7 Of My Favorite Road Trip Snacks (and a wildcard)
Give me a full tank, an overly ambitious playlist, and—most importantly—a stash of snacks that won’t quit. After enough cross-country dashes in my car, I’ve nailed down a roster that keeps me alert, (mostly) clean, and safely out of the hanger (hungry anger) danger zone.
Here’s a list of road trip snacks that ride with me on any long journey, and yes, I’ve included a bonus section of other worthy contenders for your own glovebox buffet.
Snickers (or Protein Bars)
When my brain starts buffering somewhere past kilometer 300, a Snickers bar is the hard reset. Peanuts, caramel, nougat—the whole thing eats like a handheld meal, and it spikes my energy faster than any infotainment reboot. Sometimes I have these weird feelings of sudden depleted energy like low blood sugar or something, and a Snickers (or any other type of delicious sweet) helps me get back to normal.
I don’t overdo it tho, because sugar is inheretly bad for the body, and I try to keep these cheat meals to a minimum. But hey, a road trip is a cheat day for me anyway so I’ll indulge. Sometimes I swap the snickers for a healthier protein bar that also has some bit of sugar as well as the much needed protein.
Peanuts
The one-handed MVP. They don’t smear, crumble, or demand refrigeration, and a fistful wards off hunger for a solid hundred-mile stretch. Shells or no shells—I inhale them either way while the cruise control does its thing.
Chocolate
Milk, dark, or the suspiciously pink “ruby” variety—whatever form it takes, chocolate is my portable comfort blanket. One square turns gridlock into a minor inconvenience. Stash it in the glovebox (or refrigerated center console) unless you crave melted fondue on the shifter.
I usually go for dark choccy because it’s healthy, and full of flavanoids and again helps you stay alert.
Fresh-Baked Pretzels
If a rest stop smells like a German bakery, I’m in. Warm, salty, and chewy, pretzels double as edible stress balls when the GPS reroutes for the third time. Bonus: minimal crumbs.
My secret… I know this is questionable but: LIDL/Kaufland/ALDI, or any other big supermarket that’s close to my route where I can just pop in get some fresh baked goods and get out in like 5 minutes. Especially if nothing else is around for miles or if I have to go deep into a city to get some, when I’m in a long road trip, I want speeeeeed and efficiency (more time to enjoy the beautiful landscapes).
Shaworma (Wait, what?)
Messy? Absolutely. Worth every napkin? Without question. Crispy meat, pickles, and a slather of garlic sauce wrapped in flatbread is my culinary sport-mode. I’ll wear half of it on my shirt and still call it a victory lap. I don’t care how healthy or unhealthy it is (it’s pretty paleo if you skip the sauces), in this part of the world (Europe), this is the king of fast foods.
Water
Boring but crucial. One liter in the door pocket keep headaches—and questionable gas-station soda—at bay. Ignore hydration and the road punishes you for it. I usually get bottles that fit in my door space, but sometimes you gotta make sure you have water (in case anything happens), so it’s best you have some in your trunk as well.
Coffee (of course)
The non-negotiable. Whether it’s thermos brew or dubiously strong gas-station espresso, caffeine keeps my eyelids from staging a coup. Cup-holder real estate exists for this purpose alone (when it’s not filled with my keys, wallet, cables, and other car gadgets).
I dont really do energy drinks, I prefer a long Americano, but if there’s no way to get a coffee, then yeah, I’ll get the fizzy caffeine in a can alternative.
Bonus Wildcard: Spicy Smoked Sausages
Detour tale: my brother and I once ducked into a random village looking for some coffee. We found a place, got in, I went straight to the coffee machine, my brother went right to the paprika-laced smoked sausages hanging in the back. He quickly ordered, two, I told him he was crazy… but 5 minutes later in the parking lot, I took one bite and I immediately complimented his genius (I rarely do it).
They don’t melt, they don’t crumble, and they pair embarrassingly well with Euro-techno. What’s not to love? Good, clean protein in a delicious salty package.
Oh, I almost forgot…
In my recent road trip, I had my parents coming back with me; they wanted to visit for a couple of days and naturally, my mom cooked the entire previous day and brought with us like 30+ chicken schnitzels. Of course, we devoured them in a gas station pit stop style. No questions asked. At least now I know where my brother gets his taste in road trip snacks lol.
Bonus Essentials: Bag Full of Supplements
If you’re going on a road trip, chances are that you’re going to be away from home for a few days, so if you’re taking supplements, then it’s probably a good idea to take them with you (I know it’s common knowledge but some might skip this). When in doubt, just throw all of the bottles in a supermarket bag like I did last time I was in a rush to leave, (as pictured), throw it in the trunk, and head into your journey with confidence that you will still get all the healthy minerals and vitamins alongside some cheat meals here and there.
Notice the deodorant and EMS massager (amazing after a long day of driving) haha.
Other Road-Trip-Worthy Snacks
Looking to diversify your snack arsenal? Here’s a quick shortlist of travel-tested crowd-pleasers:
- Apples, bananas, and grapes (frozen grapes are lifesavers on hot days)
- Beef or turkey jerky
- Almonds, pistachios, or a DIY trail mix (trail mix are sugary, so if you care about that just stick to plain nuts)
- Hard-boiled eggs (if you trust your cooler)
- Whole-grain crackers or popcorn (you might need to deep clean the car once you arrive tho)
- Cheese sticks or yogurt tubes
- Dried mango, apple chips, or fruit leather
- Hummus cups with veggie sticks
- Roasted chickpeas
- Protein bars (especially if you lift and you will be spending whole day driving, you need to get that protein in bro)
Happy snacking, and may your playlist last longer than the traffic jam.
