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105+ Easy Road Trip Meals & Snacks: Best Road Trip Food

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Road trips are exciting adventures to take with your friends, family or solo. However coming up with a list of the best road trip food & easy road trip meals and snacks can be hard.

Which is where our ultimate list of the best food for road trips comes in handy. To help you avoid hangry companions, outrageous food costs, and unhealthy gas station food stops.

We’ve taken our share of cross country & multi-day road trips over the years, both as adults, and with kids from months old to teenagers. So we know quite a few tricks when it comes to road trip meal planning.

Our list includes easy ideas for healthy snacks, breakfasts, lunches & dinners, for all ages. As well as gluten-free, and vegetarian options too.

Plus we provide essential packing tips and a list of non-food items to bring along, at the end of this post. Hop in the car, & let’s go!

Table of Contents

ULTIMATE HEALTHY ROAD TRIP MEALS LIST

 Road trip snacks; canned salmon, grapes, carbonated water on wooden picnic table, looking out over water.

If you plan ahead and pre-make some yummy snacks and meals, your family will be well fed on the road. Whether you are heading on a Southwest USA road trip or a coastal road trip from Boston to Acadia National Park or elsewhere.

Healthy road trip food & easy meals the whole family will love.

Why Bring Make Ahead Meals For Road Trips?

Before we get into our epic food list, we’ll quickly go over a few reasons why you should bring your own make-ahead road trip meals and snacks:

  • Road trip meal planning is a great way to reduce fast food temptation, junk food and save money for your family road trip .
  • Bringing good food for road trips frees up some of your hard earned cash to splurge on meals you will actually look forward to . 
  • Your own make-ahead meals & road trip food is healthier.
  • If you have dietary restrictions or allergies, creating a road trip meal plan will allow you to have safe meal options on the road.
  • Have fun picnics at rest stops, parks, or in your hotel room along your long drive.
  • Avoid hungry kidlets with healthy road trip snacks , so they can focus on road trip activities , not driving you crazy with whining.

Bringing your own food is well worth the time and money you can save on your adventure. Use our road trip planner to help organize your trip.

Make ahead easy travel meals are great for cutting down on the mess, stress and time it takes to prepare and clean up on the road.

Road Trip Breakfast Ideas

food travel with

You can take these easy road trip breakfast ideas to go, or quickly eat hot in the morning. As long as you make ahead and bring in a cooler, or have access to hot water or basic kitchen facilities or a microwave.

Grab tasty breakfast recipes & more food for traveling recipes .

Cold, Non-Perishable Road Trip Breakfast Ideas

  • Granola 
  • Cereal Bars & Granola Bars
  • Breakfast Bars
  • Fruit & Veggie Pouches 

⭐️ PRO TIP : Bring a reusable coffee mug and water bottles for each family member. They’re a great option for filling up with hot water, tea, coffee and water on the go. Less likely to spill in the car if you use a spill-proof refillable cup and snack cup for the littles.

food travel with

Cold Breakfast Ideas for Road Trips

  • Yogurt – Tubes, Drinks
  • Fresh Fruit
  • Rye Crisp Breads & Goat Cheese
  • Chia Pudding – Make the night before
  • Granola & Overnight Oats – Make the night before
  • Muffins & Peanut Butter (or other nut or seed butters)
  • Egg Muffins or Mini Quiches (To heat or not to heat. That is the question)
  • Hard-Boiled Eggs
  • Breakfast Cookies 
  • Vegan Blueberry Muffins
  • Bagels and Cream Cheese
  • Peanut Butter and Banana Wrap
  • No Bake Oat Bites 
  • Apple Pie Oat Bliss Balls
  • Croissant, ham, cheese
  • Croissant, jam & cream cheese
  • Pancake Sandwiches – nut butter / jam between two mini pancakes (make ahead)

Hot & Quick Breakfast Ideas

  • Instant Oatmeal 
  • Cup of Soup or canned soup
  • Pre-made Mini Quiche (just heat up)
  • Egg, Cheese, & avocado tortilla wrap
  • Haloumi Cheese and Bacon Breakfast Sandwich
  • One Pan Chickpea Hash (fried chickpeas, veggies, herbs) & Fried eggs

More kid friendly breakfast ideas here .

Road Trip Lunch Ideas

Camping & road trip  Lunch Ideas; chickpea salad, sandwiches, fruit & veggies.

Road trip lunch ideas are probably the easiest for most people to come up with, when it comes to thinking of meal planning for road trips . We like to think of them as picnic lunches.

What is the first thing that comes to mind, but sandwiches. Sandwiches are such a staple we’ve given them their own section below. 

To be honest, I often just prepare and pack foods I would usually take for lunch at work, for the first day or two.

Then add easy road trip lunches to grab and prep along the way, like sandwich fixings. Or cheese, meat  and cracker plates for a longer trip.

Easy Non-Refrigerated Road Trip Lunch Ideas

  • Canned Tuna & crackers – The mini pull tab tins come in many flavours
  • Protein Bars , Energy Bars
  • Sardines or Mackerel canned with avocado, crackers or bread
  • Snacks for lunch: Beef Jerky, Trail Mix, Smoothie Pouches, Nut Butter Pouches
  • Peanut Butter (or other nut & seed butter) & Jam Wraps
  • Canned grape leaf rolls

Cold Road Trip Lunches

  • Sushi / nori rolls – sweet potato, cucumber and avocado,  smoked salmon, cucumber and avocado, smoked salmon & cream cheese
  • Sandwiches (see Road Trip Sandwiches below for ideas) 
  • Tortilla Pinwheels
  • Meat Kabobs
  • Pasta Salad
  • Corn & Zucchini Fritters
  • Fruit (apple slices, cantaloupe, grapes), cheese and bread or crackers
  • Charcuterie plate – cheese, deli meats, olives, dried fruit
  • Chickpea or Bean Salads
  • Quinoa Salad
  • Mason Jar Salad – keep the dressing separate
  • Pre-made Quesadillas – Refried beans and cheese. Keep salsa & sour cream separate in small leak-proof containers

food travel with

Sides to Add to Lunch Ideas

  • Cut up veggie sticks and hummus
  • Fruit – apple, berries, melon, grapes
  • Homemade cookies or energy balls
  • Cucumber, cherry tomatos & peppers salad

Road Trip Sandwiches

food travel with

What’s a road trip, without a sandwich or two. In fact sandwiches are so iconic, portable, easy to make and ideal for lunch and family vacation dinners they deserve a section, all on its own.

For easy,  awesome sandwiches you will need a few things:

  • Bread: First you’ll need some kind of hearty bread (kaiser bun, wraps, pita, baguette, ciabatta)
  • Protein: Pair with protein such as deli meat, sliced chicken or beef, bacon, eggs, tofu, nut butters
  • Extras: Add on the extras such as cheese, lettuce, pickles, fruit 
  • Condiments: mayo, mustard, olive tapenade, other sauces

Tasty Sandwich Ideas for Traveling:

  • Cheddar and Jam
  • Egg Salad 
  • Cream cheese and cucumber
  • Spicy Tuna and Cucumber – leave out the spice if it’s not your thing
  • Pesto Egg Salad Baguette
  • Ham & Cheese Baguette or Wrap
  • Turkey and Cheese Baguette or Wrap
  • Turkey Club Sandwich
  • Turkey, Pear, Feta Wrap
  • Apple, Cheddar and Mustard Sandwich
  • Roasted Red Pepper & Hummus Sandwich
  • Curry Chicken or Curried Chickpea Salad Sandwich

food travel with

Tips for Packing Sandwiches on Road Trips

  • Start with heartier bread or toast it first . Put a layer of mayo, or mustard on each side. It actually helps prevent soggy sandwiches.
  • I often toast the bread, and then wait until it’s completely cooled before making and storing the sandwiches.
  • Keep wet sandwich ingredients separate like tomatoes, and add them right before eating.
  • Pack each ingredient separately . Then everyone can assemble their sandwich how they like, on-the-go.
  • Pack sandwiches in a hard sided container . Either use reusable individual sandwich containers or larger leak-proof containers for multiple sandwiches. We also love silicone sandwich bags to cut down on plastic.
  • Keep the sandwiches on top of the cooler for easy to grab meals on the road.

You may also like 50+ Easy to make, healthy road trip snack recipes

Easy Road Trip Meals Dinner Ideas

Dinner is the one meal we often splurge on, and choose to eat out at a local restaurant, instead of on the road when possible. 

We like to do a bit of research and see what the area is known for, or if there are special meals we can’t get at home. Also after a few days of packed road trip meals, it’s nice to sit down at a restaurant and have someone else clean up and organize.

However, there are times when you need dinner in the car ideas. You can always re-use the lunch or even breakfast ideas, because they are all tasty anytime of day. 

Cold Road Trip Dinner Ideas

  • Pasta Salad & Greek Salad
  • Cobb Salad 
  • Other Cold salads – Potato, bean, egg, chickpea, salmon, tofu, quinoa, rice and bean
  • Sandwiches – check out ideas in sandwich section
  • Chicken salad / caesar wrap
  • Falafel Wrap
  • Rice Paper Rolls & Peanut Sauce
  • Chicken wings & pre roasted veggies
  • Grilled or roast chicken, rice and veggies
  • Tortilla Chips, Bean Dip and Salsa
  • Egg roll pinwheels with spinach, and cheese 
  • Mason Jar grain + protein + roast veggies (pre-made)

Salad Tips – Keep the ingredients & dressing separate. That way each person can assemble to their liking, and the lettuce doesn’t get soggy from swimming in the dressing all day.  

KOA has 10 fun on-the go recipes to try.

Mason Jar Meal tips

Mason Jars are a fun and easy way to store pre-made meals.

They are fairly sturdy (I’ve dropped them many times without breaking them) and come in different sizes. The 500ml and 250 ml are perfect for individual meals.

Choose a grain + a protein + roasted, steamed or stir fried veggies and you have a delicious meal to go.

  • Pre-cook a grain: brown rice, basmati rice, white rice, quinoa,
  • Choose a protein : roast chicken or beef, curried chickpeas, tofu
  • Cooked veggies: stir fries, steamed broccoli, curries, stew,

Hot Road Trip Dinner Ideas

One pan or pot dinner ideas are perfect for travel, camping and road trips. Especially if you ‘ve been entertaining the kids with road trip conversations all day.

As long as you remember the hot plate, or cook stove. Been there, done that, forgetting the stove. Another option is to choose motels, or places to stay that have basic kitchen facilities. 

You can also meal prep ahead of time and put individual meals in separate containers that are easy to reheat and clean up. 

If you are a camping family, what you plan for camping meals is similar.

Think easy camping type meals:

  • Baked Beans
  • Cup of Soup or Canned Soup
  • Frozen Homemade Soup (use the first day or two after it defrosts. Bonus it helps keep the cooler cold)
  • Bacon or Sausages and Eggs
  • Quesadillas
  • Rice and beans or ground beef for tacos or wraps
  • Chickpea Curry and Rice (pre-make and heat up)
  • Spaghetti 

ROAD TRIP SNACK & DRINKS LIST

Picnic table with snacks; chips, dark chocolate, apple sauce, seaweed snacks

We have a full article on our favorite road trip snacks to bring that both adults and kids will love. Good food for long journeys.

Here are a few snack ideas to get you started:

  • Energy Balls
  • Baby Carrots, Cherry Tomatoes, Snap Peas, Celery Sticks & Dip 
  • Cheese and Crackers
  • Apple Pear Muffins
  • Jerky, Beef Sticks
  • Potato Chips
  • Plantain Chips
  • Moon Cheese
  • Cheese Crisps
  • Seaweed Snacks
  • String cheese
  • Sunflower seeds
  • Gluten-Free Bars –  We like these mini Gluten-Free Bars  

Who doesn’t drink too much on the road because they are avoiding using restrooms at pull-outs or gas stations?  

I’m guilty of this too, but this often leads me to crankiness and wicked headaches, sooo…… Do as I say, not as I do (said Parents everywhere).

Staying hydrated is super important. While water should be the number one choice, sometimes you need a little something different like:

  • Coconut water
  • Water with crushed berries, or cucumber slices, or lemon
  • No sugar added fruit juices 
  • Flavoured Sparkling water 
  • Almond / Oat / Soy Milk

🚙 More road trip ideas 7 day Zion, Bryce and Grand Canyon itinerary

Road Trip Food & Meal Planning Tips

Road Trip Cooler full of food, apples, deli meat, cheese, carrots.

Meal Planning Tips

When meal planning healthy road trip foods, you’ll need to consider a few key important things:

  • What road trip meals you want to bring, and which one’s you’d like to buy.
  • If travelling with kids, which foods do they already like. They aren’t going to magically start liking raw broccoli and raisins on your long trip. Adapt your food for road trips with kids.
  • Road trip meal ideas – Make a list of food ideas for breakfast , lunch, dinner, snacks and drinks. Make sure they’re easy food to travel with.
  • Creating a road trip grocery list is a good idea, so important items don’t get forgotten. But don’t stress, as usually you’ll be able to pick up ingredients along the way if needed.
  • How to pack food for your road trip, so it doesn’t get squished, and stays cool longer.

With so much to do when planning a road trip, it’s sometimes hard to be prepared when it comes to traveling food.

Road Trip Food Tips

Beyond throwing a bunch of items into the cooler and food bag and hoping for the best. Let’s give you a few tips to make packing a bit easier:

  • Bread: Bring wraps, pitas and flatbreads – they take up less room, and won’t get squished like bread loaves
  • Perishables: Eat your perishables and more fragile fruits first (bananas, raspberries, pre-cut fruit like melons, pineapple, mango etc.)
  • Freeze Water bottles: When hot out, freeze a couple of the water bottles the night before. They’ll keep your cooler cold, and give cold water to drink as they melt.
  • Pre-Make Meals & Portion Out: Pre-make meals, and portion them out in mason jars or reusable plastic or glass containers.
  • Place your cooler somewhere cool the night before, or pre-chill the cooler for up to 12 hours with ice / ice packs you won’t be using on your trip. 
  • Lay solid blocks of ice or reusable ice packs on the bottom, plus put a layer of ice on the top
  • Pack the cooler full – too much space helps the inside heat up faster
  • Freeze food you won’t need for a couple of days, and use frozen water bottles to help keep the inside colder, longer
  • Try to limit the number of times you open the cooler in the day.
  • Pack your food in order of when you want to eat it, leaving the next day or two’s meals on top. 
  • Garbage Bag for the car: Having a designated garbage bag for the car, will keep the garbage contained, and your car organized.
  • Clean-Up Kit :  Bring a clean up kit. Kids, adults, toddlers all on occasion make messes. Having a clean-up kit handy just in case is good practice. Include wipes, paper towel, extra water, and an easily accessible change of clothes.
  • Storage: To keep things organized, use small stackable Rubbermaid containers to pack your non-perishables.

🚙 More Road Trip Ideas: 4 Day family friendly itinerary in Acadia National Park

Road Trip Essentials

Now that we’ve got the meals all planned out, and the best road trip SNACKS organized  let’s move on to the non-food items you’ll need to add to your road trip packing list. 

Reusable Items

Our goal is to reduce our impact on the earth whatever mode of travel. Bringing reusable items on our trips to cut down on waste is one simple way to do this. If you make it part of your routine, you will be pleasantly surprised how easy it becomes.

Here are some other reusable items to pack for your road trip:

  • Plastic, glass or stainless steel containers – Can be used for leftovers, as dishes, hold snack packs, or even small toys, art supplies
  • Cutlery – knives, forks, spoons, 
  • Dishes – Cups, plates, bowls
  • Coffee Mugs – Our favs are Yeti Mugs or the Klean Kanteen  
  • Reusable Straws
  • Water bottles for the kids
  • Water bottles for the adults
  • Cloth fruit bags 
  • Bento Boxes
  • Garbage bags – reuse grocery bags

Storage & Cleaning Supplies

  • Reusable Ice Packs 
  • Hand sanitizer
  • Paper Towels & Wet Wipes 
  • Biodegradable Soap

Travel Backpacks

You will definitely want to make sure you and your kids have their own travel backpack for the trip.

A good travel backpack can be multipurpose, for hiking, storing road trip activities and entertainment, plus give easy access to a couple of snacks, and a handy change of clothes.

Best Road Trip Coolers

Coolers provide more flexibility with the types of meals and snacks  you can bring on your trips. We think they are a road trip essential, without a doubt. Before choosing one, there are a few things to consider:

  • How long is your trip?
  • Which meals will you be packing from home?
  • How often will you have access to a grocery store?
  • How much space do you have in your vehicle? Where do you want to put the cooler?

Answers to these questions will give you an idea of the size and cooling ability needed from your cooler. We’ve put together a list of the best coolers to try, that are easily available on Amazon.

Best Overall Cooler – Yeti Roadi 24 Cooler

YETI Roadie 24 Cooler, Charcoal

The Yeti Roadi 24 Cooler is narrow, so it easily fits behind the seat, is well insulated, which holds the cold, and is lighter than previous versions.

It can also be transformed into a stool if you buy the cushion. It’s a bit of an invesment, so a good buy if you are planning on using it a lot.

Best Afforable Family Cooler – Coleman 316

Coleman 316 Series Insulated Portable Cooler

The Coleman 316 Cooler is a top pick for size, flexibility and price. It can hold a lot of food and ice, which can be kept cool at higher temps for 2-3 days.

Perfect for shorter trips, or if you plan on replenishing your food / ice every few days.

Best Soft Sided Cooler – TOURIT Leak-Proof Backpack

TOURIT Leak-Proof Soft Sided Cooler Backpack

The Tourit Leak Proof soft-sided backpack is an excellent option for shorter road trips or if you are planning a picnic or day at the beach. This leak-proof high-density insulated backpack can keep food cold for up to 3 days. It also has side pockets for extra storage.

Tips to Prepare For Your Next Road Trip

Anything you can do the day or two beforehand to prep your food, and pack your non-perishables, do it. This will save rushing around at the last minute, and forgetting important things like your water bottles.

We recommend doing the following ahead of time:

  • Make a Shopping list and meal plan.
  • Check off the items as you pack them. 
  • Wash and cut veggies and fruit
  • Prepare sandwiches, meat slices, cheese slices
  • Freeze meals and water bottles the night or two before
  • Prepare the snack bags or snack tote 
  • Prepare your Clean up kit
  • Pack non-perishable foods in small totes or bags
  • Pack your perishable foods in the cooler, & an airtight container, right before you leave.

PRO TIP: Pack your car the night before you leave, to make sure everything fits. Make sure your cooler and essential road trip snacks are easily accessible. 

Conclusion: Ultimate Easy Road Trip Meals & Snacks List

With over 100 delicious and easy road trip meal ideas, you will find a party in your cooler for all taste buds or your next long journey.

 Plus don’t forget that a little pre-trip planning can go a long way towards a stress free vacation.

Grab a great road trip snack or two and head on out on the open road. I hope this helps you have an epic road trip.

