Staci, a Veteran who receives care at the American Lake VA Medical Center outside of Seattle, is planning a road trip this summer. She’s been thinking about how hard it can be to find healthy snacks while traveling—especially when chips, candy and soda are that she can find at most gas stations and convenience stores. Instead, Staci wants snacks that will keep her energy up, her mind sharp and her mood steady.
If you can relate, don’t worry! Here are some simple, travel-friendly and VA-approved snack ideas that are better for your health—and that can be put together pretty easily at roadside stops:
Easy & healthy snack ideas
- Trail Mix: Make your own with unsalted nuts, dried fruit,and a few dark chocolate chips. It’s full of protein and healthy fats.
- Fresh fruit: Apples, bananas and oranges are easy to carry and don’t need to be refrigerated. Applesauce pouches and other fruit or vegetable purees are another portable option. Add a handful of nuts, a peanut butter packet or a cheese stick for extra protein.
- Cut veggies: Pack sliced carrots, bell peppers or celery sticks in a small container. Hummus makes a great dip.
- Whole grain crackers and peanut butter: This combo provides fiber, healthy fats and protein to keep you full longer.
- Beef or turkey jerky: Choose low-sodium options with no added sugar.
- Greek yogurt cups: Great if you have a cooler. Go for plain or low-sugar versions and add granola for extra crunch.
- Hard-boiled eggs: Easy to make ahead and high in protein.
- String cheese or cheese cubes: A good source of calcium and protein that travels well.
- Granola bars: Look for bars with simple ingredients and less than 8 grams of added sugar.
- Popcorn: Air-popped or lightly salted popcorn is a great whole grain snack when you want something crunchy.
Tips for success
- Pack snacks in reusable containers or zip-top bags before you head out.
- Bring a refillable water bottle to stay hydrated.
- Don’t skip meals—snacks should be small bites between meals to keep you going.
- Not very hungry? Stick with a single item. Need more? Pair two food groups for a bigger snack.
- Customize your options with a packed treat from home.
Staci is learning that healthy eating on the road doesn’t have to be hard. With a little planning, you can feel your best wherever your journey takes you. You’ve taken care of others—now it’s time to take care of yourself.
If you’re interested in this or other nutrition-related topics, reach out to your local VA to speak with a registered dietitian.
Safe travels and happy snacking!
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How about send veterans healthy snacks that would be more thoughtful
Very good information that I can use in the future. I normally try to stay healthy.
It’s also more appropriate to think of dietary needs for people in general – I am allergic or sensitive to so many foods that even at restaurants I am limited to finding food. I can pretty much eat vegan Thai curries, rice and beans, and not much else when out and about. I prep most of my food ahead of times for trips that don’t have to be refrigerated besides a veggie juice (suja is my life saver for taking with vitamins). I have freeze dried homemade meals, freeze dried apples, along with nuts and fruits ready for trips, pack tons of our Reverse Osmosis mineralized water so I don’t have to use plastic bottles in places either. I’m sure it is all in the planning process for those with special dietary needs or picky eaters (not always children).
these healthy snacks are also great to have in your road trip hotel or motel room [budget in my case]. Having munchies in the room saves a fortune over eating all meals in restaurants. The “breakfast included” hotels & motels sometimes have such basic items [like coffee and doughnuts] that they need to be supplemented with your own supply. If they have fresh fruit, hard bolied eggs, etc take a couple extra for your road trip.
excellent idea and easy to remember
Excellent tips for traveling . As a diabetic these can be useful around the house
Thanks for the advice
Jeez, you’d think vets were a bunch of kindergarteners.
Thank you for these tips. It is very helpful information I overlooked when traveling.
Love healthy snacks! Thanks for the ideas!
Articles like this have no place in an official publication. The basic assumption is that snacks are a necessary part of everyone’s diet and their waking hours. The fact that it is common does not make it necessary and normal, but articles like this promote the idea that it is. One does not have to have great vision to see the large percentage of our children and even the whole population who are obese. This is a result of the snacking epidemic that has been deemed acceptable.
Agree. Smacks yes smacks are the health crisis. You said well what I have learned.
Most of your snacks are not healthy. The eggs and jerky are good but the rest of the items have too many carbs. I would not recommend these to anyone.
Yep, when driving all day we don’t stop for lunch, snack in car. And we’re not buying snacks in filling stations on the road.
Dried fruit is a great option. You can use it in the trail mix as noted but it is good on its own and you are more likely to step outside the ordinary and get mango or another tropical fruit. You can usually buy it in bulk allowing you to buy as much or as little as you want and mix them.
These “healthy snacks “ are a complete lie. Everything except bell peppers or celery sticks, Beef or turkey jerky, Hard-boiled eggs, and String cheese or cheese cubes contains carbohydrates. They are no different than eating chips candy and soda. Will you start recommending “real” healthy snacks instead of ones loaded with sugar and carbohydrates? What a disappointment coming from Vladi Ivanova, the VA nutritional specialist. Maybe they should have taken a few more nutrition classes in college. If the VA wants to recommend healthy snacks then they need to reconsider their choices and eliminate the high sugar and carbohydrate snacks first then recommend snacks high in protein to curb the hunger.
That sounds great. I tried carrying some of those items on my flight from phoenix to greensboro, nc and when i went through custom they took them, knowing i was a diabetic and took them saying it wasn,t allowed. Therefore, who am i to believe or trust , the va or airport custom.
Excellent suggestions. Thank you!
About to head out on a three day road trip to San Francisco and I was just telling my daughter that we need to prepack our snacks so we don’t eat crap while we’re on the road.
I would add: protein bars or shakes are easy to find nowadays, grapes/blueberries/strawberries are easy fruit as well, prefreeze drinks to eat the cooler cold and then you can drink when they defrost like sports drinks. We also take dip made from ranch mix and greek yogurt, potato salad, egg salad, chicken salad in individual containers.
Cheaper and better than anything the gas station has to offer, just takes a little planning ahead but it’s worth it.
Thanks for the good ideas!!!
This is great. But there are times I can’t afford food.
I get $23 per month for SNAP. How can I get at least $200?
Great suggestions for healthy snacks and new to me— thanks