My flight to Chicago was cancelled, so I’m sitting in Philadelphia International Airport with a couple hours to spare until the next flight.
I’m traveling to the ALDI test kitchen to meet up with other health and wellness bloggers to take part in two days of events that include touring an ALDI supermarket, participating in a smoothie challenge, and sampling tasty recipes created from the fresh food found at ALDI markets.
As I’m sitting here, working from my iPad, I’m checking out the food options available at the terminal. Not only is everything seriously overpriced, but healthy options are few and far between.
I travel a LOT, so I came prepared!
Whenever I travel anywhere, I take extra snacks for the road, the plane, and my hotel room. Even a budget-savvy traveler can fall into the trap of not preparing for the high cost of hungry-away-from-home. Convenience stores and airport terminals are not the places to find good food on a budget, so packing your own healthy travel snacks is an economical and health-conscious solution.
So what are my favorite snacks to pack when I’m flying far from home and that also won’t get snagged by security?
1. Bagged nuts and seeds
These easy-to-carry-and-eat snacks are packed with protein and healthy fats that will fill you up and give you energy that lasts. My favorites are roasted pistachios and sunflower seeds with just a dash of sea salt.
2. Rice cakes
Maybe I’m alone on this, but I absolutely love lightly salted rice cakes all by themselves. If you’re the type to count calories, you can feel good about this 40-calorie snack that satisfies cravings for something that’s light, crunchy, and surprisingly filling. Eat rice cakes instead of chips that are higher in both calories and fat.
3. Fresh fruit and veggies
Nothing is easier or healthier than fresh fruit and vegetables. Some of the easiest options (and my personal favorites) are apples, easy-to-peel mandarin oranges (clementines), baby carrots, and celery sticks. They hold up pretty well in a backpack or carryon bag, and they don’t require a lot of space or special containers – usually a plastic baggie is enough.
4. All natural fruit leather
Satisfy your sweet-tooth with all natural fruit leather. I buy the kind that’s flavored and colored with fruit juice. This snack is so small, you could carry it in your wallet. I packed the Fit & Active All Natural Fruit Strips for this trip.
5. Squeezable fruit snacks for toddlers
This is my favorite travel snack of all time, hands down. There are a bunch of different brands that make these now, but my Simply Nature all natural squeezable fruit blends for kids are the inexpensive option that I pack in my purse, carryon, glove compartment – everywhere! The TSA-friendly 3oz squeezables are low-calorie, tasty, and naturally gluten and lactose free. They’re made for kids, but I’ve been using them for years as my favorite easy snack for post-yoga or workout and to take on the road with me.
When I’m prepared with snacks that are good for me, I’m never left with the regret that follows spending more than I wanted to or eating food that didn’t serve me. I think we can all relate to the post-travel pig-out blues.
What are YOUR favorite healthy snacks to take on the road? Leave your suggestions in the comments!
Stay blissed in! xx