3 road trip meals ideas; charcuterie plate, granola with yogurt and sandwich with fruit

Related travel tips and destination articles:

  • Easy ways to take a frugal road trip
  • Epic RV Gift Ideas: Gifts RV Owners will love and use
  • Epic Gifts for Beach Lovers – prep for your beach vacation
  • Best Walkie Talkies For Road Trips
  • Complete Road Trip Packing List For Families

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Donna Garrison is the founder of Packed for Life, an ever curious traveler with a passion for making memories with her family. With a unique perspective on travelling on a budget gathered over 30 years, 20 countries and 5 continents she gives families the tools & resources they need to experience the joys of travelling more for less through practical solutions. She helps over 20,000 families a month plan & take the family travel, camping and road trip adventures of their dreams in Canada, the USA and around the world. Contact her at: Donna [at] packedforlife.com

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Road Trip Food List: Easy to Pack Meals & Snacks

This post may contain affiliate links, view our disclosure policy .

Are you looking for a road trip food list that includes the best road trip snacks and other food to bring on a road trip?

Road trips can range from being budget-friendly to out-of-this-world expensive if you do not plan ahead, especially when it comes to eating food.

The temptation to grab a snack at every gas station, as well as to eat out at restaurants or gorge on fast food, can really start to add up in terms of money and wasted time.

One way to save money and time while road tripping, however, is to bring your own food!

By making a road trip food list and packing fun road trip snacks, you’ll avoid having to stop and spend as much.

Our road trip food list includes easy road trip snacks, as well as portable breakfast, lunch, and dinner options – plus, a FREE Road Trip Food List printable to take with you to the grocery store.

The links on this page are Amazon affiliate links. If you click on the links and make a purchase, I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Road trip foods, yogurt parfait

Table of Contents

Road Trip Food List: Breakfast

One of our absolute best family road trip tips is to leave bright and early in the morning when starting a long road trip.

As the most important meal of the day, luckily, having breakfast on the road is the easiest meal to eat cold and on the go.

If you decide to hit the road early, or if your hotel en route doesn’t offer a free breakfast, plan ahead by bringing along these simple road trip breakfast foods.

Our tried-and-true road trip food list awaits!

Road Trip Breakfast Ideas

  • Yogurt tubes and granola bars
  • Muffins, donuts, and scones
  • Bagels and cream cheese
  • Squeezable applesauce
  • Hard-boiled eggs
  • Peanut butter, banana, and granola wrapped up in a tortilla
  • Make-Ahead Fruit & Yogurt Breakfast Parfaits

Additional planning tip: For added morning fun, use the category “breakfast foods”, “brands or cereal”, or “types of fruit” while you play a road trip word game .

Road trip food, colorful sandwich

Road Trip Food List: Lunch

When it comes to planning for lunch and beyond, your road trip packing list should always include a reliable portable cooler .

Whether you chill made-ahead sandwiches, salami & cheese, fruits, or veggies, there are so many awesome road trip food ideas when it comes to having lunch on the go.

What we love about these road tip lunch ideas is that they keep us out of congested cities and fast-food drive-thrus during the busy noon hour.

Road Trip Lunch Ideas

  • Premade sandwiches with deli meat and cheese (make them extra fun by using shaped sandwich cutters !)
  • Peanut butter sandwiches (skip the jelly to avoid sogginess)
  • Pita pocket with mozzarella, tomato, basil, turkey, cheese, hummus, cucumber, and/or tuna salad
  • Home-ade Lunchables with summer sausage, cheese, and crackers
  • Tortilla with cream cheese, sliced olives, and pepperoni
  • Veggies and single-serve packs of ranch dressing, hummus, or guacamole
  • Pre-assembled Salad In A Jar

Road Trip Food List: Dinner

If there is one meal that you choose to splurge on, I recommend stopping to have dinner at a roadside restaurant or cafe.

Though this may not be your final destination, experiencing another city in this way will help you check more places off of your family travel bucket list !

If you’re not keen on stopping, however, here are the road trip foods we enjoy that are tasty and hearty enough to serve as dinner.

Road trip salad

Road Trip Dinner Ideas

  • Cold rotisserie chicken, chunked and served with a garden salad (package in a disposable salad container )
  • Pre-made pasta salad, such as Pizza Pasta Salad
  • StarKist ready-to-eat tuna salad in an avocado half or on a bun
  • Chicken and pickled veggies in pitas
  • Hummus veggie wrap

Additional planning tip: If you’re road tripping in the winter when driving conditions are much more unpredictable, packing extra road trip food is an essential component of your winter road trip packing list .

The best Road Trip Food List from Top U.S. family travel blog, Travel With A Plan!

Road Trip Food List: Snacks

In my opinion, snacks   are the No. 1 way to keep everyone (including you!) happy on a family road trip.

Homemade snack mixes and individual pre-purchased snacks are also a great way to help cut costs associated with buying food on the road.

For this reason, I suggest assembling an entire tub filled with fun and appetizing snacks and surprises that you know your kids will love.

We use these  16-quart storage tubs from Sterilite  that are the perfect size, price, and durability!

Road Trip Snacks Ideas

  • Chips and pretzels
  • Animal crackers (Suprise them with Barnum’s Originals !)
  • Filled crackers (peanut butter, cheese)
  • Nuts (cashews, almonds, peanuts)
  • String cheese, Babybel, Laughing Cow cheese wedges
  • Fresh or dried fruit
  • Healthy no-bake cookies
  • Candy and gummy candy

Be extra organized for your family road trip by clicking the following image to get your FREE family vacation packing list that is both customizable and printable!

Road Trip Food

Travel Snacks for Toddlers

Road tripping with toddlers presents its own set of challenges and requires additional thought when it comes to toddler-friendly road trip activities and food.

(It’s much harder to keep a close eye on them when they’re in the backseat, and you’re in the front.)

When considering toddler road trip foods, the most important thing is to avoid giving them anything to eat that could be deemed a choking hazard.

In addition, opt for healthy versus overly sweet options that may give them a tummy ache.

Our favorite healthy toddler car snacks and road trip foods include:

  • Graham crackers
  • Snap pea crisps
  • Applesauce and/or yogurt pouches
  • Cheese sticks
  • Soft mini muffins
  • Whole-grain crackers
  • Bananas and/or this apple slices

Road trip sick bag essentials

9 Essential Tips For Traveling With Food

As seasoned travelers, we’ve assembled a list of tips for traveling with road trip foods and make-ahead hotel room meals.

  • Use up your most delicate fruit first when on long-haul road trips.

In other words, start by eating bananas and berries, then move on to more sturdy produce such as apples and oranges that don’t spoil as easily.

2. Every family needs an organized packing strategy !

When it comes to road trip food, tortillas, pitas, or other sturdy flatbreads work better to bring along than do loaves of bread. They take up a lot less room and do not risk getting smashed.

3. When packing a cooler with items that need to stay chilled, be sure to lay the ice on the top, versus the bottom of the cooler.

This is because cold air sinks and will, therefore, disperse itself more evenly if laid on top of the food.

4. Aim to open the cooler only 1 or 2 times a day in order to maintain its refrigeration and keep the ice from thawing.

5. Also, make all food, including snacks, easily accessible throughout the duration of your family road trip.

This prevents someone (likely mom or dad!) from having to constantly bend over the back seat or stop to open the trunk every time hunger or boredom hits.

6. Avoid bringing anything made of glass on your road trip, including glass food containers. Glass is heavy, bulky, and very dangerous when broken within the confines of your family vehicle.

7. Assemble and bring along a road trip kit with the following road trip essentials for spills, clean-ups, and car sickness:

  • Anti-bacterial wipes
  • Hand sanitizer
  • Garbage bags
  • Ziplock bags
  • Napkins/paper towels
  • Saltine crackers and motion sickness medicine

8. Each time you stop while on a road trip, don’t forget to pitch any garbage that has accumulated.

This prevents build-up and smelliness.

9. Head to the grocery store with our FREE printable checklist and purchase all of your road trip food in one shopping trip!

Road tripping is one of our favorite family vacations!  Get our awesome road trip food list that includes ideas for meals and snacks on-the-go and a printable checklist to take to the grocery store!  #roadtripfoodlist #bestroadtripfoods #roadtripsnackideas #toddlerroadtripsnacks #healthyroadtripsnacks #roadtripmeals

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Thank you for the road trip food list and travel tips.

You’re welcome! Was there something you saw that you hadn’t thought of before? Happy travels!!

This is a great list as we also big in road trip. Snacks is so important especially to keep them from asking are we there yet. Haha… I myself like peanuts to keep me awake when it’s my turn to drive.

Thanks for reading and for sharing your favorite road trip snack!!

This is such a comprehensive list and it is so helpful as I predict a lot of us will be going on more road trips once we can. Prepping these meals will definitely save some money and help the kids feel less bored. I know that my kids are usually pleased munching stuffs during road trips. I also like that it is more likely for the road trip snack to be more healthier than what you’ll buy elsewhere.

Thank you! Yes, the health factor of pre-packing is a big one, as is the enormous cost savings 🙂

I like to have a good mix of healthy (kids like apples, those are easy to eat) and snacky/salty. I am also very particular. about road trip drinks. Big coffees, la croix, iced tea!

I like your ideas! We’d be good road trip buddies!

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What Can I Bring?

Planning ahead and packing properly can facilitate the screening process and ease your travel experience at the airport. Know what you can pack in your carry-on and checked baggage before arriving at the airport by reviewing the lists below. Even if an item is generally permitted, it may be subject to additional screening or not allowed through the checkpoint if it triggers an alarm during the screening process, appears to have been tampered with, or poses other security concerns. Read about civil penalties for prohibited items .

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The final decision rests with the TSA officer on whether an item is allowed through the checkpoint.

Officers may ask you to power up your electronic device, including cell phones. Powerless devices will not be permitted onboard the aircraft. TSA does not read or copy information from your device.

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Alcoholic beverages

  • Carry On Bags: Yes (Less than or equal to 3.4oz/100 ml allowed)
  • Checked Bags: Yes

Check with your airline before bringing any alcohol beverages on board. FAA regulations prohibit travelers from consuming alcohol on board an aircraft unless served by a flight attendant.  Additionally, Flight Attendants are not permitted to serve a passenger who is intoxicated.

Alcoholic beverages with more than 24% but not more than 70% alcohol are limited in checked bags to 5 liters (1.3 gallons) per passenger and must be in unopened retail packaging. Alcoholic beverages with 24% alcohol or less are not subject to limitations in checked bags. 

Mini bottles of alcohol in carry-on must be able to comfortably fit into a single quart-sized bag.

For more information, see FAA regulation: 49 CFR 175.10(a)(4).

Alcoholic beverages over 140 proof

  • Carry On Bags: No
  • Checked Bags: No

Alcoholic beverages with more than 70% alcohol (over 140 proof), including grain alcohol and 151 proof rum. For more information, see FAA regulation: 49 CFR 175.10(a)(4).

  • Carry On Bags: Yes

Baby food is allowed in reasonable quantities in carry-on bags. Remove these items from your carry-on bag to be screened separately from the rest of your belongings. Please see traveling with children for more information.

Baby Formula

  • Carry On Bags: Yes (Special Instructions)

Formula, breast milk, toddler drinks, and baby/toddler food (to include puree pouches) in quantities greater than 3.4 ounces or 100 milliliters are allowed in carry-on baggage and do not need to fit within a quart-sized bag. Formula, breast milk, toddler drinks, and baby/toddler food (to include puree pouches) are considered medically necessary liquids. This also applies to breast milk and formula cooling accessories, such as ice packs, freezer packs, and gel packs (regardless of presence of breast milk). Your child or infant does not need to be present or traveling with you to bring breast milk, formula and/or related supplies.

Inform the TSA officer at the beginning of the screening process that you are carrying formula, breast milk, toddler drinks, and baby/toddler food (to include puree pouches) in excess of 3.4 ounces. Remove these items from your carry-on bag to be screened separately from your other belongings. TSA officers may need to test the liquids for explosives or concealed prohibited items.

Although not required, to expedite the screening process, it is recommended that formula and breast milk be transported in clear, translucent bottles and not plastic bags or pouches. Liquids in plastic bags or pouches may not be able to be screened by Bottle Liquid Scanners, and you may be asked to open them (if feasible) for alternate screening such as Explosive Trace Detection and Vapor Analysis for the presence of liquid explosives. Screening will never include placing anything into the medically necessary liquid.

TSA X-ray machines do not adversely affect food or medicines. However, if you do not want the formula, breast milk, toddler drinks, and baby/toddler food (to include puree pouches) to be X-rayed or opened, please inform the TSA officer. Additional steps will be taken to clear the liquid and you or the traveling guardian will undergo additional screening procedures, to include Advanced Imaging Technology screening and additional/enhanced screening of other carry-on property.

Ice packs, freezer packs, frozen gel packs and other accessories required to cool formula, breast milk, toddler drinks, and baby/toddler food (to include puree pouches) – regardless of the presence of breast milk – are also allowed in carry-ons, along with liquid-filled teethers. If these items are partially frozen or slushy, they are subject to the same screening as described above.

Please see  traveling with children  for more information.

Travelers requiring special accommodations or concerned about the security screening process at the airport may request assistance by contacting TSA Cares online at http://www.tsa.gov/contact-center/form/cares or by phone at (855) 787-2227 or federal relay 711.

Bottled Water

Solid food items (not liquids or gels) can be transported in either your carry-on or checked bags. Liquid or gel food items larger than 3.4 oz are not allowed in carry-on bags and should be placed in your checked bags if possible.

TSA officers may instruct travelers to separate items from carry-on bags such as foods, powders, and any materials that can clutter bags and obstruct clear images on the X-ray machine. Travelers are encouraged to organize their carry-on bags and keep them uncluttered to ease the screening process and keep the lines moving.

Breast Milk

Canned foods.

There are some items that are not on the prohibited items list, but because of how they appear on the X-ray, security concerns, or impact of the 3-1-1 rules for liquids, gels and aerosols, they could require additional screening that might result in the item not being allowed through the checkpoint. We suggest that you pack this item in your checked bag, ship it to your destination or leave it at home.

Check with your airline or travel agent to see if firearms are permitted in checked baggage on the airline you are flying. Ask about limitations or fees, if any, that apply.

Any sharp objects in checked baggage should be sheathed or securely wrapped to prevent injury to baggage handlers and Security Officers.

Sharp Objects

Household & tools, sporting & camping, miscellaneous.

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How to Eat Healthy No Matter How You're Traveling

Hitting the road? Whether traveling by car or plane to a hotel or rental, you can still make healthy choices.

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fstop123/Getty

When traveling, you want to consider several things before deciding what food to take. First, plan ahead. Before you start packing meals and snacks, determine if you will have the capability of keeping refrigerated foods cold (like a cooler in the car) or if you will need to pack foods that are safe at room temperature. If you are flying, think about which foods can make it through security — yogurt and peanut butter in the jar aren’t allowed. If you do want to eat refrigerated foods on your flight, make sure to eat them early on in your travel, either at the airport or at the start of your flight.

If you are packing cold foods for a car ride, pack foods directly from the fridge into a cooler, and keep meat and poultry separate from foods that will be eaten raw like fresh fruit. The temperature of the cooler should be 40 degrees F or colder and filling your cooler with several inches of ice or using frozen gel packs can help. You can also freeze juice boxes, water bottles, and other beverages to keep your cooler cold. When you do put the cooler in the car, it should be inside the car where it is air-conditioned and not in the trunk.

Best Foods for Traveling by Car

By the time you turn the corner, everyone in the car is begging for food. While chips and cookies can be fun snacks, you may want something more nutritious . Pack a few good-for-you mess-free meals and snacks. To keep things fresh, bring a cooler.

  • Whole-grain pasta salad or quinoa salad
  • Turkey and cheese sandwich on whole-wheat bread
  • Hard-boiled egg and cheese in a whole-wheat pita
  • Sliced fresh fruit like melon and berries
  • Greek yogurt
  • Cheese and whole-grain crackers

If you end up having to hit the grocery store or gas station mart anyway, look for healthier choices.

  • Whole-grain pretzels
  • Hummus cups
  • Coffee or tea (nothing fancy)
  • Fresh or dried fruit
  • Small bowl of oatmeal

Best Foods for Traveling By Plane

Not all flights provide food and some only give you cookies or pretzels as an option, so if you want to stay on track with your healthy eating goals, advanced planning is a must. If you're counting on purchasing food at the airport or on board, you'll pay a pretty penny, plus not all airports carry healthy fare. Instead, pack a few sandwiches and snacks.

Sandwiches:

  • Cucumber and whipped cream cheese on whole-wheat bread
  • Peanut butter and jelly on rye
  • Grilled chicken, lettuce, tomato and mustard in a whole-grain wrap
  • Hummus with sliced tomato, pepper and cucumber in a whole-wheat pita
  • String cheese
  • Homemade trail mix
  • Nonfat Greek yogurt
  • Whole fruit (plums, peaches, banana)
  • Cut vegetables (carrots, bell peppers, cucumbers, celery)
  • Seaweed snacks

Foods to Pack for the Hotel

Traveling always makes me hungry, and the last thing I want to do is check into my hotel and run to the vending machine. Instead, I ask ahead if there is a supermarket nearby and if the room has a refrigerator and microwave oven.

At the supermarket, I pick up easy finger foods that require little or no prep, such as fruits, pre-cut veggies or baby carrots, dry roasted nuts, Greek yogurt, and whole-grain cereal and milk. If there's a microwave, I bring snacks like popcorn.

Toby Amidor, MS, RD, CDN, is a registered dietitian and consultant who specializes in food safety and culinary nutrition. She is the author of The Greek Yogurt Kitchen: More Than 130 Delicious, Healthy Recipes for Every Meal of the Day .

*This article was written and/or reviewed by an independent registered dietitian nutritionist.

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Food not only brings people together, it anchors you in the present moment. That’s why years after a trip, you can still remember the taste of fresh, juicy olives in Greece , or the fragrant smell of pho simmering on the stove in Vietnam . By pairing the classic grassroots Intrepid travel style with a focus on food, you’ll get under the skin of the world's most exciting food cultures. It might be spoiling your tastebuds with flavor-filled curries in  Sri Lanka , mastering the art of making soba noodles in  Japan  or sharing a meal with Buddhist monks in  South Korea .

Created with the culinarily curious in mind, these are real, local experiences with a foodie twist: one part culture, one part adventure and three parts delicious. From bite-sized trips to gastronomic odysseys, we’ll get you munching, crunching, sipping and slurping just like the locals. Hungry? Join us!

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We love the highlights, but for us the real magic is found off the tourist trails. Our trips combine iconic sites with hidden gems that you’ll only discover with Intrepid. We’re talking mornings exploring the Taj Mahal, followed by a Mughlai cooking class with a passionate home cook.

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Local expertise

Whether you’re perusing markets, hunting down the best street food bites or learning how to cook centuries-old family recipes at a homestay, there’s no better way to get the inside scoop on a destination – and its culinary traditions – than with an expert local leader by your side.

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Small groups

Big coaches and flag-toting tour guides don’t cut it for us. With a maximum group size of 12, our groups blend in with the locals and have plenty of opportunities to interact with chefs, street food vendors and group leaders. It also means you can really connect with your fellow foodies.

