summer sausage- precut cheese and sausage into slices before you leave
• Tuna sandwich
• Egg salad sandwich
• Lunchables- kids love these and honestly, they can be fun for adults too
• Salad- prepared from fresh ingredients before you leave (wait to add dressing until you’re ready to eat) or from a salad kit

Road Trip Dinner Ideas

Dinner always seems like the hardest meal to plan for on the road. Many people are used to eating hot meals for dinner, but that’s not really an option for a road trip unless you stop to heat something up at a gas station. 

But there are some delicious meals you can prepare ahead of time for dinner, especially if you are bringing a cooler. 

• Barbeque chicken sandwich
• Chicken and cheese sandwich
• Pita sandwiches
• Chicken salad sandwiches
• Turkey rollups – from Costco or homemade
• Premixed salad kit
• Fruit salad
• Chicken Caesar salad (Costco has a great premade kit)
• Taco salad- store chopped ingredients separately, then combine and add dressing when you’re ready to eat
• Pasta salad
• Potato salad

Road Trip Snack Ideas

No road trip is complete without road trip snacks. Having something to snack on can prevent people from getting hungry and grumpy during the stretches between meals. It can also help to keep the driver awake if they start to feel drowsy while driving and keep kids entertained!

• Granola bars- Lara bars, Cliff Bars, fig bars, Kind bars
• Crackers- Goldfish, Pirates Booty, Wheat Thins, Cheez-Its, animal crackers
• Pretzels- regular or peanut butter filled
• Pringles- a nice, non-greasy chip option
• Yogurt- Gogurts are less mess and easy to eat in the car
• Fresh fruit (apples, grapes, strawberries, mandarin oranges, blueberries, bananas)
• Dried fruit (apricots, apples, bananas, mangoes, pineapple) 
• Celery and peanut butter- prepack the peanut butter in a condiment cup and dip the celery sticks
• Veggies and hummus- carrots, broccoli, celery, cherry tomatoes
• Fruit leather
• Popcorn- Simply Pop brand or make a fresh batch before you leave and snack on it throughout your trip.
• Sunflower seeds- great for snacking on if you’re starting to feel drowsy 
• Nuts- Mixed nuts, almonds, peanuts, cashews
• Cheese- Babybel cheese, string cheese, cubed cheddar, mozzarella, and/or pepperjack
• Rice cakes with peanut butter

If you’re traveling with kids, plan a “movie night” during the drive and pull out the popcorn and treats while you watch a fun show the whole family can enjoy. It’s a fun way to break up the drive!

Road Trip Desserts and Treats

Sometimes it’s nice to have some food that feels a little special when you’re on a long driving trip. Pack a couple of these dessert foods for a fun treat to pull out during your drive. 

• Rice Krispie treats
• Cookies (chocolate chip, peanut butter, snickerdoodles)- made in advance or store bought
• Brownies- make and individually wrap before your trip
• Candy- if you want something non-meltable choose a candy like Sourpatch Kids, Redvines, Starbursts
• Fruit snacks

Don’t forget to Bring…

In addition to meals and snacks, there are some other non-food essentials that you don’t want to forget on a road trip. Skim through this list to make sure you aren’t missing anything important. 

• Paper towels – a necessity for inevitable spills and messes
• Wet wipes – for wiping hands and faces after eating
• Reusable water bottles – it’s important to stay hydrated on a road trip. Bring reusable water bottles and refill as necessary when you stop for gas. 
• Sandwich bags – useful for for divvying up food, storing leftovers, etc
• Garbage bags – bring a couple of garbage bags for storing trash so you can keep you car clean and organized
• Grocery bags- useful for organizing food, trash, etc
• Hand sanitizer – prevent germs by cleaning everyone’s hands before eating. Also very useful if the place you stop to go to the bathroom doesn’t have soap…
• Plates and bowls – may be a necessity, depending on your meals
• Plastic utensils – forks, spoons, knife
• Cooler and ice/ ice packs – store food that needs refrigeration
• Collapsible car organizer – hugely helpful for storing non-refrigerated food and staying organized, especially in a van
• Condiment cups – These are amazing for dividing up condiments and dips in small portions 
• Salt/pepper packets , condiment packets – useful for adding flavor to your foods (depending on your meals). You can pack your own or buy small packets before your trip.
• Snack catcher – If you’re traveling with a toddler or young child, bring a snack catcher to use for crackers and other small foods. They are much less likely to spill their snack all over the car and create a mess. And it acts as an activity to keep them entertained trying to get their food out of the container!

Road Trip Food Tips

• Keep a hand held vacuum in your car – you can easily vacuum up any spills and inevitable food crumbs, keeping your car feeling much cleaner.
• Make food in advance and freeze it – there is so much to do to get ready for a road trip. Where possible, make food several weeks in advance and freeze it until you’re ready to leave on your trip. This works great for muffins, breads, cookies, and some sandwiches and meat dishes.
• Throw out your trash when you stop for gas. Regularly clearing out the garbage will prevent buildup of trash in your car and the stinky smell of rotting food.
• Have a pre-filled road trip bag- If you’re going on road trips frequently, have a bag ready with the nonperishable items you need for your road trip. Keep inside a list to restock the bag after a trip. It’s much easier to just grab your bag when you’re getting ready for a trip than having to repack it every time.
• Try to avoid foods that are excessively greasy, sticky, or crumbly – messy foods can be a pain on a road trip. Minimize mess, minimize stress.
• Bring a couple of water bottles and refill as necessary when you stop for gas. We try to stick to mostly water as our beverage of choice for road trips to avoid sticky spills.
• Stock up on food and meals at a wholesale store before your trip. Costco has great pre-made meal options that you can buy right before your trip. We love the Costco sandwich rolls, Caesar salad, muffins, potato salad, and fruit bowls for road trips. And of course, you can’t go wrong with their bulk snacks like trail mix, dried fruit, fruit leathers, popcorn, crackers, etc.

Benefits of packing your own food for a road trip

Although it’s a little more work and preparation than stopping for food, there are a lot of benefits to bringing your own road trip food. Here are some reasons to skip the fast food and pack your meals.

It’s more cost-effective

Eating out for every meal, even if it’s at a fast-food restaurant, can get expensive. This is especially true if you’re traveling with your whole family. 

Save money by bringing your own food! If you plan ahead, you can buy most of your road trip foods at a wholesale store, then divide it up into the portions that you want. 

It saves time

Stopping to order and pick up food takes time. Sometimes it can be nice to break up your trip with a food stop.  But if you’re trying to make good time, stopping for every meal adds extra hours to your road trip. 

If you’ve packed all or most of the food you will need, you have snacks and meals to pull out when people get hungry without having to pull over!

It’s often healthier

Eating out for every meal is often quite unhealthy. When you pack your own food, you have more options and control over what kinds of foods you are eating and how many sweets and treats you want to include. 

Easier to Accommodate Preferences and Dietary Restrictions

If you’re traveling with dietary restrictions, it can be risky leaving food to whatever you happen to find along the way. Packing your own meals ensures you have plenty of safe food to eat. 

And if you’re traveling as a family, you can easily cater to everyone’s preferences by packing food you know everyone will enjoy. That way you don’t have to spend a lot of time picking a place that everyone can agree on.

Cream Cheese and Raisin Bread Sandwich Recipe

As promised, here is our family recipe of cream cheese and raisin bread sandwiches. They are sure to be a road trip hit for people of all ages!

