The fourth of July has come and gone and that means that “summer travel” is in full swing – and for me that means a series of trips over the next couple of months which will include getting on a number of airplanes. Long ago, in a terminal far, far away, “dining” and “travel” weren’t mutually exclusive – you got to the airport and ran walked onto your plane and generally had plenty of time to grab a snack or a meal on your way. Alas, those days are long gone. Today, between the positively medieval security measures and oversold flights, planning a trip that involves air travel is more like planning an expedition and the only expectation you can reasonably have is to expect the unexpected. Given all that, eating nutritiously while traveling may seem an impossible task. But with a little advance planning and a little creativity you can eat well while in the air or on the tarmac.
Although airport food has gotten better in the last few years it hasn’t gotten any cheaper and with fewer direct flights you don’t always have time to grab something between flights. Likewise, food on planes isn’t always reliable – a lesson I learned when we were flying with our two boys and they ran out of the only sandwich my one son would eat! Hours spent cooped up in a seat the size of a tin can AND being hungry is not a recipe for enjoyable flying and while you can’t do anything about the size of the seat, you can avoid being hungry.
So here is my list of snacks to pack for your next trip. Some of these are “oldies but goodies” and some (hopefully) will be new to you! Just one or two provides a great between meal snack. Add a few more and you have the makings of a meal! Since I rarely check my luggage, I always make sure I save some room in my “liquids baggie” for some of the things listed below – if it’s a choice between toiletries and food, food will always win, hands down!
1. Assorted nuts/trail mix or chex mix - definitely an oldie but a goodie. Buy your favorite mix or make up your own. Our favorite trail mix is made with peanuts, raisins, dried banana chips, dried pineapple, goldfish crackers and of course, M and M’s!
2. Carrot sticks, celery sticks, jicama and radishes – all of these sturdy vegetables travel well. Bring a little container of flavored salt to go with them or if you have room in your “liquids” bag, add a small container of hummus, peanut butter or almond butter.
3. Pretzels - I love pretzel sticks and the larger honey wheat pretzels. If you can spare a little room in your 1 quart baggie for liquids, you could add a packet of mustard for dipping.
4. Cracker sandwiches – one of my absolute favorites – pack your favorite crackers, some slices of your favorite cheese and some sun dried tomatoes. You can now find individually wrapped pieces of cheese which makes this a very easy snack to pack. You could also add a little thinly sliced pepperoni (on domestic flights). For younger or “pickier” eaters, you could also add a small packet or container of peanut butter if you have room in your “liquids” bag for it.
5. Your favorite granola/protein bar – Some of these are really just glorified candy bars but there are some that not only taste good but provide some nutrition. Grocery stores now devote large sections to these bars so there is a lot to choose from. Experiment a little to find one that you like – preferably one that has under 10 grams of sugar and at least 2 grams of fiber.
6. Apple slices, grapes and tangerines/oranges - (domestic flights only) These fruits all travel very well. If you are traveling with something you want to keep cold, freeze the grapes. They will help keep things cool AND make a refreshing snack.
7. Individual packages of chicken/tuna - I recently took one of these on my trip to Ireland. I added a little plastic spoon to get the salad onto the cracker. With this one, you might want to check with your seat mate since some people react very strongly to the smell of tuna fish!
8. Roasted Chickpeas – This is my newest traveling snack favorite and they are so easy to make. Drain and rinse a 15 oz. can of chickpeas. Dry thoroughly with paper towels. Pre heat your oven to 350 degrees. Toss the chickpeas with 2 tsp. of olive or vegetable oil. Season with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 40 – 50 minutes until the chickpeas are golden and crunchy. Remove from oven and toss with your choice of seasonings – and this is where the fun comes in. You can make these sweet/salty and spicy by tossing with a little brown sugar and chile powder, A more savory version with chile powder, cumin and garlic salt… the possibilities are endless.
9. Small squares of chocolate: Individually wrapped ghiradelli squares or a few hershey kisses are always a welcome treat!
10. Beef Jerky – It can be a bit salty but it makes a great traveling snack – especially if you make your own!
11. Dehydrated soups - This one is a bit out of the box, but it can be a lifesaver! Just ask the flight attendant for tea and use the hot water to rehydrate the soup.
12. Instant oatmeal: Again, this one is a bit “out of the box as well, but for early morning flights it can’t be beat. I buy plain, instant oatmeal and transfer the packet to a plastic ziploc bag and add in my favorite toppings – dried fruit, nuts, cinnamon and a little brown sugar as well as a tablespoon or two of dried milk. Ask the flight attendant for an empty cup and a cup of hot water – add the hot water to the oatmeal , cover with the ziploc for a few minutes, stir and voila – you have a great breakfast!
Helpful Hints:
Pack all your goodies in a ziploc plastic bag and include an extra ziploc to store your wrappers and trash.
Include a small pack of handwipes and a couple of napkins to clean your hands before and after eating.
I always buy a bottle of water once I am through security, but I always bring an empty water bottle with me – put your crackers, pretzels and granola bars in the bottle to keep them from getting crushed.
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{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }
Thanks for this great list, Nancy! I travel A LOT for work and I get so sick of eating airport food. I try to bring snacks from home, but I am not very creative in my choices. Now I will refer to your list before my next flight – cheese, sun-dried tomatoes and crackers? Yes, please!
Great tips! I’m going to be packing a lot of these for my trip in August. I particularly love the idea of bringing roasted chickpeas!
Hope the suggestions work out well for you!
Fantastic list…such a great idea to plan ahead! When I travel if I can’t borrow your brain, I can at least reference your tips
LOL!!! Maybe one day we can make a trade:-)!!!
Thanks for the great tips, Nancy – will definitely try dried chickpeas on my upcoming trips to HK and Paris. I’m a big fan of trail mix, dried fruit and chocolate
I hope you’re having a wonderful vacation.
(Sigh) – Wishing I could stow away in your suitcase!
Speaking of travel. Is your sun back from Costa Rica? GREG
Hey Greg!
Yes, he had an amazing trip – definitely have to compare notes next time I see you!!
Happy travels! Thank you for the excellent tips. While I’m not planning any air travel until October, your helpful food suggestions will come in handy when I depart for a week-long girls trip to Maui! I sure hope we can get together before then!
Girls trip to Maui?? You definitely know how to live – I love the sound of that!!
Nancy – GREAT tips. I had forgotten about some of those… I’m the type of person that gets hungry every two hours so these are great! I’d add to the list – a few of my favorite tea bags.
[K]
Oooh…. tea bags!! Great idea!!