Must-try dishes around the world

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Peru – ceviche

Ceviche is the unofficial national dish of Peru. It's made by marinating cubes of raw fish and seafood in lime juice, onions, salt and aji amarillo chilli peppers, and is served cold with sweet potato chunks, plantain chips and corn on the cob.

Paella simmering in a pan

Spain – paella

This saffron-flavored rice dish originated in Valencia hundreds of years ago when hungry servants would combine rice with leftovers from Moorish kings' lavish banquets. The dish varies across the regions, but the mixed version with chorizo, mussels and prawns is the most popular internationally.

A Kochi-style Thali in India

India – thali

Struggling to choose just one curry? Fear not. A thali comprises several eye-popping dishes served on a large plate. The dishes typically include grains, lentils, vegetables or meat curries, chutney, raita, pickles and pappadum – creating the perfect balance of sweet, salty, bitter, sour, astringent and spicy flavors.

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Balkans – cured meats and cheeses

When traveling through the Balkans, treat your tastebuds to delicious charcuterie boards loaded with traditionally preserved meats, cheeses, vegetables and bread. Some of the most popular Balkan meats to try include cevapi (homemade grilled sausage), njeguši (dry-cured ham) and pljeskavica (Balkan burger).

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Israel & Palestinian Territories – falafel

Considered to be Israel’s national dish, these balls of deliciousness (made with ground chickpeas, herbs and spices) are a must-try plant-based dish. They’re usually served on a platter or in a warm pita pocket filled with pickled vegetables, crunchy cabbage salad and generous lashings of creamy tahini sauce.

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Thailand – khao soi

There’s a whole world of Thai noodle dishes to discover beyond the obvious (and delicious!) pad thai. Khao soi is a chicken and coconut noodle soup from northern Thailand. It’s packed with vibrant aromatics and is served with crispy fried noodles, shallots and fresh lime wedges on top.

Food tour highlights

Travellers enjoying fried chicken in South Korea

Asia’s answer to Seoul food

Hit South Korea to wash down crunchy Korean Fried Chicken (aka KFC) with a glass of soju, share a traditional plant-based meal with Buddhist monks at your monastery stay, and get the inside sip on Busan’s bustling craft beer scene at a brewery.

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Travellers enjoy tarts in Portugal

Pilgrimage through the Portuguese plate

Head to Iberia to cook up a Galician feast using Vigo’s finest seafood, sip world-class wines in the spectacular Douro Valley wine region, sip Ginjinha while snacking on petiscos, and discover Portugal’s best-kept foodie secret – the Alentejo countryside.

A traditional dinner in Kyoto, Japan

Temples to tempura, shrines to sashimi

Journey to Japan to discover the country's most delicious foodie hotspots. Feel like a real Iron Chef during an ‘Art of Sushi’ masterclass, experience the seasonal flavors of obanzai ryori at a cooking class, and enjoy the simple and delicious flavors of monastic cuisine in Koya-san.

A tagine in the M'goun Valley, Morocco

Master Morocco’s medina flavors

Make your way to Morocco and enjoy a home-cooked dinner with a family in Chefchaouen, share a Berber meal at a desert camp in the Sahara, watch ras el hanout being freshly ground in a Marrakech spice souk, and eat mechoui (slow-roasted lamb) cooked in an earth oven.

A street vendor selling tacos

Enjoy mouthwatering Mexican food

Get a true taste of Mexico in some of the country’s most famous culinary regions. Enjoy a tasty taco feast in Mexico City, visit a traditional mezcaleria to learn about this famous Oaxacan tipple, feast on fresh seafood at a cooking class in Huatulco and maybe sample the surprisingly delicious delicacy of chapulines (grasshoppers).

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Savor vibrant Vietnamese flavors

Chop, slice and slurp your way through Vietnam on a culinary quest from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City. Cook up regional dishes like cao lau noodles in Hoi An, tour Hue on a motorbike followed by a plant-based lunch at a pagoda, and feast on southern Vietnamese specialties at a Mekong Delta homestay.

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Tour reviews

Food tour faqs, what food can i expect.

Expect to eat the local way. We don't call these trips ‘food adventures’ for nothing. Forget Michelin stars and 20-course degustations – our local leaders will help you get behind the scenes of local food culture, track down the freshest street food, discover the most authentic local restaurants and reveal the traditions and techniques that make these destinations so deliciously mouth-watering. From lining up with locals for fresh tortillas in a Mexican market to hopping between Logrono’s thriving tapas bars, they’ll show you local food from the perspective of those who eat it every day.

How does a Food Adventure differ to a regular Intrepid trip?

All of our food trips have been designed with one thing in mind – experiencing the best local food on the planet. But we all know that there’s much more to food than just eating it – so whether it’s browsing markets for fresh produce, sizzling up a storm in a cooking class or meeting a local street-food legend, we’ve stuffed your plate to the brim. And once you’ve devoured all the local food you can handle, we’ve made sure our Food Adventures are rolled up into a burrito with the lot so you won’t miss out on the iconic sights and authentic cultural experiences that are found on all our Intrepid trips.

Is there any freedom & flexibility in the itineraries?

Like all Intrepid itineraries, we’ve made sure our food trips provide free time between activities, allowing you to digest a destination either with your group or on your own. You might spend the morning exploring a buzzing local market with your guide and cooking a delicious local dish with your group before heading off on your own to wander the marbled halls of a museum or cycling through ancient alleys.

We’ve also left plenty of mealtimes free of organized activities, which gives you the flexibility to ‘get your gourmet on’ at a fine dining restaurant or simply seek out your own ‘real food’ adventure. Needless to say, your leader will be there every step of the way with suggestions and recommendations.

What transport is used?

Sometimes, the best way to eat like a local is to travel like one too. That could mean jumping on a boat to discover the flavors of the Mekong Delta, riding the Tokyo subway to a sake bar or rattling along in a rickshaw in pursuit of Agra’s finest chaats. We love to use local transport because it gives us a chance to experience everyday local life from a new perspective.

What is the accommodation like?

Whether you’re spending the night in an ancient fortress or in the home of a local family, most of our trips include a memorable overnight stay that is designed to make your trip extra memorable. When we do choose to use hotels, all of our accommodation options are in our Original style, which means a mix of 2-3 star establishments that are safe, clean and comfortable.

How do Intrepid's Food Adventures benefit local communities?

We help support local economies by purchasing snacks and meals from street-side vendors, dining in local restaurants, eating seasonal produce from the destination, and using local guides throughout our itineraries. Many of our trips incorporate visits to community projects, and we choose locally-owned accommodation wherever possible. We are committed to a style of travel that is culturally, environmentally and socially responsible.

Why does every Food Adventure include a plant-based meal?

Plant-based foods generally have a much lower carbon footprint than animal-based foods, and incorporating more plant-based eating into our diet is a major opportunity to mitigate and adapt to climate change. As Intrepid continues to innovate in ways that promote and support sustainability, including a delicious meal that showcases local fruit, vegetables, nuts and seeds is just one way that we are investing in the health of our planet.

What about vegan travelers?

We do our best to accommodate dietary requirements (including vegan diets) on all of our trips, and all our Real Food Adventures will include at least one plant-based meal. If you want a more tailored experience, that's where our Tailor-Made team can step in. We can use our 30 years of experience and regional specialists to help you create your perfect vegan food adventure.

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How to Plan a Food Trip

Close your eyes. Think about your favourite city or place to visit. Now, imagine a food you love passionately. I’m sure you smiled! That’s it, eating and travelling are things that really move us. Well, that is what Food Travel means. Is there a better thing than to combine these two passions in a culinary trip?

What is Food Travel

Food Travel means moving around with the aim of exploring a destination gastronomic offer . Exploring the pleasures of the table has always been associated with moments of leisure, but on a gastronomic trip, the culinary experience is no longer just a complement but the main motivation in choosing a destination and in the way of exploring it .

In general, it means travelling to do food tourism , which we define as follows:

Food tourism is composed of activities that provide experiences of consumption and appreciation of food and beverages, presented in such a way that value the history, the culture and the environment of a particular region. by Food’n Road

Why Food Travel?

What we want to highlight is that, in practice, when we combine travel with gastronomy, there is a whole set of experiences and learnings about the history, traditions, environment and local culture that go beyond taste. Realizing this is life-changing!

visit to the golden temple kitchen in Amritsar to make Indian food is also food travel

Food and Travel, an experience we never forget

On a trip, we want to have different experiences from our daily lives. These experiences become remarkable when you feel connected with them. That’s exactly how food plays its role.

The bond with food is a universal language, after all, no matter where you came from, food is certainly part of your history. That is why every travel memory always comes with a flavour .

meal in restaurant with traditional food in Cambodia is considered Food Travel as a culinary trip

The experience is for everyone

It is a mistake to think that this type of trip is only for those who like to (and can) eat in renowned restaurants, or visit expensive wineries. The food tourism industry is creative and aware of the interests of travellers.

Best of all, it is a democratic and flexible way of travelling. Nowadays, you can easily explore a gastronomic culture in different ways: in the countryside or in the city, individually or in groups, with luxury, with adventure. There is a broad range of options for all budgets and tastes.

We should not fail to mention that technology has also helped a lot of people who are looking for food experiences during a trip. Today, you can easily find online restaurant reviews, menu translation, independent guides, local dining platforms, and more.

For example, how about including a cooking class on your next trip? In addition to having fun while learning traditional dishes, you can cook these dishes when you return home, and remember the trip while sharing the experience with friends and family.

Want more ideas? Check out the list below with some examples of what to do on a culinary trip .

Activities in Food Tourism:

  • Take a street food tour;
  • Tasting of local dishes and beverages;
  • Follow regional product routes (e.g. travel on wine or coffee routes);
  • Eat at traditional restaurants;
  • Share meals with local people;
  • Participate in culinary events and festivals;
  • Visit local markets;
  • Learn about the production of food by visiting farms and artisan producers;
  • Participate in cooking classes;
  • Visit exhibitions that explain the history of local cuisine;
  • Culinary expeditions with chefs and specialists.

If you want to understand each of these activities in detail, we have written another article that explains the main activities of food tourism .

participate in a cooking class during a culinary trip is considered part of Food Travel

How to Food Travel

You can choose between an immersive food trip, where the entire itinerary is centred on the culinary experiences of the destination, or just include some food tourism activities to complement your itinerary .

But, regardless of your travel style, there is a secret to unlock the full potential of food tourism: Curiosity!

Try to understand not only what people eat, but why they eat in one way or another, what are the local ingredients, what is the story behind the food they prepare. Ask, interact, taste and smile.

How to Plan a Culinary Trip

You can plan a culinary trip independently or through agencies. And whatever your choice is, Food’n Road will help you .

To begin with, get inspired by our Food and Travel blog and explore food destinations with guides and content from each country.

After choosing the destination of your next trip, we suggest two paths :

If you want to plan your itinerary independently, visit our marketplace to find and book experiences , we handpick the best food tourism activities and tours from around the world .

Now, if you want a true gastronomic journey adapted to your taste, we suggest our Food Travel Design service to make a completely customized itinerary for you .

It makes a difference to go beyond the plate

On a culinary trip, you end up learning a lot about the local culture and the best, directly with the residents, exchanging information, trying new flavours and having fun.

During our travels, something that always strikes us is to notice the similarities between the cuisine of distant countries and how the same ingredients are used in such different ways.

For example, have you ever wondered how important the chilli pepper is for Asian cuisine even though it is a native ingredient from the Americas? With each trip, a new discovery!

driving to taste the sugar palm fruit during a culinary trip amid food travels

Food Travel is much more than travelling to eat

We can learn a lot on a trip like this, meet people with different realities from the ones we live in, see other lifestyles, and encourage the preservation of heritage and traditions .

By sharing the table with local people, listening to their stories and talking about typical dishes, you will feel part of the place and will appreciate aspects that were previously unknown. 

On your next trip, try to learn about the destination by exploring the local cuisine and I am sure you will never forget this experience.

Count on Food’n Road to plan your next culinary journey and have a nice trip!

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The Roaming Fork

Food Travel: Best Tips for Planning a Food Trip

Spices Zanzibar

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Are you an avid food traveler who loves sharing a meal with locals, looking to try new foods, and mastering cooking classes? If so, food travel is the perfect way to experience the world.

Food tourism is increasingly becoming more popular with travelers seeking unique culinary experiences abroad – from learning Nona’s secrets of Italian cuisine to taking part in a tour of tapas bars on the cobblestone streets of Spain.

Food is a universal language; food and travel can open your eyes to delicious flavors and great food worldwide.

With careful planning and some insider tips, your next food travel trip will be sure to offer an unforgettable cultural adventure that your taste buds won’t soon forget!

food travel with

Food Culture and Culinary Traditions

Immersing yourself in a destination’s local food culture and culinary traditions is a thrilling experience for any traveler.

From savoring exotic spices to indulging in unique cooking techniques, the culinary scene of a destination offers a window into its rich history, cultural heritage, and amazing food!

Whether sampling street food in Asia , tasting the best tacos in Mexico City, fresh seafood in Japan , or trying the best barbecue in South Korea, each plate has authentic experiences waiting to be uncovered.

With every bite, you get closer to understanding the nuances of the local cuisine and the values that shape the food culture.

So why not take a culinary journey and expand your taste buds on your next adventure?

You might discover a new signature dish that will become a part of your culinary repertoire .

Set Your Culinary Tourism Expectations

Choose the right food travel destination, get hands-on with local cuisine, cooking classes, street food, food streets, day markets, night markets, small family-owned restaurants, food and travel destination restaurants, off the beaten food travel path, don’t forget about dessert, celiac disease, food travel faq, tips for planning a food trip.

So, are you a food enthusiast looking to embark on a culinary adventure? If yes, then great!

Here is our list of essential tips for planning an unforgettable mouth-watering food adventure.

Before you start planning your trip, it’s important to have realistic expectations about what you can achieve in the time and budget you have available.

Consider factors such as the number of days you can spend, the type of delicious food experiences you want, and any dietary restrictions that need to be considered.

This will help narrow down your options and make planning an enjoyable and memorable food trip easier.

When selecting food destinations for your culinary adventure, consider factors such as its cuisine, cultural norms around food, availability of ingredients, and accessibility.

Research ahead to know what food experiences are available in each location and which restaurants or markets are worth visiting.

This will help ensure your trip is filled with delicious meals and unique experiences that make it unforgettable.

Accessing a local food travel blog will help point you in the right direction.

It is also worth seeking out the local food tourism industry boards to see if any food-related festivals or other food tourism activities are taking place while you are in town.

Vietnamese Breakfast Dishes, Food Travel

There are many ways to learn and experience local cuisine.

This introduces us to new flavors and dishes and provides an opportunity to learn about the region’s history, traditions, and way of life.

Seeking out local food experiences, whether trying street food from a local vendor or dining at a family-owned restaurant, allows us to immerse ourselves in the local culture fully.

Not only is it an important aspect of travel, but it also supports the local economy and helps preserve traditional cooking and farming methods.

Ultimately, making a point to eat locally when traveling provides a unique, unforgettable culinary adventure while supporting the communities and traditions that make that experience possible.

food travel with

Taking a cooking class while traveling enables travelers to dive into the local food scene and gain unprecedented insights into the tastes and traditions that define their destination.

Whether solo traveling or with friends and family, these classes unleash the inner chef, unlocking culinary skills that enrich the traveling experience.

These classes are catered to provide a hands-on experience that allows travelers to learn how to prep, cook, and serve exotically rich delicacies – a skill set that lasts a lifetime.

My favorites have included a Thai cooking class and many Vietnamese cooking classes that are generally combined with a trip to the local market and recipes to take back to your kitchen.

Food Travel

An excellent way for food lovers to fully soak in all that a city or country has to offer is by taking a food tour.

While popular tourist areas may have well-known restaurants, food tours offer a more immersive culinary experience.

From savoring local delicacies to learning about the history and cultural significance behind certain dishes, food tours can give travelers a deeper appreciation for the place they are visiting.

Plus, it’s a great way to explore parts of the city that may not be on your itinerary.

A food tour that provided me with fond memories took place on the outskirts of the Mexican city of Oaxaca. We visited a local market for breakfast and a larger market for lunch and enjoyed a private tour of a Mezcal factory.

What better way to experience local cuisine than by trying local street food?

Whether it’s spicy samosas in India, banh mi in Vietnam, or fresh ceviche in Peru, street food is a cheap and delicious way to immerse yourself in the local culture.

Of course, it’s important to be cautious and choose vendors whose food looks and smells fresh and is cooked properly.

A busy vendor is normally a good sign as there will be a quick turnover of food, and it will be cooked fresh.

But with a little care and some adventurousness, trying street-level food can be a highlight of any trip.

So next time you’re traveling, don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and indulge in some of the world’s delicious street food.

One easy way to access the true taste of local food is to take a street food tour. These are generally in small groups and visit a few places to try different go-to local dishes.

pineapple juice

What better way to experience food travel than exploring local food streets ?

These bustling streets are often packed with vendors offering delicious exotic dishes that will tantalize your taste buds and leave you wanting more.

Roaming the narrow alleys and smelling the delicious aromas from every corner is an adventure in itself.

The experience of tasting authentic local cuisine freshly prepared and cooked in front of your eyes is a perfect combination and something that cannot be replicated.

Eating in these food streets satisfies hunger and immerses oneself in the local culture, bonding with locals and making unforgettable memories.

One of Malaysia’s standout local food streets is Jalan Alor, which translates to Food Street. It is the perfect way to taste local hawker and Chinese food and regional dishes from countries such as Thailand, Korea, and Vietnam. I love this street and have written about it here. It is almost the definition of gastronomy tourism.

food travel with

While restaurants can certainly offer a taste of the local flavor, there’s something special about checking out the local markets.

Not only can you find a variety of fresh, seasonal ingredients unique to the area, but you can also find vendors offering ready-to-eat meals packed with flavor and often prepared right in front of you. 

Eating at local markets can also be a great way to interact with locals, learn more about the culture, and get a sense of what everyday life is like in that particular place.

My main motivation for going to the largest market on my first trip to Oaxaca, Mexico, was to order a Tlayuda de Oaxaca and experience the meat BBQ hall.

Vegetarian tlayudas de Oaxaca, food travel

The bustling atmosphere and the diversity of street food are the perfect combinations for an exciting cultural experience.

When it comes to the best food, night markets boast a wide array of delectable treats to tempt even the pickiest of eaters.

From savory skewers and piping hot dumplings to sweet desserts like boba tea and mochi, there is something for everyone.

Some of the best night markets I have been to are in Taiwan, Thailand, and Malaysia, where they provide a unique culinary experience that is not to be missed.

Food Travel

Having a food adventure to new destinations and trying local cuisine is one of the pleasures of traveling .

The immersive experience of dining at local family-owned restaurants, in particular, is a delightful way of getting a taste of the culture and traditions of the people.

Small, family-owned local restaurants are often havens of authentic and homemade meals prepared with love and care.

These establishments are not only unique but very welcoming due to the family’s evident pride and passion for their food business.

So when you are on your authentic food quest, small restaurants offer an array of culinary choices that will excite every traveler’s taste buds.

Japanese food experiences

Eating at an expensive destination restaurant can be one of the trip’s highlights, offering a unique and memorable dining experience. 