Ingredients

• 8 oz cream cheese
• ¾ C powdered sugar
• 1 loaf cinnamon raisin bread

Instructions

• Soften cream cheese to room temperature. 
• Using a mixer, combine cream cheese with powdered sugar. 
• Lay out half of the raisin bread and spread the cream cheese mixture evenly between all pieces. 
• Top the cream cheese with another piece of raisin bread to complete your sandwiches. 

**You can freeze the whole premade loaf and pull it out when you want to use it, just let it come to room temperature before eating. This is perfect for road trips because you can pull it out in the morning and it’s ready to eat by lunch!

Final Thoughts

Selecting and preparing road trip food can be stressful, but it doesn’t have to be! With this list of food and road trip tips, you have everything you need to prepare for a great trip.

If you’re planning on flying with kids, check out these awesome toddler airplane snacks !

Other posts you might be interested in:

How to Have a Successful Road Trip with a Toddler

Road Trip Activities for Toddlers (That They Will Really Love!)

7 Essential Tips for Road Tripping with a Baby

30 of the Very Best Travel Activities for Kids!

Related Posts:

2 thoughts on “50+ Road Trip Food Ideas- Easy Meals On the Go!”

Very thorough with lots of good information. Makes me want to go have a cream cheese raisin bread sandwich right now.

Thank you!! And yes, they really are so delicious!

Comments are closed.

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The Ultimate Road Trip Food Packing List

April 7, 2021 //  by  Follow Me Away //   Leave a Comment

If you are planning a road trip anytime soon, then you are probably looking for some ideas for delicious and healthy road trip food. You have come to the right place for yummy ideas! We have created lists organized by each meal of all our favorite road trip foods.

Packing your own food for a road trip is a great idea for multiple reasons. For one, it is a healthier choice. You don’t want to be bogged down by fast-food calories. Eating healthier on the road will help you feel good.

Also, bringing your own meals saves money because you will not have to eat out all the time. You’ll save time too since you won’t be stopping every few hours for your next meal.

There will also be less waste and trash build-up in your car from fast food wrappers, so it is a good environmental choice as well.

Besides, you want to spend your road trip looking for beautiful sights , not keeping an eye out for the next exit sign with the best restaurant choices. Having all your meals planned out ahead of time helps to make the rest of your trip less stressful. Food will be one less thing to worry about.

Okay, clean out your cooler and get your grocery list ready! It’s time to meal plan for a road trip! Keep reading for some of the best food for road trips.

Table of Contents

Quick Tips For Road Trip Food

Keep the cooler cold.

It might seem obvious, but it worth reminding you of how important it is to keep your cooler cold, especially on a long trip. To help with this, make sure to only open your cooler when necessary. By opening it as little as possible, you help to keep that cold air inside and prevent the ice from melting.

It helps to know exactly what you plan on taking out before you even open the lid. That way you can get what you need quickly without having the cooler open for long. Keep the contents organized so you know where everything is.

Also, consider putting your ice on top of the food instead of on the bottom. This way the cold air will move down and keep your food colder more efficiently.

Pack With Care

How you pack your road trip food plays a big role. You need to make sure everything is organized by how likely it is to get smashed. Softer foods go on top and away from anything that might shift and smash it.

Overall, consider packing snacks that won’t get crushed. Things will move around as you drive and you don’t want to open a bag of crackers and find only crumbs.

Another thing to keep in mind is where you put your cooler and food containers in your car. If they are far in the back, you won’t be able to easily reach them without having to stop. Make sure they are within arm’s length and also out of direct sunlight.

Don’t Bring Delicate Foods

Going along with the last point, you might want to consider leaving more delicate foods such as certain fruits at home. If not, eat them first before they get smashed or go bad.

Also, think about alternatives to certain foods. For instance, tortillas for wraps take up less space than a loaf of bread and also won’t get crushed.

Use a Filtering Water Bottle

Instead of bringing a pack of single-use water bottles, bring along a few reusable water bottles. These of course take up less space and are better for the environment.

Also, consider using a filtering water bottle specifically. These water bottles will keep your water tasting fresh and clean, even when you have to fill them up at the gas station.

Use Two Coolers

Using two coolers will not only help you pack more food, but you will also be able to keep things more organized. One cooler can be used as your fridge and the other as your freezer. Use big ice blocks to keep things super cold in the freezer.

Avoid Too Much Sugar

Sugar is bad not only because it is unhealthy but also because of its effects. Too much sugar will lead you to feeling tired and sluggish, which is not want you want while on a fun road trip.

We’ve tried to list healthy road trip food options that are low in sugar, especially highly processed food. If you start to crave sugar try something with natural sugar like fruit.

Use Condiment Packets

Big bottles of ketchup, mustard, and mayonnaise take up a lot of space, plus they need to be refrigerated after they are opened. Instead, try stocking up on individual condiment packets.

These packets can be stowed easily and won’t take up precious space in your cooler. Plus you can use just as much as you need, and you won’t be left with a bunch of half-full bottles.

Pack Non-Food Essentials

Along with food, you need to remember to pack all of the essentials that go with road trip food. Napkins and wet hand wipes will keep you clean before and after you eat.

Pack plastic or bamboo utensils that can easily be wiped clean and stored after use. Travel-worthy bowls won’t let food go flying with the movement of the car. Garbage bags will keep your car clean from litter and can easily be disposed of at a pit stop once they are full.

Another helpful thing to bring is a plastic cutting board. You can use this as a makeshift counter to prepare your food.

For any leftovers, use airtight containers to keep your food fresh. These containers are also more stackable. Alternatively, Ziplock bags might fit more snugly in your cooler.

Road Trip Breakfast Ideas

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and can really set your attitude for the rest of the morning. You want to eat a healthy road trip breakfast that will keep you going.

Foods like whole grains and nuts will keep you energized. Plus, they are better in the long run than a greasy breakfast sandwich from McDonald’s every day.

Yogurt makes a great starting point for a healthy road trip breakfast. Choose ones that have low sugar and are non-dairy to make it even healthier. The great thing about yogurt is how you can customize it. Mix in granola and fruit to add even more flavor.

You can make your own healthier version of an Egg McMuffin by using hard-boiled eggs and precooked, turkey bacon. Or try a filling bagel with cream cheese and jam.

If you like to bake, you can make some banana bread or blueberry muffins for a delicious road trip meal. These will keep better than the fruit alone as well.

If traveling with younger kids, a bag of dry cereal like Cheerios could satisfy.

• Hard-Boiled Egg and Bacon on English Muffin
• Fruit Such as Bananas, Strawberries, and Blueberries
• Bagels with Cream Cheese and Jam
• Croissants with Nutella
• Homemade Banana Bread

Road Trip Lunch Ideas

When lunchtime rolls around, you will want something a little more filling than breakfast. You can prepare road trip meals before you leave on your trip. Or you can bring ingredients that can easily be put together in the passenger seat.

Mix a salad in a Mason jar for easy packaging and consumption later. Use a Thermos to keep soup warm for the first leg of your journey or eat it cold later.

• Vegetable Wraps
• Pre-Made Salad or Salad in a Jar
• Soups in a Thermos
• Pre-Cut Summer Sausage, Cheese, and Crackers
• Ham and Cream Cheese Pinwheels
• Smoked Fish on Crackers

Road Trip Sandwich Ideas

Sandwiches are such a go-to easy lunch idea, why not create a list specifically for them? Not all sandwiches have to be the same and there are so many ways to make them with different ingredients.

You can make these sandwiches traditionally with bread or mix it up by rolling the ingredients up in a tortilla. Premade salads such as egg or chicken are great on bread, just add some lettuce. You can also use single packets of tuna that do not need to be refrigerated.

