Skip the Airport Junk and Pack These Travel Snacks Instead
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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.