From Michelin-starred establishments to trendy fusion spots, these restaurants often showcase local ingredients and traditions in creative and innovative ways, providing a glimpse into the culture and culinary scene of the destination.

While the cost may be significantly higher than dining at local eateries, the quality and presentation often justify the price tag. 

For something different, it’s time to venture off the beaten path and try some local eats .

From hole-in-the-wall diners to bustling food markets, there are plenty of opportunities to indulge in authentic cuisine you won’t find anywhere else.

Not only will you get to experience the local culture uniquely, but you’ll also discover new flavors and dishes that will become the highlight of your next food travel road trip.

So next time you hit the road, be brave and follow your taste buds to some of the best-hidden gems. Your stomach will thank you.

3 weeks in Myanmar

Desserts are often overlooked when traveling, but they shouldn’t be forgotten!

Many countries have their own unique desserts which offer sweet treats and cultural insights into their history and traditions – think flan de leche in Mexico, baklava in Turkey, and the unique three-colored dessert in Vietnam – so make sure not to miss out on these tasty delights while exploring abroad!

Penang night market, Food Travel

Plan Ahead for Dietary Requirements

If you’re planning a culinary trip and have dietary requirements, it’s important not to let that limit your experience.

Before embarking on your adventure, research the local cuisine and ingredients to understand what foods might fit your dietary needs. Once you’ve identified potential dishes and restaurants, contact them directly to see if they can accommodate any restrictions or substitutions.

Don’t be afraid to ask for recommendations from locals or other travelers with similar dietary needs.

Comprehensive food guides will often have sections covering food allergies.

With the right planning and flexibility, you can enjoy a delicious and unforgettable culinary journey without compromising your dietary requirements.

Regardless of your dietary requirements, it can be a challenge to communicate them with any level of certainty, especially when language is an issue.

If you have Celiac disease , I highly recommend these Gluten Free Restaurant Cards , translated into many languages by a very experienced traveler and someone who needs to use these cards when eating out – Jodi from Legal Nomads. Over 4,000 cards have been sold!

Have a look through the various countries that already have translations and take the stress out of food travel.

I’m often asked about the best way to communicate with vendors or restaurants when language is a barrier. That’s where these Gluten Free Restaurant Cards come into their own.

Have a look at the detailed cards from countries such as Vietnam , Thailand , Malaysia , Latin America , and Japan . They are amazing.

When traveling, it’s important to be cautious regarding food safety. Research the local cuisine and ingredients beforehand to know what foods are safe for your dietary needs. Reach out to restaurants directly if you have any questions or concerns. Additionally, packing snacks or meals from home can provide peace of mind and help you avoid potential risks.

Yes! Don’t forget to take pictures and write down your impressions of each meal, so you can remember all the dishes you tried on this culinary trip. Also, keep an open mind when it comes to trying new things – you never know when you might stumble upon a delicious local dish that you never knew existed! Finally, it helps to be mindful of other cultures while traveling. Enjoy your food experiences, but always remember to be mindful when trying new dishes and respect the local culture.

Conclusion to Food Travel Tips

Food travel is an excellent way to get to know a new destination and explore its culture.

From researching culinary traditions to sampling local dishes on the streets, you’ll find no shortage of delicious experiences when it comes to food travel.

When planning your trip, be sure to research beforehand and make a list of things to do so you don’t miss out on any of the cultural delights awaiting you.

With proper preparation, genuine curiosity, and a hungry appetite, embarking on a food-filled adventure can become an amazing memory.

Happy food traveling!!

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Let's Roam Explorer

41 No-Cook Meals for Your Next Travel Adventure

We’ve challenged ourselves to come up with the easiest dishes to prepare on a trip. You’ll love these no-cook meals for traveling!

food travel with

Let’s be real … nobody wants to cook on their vacation. However, it isn’t economical to eat out every meal, and if you are off the grid camping, then you can’t anyway. Luckily, there are lots of great no-cook meals for traveling out there! They might take a bit of preparation beforehand, and you’ll definitely need a cooler or refrigerator of some sort, but it can be done! 

While the options for minimal-cook or prepare-before-hand meals are endless, we are going to challenge ourselves today. For this guide, we will only use only recipes that you need absolutely no heat source for, once you’re on the road.  That’s not to say, you couldn’t modify some of them to make even better meals cooked over a campfire or stove—like s’mores! 

App-Guided Travel Adventures

While you’re traveling, don’t forget to download our app and search for nearby scavenger hunts ! Each adventure is designed to help you get to know new places and learn fun facts. Search through hundreds of tours , pub crawls , art walks, and ghost hunts and find one perfect for you!

No-Cook Breakfast Meals for Traveling

​Breakfast is the most important meal of the day right? It certainly is if you plan on taking a long hike or spending the day in one of the blazing hot national parks of the Western United States. While packaged doughnuts are totally an option, let’s what else we can find!

1. Overnight Oats

Overnight oats are a simple and nutritious way to start the day. All you need is something to keep them cold. There are a million ways to make overnight oats.  Most recipes call for milk of some sort, your favorite nut butter, and then embellishments. For a banana bread flavor, try oats, almond butter, milk, cinnamon, and maple syrup. Mix, and allow to sit in the refrigerator or cooler overnight. You want your mixture to be fluid and runny, as the oats will absorb the milk overnight. Add cut bananas in the morning and enjoy! Many people choose to add flax seeds, yogurt, or chia seeds for extra protein. There’s no wrong way to do it, whatever ingredients you have on hand will do!

2. Peanut Butter Protein Balls

Chilled peanut butter balls are not only an amazing-tasting snack but they’re also packed with protein and all the sugar you need for a long hike. You can make them before you leave the house, and just throw them in the cooler. Five easy ingredients of chocolate chips, ground flaxseed, peanut butter or other nut butter, honey, and oats are all it takes for this perfect camping trip power breakfast.

3. British Bean Bites

Sounds weird to Americans, but the brits eat cold beans and bread for breakfast all the time. Open a can of baked beans and served atop crunchy french or focaccia bread! The British version would be more akin to Showboat Pork and Beans than saucy baked beans. They’re usually in a thin, tomato sauce, not a sweet, thick BBQ sauce. 

4. Yogurt Parfaits

Low-sugar yogurt is packed with healthy protein. Add a little granola and fresh fruit for a complete breakfast. We love this one because the ingredients are available at pretty much any grocery store and can be used for other quick meals as well. A large can of rolled oats and a big tub of original Greek yogurt should be on everyone’s packing list for a road trip or camping trip. 

5. Boiled Eggs

This is the one cheater on the list. You’ll have to cook them before you leave, but boiled eggs are valuable to have around. You can at them on their own, or use them in several of the recipes on our list. Boil a batch of 12 before you leave the house, and they will keep for a few days in the cooler. Eggs will keep you full for a while, have healthy protein, and pack easily. Just peel and eat! Plus, you can use them for several of the other recipes on our list.

6. Bagels and Cream Cheese

Don’t know about you, but there’s nothing much better than an “everything bagel.” Pack a brick of cream cheese or goat cheese in your cooler, and you are good to go. You can top with blueberries for some extra anti-oxidants, or sprinkle with un-salted sunflower seeds for a little extra belly-filling protein. 

7. Banana and Peanut Butter

It’s simple, but it’s effective. Just beware with this one if you are sensitive to sugars. Bananas are a high sugar item, so you might consider pairing them with organic nut butter with no extra sugar added. Add a glass of your favorite milk, and you are good to go!

Better yet …

8. Banana Cereal

Nope, we don’t mean put bananas on your cereal, we mean make banana cereal. This was grandma’s specialty. We loved it, and your kids will love it, assuming they like bananas. Cut up the banana in thin slices, sprinkle with a bit of cinnamon and douse in milk. Eat up!

9. Avocado toast

There’s nothing you can’t do with the superfood avocado. Breakfast, lunch, or dinner, it will show up everywhere on this list. It’s easy to pack, easy to find in most stores, and works to eat by itself, as a garnish, or as a spread or dip. It truly is a superfood. Since you likely won’t have a toaster, and it’s not as good on untoasted bread, consider grabbing some English muffins from the store. Mash your avocado a bit, making it soft. Spread over your muffin. Shred some of your boiled egg over the top and add a few diced tomatoes or spicy salsa … breakfast of champs!

10. Muffins

One of our favorite road trip treats is Otis Spunkmeyer Chocolate Chocolate Chip muffins. There is just something about them that screams wreckless vacation abandon! 

11. Chia Pudding

Like overnight oats, chia pudding can be made beforehand and kept in the refrigerator. A good chia pudding base only needs 3 ingredients: Chia seeds, milk, and something sweet. For a little extra flair, combine chia seeds, your favorite milk, pureed strawberries, or another berry, and a bit of yogurt. Let it sit in the fridge overnight, and the chia seeds will suck up all the liquid, expand, and turn into a kind of gelatinous pudding. Top with almonds and coconut shreds or cacao nibs for the perfect treat! Add a bit of honey if you need some sweetness. 

12. Just be gross, you’re on vacation

When all else fails, Poptarts are tasty. It’s not ideal on the health front, but there is no shame in having some easy, premade stuff on your vacation. While you certainly don’t want to eat 5 Little Debbies a day (well, you might want to, but you probably shouldn’t) it never hurts to have one. There’s nothing better to celebrate conquering that beast of a hike than a Cosmic Brownie. You earned it. If you are absolutely against big-brand packaged foods and all their harmful grossness, there are some stellar organic options out there for granola bars, breakfast bars, and even brownies. 

No-Cook Lunchtime Meals for Traveling

Lunch on a trip needs to be quick, easy, and filling. If you are traveling alone, that’s super easy, but if you need to please a whole picky family, we don’t envy you. That job is much harder. Good luck to you! Hopefully, you’ll find something below that your clan will enjoy. 

13. Charcuterie board

You’ll be the fanciest road-trippers at the RV park with this one. Cold cuts, salami, fresh cucumbers, cubed cheese, an assortment of nuts, grapes, and some tomato slices, and you have a lunch that not only fuels your body but looks super pretty! We love charcuterie boards because they’re easy to feed a lot of people with, and littles can come by and pick up a healthy bite as they play. It can be stuck in the fridge and pulled out later too, so it just works great. 

14. Egg Salad Sandwiches

You still have those boiled eggs right? Turn them into yummy egg salad and slap it on a sandwich. Pair with some potato chips, and get back on the trail!

15. Good Old Peanut Butter and Jelly

Hey, don’t knock it. It’s an American classic, and it is tasty whether you are 3 or 93. 

16. Tuna salad

Tuna salad is another protein-packed option that is easy to carry on the road. Buy some packets or cans, or better yet fresh tuna if you live somewhere you can get it. Add your favorite fixings. This tuna salad recipe with red onion, dijon mustard, and celery is super tasty! Serve with crackers or as a sandwich. It doesn’t get much easier. Tuna is handy to have around, as you can also add it to pre-bought pasta salads for a little extra protein or make tuna-stuffed avocados for dinner (later). 

17. Chicken Caesar Wraps

Chicken Caesar wraps are one of the best backpacking recipes. Whether you choose to grab a rotisserie chicken at the store before you leave or go with canned chicken, either way, it makes for a delicious meal. This chicken Caesar recipe with whole wheat tortillas , parmesan cheese, and cherry tomatoes is simple and yummy! 

18. Crab Salad

The grainy mustard and sharp cheddar in this creamy crab salad recipe make it extra delicious! However, like tuna or chicken salad, you can pretty much throw everything but the kitchen sink in a crab salad or put nothing but mayo, and it will be just fine in a pinch. Plop it in a pita bread pocket, and pair it with some fresh veggies, and you have the perfect lunch.

19. Berry Salad

Add a little extra beauty to your boring salad with some colorful berries.  Romaine lettuce topped with strawberries, blueberries, shaved almonds, and feta cheese or goat cheese is a quick, healthy camper lunch. Throw on your favorite dressing, we love this Brianna’s blueberry balsamic vinaigrette . 

20. Pimento Cheese Sandwiches

Pimento cheese is one of those things that we rarely eat unless we are traveling. Grab a tub at the store and use it on sandwiches, crackers, or as a spread for fresh veggies. It also makes a good addition to veggie tortilla wraps, lettuce wraps, or pinwheels.

21. Chicken Salad Sandwiches

Here’s where those ten cans of shredded chicken you bought are going to come in handy. Chicken salad can be very plain or really fancy. We love this cranberry pecan chicken salad recipe ! For a healthier option, omit the bread and serve as a lettuce wrap!

22. Smoked Salmon Stacks

A few packets of pre-cooked salmon are also nice to have around for fish tacos, to throw on your salad for a little extra filler, or to make this tasty lunch treat. This flatbread salmon stack is an easy option that requires just a bit of meal prep, so you might want to start the night before. If that is too much work, just load up some Ritz crackers with a bit of salmon, a slice of avocado, and a dash of salt and pepper for a quick and easy lunch. 

No-Cook Dinnertime Meals for Traveling

Dinner is probably the hardest category on the list, at least for Americans. We tend to save our largest meal for the end of the day, and we generally want something warm. So, a completely no-cook dinner is out of the normal for many of us (though sandwich or cereal night is certainly not unheard of in our house)! 

23. Greek Salad

A traditional Greek salad is not only healthy and tasty, but goodness it is pretty. While recipes vary all over the Mediterranean and the Balkans, they generally consist of fresh diced tomatoes, olives, feta cheese, and sometimes bell peppers, red onions, and cucumbers. You can make it any way you want, with whatever you have. Toss in a little olive oil or vinaigrette and a pinch of salt. Magnifique!

24. Stuffed Avocados

This is one of our favorite no-cook camping meals. Split an avocado, and remove the pit. Fill the center with a plop of your favorite meat salad. Sprinkle with salt and pepper or paprika. You can use any of the meat you have, salmon, chicken, tuna. Use the leftover tuna salad from yesterday’s lunch. Another option is to make taco-stuffed avocados . All you need is a taco-seasoning packet to add to the meat and veg you already have on hand!

25. Crab Ceviche

Ceviche is a cold seafood dish, popular all over Central America. It is traditionally made with fresh fish, lime juice, peppers, red onion, and whatever else you have on hand at the time! You can use any of the packaged or prebought fish you have to create “ camping ceviche .” For a side dish, whip up some 7-layer dip and tortilla chips for a complete no-cook dinner!

26. Veggie Gyros

These vegetable gyros feature our favorite item-avocadoes, plus chickpeas and yummy tzatziki spread. Chickpeas are packed with protein and all these veggies will get you to your daily allotment of vitamins and fiber. For the meat lovers in the group, you can easily add chicken you have on hand! 

27. Mexican 3-bean salad with guacamole

… Oh, sorry! Just dreaming about this Mexican 3-bean salad ! It might be a favorite meal idea on this list. Hiking and exploring make you hungry, and all the beans in this baby give you the fiber you need for a good night’s sleep! Pair it with fresh guacamole for the ultimate easy camping meal.  

28. Layered Taco Salad

Take some of that chicken you brought and mix in some taco seasoning. In a large bowl, layer it with cheese, beans, lettuce, and crushed Nacho Cheese Doritos. Alternate your layers of each until the bowl is full. Let everyone choose their own toppings of guacamole, sour cream, and salsa. 

Mexican food is the easiest no-cook dinner to make. Layer nachos with shredded canned meat, beans, and all the veggies and toppings you like! If you can warm your meat and beans, that’s great, but it is just as good cold!

Snack Ideas or Side Dishes

You’ll likely be more active on your vacation than you are in normal daily life. It seems most of us need a vacation from our vacation by the time we get home. So, you are going to need more fuel than usual. Plus, if you have kids in tow, then snacks are a primary food group (maybe the only food group)! Make sure you have some good ones on board!

30. Veggies and Hummus

Nothing super inventive here, but it’s easy and effective. Plus, you might get your picky ones to eat a carrot or bell pepper stick if it is slathered in yummy hummus or guacamole. You could make a big batch of homemade hummus before your trip, or make it easy on yourself and buy some tasty flavors at the store.

31. Trail Mix

No surprise here, trail mix is a great idea to have on hand. It fits easily in the backpack for long hikes. You can throw the bag at a kid in the backseat when needed, and it is filled with tummy-filling protein. Make your own trail mix , or snag a giant premade bag from Amazon before your trip!

32. Fresh-Fruit Salad

Nothing screams summer like a bowl of fresh fruit. This fruit salad with citrus dressing is delightful and is the perfect anecdote for that summer heat! You might even convince your kids to eat something healthy today. 

33. Beef Jerky

Beef jerky just belongs in a backpack. They go hand in hand. 

34. Pesto Pinwheels

Pinwheels are a classic party appetizer, but they also make a great one-bite snack. We love these pinwheels , but there are many great ones out there, so use what you have on hand! It does take a little bit of meal prep time as they need to sit in the refrigerator or cooler for several hours to set up. 

35. Deli Rolls

Don’t know about you, but to us, there isn’t anything better than a slice of your favorite cheese, rolled up inside of a piece of deli meat. Admit it, you have done it. You can make it fancy with a hummus spread or olive-decorated toothpick! It’s quick, easy, filling, and budget-friendly. We love it!

No-Cook Snacks for Traveling

36. s’mores.

Okay, so the best s’mores require a little smoking on a campfire, but technically you can make them with uncooked marshmallows. They’re still super tasty!

37. To-Go Banana Pudding

The banana version is the best, but you can try this treat with any premade pudding cup of your liking. Crush a bag of Vanilla wafers. Add it to your pudding cup. Slice up a banana for garnish and plop a dollop of Cool Whip on top. Yummm.

38. No-Bake Lemon Tarts

Lemon pudding snack packs can easily be turned into a tart. Line a small bowl, or just make a pile of finely crushed Graham crackers. Slather on a healthy slab of cold lemon pudding, and top with your favorite whipped topping. Sprinkle on nuts or coconut shavings to taste!

39. Cottage Cheese and Dried Fruit

This one won’t please everyone, but if you love it, you love it! Cottage cheese has healthy fat and is a good source of protein. It will keep you full, and if you top it with some sweet dried pineapple, it’s pretty tasty!

40. Fresh Strawberries and Whipped Topping

Strawberries topped with a little sugar take on a totally different flavor! If you don’t use granulated sugar, honey works just as well. Slice them up, add your honey or sugar, and allow them to sit in a cold environment for at least 4 hours. If you want a lush dessert, stock up on some pre-made angel food cakes or make one at home before your trip. The decadent strawberry mixture on top of some food cake with whipped topping is a fantastic dessert any day of the week!

41. Fruit Pizza

Pizza! Create this delectable treat with granola, nut butter, cinnamon, and chopped almonds. Combine together to make a delicious crust. You can add honey if you use unsweetened nut butter. Press into a pie pan or dish, or just press flat on parchment paper. Let chill in the refrigerator or ice chest for at least an hour. Cover in yogurt or softened cream cheese, then sprinkle with your favorite fresh fruits, cacao nibs, or drizzle with chocolate syrup!

Other Staples To Keep On Hand

If you tried to make everything on this list, your entire camper would be full of food and ingredients. Instead, try to group your choices by recipes that use and reuse a smaller number of ingredients. Remember you can always repurpose your leftovers from day 1 lunch for day 2 dinner. Get creative. With this sample shopping list, you’ll be able to create several dishes.