• Peanut Butter and Jelly
• Chicken Salad
• Hot Dog Sandwich
• Pizza Sandwich with Pepperoni and Cheese
• Cucumber With Cream Cheese
• Peanut Butter, Banana, and Honey

Best Road Trip Snacks

The road trip snacks you choose can really make or break your trip. You will want to bring snacks you like. Healthy road trip snacks will leave you feeling good physically and mentally.

Also, bring a variety of snack types so you won’t get bored of what you are munching. Have a mix of salty and sweet so you have the best road trip snacks for whatever you are craving.

There are so many healthy and organic choices for snack foods these days that this road trip food category is easy to prepare for. Most of these ideas can easily be bought off the shelf and packed as they are.

If you want to keep portions small, open your bags and boxes of snacks and separate them into smaller containers. This helps if you have kids, too, since then each kid will have their own treat.

Another tip if you have kids is to have them help prepare the snacks ahead of time. They can help make the no-bake bars and cookies or dip pretzels in melted chocolate. This will make them excited to try their creations and give them something to look forward to during the ride.

• String Cheese
• Clementine Oranges
• Pita with Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chips Rolled Up
• Goldfish Crackers
• Homemade Trail Mix
• Healthy No-Bake Energy Bars or Cookies
• Carrot Sticks
• Celery With Peanut Butter
• Bell Pepper Slices With Veggie Dip

Best Road Trip Meals For Dinner

Your road trip dinner should be easy to make and healthy as well. This is where meal prep comes in the most. Of course, you can’t cook while on the road, but there are plenty of road trip meals that you can eat cold.

Do some cooking before your trip so you are prepared to feed your family on the go. Things like soup, salad, and pasta are easy to make and come in so many varieties. They also keep well and can be easily stored in Tupperware.

Your meals do not have to be complicated to be good. Keep it simple! Pita and veggies dipped in hummus, for example, takes little prep and is a healthy road trip food idea.

• Hearty Soups
• Hearty Salads
• Pasta Salad or Cold Pasta
• Potato Salad
• Pita with Hummus
• Pre-Cooked Chicken for Wraps or Salad
• Pre-Made Pulled Pork on Buns

Best Drinks For A Road Trip

Road trip drinks are important in keeping you hydrated. Options like coffee and tea will keep you energized for hours behind the wheel. You will want healthy drinks to keep your calorie intake low when you are sitting for hours.

Consider the vitamins you can get from your drinks as well. Be mindful of what you are allowing into your body. Try making some health smoothies ahead of time or buy some bottled ones at the health food store.

Of course, water is the best choice health-wise. Plus it is free to fill up almost anywhere. Freeze your water bottles the night before so you can enjoy cold water throughout the day as it melts.

If riding in the car makes you queasy, try drinking ginger tea to settle your stomach.

• Pre-Made Herbal Tea
• Cold Matcha Tea
• Fruit Juices
• Healthy Smoothies
• Water with Refillable Water Bottles

At the end of the day, you will want road trip food that will keep you both happy and healthy. Overloading on a bunch of sugary food while sitting in the car for long stretches might not make you feel good about your choices. However healthy road trip snacks are great tasting and good for your body.

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How to Plan a Food-Focused Road Trip

Avoid Those Regrettable Gas Station Snack Stops

Jennifer Cole / Stocksy

It's always a good time to go on a road trip. Choosing a route, mapping out points of interest, and discovering regions that you may not have otherwise considered are just a few of the perks of hitting the great wide open for a mobile escapade. For those who love to eat while traveling, road tripping provides a unique opportunity to get creative and proactive about your culinary adventure. You’ll also want to plan ahead wherever possible to achieve your desired outcome; this will not only prevent a case of getting “hangry,” but also those regrettable gas station stops for food. 

From what to pack to how to preserve it—and even get your best Michelin-starred interpretation together—here are all the items you’ll need for a food-focused road trip.

Get the Right Gear

 Food prep before any road trip is key. Think about specific cravings you have and try to get those items before you depart. Portion your meals and snacks in separate reusable containers that are easy to grab. You’ll also need a good, insulated cooler to store your perishable items. 

Keep It Eco-Friendly 

Whether you’re behind the wheel or making a stop, when it’s time to eat, eco-friendly options are a great way to minimize trash and help the environment. Go for reusable silverware, water bottles , and containers, as well cloth napkins. Planning out your meals ahead of time will help prevent food waste. 

Bring Snacks That Last

With hours on the road and warmer summer temperatures, it’s important to have non-perishable snacks when the hunger pangs hit. Make sure to pack easy to hold, nutrient-rich options that won’t make you too sleepy on the road. Granola bars , trail mix , beef jerky , sliced veggies, and string cheese are great options. 

Make It Memorable

When you want the satisfaction of a flavorful meal, but also the ability to conserve space, finger foods are the way to go. Consider a variety of sandwiches , from chicken salad to brie and apple, or take it up a notch with empanadas .

Choose Finger Foods

Before you depart, do some research on any restaurant take-out options of your favorite cuisine along your route. Stopping at restaurants along the way is a great opportunity to support the industry during these times as well as satiate your own cravings. You’ll also be able to discover more regional specialties and local foods around your route. Feeling fancy? Create a picnic stop with your takeout options. Bring a colorful blanket or chairs, fancy cutlery, and a few candles to set the mood.

One of the joys of road trips is all the local farmers markets and grocers you’ll pass. Fresh fruits and vegetables at roadsides will be fresh and in abundance, thanks to the summer months . If you want to do a little pre-planning, see which specialty grocers might make for an incredible food experience, such as specialty cheese stores and bakeries. Not only will you be supporting a local business (mask on, of course), you’ll also be able to make a delicious charcuterie board or dessert platter for an outdoor picnic. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Yeti Tundra 45

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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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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30 Make Ahead Recipes – Perfect for Road Trips!

May 30, 2023 | Roundups | 0 comments

These make ahead recipes are perfect for roadtrips but are also great for super busy weeks when there's no time to cook.

Are you gearing up for a family vacation and looking for some healthy make ahead recipes to balance out the nutrition (and expense!) of restaurant meals? Or perhaps you're about to embark on a super busy season at work and know you won't have much time for cooking.

Whatever the specific circumstances, we all have seasons when made-to-order cooking is just not possible Enter, healthy make ahead recipes!

I personally LOVE bringing a few of these items on road trips. I don't know about you, but dining out three times a day with two little ones in tow is not my idea of a vacation.

A few of the recipes, like some of the breakfasts, lunches and snacks, even make good healthy airplane food.

I've tried to include a variety of flavor profiles as well as a mix of items that need refrigeration and those that don't. A solid cooler is definitely helpful if you're looking to bring these make ahead items on a road trip!

Do you have any make ahead recipes you love? I want to hear 'em! Send me a message on Instagram @prepdish .

Make Ahead Recipes for Breakfast

I don't know about you but I like to leave good and early for a roadtrip. And I definitely don't want to be stopping that early in the trip to buy food. I also want a meal that's going to leave everyone feeling good. Make ahead recipes for breakfast are key for this! You'll find a mix of recipes that need a cooler or insulated bag and those that don't. The scones, muffins or breakfast cookies would be great for plane travel as well.

Gluten Free Blueberry Scones w/ Lemon & Ginger

Something about scones feels so fancy but, I promise, these are totally approachable! Made with almond flour, they also call for fresh lemon and ginger which imparts the best flavor.

Blueberry Chia Pudding

Chia pudding makes the best make ahead breakfast or snack. You can add whatever fresh fruit your family loves. It's also super easy to make multiple jars at once so make a pre-portioned jar for everyone in your crew!

