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 [1].
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 [2] ($4)
- Seapoint Farms Crunchy Coated Black Edamame Sea Salt [3] ($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 [4] ($2)
- Eclipse Spearmint [5] ($2)
- Trident White Wintergreen [6] ($2)
- Orbit Cinnamint [7] ($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 [8].
- Kashi Chocolate Almond & Sea Salt With Chia Chewy Granola Bars [9] ($3 for six)
- Lärabar Lemon Cookie [10] ($1)
- Kind Plus Cranberry Almond + Antioxidants [11] ($2)
- Health Warrior Apple Cinnamon Chia Bar [12] ($2)
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 [13] ($2)
- Thinkfruit Cinnamon Apple Slices [14] ($2)
- Mama Chia Chia Squeeze Apple Cinnamon [15] ($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.
- Krave Basil Citrus Turkey Jerky [16] ($6)
- Epic Bacon Cranberry Bison Bar [17] ($3)
- Epic Habanero Cherry Beef Bar [18] ($3)
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 [19] ($4)
- B.T. McElrath Salty Dog Bites [20] ($1)
- Starburst [21] ($1)
- Ginger People Gin Gins [22] ($2) — ginger helps with motion sickness!
- Back to Nature Honey Graham Sticks [23] ($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.
- Oloves Lemon & Rosemary [24] ($2)
- Mini Babybel Original [25] ($5 for 10)
- Whole Foods 365 Organic String Cheese [26] ($1)
- Cabot Serious Snacking Seriously Sharp Cheddar Cheese [27] ($1)