  • Canned or packed meats: tuna, salmon, and chicken
  • Canned beans of several varieties
  • Boiled eggs
  • Lots of fresh fruit and veggies
  • A tub of your favorite “crumbled” cheese – Feta or goat.
  • A jar of nut butter
  • A large bag of mixed nuts and seeds
  • Your favorite multi-purpose bread
  • Mayonnaise and brown mustard
  • Granola or oats
  • Olive oil and lemon juice or a vinaigrette dressing
  • Salt, pepper, garlic powder

Closing Thoughts

Just because you don’t want to cook doesn’t mean you can’t eat like a king on your vacation. With a little forethought, some smart shopping, and perhaps a small amount of meal planning before you leave, you can ensure that you have everything you need to whip up fast, easy meals on the go. 

What are your go-to camping or travel meals? Let us know in the comments!

Going on a long hike? Here are a few more “ Healthy Travel Snack Ideas To Keep Your Belly Full. ” 

If you want an epic camping adventure this summer, check out our list of the “ 20 Best National Parks In The USA .”

Frequently Asked Questions

No one wants to cook on vacation. Some of the best no-cook traveling meals are not only filling but healthy too. While camping, try stuffed avocados, crab salad, or camping ceviche.

Travel food should be easy, and the ingredients versatile. Some of the best no-cook traveling meals can be made with bread, nuts, seeds, fresh fruit, and vegetables. And don’t knock canned ingredients!

It’s always best to seek travel advice from experts ! For starters, download travel apps to save on fares and an adventure app for fun. Also, plan some no-cook meals to fuel up between adventures.

Featured Products & Activities

TSA Rules for Traveling with Food

food travel with

Most frequent travelers know that they need to streamline what they’re carrying in order to make it through the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) security checkpoints at airports quickly and easily. If you’re a frequent traveler, the 3-1-1 rule for liquids should be old-hat to you by now. According to the 3-1-1 guidelines, travelers are allowed to bring on most liquids—from shampoo to hand sanitizer gels—as long as they meet the requirements of the 3-1-1 rule. Typically this means you can carry up to 3.4-ounce bottles of shampoos, contact lens solution, and other liquid necessities (3) as long as they are all contained within one 1-quart zip-top bag (1) and are carried by one passenger (1).

However, if you have something unusual that you’ve picked up as a gift for someone during your business trip or want to bring a little bit of food with you on the plane, there are certain items that are allowed through the TSA security checkpoints.

When it comes to bringing food through a TSA security checkpoint, you need to keep the 3-1-1 rule in mind, and either pack, ship, or leave behind anything that has a high liquid concentration, and keep in mind that certain liquids and foods are not allowed.

Foods to Pack While Traveling by Airplane

Surprisingly, the TSA allows almost all food items through the security checkpoint, so long as none of them are liquids in amounts exceeding 3.4 ounces. This means you can even bring pies and cakes with you through the checkpoint—though they will be subject to additional screening.

Items allowed for travel in your carry-on include baby food, bread, candy, cereal, cheese, chocolate, coffee grounds, cooked meats, cookies, crackers, dried fruits, fresh eggs, meat, seafood, and vegetables, frozen foods, gravy, gum, honey, hummus, nuts, pizza, salt, sandwiches, and all sorts of dry snacks; even live lobsters are allowed in special clear, sealed, spill-proof containers.

There are some exceptions to the rule, such as breast milk and baby formula, and some special instructions for liquids. Be sure to check out the official TSA website if you have any questions about the specific foods you plan to travel with during your trip.

Foods That Are Banned on Airplanes

As with non-food items, you cannot bring any food item in liquid or cream form that is over 3.4 ounces. This rule, known as the TSA liquids rule , stipulates that you can only carry cranberry sauce, jam or jelly, maple syrup, salad dressing, ketchup, and other condiments, liquids of any type, and creamy dips and spreads including cheese, salsa, and peanut butter in a container under that quantity. Unfortunately, your liquid will be thrown out if its quantity exceeds this amount.

Canned foods, partially melted ice packs, and alcoholic beverages provide the most trouble in getting through security checkpoints as these come with specific stipulations on when they can and cannot be transported in carry-on luggage .

For example, alcoholic beverages over 140 proof (70 percent alcohol by volume) including grain alcohol and 151 proof rum are prohibited from checked baggage and carry-on luggage; however, you can bring small bottles of alcohol (the same you would purchase in-flight) as long as they do not exceed 140 proof. Note that many airlines will not allow you to consume your own liquor on board.

On the other hand, ice packs are completely fine as long as they are fully solid while going through security. If they have any liquid inside of them at the time of screening, the ice packs will be taken out. Similarly, if canned food items that contain liquids appear suspicious to TSA security officers, they may be taken out of your checked bag.

Yes, you can bring most food items through airport security, including baby food, cheese, chocolate, coffee grounds, cooked meats, meat, seafood, and vegetables. However, foods that come in liquid or cream form—think peanut butter, ketchup, and maple syrup—must be left behind if they exceed 3.4 ounces.

Yes, frozen food is allowed in both your carry-on and checked luggage. However, if you're using ice to keep your food cold, keep in mind that it must be completely frozen at the time of security screening.

You can bring however much food as you want, so long as it all fits in your carry-on and personal item, and the liquid food items (e.g. peanut butter, jam, salsa) follow TSA's 3-1-1 rule.

3-1-1 Rule for Liquids in Carry-on Bags

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Liquids Allowed in Carry-On Luggage

The 7 Best Travel Toiletry Bottles of 2024, Tested and Reviewed

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The Best Travel Toiletries

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Best Ways to Prepare for Airport Security Screenings

Survival Tips for Air Travel with an Infant or Toddler

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THE ULTIMATE ROAD TRIP FOOD LIST: 50 Scrumptious Travel Snacks

Post Summary: The definitive road trip food list with 50 snack ideas and meals to keep you happy the entire car ride. Plus, tips for what else to bring and recommendations for the best road trip coolers.

Road trips are the classic adventure that everyone needs to do at least once in their life, whether you’re traveling solo, with your best buds, or packing in the whole family. What’s the secret to a great road trip? Besides having your maps already downloaded to your phone (travel must #1), it’s to have a collection of the best road trip food at your disposal. Being prepared with good travel food will ensure you don’t:

  • Kill your travel mates because you’re hangry.
  • Get killed by your travel mates because they’re hangry.
  • Get lured in by every gasoline stop and somehow end up with bright orange Cheetos and Slim Jims.
  • Waste your travel budget dining on Subway and Wendys road trip meals.

After road tripping with a toddler for half a year around the US, we’ve figured out the ultimate road trip food list so we can enjoy the journey together feeling nourished and happy. Our list includes road trip food ideas for adults and kids as well as healthy car snacks.

After the road trip food list, we’ve included non-food items you’ll want to bring and some tips on choosing the best road trip cooler.

Need More Road Trip Tips? Check out our other articles below:

The Ultimate Road Trip Packing List: 41 Essentials For The Road 160 Fun, Deep, and Sometimes Silly Road Trip Questions 41 Fun and Challenging Road Trip Trivia Questions 17+ Fun Things To Do On A Road Trip How To Survive A Road Trip With A Toddler 40 Must Have Items To Have In Your Camper

*This road trip food list post may contain affiliate links, which means we might earn a small commission if you purchase from them. This is at no extra cost to you! We only recommend products and services we genuinely think are helpful.

The Ultimate Road Trip Food List

prepared food on top of a map

Healthy snacks for a road trip

We’ll start with healthy snacks for the road. I don’t know about you, but when we go on road trips, we tend to fall back on fast food and junk food. In an effort to have a quasi healthy road trip we make sure to include some healthy options so we can at least feel like we’ve balanced out all our snickers bars and Wendy’s frosties. Here’s our list of the best road trip foods that won’t leave you feeling sluggish at the end of the day. We also added in a few recommendations of some of our favorite brands.

Healthy Snacks For Car Rides 1. Fruit: Bananas, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, grapes, apples, oranges 2. Sliced veggies: carrots, cucumbers, celery, bell peppers, pickles, radishes 3. Cherry tomatoes 4. Olives (buy the pitted kinds) 5. Salsa 6. Deli sandwiches or wraps (already made from home or pre-purchased) 7. A simple charcuterie spread (summer sausage, pepperoni, sliced cheese, dried apricots, olives, crackers, etc.) 8. Popcorn 9. Yellow corn chips, blue corn chips, kale chips 10. Granola Bars and Energy Bars ( Munk Bars are our favorite! ) 11. Dried Fruit 12. Crackers (cheese crackers, saltines, whole wheat crackers, these almond crackers are my favorite!) 13. Pretzels 14. Nuts (almonds, peanuts, cashews, macadamia, walnuts, pecans) 15. Trail mix 16. Tuna (Get the kind that doesn’t need to be refrigerated! It can become a snack on crackers, a sandwich, or added to a salad) 17. Coconut chips ( Dang chips are our favorite. ) 18. Dark chocolate 19. Wasabi peas 20. Fruit leather 21. Whole-grain muffins 22. Bread (pretzel rolls, pita bread) 23. Water (Preferably in a water bottle like a Hydro Flask that will keep your water cold for hours.) *The following are all still healthy snacks for a road trip but will require a cooler. Skip them if you are going sans cooler. Further down, we’ll talk about the best road trip coolers. 23. Hard-boiled eggs 24. Small yogurt containers or drinkable yogurts 25. Humus 26. Guacamole 27. Pasta salad 28. Lentil salad 29. Grocery store salad kits (Can be eaten out of the bag! Just cut the top, pour in the salad dressing, and shake it away. You can also opt to do salads in a jar) 30. Cheese

Essential Road Trip Snacks

Pile of potato chips for a road trip

These road trip snacks might not be the healthiest, but look…you can’t always be perfect!

Road Trip Snack List 32. Beef Jerky 33. Chips 34. Fun candy (Any kind of candy that brings you joy for your road trip. Gummy bears, reeses pieces, airheads) 35. Ranch dip to go with your healthy veggies 36. Fun drinks (Just make sure the drink is able to be resealed or small enough that you’ll drink it all quickly. My favorite road trip drink is coconut water!) 37. Cookies

Road Trip Snacks For Kids And Toddlers

While we don’t put a distinction between road trip food for the adults and road trip food for kids, here are some fun ideas you can add in addition to the travel food listed above. We found that allowing for leniency with what we let our kid snack on will mean a more fun time for everyone in the car.

Road Trip Snacks For Toddlers and Kids 38. String Cheese or Babybels 39. Peanut butter pretzels 40. Clementines 41. Squeezable applesauce 42. Squeezable nut butters (peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter) 43. Graham crackers 44. Goldfish 45. Fruit snacks 46. Fruit roll ups 47. Peanut butter and jelly sandwich 48. Dry cereal 49. Nutella 50. Snap pea crisps ( I love the wasabi ones from Harvest Snaps . I can only get them online because my grocery store never has them!)

Essential Non Food Items

Utensils and napkins for a road trip

Now that you’ve got your travel food and made your road trip food list, let’s talk about non food items to have on your road trip packing list. We are both advocates for minimal waste living so we do advise using reusable items like real utensils, glass containers, and reusable straws rather than single-use items. I know it can feel like a nuisance, but once you get used to doing it, it’s easy to integrate it into your habits. We’ve provided links to different products, so you can check out some good options.

-Trash bags (old shopping bags work well) – Stackable glass or plastic containers (While glass may feel like a hazard, I find that most of them are built for endurance and would require some extreme throwing around to actually break. Either way, bringing containers rather than an entire bag of snacks is a great space saver.) -Reusable straws (we like this multipack option here ) -Bento boxes (another option is to make individual bento boxes with everyone’s preferred snacks put in. It’s essentially a healthier version of a Lunchable. Great option if you’re traveling with kids.) Check out these cute bento boxes here . -Utensils -Plates -Paper towels -Hand sanitizer -Ziplock bags -Wipes -Cups if you want to share drinks -Ice packs for the cooler (We prefer to use reusable ice packs like these , but frozen water bottles or ice cubes in a ziplock back will do the job as well.) -Reusable grocery bag to carry your non-perishable stuff -Plastic tub (If you’re going on a long road trip and will have lots of snacks, a good option is to pack all your non-perishable items in a tub like this .) -Cooler

Related : A Comprehensive Guide To the Best Toddler Carriers For Traveling

Best Road Trip Coolers

food travel with

If you’re going on a long road trip, you’ll definitely want to bring a cooler so you can have more options for the journey. Things to consider when deciding what kind of road trip cooler to bring.

  • How much space will you have in your car?
  • How many days will you be driving and subsequently how much food will you need?
  • Cost of the cooler
  • If you road trip or camp a lot and will use a cooler several times a year.

Yeti Roadi 24 Cooler

YETI Roadie 24 Cooler, Tan

Our choice for the best road trip cooler is the Yeti Roadi 24 Cooler . It’s a mid-sized cooler that can fit a bottle of wine standing upright. We like its lightweight design and that its compact size can fit on the ground behind the passenger seat.

It has a mid-range price point, so if you are wanting something more economical, you’ll probably want our next pick.

Igloo MaxCold Cooler

Igloo Maxcold 40-100 Qt Commercially Insulated Coolers

If all you need is a no-frills cooler to keep your food cold, the Igloo Maxcold Cooler is a great option. The thin design also makes it a great choice for someone wanting to save room in the car.

Arctic Zone Titan Deep Freeze

Arctic Zone Titan Deep Freeze Cooler - 30 Can Zipperless Hardbody Cooler - Navy Blue with Deep Freeze Insulation, HardBody Liner, and SmartShelf

If you like a soft cooler, the Arctic Zone Titan Deep Freeze consistently offers the best bang for your buck.

Yeti Tundra 45

YETI Tundra 45 Cooler, Navy

Lastly, if you are wanting a high-end cooler that will be great for camping and can take the wear and tear of consistent use, the Yeti Tundra 45 is your best bet. Yeti is the reigning champion of coolers and you can’t go wrong with anything you purchase from them.

Before you head out on your epic road trip, we suggest packing the night before. Alleviating as much stress as possible on the day you leave, especially when you’re doing a road trip with a toddler , is key to enjoying the road trip journey. We find that the night before, it’s best to:

  • Wash, cut, and peel all vegetables and fruit.
  • Pack up all non perishable food and supplies.
  • Prepare any road trip sandwiches you plan to eat.

Lastly, don’t forget to make sure all your tasty road trip snacks are within reaching distance in the car.

We hope you enjoyed our complete road trip food list. Happy road tripping!

** For more road trip inspiration follow us on Instagram . We travel… a lot.

NEED SOME TRAVEL INSPIRATION? A Complete Guide To A Utah National Parks Road Trip How To Plan A Cross Country Road Trip + Fun Routes To Take 10 National Parks To Visit In The East 50 Family Bucket List Experiences In The US

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Hi, we’re Christina and Brad, Idaho based writers and photographers who live to explore. We did a short stint of traveling full time with our two year old and discovered we're much happier as part time nomads. What does that mean? We travel a lot! And then we go home. We love helping fellow parents and everyday adventurers discover new places and experiences.

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12 all-inclusive resorts with the best food.

All-inclusive properties aren't typically known for their cuisine, but these standout resorts break stereotypes.

All-Inclusive Resorts with the Best Food

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Courtesy of Garza Blanca Preserve Resort & Spa

All-inclusive resorts aren't necessarily known for their dining options or cuisine. In fact, many people have traditionally associated all-inclusive resorts with bland buffets and uninspiring meals that are meant to feed the masses.

Fortunately, more and more all-inclusive resorts are elevating their culinary offerings with diverse options, locally sourced ingredients and acclaimed chefs. Follow your taste buds to these all-inclusive resorts with the best food.

El Dorado Seaside Suites: Riviera Maya, Mexico

Tropical mexican shrimp cocktail, made with mango, onions, fresh tomatoes and lemon over a corn tostada

Getty Images

Located in Mexico's Riviera Maya, about halfway between Tulum and Playa del Carmen, El Dorado Seaside Suites is part of the Karisma brand of resorts, which is known for its "gourmet inclusive" offerings. This meal plan covered by the room rate includes customized dishes from world-class chefs, as well as breakfast, lunch, dinner and specialty bites.

This all-inclusive resort is for adults only , and the on-site dining options cater to more mature tastes as a result. Visitors to the resort can choose from various cuisines around the world, including Mexican, international, Latin fusion, Asian fusion, Italian and more. The resort even boasts a beachfront barbecue spot that serves gourmet hamburgers, grilled chicken and shrimp kebabs, among other favorites. There are also several unique swim-up bars to select from, all of which serve curated cocktails throughout the day. Past guests here have raved about the food and drinks, with many saying they didn't have a bad meal or cocktail their entire trip.

Read: The Top Adults-Only All-Inclusive Resorts in Mexico

Sun Palace Cancun: Cancun, Mexico

Sun Palace Cancun is another resort that features fresh and unique dining options in an all-inclusive setting. Geared toward adults and specifically couples, Sun Palace offers guests the chance to dine on a range of global options, from Thai and Latin American to Italian and Mexican-inspired cuisine. Four bars and a cafe serving coffees and sweets are available, and guests who want to dine with utmost privacy can opt for 24-hour room service instead of going out.

While foodies will be satisfied by the world-class gastronomy at this resort, guests who love a good drink will enjoy the premium, top-shelf spirits and the fully stocked minibar in their room. Other all-inclusive amenities to enjoy range from live entertainment and an oceanfront infinity pool to nonmotorized water sports equipment like paddleboards travelers can rent. Recent guests said their meals were excellent, with most of the positive remarks centered around dining at the Italian and Thai restaurants.

Read: The Best All-Inclusive Resorts in Cancun

Royalton Bavaro, An Autograph Collection All-Inclusive Resort & Casino: Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

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Courtesy of Royalton Luxury Resorts

Punta Cana 's Royalton Bavaro, An Autograph Collection All-Inclusive Resort & Casino is an all-inclusive paradise for all ages, and its room options reflect its diverse clientele. The property boasts a traditional Luxury Junior Suite that comes with or without a swim-up option, and it also offers suites with one or two bedrooms that are ideal for families.

Dining options at Royalton Bavaro cater to all sorts of tastes, and fresh meals are available 24 hours a day. In addition to round-the-clock room service, visitors can opt to dine at 11 different restaurants, including a teppanyaki eatery, a Brazilian grill and an Italian trattoria.

When it comes to kid-friendly options, a food truck serves gourmet burgers and hot dogs at the beach during the day. The Gourmet Marché international buffet also serves unique dishes and fresh bites from around the world; a special kids buffet is available as well to keep everyone in your crew happy and fed. Reviewers agree the food at the property is well above average, particularly at the on-site teppanyaki restaurant. And thanks to the resort's Marriott ties, Marriott Bonvoy rewards program members can earn points on a stay here or put points toward covering room rates.

Read: The Best All-Inclusive Resorts in Punta Cana

IBEROSTAR Rose Hall Beach: Montego Bay, Jamaica

IBEROSTAR Rose Hall Beach is a five-star resort with a convenient location about 10 miles east of Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay, Jamaica. This kid-friendly property sits along a beautiful stretch of shoreline with crystal clear waters that are ideal for snorkeling or floating, and it has a huge oceanfront pool, a kids club and its own dive center.