Peanut Butter Breakfast Cookies

The kids will think you're the best mom ever when you pull out cookies for their road trip breakfast. You can feel great knowing these are full of protein and healthy fats though. They're also sweetened with dates so no sugar rush here!

Cherry Berry Muffins

My cherry berry muffins are both gluten free and paleo. Loaded with flax and fresh berries, they're quite healthy as well. The best part? These freeze really well. Make a double batch and freeze them and you'll have a grab and go breakfast whenever you need it!

Chai Zucchini Muffins

These little gems were an immediate hit when they hit our meal prep meal plans . The chai-inspired spices lend the best flavor. Plus, they call for zucchini and I love knowing everyone's getting a little hit of vegetables with breakfast! These make a great snack as well.

Freezer Breakfast Burritos

You'll need an insulated bag to keep these warm unless you're going to eat them right away, Trust me though, it's worth it. I love eggs in the morning because they actually keep me full for hours. You can make these ahead of time and freeze so you can easily heat up and bring in the car if you're leaving for a road trip.

Lumberjack Muffins

Lumberjack muffins are another easy way to enjoy eggs on the go! Load these up with whatever veggies you love.

Paleo Cherry Vanilla Granola

This paleo granola is loaded with nuts, which means they offer plenty of protein and healthy fats. This one freezes well too. You can eat it on yogurt, with your favorite milk or all on its own by the handful.

Make Ahead Lunches

When it comes to a road trip lunch, I want something filling but veggie-packed. I don't want to eat something super heavy and then be trapped in the car all afternoon. You'll find lots of salads and healthy wraps below. These work great as make ahead lunches for a super busy week at work too!

Steak Salad with Almonds & Blackberries

Simple and delicious, this steak salad is loaded with protein and flavor. You could of course sub a different protein if you prefer.

Easy Salmon Wraps

If you're using this make ahead lunch for a road trip, you may want to wait to actually assemble the wraps when you're ready to enjoy. You can also use the homemade caesar dressing as a dip rather than in the actual wrap for less mess.

Tuna Salad with Grapes

Tuna salad is the perfect make ahead lunch. The grapes give this version a lovely hit of sweetness while sunflower seeds add just the right crunch.

Middle Eastern Salad w/ Tahini Sauce

This salad is bright, fresh and loaded with veggies, making it the best healthy make ahead lunch, for a roadtrip or anytime.

BLT Lettuce Wraps

Just like the salmon wraps above, you may want to wait to assemble these BLT lettuce wraps until you're ready to eat. I would skip the jicama fries though, as they're better fresh!

Greek Salad with Chicken

I love this make ahead lunch anytime. I do like to bring salad dressings in a separate small container to keep everything fresh.

Zucchini Pasta Salad

This zucchini pasta salad is MADE by the lemon basil sauce. You'll basically want to eat it on everything.

Watermelon, Feta & Arugula Salad

If you need a make ahead meal for the summer, this watermelon, feta & arugula salad works great for either lunch or dinner. Pair it with some shrimp or grilled chicken and you're good to go!

Make Ahead Dinner Recipes

Dinner is probably the trickiest meal when it comes to road trips. I've put together a few make ahead dinner recipes for ya though. Think about proteins that are good hot or cold like shrimp, salmon and chicken. Also, don't feel bad if you just put together “snack dinners” for everyone. There's nothing wrong with some fruit, veggie sticks, nuts and a hard boiled egg for a road trip dinner.

And if you're looking for make ahead dinner recipes for home instead of travel, definitely check out this make ahead dinners roundup .

Sheet Pan Pesto Shrimp & Veggies

I love this easy sheet pan meal as a make ahead dinner recipe because I think shrimp are just as tasty cold as hot.

Grilled Curry Chicken w/ Yogurt Mint Sauce

The chicken in this easy, summery recipe would be super tasty cold as well, perhaps over a simple salad.

Summer Quinoa Salad

This summer quinoa salad is an obvious pick for a make ahead dinner recipe. It's nutritious, super tasty and really good leftover.

Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps

When it comes to make ahead recipes, it's great if you can find one that's best enjoyed cold like these chicken salad lettuce wraps. Eat them in a lettuce wrap, in your favorite tortilla, with crackers or over a salad.

BLT Pasta Salad

A homemade creamy basil dressing brings this simple pasta salad together. This works just as well as a make ahead lunch.

Shrimp Cobb Salad

Salads make a great road trip meal but they've got to be substantial or everyone will be asking for snacks within five minutes. This shrimp cobb salad fits the bill. You can also easily serve a deconstructed version to the kiddos if they prefer!

Grilled Coconut Shrimp with Lime

Grill these shrimp at home and then bring them along as a make ahead meal that will have everyone looking forward to dinner and no one asking to stop at the drive thru.

Make Ahead Recipes for Snacks & Treats

While there's nothing wrong with some good ole goldfish and larabars for car snacks, sometimes it's nice to have something a little extra special. The below make ahead recipes for snacks and treats will satisfy those snacks cravings, while getting in some quality nutrition as well!

White Bean Hummus

I love hummus as a make ahead snack because it's healthy AND filling. Dip crackers, pretzels or any veggie stick you like in this one. It's also delicious spread on a wrap or sandwich.

Chocolate Bliss Energy Bites

We all know that part of the fun of road trips is the treats. That doesn't have to be M&Ms from the gas station though. These chocolate bliss energy bites are easy to throw together and make the perfect packable make ahed dessert!

Low Carb Snickerdoodle Bars

Sweetened with monk fruit extract, these tasty little bars are the perfect on-the-go sweet treat for the low carb eater in your life. They're also just plain delicious so consider giving them a try even if you're not low carb!

3 Healthy Popcorn Recipes

Homemade popcorn is such a great healthy alternative to chips. It has all of that delicious salty crunch, with no weird ingredients! These recipes take it a step further with fun mix-ins and spices for the popcorn.

Sweet & Savory Rosemary Pecans

The very first recipe I ever shared on our Prep Dish blog , these sweet and savory rosemary pecans remain one of my favorites today! You can of course just bring plain nuts along for a healthy travel snack but if you want to take it up a notch, you can't go wrong with these.

Energy Bites

Packed with protein and healthy fats, energy bites are excellent for part of breakfast, a make ahead snack OR a healthy dessert! They're super versatile and totally delicious. This is a great freezer-friendly recipe so make a big batch and freeze for later!

Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cookies

If you need a make ahead dessert that's perfect for road trips, these gluten free peanut butter cookies are an excellent choice! The best part? They're sweetened with dates and only require 3 ingredients!

More Resources for Make Ahead Recipes

What is batch cooking?

10 Healthy Freezer Breakfasts

The BEST Freezer Breakfast Burrito Recipe

10 Healthy Meal Prep Breakfast Ideas

Make Ahead Fall Dinner Recipes

Prep Ahead Lunch: Pecan Crusted Chicken Collard Wraps

Homemade Freezer Meals

More Resources for Healthy Road Trip Food

Healthy Travel Foods – Road Trips, Hotel Rooms & Airbnbs

Conquer the Gluten Free Road Trip

Easy & Healthy Travel Food

Healthy Hotel Room Food Ideas

10 Healthy Prep Ahead Snacks

5 Things to Prep for a Road Trip with Kids

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Food Road Trip Planner: 6 Culinary Regions In America To Visit

• Activities and Interests
• Destinations
• Food and Drink
• Types of Travel
• United States

Exploring the culinary regions of America on a road trip is an immersive experience that helps you connect with an area. Food is a universal language; it rises above borders, social standing, and ethnicity and brings people together.

