Skip the Airport Junk and Pack These Travel Snacks Instead
Long gone are the days when you could rely on an airline to serve up anything mildly palatable in flight (or anything at all); airport restaurants and shops are both disappointing and wildly overpriced, and yet, a girl's got to eat. Travel like a pro by packing an assortment of these travel-ready store-bought snacks in your carry-on. Stocked by major supermarkets, like Whole Foods and Safeway, these snacks will keep your taste buds happy and your hunger satisfied and won't make a big mess or stink up the plane.
Crunchy Snacks
Potato chips are great and all, but for something with a bit more substance, consider earthy beet chips, roasted chickpeas, edamame, or nuts.
- Saffron Road Bombay Spice Crunchy Chickpeas ($4)
- Seapoint Farms Crunchy Coated Black Edamame Sea Salt ($2)
- Whole Foods Salted Mixed Nuts ($8)
- Whole Foods Beet Chips ($5)
Sugar-Free Gum
Sugar-free gum will not only freshen your breath, but it also helps with alleviating the pressure buildup in your ears associated with flying.
- Trident Layers Strawberry Citrus ($2)
- Eclipse Spearmint ($2)
- Trident White Wintergreen ($2)
- Orbit Cinnamint ($2)
Bars
Bars are a good bet for longer flights as they pack plenty of satiety into a small, tidy package. These are our favorite granola, fruit and nut, and chia bars, though there are plenty of other great options.
Fruity Snacks
Fresh fruit is prone to bruising; either wrap a hardier piece, like an apple or a banana, in a dishtowel for padding, or tuck one of these dried or pureed options into your bag.
- Whole Foods Dried Tart Cherries ($6)
- Crispy Fruit Asian Pear ($2)
- Thinkfruit Cinnamon Apple Slices ($2)
- Mama Chia Chia Squeeze Apple Cinnamon ($2)
Meaty Snacks
Jerky and jerky bars are a travel staple for a reason. We're particularly fond of Krave's softer texture and Epic's creative flavor combinations.
Sweet Treats
While it's tempting to binge on sweet snacks to make a long flight more palatable, the sugar crash isn't worth it. Instead, pack a small sweet treat, like these options.
- Lake Champlain Chocolate Caramel 5 Star Bar ($4)
- B.T. McElrath Salty Dog Bites ($1)
- Starburst ($1)
- Ginger People Gin Gins ($2) — ginger helps with motion sickness!
- Back to Nature Honey Graham Sticks ($5 for six)
Creamy Snacks
Something lush, creamy, and rich like a piece of cheese or some olives is a welcome distraction from the less-than-exciting confines of an airplane. While these olives are shelf-stable, make sure to eat cheese within a few hours.