Gastronomy options are impressive, and visitors can dine at four main restaurants during their stay. Options include Uncle Tony's buffet and rotisserie (which dishes out international and Jamaican cuisine); an expansive buffet for breakfast; an Italian restaurant; and a Japanese dining outlet with options like sushi rolls, maki, gyoza, various types of teppanyaki and more. An oceanfront snack bar also offers hamburgers, hot dogs and other quick bites throughout the day.

Reviewers say the food at the property was great, especially when it comes to the jerk chicken the island of Jamaica is known for.

Read: The Best All-Inclusive Resorts in Jamaica

Jade Mountain Resort: St. Lucia

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Courtesy of Jade Mountain Resort

While Jade Mountain Resort of St. Lucia is a traditional hotel, the property offers an all-inclusive package for guests who want to bundle all their food and drinks into the nightly rate. That said, the way this resort is set up makes it unique from typical all-inclusive properties. All meals at the property are created by an expert chef and culinary team, and travelers can enjoy the tasty dishes in-suite or on the property's Celestial Terrace. The resort's main restaurant, Jade Mountain Club, also features James Beard Award-winning chef Allen Susser's "Jade Cuisine," which can be described as modern fusion cuisine with cultural influences and tropical flavors.

Resort guests can also sample fine cuisine at any of the restaurants of Anse Chastanet , which is located directly below Jade Mountain and accessible by foot or a resort shuttle. In Anse Chastanet's Treehouse Restaurant, for example, Jade Mountain guests can nosh on fresh Caribbean cuisine. In the Piti Piton Lounge, visitors are served a vegetarian and vegan menu featuring farm-to-table ingredients, which can include locally sourced turmeric, cashews, tamarind, mango, avocado and more. There are also plenty of other amenities to enjoy at the resort, from participating in yoga or fitness classes to relaxing with a spa treatment. Guests who stayed at this chic resort seem to agree the dining experience is superb overall, especially when it comes to enjoying romantic meals at the Jade Mountain Club.

Grand Velas Riviera Maya: Playa del Carmen, México

Grand Velas properties are known for their luxury amenities, as well as their superior on-property gastronomy. The Grand Velas Riviera Maya is no exception since it offers an array of gourmet cuisine options curated by expert chefs from around the world, including French-inspired dishes, Mexican cuisine, Asian fusion, Italian dining and more. There are eight signature restaurants to choose from, and this five-star resort also offers 24-hour suite service. Overall, consumers love the unique menus offered at the property, as well as the selection of premium spirits available.

Other perks at this luxury property include pool and beach concierge services; an in-suite minibar that's restocked daily; a kids club and teens club; and complimentary yoga, Pilates and zumba classes, to name a few. Every suite option at the property also includes more than 1,000 square feet of space, and some have a private plunge pool.

Read: The Best All-Inclusive Resorts in Playa del Carmen

Twin Farms: Vermont

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Courtesy of Twin Farms

A must-visit destination in Vermont , Twin Farms dubs itself as "your perfect hidden getaway," which makes sense considering the property is tucked away on more than 300 pristine acres of Vermont countryside. Visitors come here to get away from it all, with options to ski the resort's private mountain in the winter or go hiking, biking and exploring during other seasons of the year.

This unique all-inclusive establishment is also known for its food and wine, and its location makes it ideal for sampling locally sourced ingredients from nearby dairies and farms. The property also grows herbs, fruits and vegetables in its own garden, just as it sources syrup from its own maple trees and honey from its own beehives. The eclectic property even has its own expert sommelier, who is charged with creating wine pairings and selecting distinctive wines for every meal.

Reviewers tend to focus on one thing when recounting their visit to this property: its amazing cuisine and the unforgettable food and wine experiences they had as a result.

Sandals Royal Curacao: Curacao

Sandals Royal Curacao is the newest luxury resort from the Sandals all-inclusive brand, and it is sure to offer the type of dining experience and food quality you expect. An adults-only resort geared toward romance, Sandals Royal Curacao offers unlimited fine dining at eight different on-site restaurants and three ocean view food trucks. Cuisines offered on the property range from Latin fusion and fresh seafood to Mediterranean and Italian, and visitors can also enjoy creative cocktails made with premium liquors at 13 unique bars, including a swim-up bar. Recent guests loved the food trucks, as well as the fresh sushi offered at the property.

Suite options here are impressive as well, with many rooms offering a private plunge pool or swim-up access. Sandals Resorts also feature unlimited use of water sports (nonmotorized and motorized) equipment like snorkeling and scuba diving gear, round-trip airport transfers, and endless other perks in your stay.

Margaritaville Beach Resort Capa Cana: Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

Lifestyle Resort (JPG)

Courtesy of Karisma Hotels & Resorts

Punta Cana's Margaritaville Beach Resort Cap Cana is another Karisma property that features the brand's signature "gourmet inclusive" dining options in a luxurious all-inclusive atmosphere. This Caribbean hideaway promises immersive culinary experiences, mixology classes and cocktail tastings, and features a few signature bars with top-shelf spirits and wines from around the globe. When it comes to dining, visitors will find four amazing eateries serving everything from old-world Italian cuisine and Latin and Asian fusion food to tacos and seafood. Room service is also available 24 hours a day, including cuisine delivery directly to your room's swim-up pool. Overall, guests rave about the food quality, particularly the breakfast buffet.

While this property is family-friendly, an adults-only section (called Hammock) is available for mature guests who want more privacy and access to an adults-only pool and swim-up bar.

Read: The Top Adults-Only All-Inclusive Resorts in Punta Cana

TRS Yucatan: Playa del Carmen, Mexico

Located about halfway between Tulum and Playa del Carmen, Mexico, TRS Yucatan is the adults-only "resort within a resort" option at the Palladium all-inclusive resort complex. Known as one of the best all-inclusive resorts for honeymoons and other romantic getaways, this property is one of very few that offers a range of rooms and suites with their own private pools. Guests at the resort can also choose from numerous other pools, including a multitiered oceanfront infinity pool and a sea pool that is fed with ocean water.

Gastronomy is taken seriously at the TRS Yucatan, and this shows in the dining options available at the resort. Guests can choose to dine at 19 different eateries across the Grand Palladium complex, including some exclusive to TRS Yucatan guests. For example, El Gaucho specializes in Argentinian specialties, whereas Tentazione offers Italian delights and La Bohème focuses on fresh French cuisine. Past guests also loved the on-site Chic Cabaret & Restaurant, which wows visitors with a multicourse dinner served alongside a dazzling burlesque show.

Garza Blanca Preserve Resort & Spa: Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

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Puerto Vallarta's Garza Blanca Reserve Resort & Spa is another traditional resort that offers an all-inclusive dining plan for guests who want to indulge. Visitors can dine at three different gourmet restaurants on-site, including a steakhouse, an innovative Mexican restaurant and an Italian eatery. Adults in each party can also eat at three restaurants at the adjacent sister resort, Hotel Mousai , which features restaurants dishing out Italian fare, Japanese cuisine and contemporary Chinese food.

Garza Blanca Preserve serves meals with mouthwatering flavors and the freshest ingredients, and the resort frequently receives rave reviews for its innovative menu options and the cleanliness of the property. When it comes to rooms, this Puerto Vallarta resort also specializes in options for families and large groups. Guests can book suites and penthouses with up to four bedrooms, some of which come with butler service. The resort also boasts a stunning oceanfront infinity pool, activities like kayaking and hiking, and a world-class spa with many relaxing treatments to choose from.

Read: The Best All-Inclusive Resorts in Puerto Vallarta

Belle Mont Farm: St. Kitts

The Caribbean island of St. Kitts offers lush tropical beauty, stunning white sand beaches and a range of luxury resorts that cater the most discerning guests. Travelers seeking a one-of-a-kind vacation experience for foodies should consider Belle Mont Farm, a luxury boutique hotel with an unparalleled location on 400 acres of tropical, organic farmland. Not only does this resort feature organic and creative meals made from ingredients grown and nurtured in local soil, but it also focuses on sustainability and aims to keep the resort environmentally accountable.

The resort lets travelers book a cottage or villa and they can opt for an all-inclusive package that includes breakfast, lunch, dinner and drinks. The resort's must-try al fresco "Farm Table" dining experience lets guests indulge in freshly made breads and family-style dishes as the sun sets, and the property's main restaurant serves freshly caught seafood, free-range proteins, and organic fruits and vegetables plucked directly from the farm's land. Traveler favorites at the resort include the homemade pastries and rolls, as well as the freshly caught fish served on a daily basis.

You might also be interested in:

  • The Top All-Inclusive Resorts in the U.S.
  • The Best All-Inclusive Resorts in Mexico
  • The Best All-Inclusive Resorts in the Caribbean
  • Cruise Lines with the Best Food
  • The Best International Travel Insurance

Adults-Only All-Inclusive Mexico Resorts

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Tags: Travel , All-Inclusive Vacations , Hotels and Resorts

World's Best Places To Visit

  • # 1 South Island, New Zealand
  • # 4 Bora Bora

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Healthy Travel Food: The Ultimate Packing Lists for Eating Right on a Trip

Robyn Openshaw - Updated: August 23, 2019 - - This Post May Contain Affiliate Links

Healthy travel food

I’m a busy single mom who does a lot of traveling, with and without my kids. Part of my journey to excellent health was learning habits and recipes that we enjoyed, that happened to also be really nutritious. But another major step was key to my being able to rehab my family’s health many years ago when I got serious about ditching the Standard American Diet. That step was learning how to be prepared with ideas and healthy options away from home.

Packing Healthy Travel Food

In this article:

Finding Out How to Eat Healthy When Traveling

Packing for a healthy road trip.

  • A Healthy Plane Trip Food List

Tips for Finding Healthy Food While Traveling

Plan your food for traveling.

Running kids to sports practices, attending “home” and “away” games for four competitive athletes, playing a traveling, competitive sport myself, and traveling all over the country giving lectures for six years, forced me to get creative about eating healthy travel food while on the road.

In addition to those times away from home, I’ve gone on vacations and humanitarian service missions where I’ve taken my entire family to developing countries for several days or even weeks at a time.

How do I feed myself and my family well when I’m on the go and away from home so often?

I’ve been asked this question countless times, and I’m happy to share my strategies.

Car trips are easier to plan for than plane trips because they are conducive to bringing coolers and a box of ingredients and equipment. You can even pack quarts of green smoothies for your first few days.

And more often, when you drive, you’ll have access to a kitchen where you’re going.

You can eat healthy travel food even on long car trips, like one we took to Disneyland.

Our Disneyland Road Trip Food List

We brought enough food and snacks for two meals per day. (Make sure you book a hotel with a mini-fridge, but if you tell them you need it for medical purposes, they have to provide it.)

Then, I asked Siri for a salad bar or vegan restaurant nearby to make up for the other meals.

Our Disneyland healthy travel food packing, for a family of 6, looked like this:

In the Cooler

  • Bags of baby carrots, sliced cucumbers, raw sweet potato sticks
  • ½ gallon homemade yogurt
  • 2 bags Costco organic mixed greens
  • 1 bag Costco frozen mixed berries
  • a pint of soaked/drained sunflower seeds (to add to granola for breakfast)
  • a quart of alfalfa/radish/clover sprouts (to add to granola for breakfast)
  • BlendTec for a family, Nutribullet for a single person with limited ability to pack (can go in a suitcase easily)
  • Disposable cups, straws, bowls, spoons, and resealable baggies
  • Knife and cutting board for smoothies (I use it even on hotel room tables or vanities)
  • Containers with tight-fitting lids, for smoothies
  • Backpack for taking food to the parks
  • 3 loaves whole-grain bread
  • Organic peanut butter-honey (pre-mixed for sandwiches)
  • A gallon bag of homemade granola (recipe below)
  • 3 boxes rice milk
  • 1 gallon soaked/dehydrated Teriyaki Almonds (recipe below)
  • Tonya’s “For Cryin’ Out Loud Dehydrator Onion Bread” (recipe below)
  • 1 bunch ripe bananas (for green smoothies; also add to yogurt for breakfast)
  • Bags of washed apples, pears, plums, celery sticks
  • Ziploc bags of dried fruit
  • Powdered greens and a shaker cup
  • 5-gallon jug of filtered water

Avoid Processed Food Overloads

Not only did bringing our own healthy travel food to save us a lot of money, but we also didn’t feel horrible and sleep 10 hours a night to recover from a day of trans fats, chemicals, food dyes, and sugar from eating Disneyland food.

Our digestive function didn’t shut down, and we didn’t struggle with blood sugar lows and resulting crabbiness.

Save Money and Eat Healthy

Save Money and Eat Healthy | Healthy Travel Food - The Ultimate Packing Lists for Eating Right on a Trip

You don’t have to spend a boat load of money to eat healthy.

All in all, we may have enjoyed our vacation much more, in addition to saving a boatload of money compared to what we saw others doing.

When you travel, if you don’t think ahead about healthy travel food, you are more likely to be trapped in the worst of the Standard American Diet!

Tip: Try this make-ahead mix to travel with, for a healthy flax muffin-in-a-cup made in your hotel room!

A Healthy Plane Trip Food Packing List

Traveling by plane for an extended trip (especially with children) takes a little different planning.

For example, Europe for 3 weeks was a tricky trip. I want to share how we went and ate well (5-10 raw vegetables/fruits daily) without hassle or excessive expense.

Making Do Without Appliances

We had no green smoothies as a crutch because you don’t go to little European hotels with an appliance, nor will an appliance company cover your warranty if you blow it out with the weird plugs in various countries.

Plus, we had a few flights with strict weight requirements. A turbo blender is just too much weight.

We packed these healthy travel food options in our suitcases to take with us.

The Best Travel Food to Bring with You

1. a good organic powdered greens product..

This saved us, nutritionally, in the absence of green smoothies! I stirred a large spoonful into a glass of water for everyone, morning and night. (If you would like to order from our friends at Organifi , use coupon code ROBYN15 at checkout—you’ll get 15% off your order!)

2. Grape Nuts, Shredded Wheat, Costco Granola, and Rice Dream.

Double bag the rice milk in gallon Ziploc bags; two fit perfectly in one bag. (Keep in mind that you’ll need to put liquids in checked baggage, not your carry-on.)

Remove the Grape Nuts from their boxes (we bought the big Costco ones) and add another layer of protection with a gallon freezer bag. You don’t want these things exploding in your suitcases.

3. Bags of homemade granola  and dry, raw seeds.

Granola and pumpkin or sunflower seeds are lifesavers on long trips.

Along with a box of rice milk, they’re a breakfast that will serve you well for the most important meal of the day, helping you avoid a crappy hotel continental breakfast, which is never, in any country, an option that will give you sustained energy for the day.

Soak the seeds when you get to your destination, pour the water off the next morning, and use the seeds stirred into the baked granola, for living enzymes, the world’s healthiest fats, and powerful nutrition to power through until lunch!

Even restaurant breakfasts (which take time from your touring and are expensive) are pretty much never nutritious. We bought bananas in the market, upon arrival, to add to our cereal.

4. Paper bowls and plastic spoons.

These are great for breakfasts.

5. Snacks like sprouted Teriyaki Almonds.

You can find that recipe alone. Organic plant-based bars and apples also travel well.

6. Frozen smoothies and juice.

Frozen plastic containers of green smoothies or green juice can be double bagged and rolled into pairs of jeans in your suitcase at the last minute. You can even have these in a carry-on and get through security just fine; if it’s frozen, it’s not liquid!

This works when the hotel we’ll be arriving at has a fridge. If it doesn’t, you can get some ice and put green smoothies in the sink, with ice, to keep them cold for a couple of days. This is a bit of a hassle.

7. A large bottle of water in everyone’s checked luggage.

This to tides us over till we’re able to stop and buy gallons of distilled or filtered water, so we don’t end up not drinking enough or drinking fluoridated, chlorinated water from taps or drinking fountains.

Make sure you’re drinking a lot of water when you’re traveling, especially with airline travel, because drinking lots of clean water is even more important than food.

It’s not true that you can’t find something good to eat when you’re traveling. It is, however, true that you have to try a bit harder than when you’re at home.

Just know what you’re looking for. First and foremost, you’re looking for opportunities to get greens and vegetables (priorities #1 and #2) because those are the base of the pyramid, the most important foods, and also the hardest healthy travel food to find when traveling.

So when you can, find them, buy them, and eat them however you have to—even by the handful, plain!

1. Look for Produce Stands and Local Farmers’ Markets

Look for Produce Stands and Local Farmers’ Markets | Healthy Travel Food - The Ultimate Packing Lists for Eating Right on a Trip

Getting healthy fruits and veggies at local farmers markets is an amazing way to support the economy and eat well.

You’re enjoying local fruit and vegetables in season, and can be part of your touring the area and experiencing what they grow there!

For example, when we went to Europe, we’d stop at a market and buy some healthy travel food options like this every day for lunch:

  • 6 nectarines
  • 6 large carrots (I never saw baby carrots in Europe)
  • A loaf of whole grain bread (a comedy of communication errors in a bakery in Paris taught me that “complete” is the word in France to describe whole grains)
  • Some local cheeses and mustard and tomatoes for the bread

We’d wash the fruit and carrots, toss all the stuff in a backpack, and stop in a park somewhere to eat each day.

Part of the fun was going in the little local grocery markets to see what they have.

Finds like this make you feel at home in a strange city and add to the sense of discovery and accomplishment in your travels.

Read John Robbins’ The Food Revolution on how European meat/cheese is highly government regulated and not full of antibiotics, steroids, infected pus, and other lovelies like the U.S. products contain. Also, bread is made fresh, without hybridization of the wheat, without preservatives, and Europe does not have the glyphosate (Roundup) issue. So many people with gluten issues do fine with European bread.

2. Know What to Look for in Restaurants, and Try the Local Cuisine

While traveling to Europe (and often stateside), we would eat dinner in a restaurant. I’m certainly not going to take my kids to Italy without letting them try gelato and pizza!

(Of course, the pizza bears no resemblance to what is offered here in the U.S. It is much better for you, and you can get many lovely vegetarian pizzas, one of the most popular varieties being topped with mounds of raw greens.)

Ditto Barcelona, where we enjoyed the paella (vegetarian, of course) and gazpacho.

And France? I did not, myself, try the white bread, but let the kids do it once because my then-husband thought it was somehow important in their “experiencing” France.

And of course, they did fall madly in love with crepes.

(Can you believe I had never tried that hazelnut/chocolate spread, Nutella, in my life, before France? Note to self: avoid at home. Wow, it was yummy on crepes. Do not include this as part of my “eat healthy” tips.)

So, we did indulge, but we always indulged with a big green salad alongside.

After my childhood of severe hypoglycemia, I learned that if one eats refined sugar now and then, it should be done only after a good, healthy, high-fiber meal.

The Europeans have lots of watercress and other lovely greens that we consider exotic here. And amazingly, even without my green smoothies, and despite a few servings of gelato and crepes, I came home the same weight and had lots of energy each day for our adventures.