Planning a road trip around culinary regions will allow you to taste various distinctive and enticing dishes specific to the region. You’ll also learn about the history and culture behind them.

You can meet local chefs and farmers, visit markets, and attend food festivals, all while enjoying scenic drives through beautiful landscapes. A culinary road trip is not just about the food but the journey and the memories you create along the way.

Make your culinary trip to one of these cities, then drive to the surrounding countryside to find the source of the food you savor.

1. San Francisco, California

San Francisco is a city known for its outstanding foodie scene. It is a melting pot of different cultures, which is evident in its food. San Francisco has a long culinary history. It dates to the Gold Rush era when immigrants worldwide came to California in search of fortune.

The city is famous for its sourdough bread, a staple since the Gold Rush. Seafood is also a big part of the city’s culinary traditions, with fresh fish and shellfish caught from the Pacific Ocean being served in many restaurants. Additionally, San Francisco is home to Chinatown, the largest outside of Asia, and offers a range of authentic Chinese cuisine.

2. New Orleans, Louisiana

New Orleans is a city unlike any other, and its food is no exception. The cuisine of New Orleans is a fusion of French, Spanish, African, and Caribbean flavors, resulting in a unique and delicious culinary experience.

Some of the most popular dishes from the city include gumbo, jambalaya, red beans, rice, and po’boys. Seafood is also on every menu, with fresh oysters, shrimp, and crawfish served in restaurants, food stands, and food trucks. Try the famous beignets, a deep-fried doughnut covered in powdered sugar, for dessert. In New Orleans, you’ll never go hungry.

3. Baltimore, Maryland

Baltimore is a city with a long and varied culinary history. The food is shaped by its location near the Chesapeake Bay, making seafood a staple in many dishes. Crab cakes, soft-shell crabs, and oysters are just a few examples of the seafood delicacies that Baltimore is known for.

But the city’s food history is not limited to seafood alone. Baltimore is famous for pit beef. This local specialty involves marinating beef and cooking it over a charcoal fire. Other popular dishes in Baltimore include Old Bay seasoning, Berger cookies, and Natty Boh beer.

4. Kansas City, Missouri And Kansas

Kansas City is often associated with world-famous barbecue. The barbecue culture in Kansas City is deeply ingrained in its history. It has become a significant part of the city’s identity. The city features over 100 barbecue restaurants, each with a unique style and flavor.

The most popular barbecued meats in Kansas City are pork ribs, burnt ends, brisket, and pulled pork. The barbecue sauce in Kansas City is a sweet and tangy tomato-based sauce used to baste the meat while it cooks. A visit to Kansas City is incomplete without trying its mouth-watering barbecue.

5. Santa Fe, New Mexico

Santa Fe has a distinct cuisine that reflects the region’s cultural legacy. The food in Santa Fe is deeply influenced by the Native American and Hispanic cultures, offering a blend of flavors and spices individual to the region.

Some of the most popular dishes in Santa Fe include green chile stew, enchiladas, tamales, and posole. The city is famous for its chilies, used in many dishes, and can be found in varying degrees of spiciness. Santa Fe’s food is just right for anyone who wants to explore new flavors, especially chilies.

6. Chicago, Illinois

Chicago has a distinct food history. It is a melting pot of different ethnicities; you can see it in the cuisine. The Windy City’s food scene has been shaped by the influence of immigrants worldwide, including European, African American, Mexican, and Asian communities.

Some of the most popular dishes in Chicago are the savory deep-dish pizzas, Chicago-style hot dogs, and Italian beef sandwiches. The city is also known for its love of street food, with food trucks and stands offering a variety of delicious eats. Chicago’s food scene is a testament to its vibrant and multicultural community.

If you’re planning a culinary road trip, there are a few things to consider. First, determine the destinations you want to visit and research the local cuisine. Look for unique and authentic dishes that are specific to each region.

You can check out food blogs, travel guides, and apps to find the best places to eat, visit markets, and attend food festivals. Plan your route to include scenic drives through beautiful landscapes and consider staying at local bed and breakfasts or inns to fully immerse yourself in the local culture. Remember to try the local specialties and meet local chefs and farmers along the way.

Covering 'off-the-beaten path,' 'not well-known,’ and 'in the shadow of' locations is Mary’s passion. She delves into art, music, food, libations, architecture, museums, parks, well-curated tours, history, agriculture, and the unexpected in micro-towns and big cities, both domestic and international.

As a lifelong traveler, her nomadic mother often handed her the map and asked her to choose the destination and route, granting her the nickname, Mary Go.

Today she travels by train, plane, bus, boat, shoe sole, and her Honda, Patty. Mary digs into culture, people, and history wherever she goes, sharing her experiences through words, photos, and video.

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Food For Road Trips – Ideas You’ll Actually Love

Planning food for road trips can be exhausting and time-consuming. Lucky for you, road trips have been a passion of ours for the last 10+ years. We have a lot of experience packing meals & snacks for our trips. Whether you’re going on a weekend getaway or an extended road trip, our list covers meals and snack ideas the whole family will love.

Why You Should Pack Your Food For Road Trips

• Eating out can be costly, especially for 3 meals a day.
• Packing your food can be healthier.
• Packing your food for road trips saves time.
• It guarantees access to food even in remote areas.
• Having easily accessible road trip snacks ensures your little kids will be full between meals. This will help prevent any tantrums that could occur due to hunger.
• It limits the number of road trip stops.

Things To Consider When Planning Food

Things to Consider When Planning Food For Road Trips 1- The size of your cooler & number of days you’ll be gone. If you’re headed on a long road trip you may not have enough room in your cooler to fit everything you’ll need for your entire trip. That’s ok. Buy what will fit and then plan a stop at a grocery store when you’ll have more room. 2- How long your cooler keeps things cool If your cooler only keeps things cold for a few days, plan to get more ice at gas stations when you stop for gas. If you are staying at a hotel, you can grab some ice from their ice machine for free. Tip- Freeze water bottles to use in place of or with ice & ice packs. Frozen water bottles last a long time and they don’t leave your food in a pool of water. Packing frozen food works too but it doesn’t stay frozen as long as water bottles. We always use water bottles & uncrustables. Pre-chill your cooler & beverages the day before filling your cooler. This will help the cooler stay colder longer. *We love our Orca cooler. It’s expensive but keeps our food cold for a long time (about 5-7 days), even in heatwaves. A cheaper alternative is RTIC coolers. 3- Keep in mind the foods your family actually likes to eat. When planning food for your road trips, I highly recommend sticking to the foods your family has tried and loves. If nobody likes the food you pack, it will be wasted and you will end up eating out instead. 4- Eat fresh foods that will perish the fastest first. 5- Keep snacks easily accessible in the car. We don’t limit our kid’s snacks when on road trips. We just want them to be happy and if that means they get a couple of extra snacks during the day, it’s worth it. Tip- Store snacks in a clear storage bin. This keeps all your snacks in one place and makes it easier to see what road trip snacks are still available. 6- Buy snacks & drinks from Sam’s Club or another bulk food store. This saves us so much money. Most of the snacks are individually packaged which makes things easier. 7- Any dishes or utensils that you’ll need for your meals.

Food For Road Trips – Snacks

Road trip snacks are not only essential for keeping the hangry-ness at bay but also to help boost your mood & energy levels. You’ll want to pack a variety of snacks so that you don’t get bored of eating the same thing over and over.

When choosing snacks to take on a road trip with you, it is helpful to keep in mind the activities that you’ll be doing on your trip. If you’ll be doing plenty of hiking you’ll want to pack some snacks that can hold up on the trails.