3. Make a Healthy Fast Food Choice

Stateside, Subway is our standby as “fast food” on trips. Here’s what you do: get the “wheat” bread and order a Veggie Delite.

Tell the teenage employee to put on LOTS of cucumbers, bell peppers, tomatoes, and shredded carrots, plus spinach if they have it (skip the iceberg lettuce). For a sauce, we just do brown mustard.

Order a Large Veggie Sandwich | Healthy Travel Food - The Ultimate Packing Lists for Eating Right on a Trip

Veggie sandwiches are a great alternative to traditional meat sandwiches.

Then, your sandwich lies there, open, looking a little skimpy.

The “sandwich artist” awaits further orders. Do not, in the interest of being polite, leave with that skimpy sandwich. You say, can I have a bunch more tomatoes? Thanks! And how about a lot more cucumbers?

(Go through the whole vegetable lineup again if necessary. Smile and use all your chatty charisma, so as to not completely annoy the sandwich maker.)

The Perfect Packed Sandwich

When your sandwich is piled high with veggies, they manage to squeeze it shut and package it up for you, and you get a rather nutritious meal, at least compared to most fast food. I recommend the 12-inch to make it filling enough for hiking around on vacation.

4. Look for Healthy Restaurants

Other restaurants we ask Siri to find for us on U.S. trips are Cafe Rio or Bajio’s. We’ll order salads with whole wheat tortillas, no meat, lots of black beans, and extra romaine.

Think what your favorite chains with healthy meal options, then look for them when you’re out of town.

Robyn Travel Picture | Healthy Travel Food – The Ultimate Packing Lists for Eating Right on a Trip

Robyn with her daughter Emma and Dr. Petra Wiechel, on her trip to WY, ID, UT.

If I end up at one of the really lousy Americana chains like Chili’s, Applebee’s, TGI Friday’s, etc., I ask for extra romaine and dressing on the side (so you can use a minimal amount).

Avoid Mexican and Chinese restaurants, because they rarely have anything raw or nutritious on their menu.

5. Look for Juice Bars and Salad Bars.

Greens are your #1 daily priority, and Google makes this easy.

I’ve found a juice bar and had a wheatgrass shot in the Amsterdam airport, and had another giant glass of made-to-order fresh carrot-celery juice in downtown Prague. That’s right, in the Czech Republic! Where a tour guide told us, “Our national vegetable is pork.”

Buy green smoothies or no-fruit green juices, made fresh, with superfood additions. Some Whole Foods Markets have made-to-order juice bars.

In fact, Whole Foods was my go-to when I did my lecture tour for 6 years in 450 cities. In virtually every city we drove to, we’d make the GPS direct us to the nearest Whole Foods and get a giant salad from the salad bar to last lunch and dinner, plus a few healthy snacks and treats. It’s kind of an adventure, and it’s McDonald’s-like in that you know what you will get when you go there. Predictable and better than wandering around town hoping to find some reasonably non-toxic grub.

6. Don’t Buy Into the Idea that There’s Nothing Healthy to Eat in Airports.

In airports, you just have to look a little bit harder for food you won’t regret. I found amazing quinoa/kale salad in the Phoenix airport recently, for instance.

The Denver airport has a restaurant that serves only locally grown food selections. The Atlanta airport has a fresh juice bar. And you can get a green smoothie at Jamba Juice in most airports, though tell them to triple the greens and halve the fruit content.

The point is, look around a bit, and you’ll find something plant-based, something whole, something that gives life rather than spends it. Anywhere in the world.

Here are some photos our readers shared with us, about healthy travel food “finds” on their vacations, plus a few of my own. You really can eat right, while traveling, with a bit of effort!

Atlanta Airport | Healthy Travel Food – The Ultimate Packing Lists for Eating Right on a Trip

We got this healthy steamed and sautéed potatoes and veggies in a BBQ place in the Atlanta airport.

Phoenix Airport | Healthy Travel Food – The Ultimate Packing Lists for Eating Right on a Trip

Look around after you’ve gone through Security and before you board your plane…Finding a good meal is a better use of time than sitting in the waiting area anyway. Survey what’s available and embrace the challenge of eating well. I found a kale-quinoa salad at a restaurant called La Grande Orange in the Phoenix airport.

Detroit Airport | Healthy Travel Food – The Ultimate Packing Lists for Eating Right on a Trip

And I found a juice bar inside an otherwise Standard American Diet place called Mediterranean Grill in the Detroit airport, where I get a celery/carrot juice, made fresh to order, anytime I fly through Detroit.

NY Canal Street | Healthy Travel Food – The Ultimate Packing Lists for Eating Right on a Trip

Check out this unassuming little place on one end of New York City’s Canal Street, where Coach Judi and I got a 16 oz. organic, fresh-pressed parsley, cucumber, celery, carrot, and beet juice in two minutes flat. Vibrations high for the rest of the day!

Rocky Point Mexico | Healthy Travel Food – The Ultimate Packing Lists for Eating Right on a Trip

Myra Johnson of Utah took her family to Rocky Point, Mexico on a humanitarian trip and stopped at “Mario’s” for food. Fresh smoothies were the main feature, with spinach, barley, flaxseed, and even asparagus! One of the smoothies Mario makes with his 11 blenders is called “Para El Estrenimianto”—for constipation! Myra took her family again the next day.

Greensmoothie | Healthy Travel Food – The Ultimate Packing Lists for Eating Right on a Trip

Our webmaster Jason’s wife and little boy enjoyed a green smoothie of peas, cucumbers, broccoli and spinach in a mainstream place you’d never guess would have such a great option.

Indulging While on Vacation

On a trip across the West with friends from Europe, at any of our given restaurant meal, some were having a couple glasses of wine with dinner, or dessert, or coffee after dinner.

All of us are very health-conscious people. My point is, we all indulge, on vacation. If we’re doing some great things, all day, to keep nutrient density high, hopefully, it’s enough to continue enjoying the vacation.

I hope these ideas are useful to you, and the recipes I made before our Disneyland trip are below for your enjoyment! And grab our Healthy Travel Food Packing List, here! It’s free and it’ll make eating healthy on your next road trip or vacation a breeze!

Special Offer! Want more ideas for healthy travel food while on vacation, on a budget, or with little time? Want to know how to get your kids to buy into healthful eating? Get my books How To Eat Right In The Real World and How To Raise Healthy Eaters at 50% off the already discounted set! Enter the coupon code ROADTRIP at checkout!

  • Teriyaki Almonds
  • Candied Almonds
  • Homemade Granola
  • Tonya’s Onion Bread

What’s in your travel food list? Share them with us in the comments section below!

Read next: 8 Foods You Think Are Healthy But They Aren’t!

Photograph of Robyn Openshaw, founder of Green Smoothie Girl

Disclaimer: This article may contain affiliate links, which allows you to support our mission without costing you extra.

Posted in: Green Smoothies , Lifestyle , Recipes , Relationships , Tools & Products

4 thoughts on “Healthy Travel Food: The Ultimate Packing Lists for Eating Right on a Trip”

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Oh Robyn you didn’t try the French Nutella. Omg it’s better than the American, so I’ve heard. I’m an American living over here in France. I know how hard it is especially when I detox around my family and friends. They just don’t want to understand anything about it. Sad. Next time you come to France??? I hope that we could chat sometime. Love ya. You and all of the GSG team have helped me and so many others. Bless you on making all of this and know that you are growning everywhere. Hugs

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Thank you for your kind words Stephanie!!

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These are very useful tips! I’m going to put them to use once this pandemic is over and we get to travel as freely as we can again. Thank you!

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Can you recommend a pre-made smoothie for travel?

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When I travel, the foodie in me always has to bring snacks for the trip. I always plan for easy travel snacks for a few reasons. For starters I’m not always sure what terminal I’ll be in at the airport so the food choices might get dicey once I get past security. Next, depending on the airline I’m flying there might not be great options once I board the plane (we’ve all been there). Lastly, I like to be prepared when I’m traveling even when I arrive at my final destination to have quick portable fuel sources on hand for when *hangry* hits in the form of easy travel snacks.

In this blog post I’ve compiled all of my favorite easy travel snacks into one ultimate packing list for your carry-on bag and I’ll walk you through my process for what to consider when selecting the best snacks to bring on a plane.

easy travel snacks

How to Pack Easy Travel Snacks for your Carry-On Bag

Depending on the length of my trip I usually bring a variety of snacks intended to carry-on a plane. I consider these easy to pack snacks, snacks that travel well, and also snacks that fall into the healthy(ish) convenience food category following these guidelines: 

  • Food I can’t find at my final travel destination

Drink Mixers

  • Airport Snacks (snacks to bring on a plane and at the airport terminal)
  • Emergency snacks (for when I’m super hungry)
  • Perishables
  • Non-Perishables
  • Sweet Treats/Comfort Items

These categories might look a little different for you but it helps to determine what you might need at least a week before your trip so that you have time to shop around. This will also help to keep your trip planning a little less stressful so that you can spend your time concentrating on the last minute things you need to do before you go out of town.

To verify what easy travel snacks you can and cannot carry on flights check out TSA’s security guidelines and the rules of each country for International flights. Keep in mind that TSA considers foods like yogurts and cooked oatmeal as “gels” and they will be confiscated at security (I learned this the hard way). For any other liquids review the guidelines but generally speaking most liquids and gels are allowed if they are less than 3.4oz/100 ml.

How to Transport your Easy Travel Snacks

My last consideration for packing easy travel snacks are the containers the food will travel in. For the most part I lean towards things that are easy to dispose of like foil, wax paper, plastic baggies, and repurposed takeout containers. However, in consideration of the environment I often try to lean to more sustainable options if I can, such as: silicon bags, collapsible cups, collapsible bowls, insulated containers, and beeswax paper. 

The con to these items is you will have to carry them in your luggage throughout your trip. But the pro of these items is being environmentally responsible, having a vessel you can reuse throughout your trip for something else, and some of these containers can keep your snacks from getting crushed, hot, or cold (triple bonus). 

I like Stasher Bags and Zip Top Bags for a reusable bag option. Both of these brands are super durable, always hold up really well for traveling, and are great to repurpose for other easy travel snacks on a trip. 

Silicone Bags

Stasher Reusable Silicone Storage Bag, Food Storage Container, Microwave and Dishwasher Safe, Leak-free, Bundle 4-Pack Small, Clear

Stasher Bags

These are great reusable bags for packing your travel snacks on the go.

Zip Top Reusable Food Storage Bags | Full Set of 8 [Teal] | Silicone Meal Prep Container | Microwave, Dishwasher and Freezer Safe | Made in the USA

Zip Top Bags

We love these bags for items that can’t lay flat! The structure of the bag makes it easy to carry your snacks and keep them from being crushed in your carry-on luggage.

Collapsible bowls have also been one of my favorites for eating things like oatmeal on the go and pre-made meals I might travel with (in an effort to clean out my fridge before I head out of town). I also like these collapsible cups from Stojo to make drinks portable and they don’t take up much room. If you have space for something bigger I like using the Snack Swell thermos containers for some travel foods on my trips since its a small insulated container to keep food hot or cold.

Bowls and Cups

STOJO Collapsible Bowl - Lilac, 36oz - Reusable Silicone Bowl for Hot and Cold Food - Perfect for Travel, Meal Prep, To-Go Lunch, Camping & Hiking - Microwave & Dishwasher Safe

Stojo Collapsible Bowl

We are loving the STOJO Collapsible Bowl. This holds 36oz and is a reusable silicone bowl for hot and cold food which makes it perfect for travel, meal prep, to-go Lunch, camping, and hiking. This is also microwave & dishwasher safe.

S'well S'nack Stainless Steel Food Container - 24 Oz - Azure Forest - Double-Layered Insulated Bowls Keep Food Cold for 8 Hours and Hot for 6 - BPA-Free

S’well S’nack Food Container

We love the S’well S’nack Stainless Steel Food Container. It’s 24 ounces and great for holding food you are traveling with that you want to keep hot or cold. This will keep your food for 8 Hours Hot for 6 Hours Cold.

S'well S'nack Stainless Steel Food Container - 10 Oz - Peppermint Tree - Double-Layered Insulated Bowls Keep Food Cold for 10 Hours and Hot for 4 - BPA-Free

This is a smaller version of the bigger S’nack by S’well Food Container. Its 10oz and has Double-Layered Insulated walls to keep food and drinks cold for 10 hours and hot for 4 hours!

STOJO Collapsible Travel Cup With Straw- Eucalyptus, 16oz / 470ml - Reusable To-Go Pocket Size Silicone Cup for Hot and Cold Drinks - Perfect for Camping and Hiking - Microwave & Dishwasher Safe

Stojo Collapsible Travel Cup

This collapsible travel cup comes with a straw and holds 16oz of liquid. Its reusable and pocket size for hot and cold drinks making it perfect for travel, camping, and hiking. Like the other Stojo products its microwave and dishwasher safe.

If you are traveling with any items that must stay at a colder temperature these PackIt Freezable pouches are a great option to transport your food. The PackIt Freezable pouch has groundbreaking cooling technology that includes freezable gel that is permanently built into the bag so that you don’t need to deal with separate ice packs.

To start collapse the bag flat and freeze in the freezer overnight until you are ready to use it. You can add any of the easy travel snacks that are perishable items in this post to store in this bag. You can also keep this item throughout your trip for other easy to pack snacks.

PackIt Freezable Snack Box, Rainbow Sky, Built with EcoFreeze Technology, Collapsible, Reusable, Zip Closure with Buckle Handle, Great for All Ages and Fresh Snacks on the go

PackIt Freezable Pouch

This is our favorite travel product for traveling with items that are perishable and need to remain cold like yogurt and cheese. Simply pop the pouch in the freezer the night before your trip and it will keep your perishable snacks at the correct temperature for a few hours. This collapsible and folds up and comes in many colors!

My last favorite sustainable travel item is reusable wax paper. I like using the Bee’s Wrap brand. It takes a bit to get used to if you normally use regular wax paper. If you have a few baked goods, sandwiches etc. to carry while traveling it comes in handy to reuse a few times and store it completely flat in your carry on bag.

Bee's Wrap Reusable Beeswax Food Wraps Made in the USA, Eco Friendly Beeswax Food Wrap, Sustainable Food Storage Containers, Organic Cotton Food Wraps, Assorted 3 Pack (S, M, L), Honeycomb Pattern

Bee’s Wrap

This Bee’s Wrap is an assorted 3 Pack great sustainable option. It’s plastic and silicone free reusable beeswax in 3 sizes great for traveling with sandwhiches.

PackIt Freezable Snack Box, Black, Built with EcoFreeze Technology, Collapsible, Reusable, Zip Closure with Buckle Handle, Perfect All Ages and Fresh Snacks on the go

Freezable Pouch

PackIt® Freezable Snack Bag, Polka Dots, Built with EcoFreeze® Technology, Foldable, Reusable, Zip Closure, Perfect for Babies, Kids, Adults of all Ages, and Fresh Snacks on the go

Freezable pouch

Small Cooler Bag Freezable Lunch Bag for Work School Travel,Leak-proof Small Lunch Bag,Small Insulated Bag For Kids/Adults,Freezer Lunch Bags,Freezable Snack Bag,Mini Lunch Bag Fit For Yogurt

Order of Operations For Your Easy Travel Snacks

If you are planning to take some snacks to the airport for future travel plans my suggested cheat sheet of how to go about eating your easy travel snacks includes a simple order of consumption:

  • Eat your perishable items first (for obvious reasons)
  • Pack napkins and/or wet wipes (these are not always available as you are on the go)
  • If you are bringing whole fruit wash these items before you get to the airport and use your napkin or paper towel as the vessel to carry the item (it also doubles as a napkin as you eat your fruit)
  • Pack some travel utensils (for any snacks that require some deep diving or for complete meals)

Wet Ones Antibacterial Hand Wipes, Fresh Scent Wipes | Travel Wipes Case, Antibacterial Wipes | 20 ct. Travel Size Wipes (10 pack)

Travel utensil set

Reusable Travel Utensils with Case, 4 Sets Wheat Straw Portable Cutlery Set Chopsticks Knives Fork and Spoon for Lunch Box Accessories, Camping Flatware Sets for Daily Use or Outdoor

Portable utensil set

TO GO WARE Repeat Bamboo Utensil Set - Cayenne (Red), 1 EA

Bamboo utensil set

My favorite snacks to bring on a plane.

Below is an easy travel snack list I’ve compiled of my favorite airport (and TSA) friendly snacks. I’ve grouped the items into perishable vs. non-perishable categories since I often will travel with a few perishable items that I strategize to eat first and then work my way through the rest of my snack stash either on the trip or eat other items during a longer flight to tide me over until I reach my destination. 

Perishable Easy Travel Snacks

For perishable easy travel snacks I always tend to pack food that can last a while at room temperature. Regardless of the length of your flight you’ll want items that won’t go bad in case it takes a while to get through security or to the airport (we’ve all been there!). Or even worse if your flight is delayed (done that!). On my list I usually include:

Cured Meats and Deli Meats

This includes salami, pastrami, pepperoni, ham, and turkey. These are great options because they can travel well at room temperature for short periods of time.

I think everyone loves cheese (even us lactose intolerant folks) and it travels well for short periods of time at room temperature. Some of my favorite cheese options are the Babybel Gouda Semisoft Cheeses. I like these because they have their own carrying case with the wax they are packaged in which qualifies the product as easy travel snack in my book.

My next favorite is Trader Joe’s Tapas cheese (it’s amazing! Grab it if you have a TJs near you). This includes several slices of three types of cheese including: Iberico, Cabra Al Vino (a.k.a. “ Drunken Goat “), and Manchengo. I really enjoy how the flavors in this set are so different and it feels very fancy while you are enjoying them.

easy travel snack trader joe's tapas sampler

Boiled Eggs

Boiled eggs are one of the best snacks for traveling. I typically boil eggs once a week so I’ll grab 2-4 for a flight or whatever is left over in my fridge for the week (this is also a good way to clean out your fridge before you head out of town). You can also purchase eggs that are already boiled from almost any local grocery store for an easy travel snack on an airplane.

Another fun option for hard boiled eggs is from a brand called Perfectly Peckish which sells hard boiled eggs in packs with a fun crunchy dip. Their selection includes:

  • PECKISH Snackable Eggs & EVERYTHING Dip
  • PECKISH Snackable Eggs & FRIED RICE Dip
  • PECKISH Snackable Eggs & RANCHEROS Dip
  • PECKISH Snackable Eggs & SALT & PEPITAS Dip
  • PECKISH Snackable Eggs & RANCH Dip

Check out their store locator to find a store that sells these near you .

food travel with

Crackers and/or Bread

I personally can’t have cheese and cured/deli meat without crackers or bread! These are easy to transport and can be stored at various temperatures which make them a great addition to your carry-on bag for an easy snack pairing (and crunch)!

Simple Mills Almond Flour Crackers, Fine Ground Sea Salt Snack Packs - Gluten Free, Vegan, Healthy Snacks, 4.9 Ounce (Pack of 3)

I love fruit for an easy snack that travels well. The fruit that travels the best are apples, bananas, oranges, kiwi, and grapes. I like these fruits because they have their own “skin” which can serve as its own carrying case so that they don’t get squashed (thanks mother nature!).