The best road trip snacks are those that can be eaten in the car mess free & don’t take up a lot of space.

Refrigerated Healthy Snacks Fresh Fruit- Cuties (easy-to-peel oranges), grapes (pulled off the stem), bananas, apples, & berries. You can pretty much bring any fruit but you’ll want to prep it beforehand. Something like canteloupe will be hard to cut up while on the road. String Cheese/Cheese Sticks GoGurt (or any yogurt in tubes)- This style of yogurt doesn’t take up much room and can be frozen which will help keep your cooler cold without ice. Fresh Vegetables- Cucumbers, baby carrots, celery sticks, cherry tomatoes, snap peas, broccoli, cauliflower, bell peppers… Like the fresh fruit, you’ll want to prep the vegetables first. Bottled Smoothies Protein Drinks Hard-Boiled Eggs Summer Sausage Pepperoni Hummus Guacamole Non-Refrigerated Healthy Road Trip Snacks Granola Bars – We love these homemade granola bars & these pre-packaged ones . Prepackaged fruit- GoGo Squeeze (Did you know you can buy containers to make your own?), Dried fruit (raisins, prunes, apple chips , banana chips …), fruit cups Beef Jerky Trail Mix Nuts/Seeds- We love almonds & pistachios but you could also bring sunflower seeds, walnuts, cashews, pumpkin seeds… Tuna Kits Protein Bars Fruit Bars- That’s It bars are made from only fruit. Kale Chips Best Road Trip Snacks (Not so healthy) Potato Chips Popcorn Dark Chocolate Chips Candy Bars Pretzels Goldfish Crackers Crackers Fruity Candy Our favorite road trip snacks that we never leave the house without are- trail mix, fruit snacks, chips, squeezable applesauce & beef jerky.

Road Trip Meals

It is important to plan out your meals for a road trip. Doing so will ensure that you will have enough food for the duration of your road trip. Whether you’re planning to go on a long trip or a short trip, meal planning will prevent you from grabbing fast food and save you money.

Where to eat your meals while on the road? The options are endless. Our kids are older and really good on long road trips. We always plate our food at the gas station and then eat it in the car while we drive. However, when our kids were younger stopping to let them run was very important for their moods. So we would look up fun parks along our route (the park had to have a bathroom). This allowed the kids to fill their bellies, play & hopefully get tired. If we couldn’t find a park we would just stop at a rest stop to eat and play or run races.

To keep our kids happy on road trips we allow them to eat any meal at anytime during the day. Meaning if they want to eat another breakfast at dinner, they can. We just ask that they consume a fruit and vegetable with all meals.

Food For Road Trips- Breakfast Ideas Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so make it good. We often stay at hotels with free breakfast so we rarely have to pack breakfast. But when we do, these are the options that we choose from. Muffins- Bakery muffins are always a great idea. Save money by making your own. Banana Bread Bagels with Cream Cheese or Peanut Butter Pop-Tarts Yogurt Tubes Breakfast Sandwich- Pre-cook all of your favorite breakfast sandwich components. Store in individual containers & assemble as needed. Yogurt Parfaits- Yogurt, granola & berries Bacon- Cook the bacon beforehand. It’s always a good idea to add bacon to all sandwiches. Sausage – Cook the sausage before you leave. My kids don’t mind eating it cold with a muffin or bagel. Dry Cereal Instant Oatmeal Croissants Eggo Cinnamon Toast Frozen Waffles- My kids prefer to eat these waffles cold & without syrup. They are so easy to toss in the cooler and eat as they unthaw. Protein Bar Hard-Boiled Eggs Breakfast Cookies- This breakfast cookie recipe is so good. Bottled Smoothie Protein Drink

Food For Road Trips- Lunch Ideas Simple meals are better as they are easier to prepare & assemble. For lunches, we always pack ingredients for simple sandwiches. An easy way to prevent sandwich boredom on a longer trip is to swap out the type of bread or meat. Instead of using a typical loaf of bread opt for buns, croissants, sub buns, bagels & wraps. Meat & Cheese Sandwich- Prevent the sandwiches from getting soggy by assembling them when you are ready to eat. Uncrustables- Save money by making and freezing your own. Fun combinations can include peanut butter & jelly, peanut butter & honey, Nutella, Nutella & peanut butter… Salads- Bagged salads are so convenient for road trips. They don’t take up a lot of room & if you need to you can assemble the salad right in the bag. Lunchables- For a healthier, tastier option make your own. Crackers, Meat & Cheese! Tuna Salad Chicken Salad

Food For Road Trips- Dinner Ideas While packing all your food can save you a lot of money, it can be a good idea to allow yourself to eat local a few times. Dinner ideas can be kind of tricky. At dinner time some people may still be in their car, some may stay at a hotel with a microwave or a full kitchen, while others may choose to camp or pull off to sleep for a few hours in a parking lot. We typically choose to stay at hotels, so we opt to buy frozen meals, hot pockets, individual mac & cheese cups, and make our food in the hotel’s microwave. But because this is a list for road trip food, I feel it necessary to list dinner ideas as if people are on the open road. Diced Rotisserie Chicken Chicken Salad Tuna Salad BBQ Chicken Sandwich- Rotisserie chicken, BBQ sauce, sliced cheese, bun Walking Tacos- Taco meat (made ahead of time), favorite taco toppings, and an individual serving bag of chips. Add taco meat and toppings to a chip bag & voila, walking tacos! Salad Topped w/ Rotisserie Chicken Soup at Hand Charcuterie Board- Place a little of everything on your plate. Calling it a charcuterie board makes it a little fancier. Make-Ahead Meals- Making some of your family’s favorite dinners beforehand can be a great option as long as you don’t mind eating them chilled.

Road Trip Drinks

Food For Road Trips- Drinks Water Body Armour Bottled Smoothies Protein Drinks Soda Juice Boxes Gatorade Drink Mix-ins we love These mix-ins are a great option if you don’t have room for a variety of beverages. They take up almost no room and can be added to water. Protein Powder- This unflavored powder can be mixed with anything to give an extra boost of protein. Liquid IV- Liquid IV has electrolytes and is very hydrating. One packet gets mixed with a bottle of water. Tip- Bring beverages that have a screw-on lid. This will prevent a lot of messes especially if traveling with younger kids.

Essential Non-Food Items

Packing food is very important but so is packing utensils. Without them, life on the road could get very interesting and messy. Here is a list of essential items that will make eating on the road a whole lot easier.

• Dishes (plates, bowls, & cups)
• Water Bottle
• Cutlery (fork, spoon, knives)
• Diaper Wipes (to clean any messes)
• Can Opener (if bringing canned items)
• Small Garbage Bags (to store trash in until you can throw it away)
• ZipLock Bags (in case you need to store something or a packaged food breaks open)
• Hand Sanitizer

There you have it, the ultimate road trip food list complete with good snacks, meal ideas, and beverages. Be sure to bookmark this page so that you can quickly reference it for your next road trip.

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Road Trips: How to Plan an Accessible Getaway

By Syren Nagakyrie

Planning an accessible road trip is getting a little easier for people with disabilities. There are more resources created by and for the disability community, and the tourism industry is starting to recognize the value of accessible travel. As a disabled, chronically ill, neurodivergent person, I take road trips every year and have learned some tips and tricks along the way.

Renting a vehicle

Most major car companies offer adaptive driving devices for their vehicles at no additional cost. Enterprise , for example, offers hand controls, left foot accelerators, pedal extenders and spinner knobs to facilitate steering. Budget can provide hand controls, spinner knobs, a panoramic mirror, swivel seats and transfer boards. Be prepared to request adaptive devices at least three business days in advance.

For a wheelchair-accessible van with a ramp or a lift, rent from a mobility company like BraunAbility , one of the largest builders of wheelchair-accessible vans in the country, with rentals at many locations. MobilityWorks , an accessible-vehicle and adaptive-equipment dealer, has rental locations in 34 states. AccessibleGO , which offers a one-stop shop for adapted rental cars and wheelchair-accessible vans, has agreements with 100 wheelchair van rental locations nationwide; request a quote on their website. For accessibleGO’s rental cars, you can request hand controls and a spinner knob at checkout.

Route planning

You can use Google Maps, Waze and MapQuest for initial accessibility research using photos and street view. Google Maps provides directions for some wheelchair-accessible pedestrian and transit routes.

Sites such as Roadtrippers and Furkot can plot an entire itinerary. While these websites are not disability specific, they are invaluable tools. (Roadtrippers does have a wheelchair-accessible check box in the search function.) You can filter by types of destinations such as national parks or museums, and search for hotels and campgrounds. Furkot allows you to input how long you want to drive each day, whether you want to travel on Interstate highways or take more scenic roads. The app will determine the best route and length of time between stops, and suggest where to stay overnight.

Finding lodging

While hotels and other accommodations are required to comply with the Americans With Disabilities Act, many hotels do not meet all accessibility needs. Most of the booking sites list hotels with accessible rooms for those with mobility, hearing and vision needs, but this information is not always verified. Do additional research on review sites and look for photos. Hyatt, Marriott, Hilton and Fairmont hotels offer allergy-friendly and scent-free rooms in some locations. Call the hotel to verify accessibility and to make sure a specific room is reserved for you.

Vacation rentals are typically not required to be A.D.A. compliant, but some do provide accessibility information. Airbnb recently rolled out an adapted category with accessibility search features and homes that have been scanned for accessibility. Review photos and contact the host for more information. Some hosts will make accommodations, such as changing the cleaning supplies or shifting furniture, but document your request using the in-app messaging system so that customer service can help if you run into issues.

Wheel the World is an accessible travel agency offering bookings at over 3,000 verified accessible hotels in the United States. The hotels have been reviewed in person by trained assessors; only those that meet the criteria are listed. Sign up as a disabled traveler or a companion and complete a personal profile that includes options for a variety of disabilities and accessibility needs. The site will provide listings that match your profile with partial, adequate and outstanding match options.

Food and medication

There are a variety of options to keep food or medication cold while traveling. Electric coolers can plug into your vehicle’s 12-volt outlet, but pay attention to the type of cooling mechanism — the less expensive versions are usually thermoelectric and will cool only to about 30 degrees below ambient temperature (if it is 70 degrees in the car, it will cool to 40 degrees). Compressor coolers are more expensive but maintain normal refrigerated temperatures.

Many hotels provide mini-refrigerators. When you know you will be stopping somewhere with a fridge almost every night, layer large ice packs and supplies in a cooler, then top them with another insulating layer like a cooling bag. This keeps everything cold for a couple of days at a time.

It’s also a good idea to travel with a single-burner cooktop — electric to use inside, or propane to use at rest areas and campgrounds — and a camp mess kit so that you can safely cook meals.

Some of the best apps to find food, restaurants and grocery stores that accommodate dietary needs are Fig for allergy-specific options, Happy Cow for vegan-friendly options and Find Me Gluten Free for celiac-safe spots. Add your favorite options to the route-planning app so that you know where to stop.

Finding activities

In addition to the apps mentioned in the route-planning section, state and local tourism organizations are good sources for accessible destinations.

National parks and monuments, which are required to meet federal accessibility guidelines, typically have visitor centers and recreation sites with accessible features. Each park website has information, as well as programs and services within the park. While accessibility varies, you can usually find information on wheelchair-accessible trails and campsites, tactile and audio features, assistive listening devices, and American Sign Language interpreters.

At state parks, accessibility features may not be consistent, but you can usually find some information on each park’s website.

Apps like AllTrails list wheelchair-friendly trails across the country, but the information may not be verified, so contact the park or land manager for verification. Among the parks with notable accessible trails are Redwood National and State Parks, North Cascades National Park, Badlands National Park, and Great Smoky Mountains National Park .

Syren Nagakyrie, the founder of the nonprofit Disabled Hikers and the author of “The Disabled Hiker’s Guide to Western Washington and Oregon” and “The Disabled Hiker’s Guide to Northern California,” among other guidebooks, leads group hikes and conducts assessments throughout the United States.

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52 Places:  Why do we travel? For food, culture, adventure, natural beauty? Our 2024 list has all those elements, and more .

Mumbai:  Spend 36 hours in this fast-changing Indian city  by exploring ancient caves, catching a concert in a former textile mill and feasting on mangoes.

Kyoto:  The Japanese city’s dry gardens offer spots for quiet contemplation  in an increasingly overtouristed destination.

Iceland:  The country markets itself as a destination to see the northern lights. But they can be elusive, as one writer recently found .

Texas:  Canoeing the Rio Grande near Big Bend National Park can be magical. But as the river dries, it’s getting harder to find where a boat will actually float .

Master the Art of the Open Road: How to Plan a Perfect Road Trip Itinerary

• Learn to design a road trip itinerary with our comprehensive guide
• Understand why road trips are so popular in the U.S
• Discover the secret behind Route 66's appeal
• Be inspired by Aaron Lauritsen's insights on the joy of road trips
• Gain pro insider tips from experienced travel journalist, Flora Goodwin

The Lure of the Open Road: A National Phenomenon

There's something quintessentially American about a road trip. According to a survey by AAA, nearly 100 million Americans, or 4 in 10 U.S. adults, planned to take a family vacation in 2019, with 53% of them planning a road trip. That's over half of vacationing families electing the open road over other vacation alternatives.

Why this love affair with the open road?

The answer may lie in the quote by Aaron Lauritsen : "The freedom of the open road is seductive, serendipitous, and absolutely liberating." Americans crave the freedom and spontaneity a road trip offers – the chance to control their own journey, explore unseen territories, and immerse themselves in diverse cultures and landscapes . Not to mention the allure of the most popular road trip in the United States, Route 66, stretching from Chicago, Illinois, to Santa Monica, California, covering a total of 2,448 miles of pure Americana.

Creating Your Road Trip Itinerary: A Step-By-Step Guide

As Flora Goodwin , seasoned travel journalist, often says, "A well-planned itinerary is the secret to a successful road trip." So let's dive into her insider tips on creating a road trip itinerary that guarantees a memorable experience.

Creating a road trip itinerary is more than just a list of places to visit - it's a roadmap to adventure. Follow this comprehensive guide shared by the experienced travel journalist, Flora Goodwin, to craft a perfect itinerary.

1. Dream, Then Scheme

First and foremost, let your imagination run wild. Create a list of all the places you've dreamed of exploring. Maybe it's the vast Grand Canyon, the lush Shenandoah Valley, or the bustling streets of New Orleans. Once you've penned down your wish list, it's time to turn these dreams into reality. Start scheming your route considering the distances, travel times, and how many days you would like to spend at each location . Take advantage of digital mapping tools like Google Maps or RoadTrippers to help you visualize and plan your route.

2. Find Your Lodging

Next, consider your lodging. From motels to campsites, there's a myriad of options. Consider the proximity to attractions, availability of parking, and amenities.

3. Plan Your Activities

Research attractions and activities at each stop. Mix it up with outdoor adventures , historical sites, food experiences, and local events to keep it exciting.

2. Secure Your Accommodation

Next, research and secure your lodging ahead of time. The options are endless - from quaint bed and breakfasts and roadside motels to luxury resorts and rustic campsites. When choosing your accommodation, consider factors such as proximity to attractions, parking availability, cost, and amenities. Remember, after a long day on the road, a comfortable place to rest can make all the difference.

3. Dive into Activities and Attractions

Now, for the fun part. Start researching attractions and activities at each stop. Look beyond just the major tourist spots - discover local favorites, hidden gems, and off-the-beaten-path excursions. Balance your itinerary with a blend of outdoor adventures, historical sites , culinary experiences, and cultural events to keep your trip diverse and exciting. Use travel guides, online reviews, and social media to find unique experiences that will enrich your journey.

4. Budgeting Your Journey

One aspect often overlooked in the excitement of planning is the budget . Estimate your costs for fuel, accommodation, meals, activities, and any unexpected expenses. Keep in mind, the best part of road trips is the unexpected surprises, but those surprises can sometimes come with a price tag.

5. Be Flexible

While planning is crucial, equally important is maintaining flexibility . The beauty of road trips lies in the spontaneity and freedom they offer. Leave room for unplanned detours, exciting discoveries, and to linger a bit longer in places that capture your heart. The open road is unpredictable, and the flexibility in your plans can lead to the most memorable moments of your adventure.

6. Prepare Your Vehicle

Lastly, make sure your vehicle is road-ready. Check your tires, oil, brakes, and make sure your roadside assistance membership is up-to-date. Nothing dampens the spirit of adventure like car trouble in the middle of nowhere. Remember, the perfect road trip itinerary balances careful planning with spontaneous adventure. So start planning, but also be prepared to throw the itinerary out the window if the open road calls you elsewhere.

What is the best way to plan a road trip itinerary?

Start with a dream list of places you want to visit, then use mapping tools to create a feasible route. Consider lodging options and research attractions and activities at each stop. Finally, always be flexible with your plans.

How long should a road trip last?

The duration of a road trip depends on various factors like the distance covered, the number of stops, and your pace. It can range from a weekend getaway to a cross-country journey spanning weeks or even months.

What should I not forget when planning a road trip itinerary?

Don't forget to account for travel times, rest days, and contingency plans for unexpected events. Also, ensure you have roadside assistance and car maintenance checked off your list.

What tools can I use to plan a road trip itinerary?

Digital mapping tools like Google Maps or RoadTrippers are very useful in planning your route. For lodging, websites like Booking.com, Airbnb, and Campendium can provide numerous options. Websites like TripAdvisor can help you discover attractions and activities.

How can I make my road trip more fun?

Diversify your activities. Include outdoor adventures, historical sites, local food experiences, and cultural events. Also, consider creating a road trip playlist, bringing along board games, or planning a picnic at a scenic spot to add more fun.

What should I pack for a road trip?

Pack essentials like clothes, toiletries, a first aid kit, road maps, and a spare tire. Also pack snacks, water, a cooler, pillows, and blankets for comfort. Don't forget your camera to capture the memories!

How can I save money on a road trip?

Plan and follow a budget, consider cheaper lodging options like campsites or motels, pack your own food to minimize eating out, and find free or cheap attractions to visit.

How do I prepare my car for a road trip?

Check your tires, oil, and brakes. Make sure your insurance and roadside assistance are up-to-date. Also, pack a spare tire, jumper cables, and an emergency kit just in case.

Road trips encapsulate the American spirit of freedom and exploration . As you plan your road trip itinerary, let the road guide you, but remember to have a well-thought-out plan. With our guide, you're well on your way to experiencing the joy of a life-altering road trip.

• AAA, Travel survey
• Lauritsen, A. (2019).

How to Use the Tesla Trip Planner

Tesla’s Trip Planner can be used on a computer to plan a road trip ahead of time, with the advantage of finding food, lodging, and other stops near chargers. It can also be used on the go to adjust plans. Here’s what you should know.

Telsa Motors, Inc.

What Is Tesla’s Trip Planner?

Tesla’s trip planning tools can be used both before you embark on your trip, as well as when you’re already on the road. Though specific features vary by manufacturer, all electric vehicles have ways to help the owner locate chargers on the go, see chargers’ status, and plan routes to destinations to balance optimizing the car’s range while finding the most convenient available chargers. In that way, Tesla’s trip planning tools are not unique to Tesla vehicles .

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Key Takeaways

• With computer-based and in-car features, Tesla’s Trip Planner can be used well in advance or on the go
• The trip planner helps find the most efficient route to your destination
• Tesla’s tools also help you find chargers along your route.

However, Tesla does have the advantage of being an early innovator in the segment, as well as having access to the formerly proprietary Tesla Supercharger network, widely regarded as the best of its kind in terms of reliability and efficiency.

An EV Road Trip

Warren Clarke Sept. 28, 2023

Tesla’s Trip Planner can be used on a computer to plan a road trip ahead of time, with the advantage of finding food, lodging, and other desired stops near chargers. It can also be used on the go, to adjust plans if needed or desired. Here’s what you need to know.

Get Ready to Go

Use Tesla’s Trip Planner Go Anywhere tool from the comfort of your home, at any or all stages of planning your trip . Whether it’s an overnight or a cross-country jaunt, the Trip Planner can optimize your route, find and recommend Tesla Superchargers, and even suggest Destination Charging . The latter are charging locations specifically located near points of interest, such as restaurants, hotels, and shopping, so you can charge overnight, while eating, or while restocking your road trip supplies and provisions.

How To Charge an EV at a Public Charger

Steven Loveday and Warren Clarke Jan. 8, 2024

Using the Trip Planner ahead of time means you can ensure you’ll hit your desired points of interest and know where you’ll be spending the night, so you can head out confidently. Yet, if your plans change along the way, Tesla’s got you covered there, too.

On the Road

Whether you’ve planned in advance or it’s more of a last-minute or short trip, Tesla’s Trip Planner is also available behind the wheel. If you’re already in your car, your Tesla’s navigation system will show you the fastest route to your destination, and will highlight Tesla Superchargers along the way. This strategy can help you plan your charging to take advantage of nearby sites so you can explore, rest, or grab something to eat.

How Much Does it Cost to Charge an Electric Car?

Warren Clarke Jan. 16, 2024

The lightning bolt icon on your Tesla’s navigation screen will instantly find the nearest Supercharger to your location, along with its current availability and charging rates . Tesla advises using the trip planner during a trip to stay informed of nearby Tesla Superchargers and your car’s recommendations for charging.

Other Tips and Advice

Tesla offers advice to optimize your charging and range while on a trip. When driving, make sure braking is set to the regenerative setting, which means that the car will recapture energy from braking and send it back to the battery pack, which helps maximize range. Also check your tires and ensure they’re set to the proper pressure, which also helps conserve battery power and reduce how often you’ll need to charge.

Whenever possible, park in the shade to keep the vehicle as cool as possible, and leave the air conditioning running while parked. This way, you can come back to a cool and comfortable vehicle. You can monitor and adjust the car’s cabin temperature remotely through Tesla’s smartphone app.

Note that Tesla advises leaving your vehicle plugged in whenever possible when you’re on a trip. Tesla says this will not degrade the battery or battery life over time.

Planning ahead of time will help ensure peace of mind for an extended road trip, but a combined approach of using Tesla’s trip planner tools both beforehand and on the go can help ensure you’re well prepared for your journey with room for some spontaneity and last-minute surprises. After all, what’s a road trip without the opportunity for a little adventure?

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