For oranges you can even pre-slice these and add them to a travel container or baggie to eat right out of the peel (or peel them later). And for kiwi I like slicing these in half and using a spoon to scoop out the insides for easy eating. If you have never tried Golden Kiwi its a real treat (they taste like a cross between a mango and a strawberry)!

Putting It Together

Combining these items also creates a nice balance for traveling to ensure you have enough protein, fat, and carbohydrates for fuel while on the go. You can also pair the meats, cheese, and crackers or bread and make a makeshift sandwich in a pinch (great easy travel snack idea!). You can also grab some pre-made snack boxes for a perishable option to take through security.

Non-Perishable Travel Snacks

My favorite non-perishable easy travel snack list is a bit longer. I group these by foods I might eat on the plane or at my final destination as I get hungry or peckish.

I eat oatmeal almost daily when I’m home for breakfast so it’s an item I always travel with especially internationally since it’s not something that all countries will provide for breakfast. It’s also a really nice snack on a plane since you just need water to make it. You can use one of the collapsible bowls or cups I mentioned above as the vessel to make these in or any disposable cup at the airport. I typically use the McCann Irish Oatmeal brand because it’s very hearty as a travel snack or the Unsweetened Individual Oatmeal packets from Trader Joe’s .

McCann’s Regular Instant Irish Oatmeal, 11.85 ounce, 12 Packets

Bringing nuts on a flight can be controversial so be sure to read your airline’s individual rules regarding what is allowed. I like going for the individually portioned nuts that are completely sealed in case I can’t eat them on a particular flight due to restrictions or nut allergies. If that’s the case I can always have them as a snack at my final destination.

My favorite nut options for an easy travel snack include: 

  • Macadamia Nuts
  • Trail Mix (for something different)

Emerald Nuts, 100 Calorie Variety Pack, 18 Count

Crunchy Snacks

Personally I’m a big fan of crunchy snacks in general but definitely when I travel. I think it’s nice to have a variety of items on hand. For this category I pack:

I usually air pop popcorn and bring it in my reusable silicon bag for trips. Did you know that you can air pop popcorn in a brown paper bag in the microwave? I also like these individually wrapped White Cheddar Popcorn bags from Smartfood .

Smartfood Popcorn, White Cheddar, 0.625 Ounce (Pack of 40)

Peanut Butter Crackers

I also like bringing Peanut Butter Crackers as easy travel snacks for my final destination. These have saved me many times while traveling to have something to tide me over until my next meal.

Lance Sandwich Crackers, Toasty and Toastchee Peanut Butter, 40 Ct (Pack of 2)

There’s something nostalgic about Chex Mix that just makes it a travel staple! I use to have these all the time as a kid on trips. I usually will grab the individual baggies for my carry-on bag.

Chex Mix Classics Snack Mix, 1.75 Ounce (Pack of 30)

I also always grab Cheez-Its for a fun crunchy cheesy snack.

Cheez-It Cheese Crackers, Baked Snack Crackers, Office and Kids Snacks, Variety Pack, 17.72oz Box (20 Pouches)

Moon Cheese

These are a newer to me product. I saw them once at Starbucks and then purchased them last year from Target and I’m a fan! These are little cheese balls that come in different flavors. If you like cheese and something with a crunch you’ll like these little cheese balls as a snack.

Moon Cheese Variety Pack of 5, 1 of each (Cheddar Believe It, Oh My Gouda, Garlickin Parmesan, Get Pepper Jacked, White Chedda Black Peppa) GF, High Protein, Low Carb, Keto Friendly, 100% Real Cheese

Anytime I think of pretzels I think of that Seinfeld episode “these pretzels are making me thirsty” but they still make for a great easy travel snack!

Snyder's of Hanover Mini Pretzels, 100 Calorie Individual Packs, 36 Ct

Veggie Straws

Veggie straws are the perfect easy travel snack to take on the go! They are both crunchy and salty which you is always needed on the road.

Sensible Portions Garden Veggie Straws, cheddar cheese,cheese, Snack Size, 24 Count

Marinated Vegetables

This might be an odder pick but eating vegetables on the go is hard so I love this option. POSHI Vegetable Snacks offers a marinated steamed portable snack option. If you like pickled vegetables you will like these! Plus you can add a little fiber to you day while in transit.

POSHI Marinated Vegetables Variety Pack | Asparagus, French Beans, Cauliflower, Artichoke | Keto, Vegan, Paleo, Non GMO, Gluten Free, Gourmet, Healthy, Fully Cooked (12 Pack)

Snack Olives

If you’ve never had olives while on an airplane you are missing out! Something about eating olives at 42,000 feet cruising in the air is a totally different experience. I like buying these Olives to Go from the grocery store and Trader Joe’s also sells individually packed Olive packs which are so yummy. I was inspired to add Olives to my easy travel snack list after having the Mediterranean Travel Snack box on a United Flight which has a great mix of olives, bruschetta, hummus, and chocolate almonds as a great snack mix.

Mario Camacho Foods Pitted Snack Olives, Variety Pack, 1.05 oz Pouches (Pack of 12)

Dried Fruit

Dried fruit is a really fun easy travel snack! My favorite picks are dried apples and mangoes. They make such a sweet treat and they are also crunchy (or chewy).

Bare Baked Crunchy, Apples Fuji & Reds, 0.53 Ounce (Pack of 16)

When traveling with dips always choose brands that are shelf stable so that they can fall into the perishable category. If you go this route you should plan to consume the entire package in your trip since they will need to be refrigerated once opened.

Mezete Tahini Rich Hummus Assortment, 100% All-Natural Dips and Spreads, Ready to Go Vegan Dip, Shelf-Stable with No Preservatives and Requires No Refrigeration, 7.5 Ounce (Pack of 6)

Something Sweet

Honey stinger organic waffles.

Honey Stinger Organic Waffles are sweet yummy waffles that double as a healthy(ish) treat. These pack really easily in your carry-on or a day pack on your trip and make them one the best snacks for traveling.

Honey Stinger Organic Waffles - Variety Pack – 16 Count – 4 of Each Flavor – Energy Source for Any Activity – Honey, Vanilla, Salted Caramel and Cinnamon – in Original Bee The Bear Box

Brownies & Cookies

Brownies and Cookies fall into a comfort item category for me. It’s nice to always have a sweet treat on hand but also something you are familiar with. I like the Nature’s Bakery brand Brownies and old faithful Nabisco Cookies like Oreos.

OREO Original, OREO Golden, CHIPS AHOY! & Nutter Butter Cookie Snacks Variety Pack, 56 Snack Packs (2 Cookies Per Pack)

Fruit Snacks

Pink panda/snack owl.

I recently discovered a new brand called Pink Panda which offers high fiber fruit snacks. Why high fiber fruit snacks? Because fiber is such a hard micro nutrient to consume when you are traveling and I like that these snacks trade the sugar for fiber when it comes to carbohydrates in the snack. These come in two varieties: Astro Blasters and Treasure Chews. I’ve had both and think they taste yummy (you’d really never know there is no sugar in these)! And it’s only 90 calories for the entire bag.

If you are interested in trying out this new brand use our code “BREADANDBUTTERPANDA10” for 10% off if you order directly on their website . Pink Panda fruit snacks are also available on Amazon below.

Snack Owl Vegan Sour Gummy Candy – Gluten Free, Low Calorie Candy - Guilt Free & Delicious Healthy Gummy Snacks - (Sour Nova)

Smart Sweets

I’ve been eating SmartSweets for years! They are similar to the Pink Panda brand but I’m not really sure which I like more. These are also high fiber fruit snacks and I really enjoy them for traveling. My favorites to date have been the Sour Blast Buddies and the Peach Rings.

SmartSweets Low Sugar Variety Candy Pack, 1.8oz (8 Pack) - For Kids & Adults

Other Fruit Snacks

As you can tell I really love fruit snacks! My other favorites for travel and just as a general comfort item are Gushers and Fruit by the Foot. I also really like fruit leather and the “That’s It” brand is a great option for something healthy(ish) when it comes to fruit snacking.

Fruit Bars Snack Gift Box (20 Pack) - 100% Natural, Gluten-Free, Vegan Fruit Snacks Variety Pack

Honey Stinger Energy Chews

Honey Stinger Energy Chews is an organic candy that’s great to chew and eat before, during, or after activity (especially when flying if your ears ring at high altitudes). It has multiple carbohydrate sources including glucose, fructose, maltose, sucrose.

Honey Stinger Organic Energy Chew Variety Pack | 3 Pack each of Fruit Smoothie, Pomegranate Passionfruit and Cherry Blossom | Gluten Free & Caffeine Free | 9 Count (Pack of 1)

I discovered this candy while on vacation in Hawaii. I think the best way to describe these are somewhere between candy and a gummy since they are chewy. I like Mango as my favorite flavor. Amazon offers a variety box if you want to check these out.

Hi-Chew Assorted Combo with Two 3.5-oz Packs including Tropical and Original

Protein Snacks

Protein is always hard for me to get in even when I’m not traveling so I always like to bring some protein snacks with me just in case. These are really great to cure hangry when you need some  stabilizing energy.

Pepperoni Sticks

These are new to me but I started eating Pepperoni sticks last year as a quick snack when I was out doing errands. That makes them perfect for an easy travel snack! The two brands I’ve liked so far are Vermont and Applegate Naturals. To me the flavors of these taste the most neutral for dried meat and come in a casing so it’s easy to eat and move on to the next thing.

Snack Sticks by Vermont Smoke & Cure – Uncured Pepperoni – Turkey – Healthy Meat Protein – 1oz Jerky Sticks – 24 count carton

Protein Bars

Protein Bars can sometimes leave an aftertaste in my opinion so there are not too many tasty ones that have a balanced calorie to protein ratio. My favorite pick so far as been Barebells Protein Bars which come in a variety of flavors and have 20 grams of protein per bar. I’ve been able to find these on Amazon and at Trader Joe’s so far. If you don’t typically like protein bars give these a try for something a bit different.

Barebells Protein Bar - Salty Peanut

Protein Powders

I like to travel with protein powders that are individually wrapped since protein is often difficult to fit in when on the go. Most protein powder servings will have at least 18 grams of protein which is a great boost to hold you over until your next meal.

You can mix your protein powder in with some bottled water at the airport. As a great hack you can also find a bistro, Starbucks, or Dunkin Donuts in the airport and request a milk of your choice in a bigger cup to add your protein powder for an easy travel snack.

Clean Simple Eats Chocolate Brownie Batter Whey Protein Powder, Natural Sweetened and Cold-Processed 20 Grams of Protein (30 Servings)

Collagen Peptides

I’m also a big fan of collagen peptides! Collagen is not a complete protein but it works well in a pinch to supplement other sources of protein for the day. It’s not completely tasteless but the flavor isn’t too strong. I prefer to dissolve these packets in water or hot coffee while traveling. They come in individual sticks which make them easy to transport. Collagen is also really great for nail and hair growth and has really helped my joints.

Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides Powder Supplement Travel Packs, Hydrolyzed Collagen for Skin Hair Nail Joint - Dairy & Gluten Free - 10g per Serving - Zero Sugar - Unflavored (20ct per Box)

Granola and Fruit Bars

Something about granola bars are so nostalgic to me and I love to bring them as an easy travel snack. They travel really well on planes and are also great for in your day bag at your final destination.

I like the Nature Valley, Made Good, and Nature Bakery brands.

Nature's Bakery Gluten Free Fig Bars, Raspberry, Real Fruit, Vegan, Non-GMO, Snack bar, 1 box with 6 twin packs (6 twin packs)

Peanut Butter

Again, a controversial pick for travel since usually peanuts are not allowed on all flights but I must have peanut butter with me as a basic comfort food while traveling! If I can’t have these on the plane I just eat them at my final destination. I like the JIF To Go Natural Peanut Butter cups that come individually packaged and will eat them as is, or with something I buy at the airport for some extra fat and protein. My second pick is the Justin’s Honey Peanut Butter brand which comes in a packet making it one of the best snacks for traveling.

JUSTIN'S Classic Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Spread Squeeze Packs, 1.15 Ounce (10 Pack)

Dehydration is real when you travel! I have two easy solutions to stay hydrated when you are on the go. These are not exactly an easy travel snack but they will come in handy while on the go.

I recently started using GoHydrate this spring as a way to stop my leg muscles from cramping and get my water levels up. GoHydrate is a water enhancer which makes it a great option if you are not particularly a fan of drinking water. I started thinking that this would also be excellent for travel due to the individual packets which make them great for on-the-go. GoHydrate provides almost instant hydration by delivering 5 electrolytes immediately to your body. Those electrolytes are: calcium, sodium, magnesium, phosphorous, and potassium.

This water enhancer also provides 40%+ of the recommended daily Vitamin D dose that most of of are deficient in due to sitting inside so often. To use GoHydrate just pour the pre-packaged stick into 20-24oz of water and drink. If you’d like to order GoHydrate I suggest ordering their mixed 10 stick sample box or their 30 stick sample box to see which flavor you like before stocking up on their 30 box sets of one flavor. My favorite flavors so far have been Lemon Citrus , Kiwi Strawberry , and Fruit Punch if you need a flavor recommendation.

GoHydrate Electrolyte Drink Mix - A Naturally Flavored, Sugar Free, Hydration Powder (Mixed, 30 Count (Pack of 1))

True Honey Tea

We found this brand True Honey Tea at a farmers market last year and its been our favorite tea! Based in Virginia these are tea bags that have honey granules already in the tea. We really like the Earl Gray (add some half and half to make a London Fog) and also the Peppermint tea for a really great non perishable travel snack.

True Honey Rooibos Tea Bags - Honey Crystals Blended in Every Sachet - Decaf Red Rooibos Tea - All Natural Organic Herbal Caffeine Free Tea Bag 24 Count

My next favorite drink mixer to travel with is from Cusa Tea . This brand was recommended to me by a friend who uses them while hiking. The best part is you don’t have to walk around with a wet tea bag once you prepare your tea. The flavors Cusa Teas has are unreal. I started with their Iced or Hot Variety Pack and the flavors are so delicious, truly premium tea with no sugar or artificial ingredients. I’ve tried this both in iced and hot tea and they work great. You can use these just by ordering hot water while on at the airport, on the plane, or at your final travel destination. 

If iced tea is more your style I’ve used them in even room temperature water (though cold water is better) and they dissolve no problem with no grainy stuff at the bottom. They are not sweetened so if you like sweet tea I suggest adding a sugar packet or something like Truvia to lightly sweeten the drink. My favorite flavors so far have been Blueberry Chrysanthemum and Hibiscus Rose . I recommend starting with the variety pack so that you can figure out which flavor you like before committing to an entire pack.

Cusa Tea & Coffee | Herbal Tea Variety Pack | Premium Caffeine Free Instant Tea | Hot & Iced Tea with No Added Sugar (10 Single Servings)

I typically buy a large water bottle once I get through security to keep with me in the airport and on the plane. If you don’t like buying water I suggest traveling with a stainless steel water bottle that you can fill up at the airport and throughout your trip. Our favorite travel options include Swell , Iron Flask, Yeti, and Stanley water bottles as great options that close.

Travel Water Bottles

S'well Stainless Steel Traveler - 20 Fl Oz - Azurite - Triple-Layered Vacuum-Insulated Travel Mug Keeps Coffee, Tea and Drinks Cold for 36 Hours and Hot for 15- BPA-Free Water Bottle

S’well Stainless Steel Traveler

This S’well Stainless Steel Traveler is 20 Fl Oz and is Triple-Layered Vacuum-Insulated to keep Coffee, Tea and Drinks Cold for 36 Hours and Hot for 15 Hours.

Stanley IceFlow Stainless Steel Tumbler with Straw - Vacuum Insulated Water Bottle for Home, Office or Car Reusable Cup Leakproof Flip Cold 12 Hours Iced 2 Days (Alpine) , 30oz

Stanley IceFlow Tumbler

Stanley IceFlow Stainless Steel Tumbler with Straw is a Vacuum Insulated Water Bottle for Travel, the Office or a road trip. Its a reusable cup with a straw Leakproof Flip. The Stanley IceFlow will keep your drink cold for 12 Hours or Iced for 2 Days. This comes in various colors!

YETI Rambler 26 oz Bottle, Vacuum Insulated, Stainless Steel with Chug Cap, Seafoam

YETI Rambler Bottle

The YETI Rambler Water Bottle holds 26 oz of liquid and is vacuum insulated with a Chug Cap.

Which Easy Travel Snacks Are Your Favorites?

What easy travel snacks do you like to bring on your trips ? Did I miss any easy to pack snacks that you would recommend? Keep these travel snacks in mind for your next trip to beat hangry.

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This post is perfect timing! We’re taking the family to Disney World in two weeks and I have “travel snacks” on my to-do list! I love the high fiber gummy options, my little one struggles while we travel, so these will be perfect! Oh, and I have both the Emerald Nut Packs and the Nature’s Bakery bars as my car snacks, they are perfect, so I never have to hit the drive-thru!

Disney World sounds so fun! Yes, any sort of extra fiber on a trip makes things so much easier for all of us. And in candy form even better. I hope you get to try them 🙂 -Monica

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A Complete Guide to Every Food You Can (and Cannot) Fly With

food travel with

Figuring out how to pack souvenirs can be a tricky business, especially when you're taking home anything remotely edible. While the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has stringent rules for liquids , you may be surprised by how many things you can bring along in your carry-on, including hard cheese, frozen seafood, and even fresh eggs.

Confused? To help you avoid having to toss out your purchases at the airport, we've broken down the regulations for common foodstuffs. Certain creamy or liquid foods, such as peanut butter , olive oil, and salsa, simply have to comply with TSA's 3-1-1 rule or be placed in a checked bag. Bear in mind that while the organization has a handy list of foods you can and cannot fly with on its website, in practice it's often the TSA agent in your security line who makes the call about a particular item.

Take It With You

The following foods are all TSA-approved, so you should have no issue taking them in your carry-on. Just note that some items, like baby formula, require extra screening. If you want to be on the safe side, make sure you label any food items that may not be easily recognizable, such as protein powder or spices.

Vacuum-sealed Meats and Hard Cheeses

Since both of these items are non-liquid, they are perfectly fine to fly in your carry-on or checked bag. To be safe, ensure they're in vacuum-sealed packaging. Shops all over the world have pre-sealed products or even equipment to seal them for you, according to My Recipes . Creamy cheese products can be carried on if they're less than 3.4 ounces.

Since spices are dried, they're generally good to go. Make sure they're clearly labeled and unopened, so they're not mistaken for other substances. Pro tip: Only buy spices that you can't find at home if you're looking for a good souvenir for a foodie. These can be in your carry-on or checked bag.

Dried Goods

This includes pasta, dry beans, grains, and other pantry items that contain no liquid. These can be in your carry-on or checked bag.

Packaged Snacks

Good news for travelers who want to bring home interesting snacks from great food destinations around the world : as long as everything is sealed, you're good to go. Unopened snacks such as granola bars, nuts, chips, crackers, and cookies are safe in your carry-on or checked bag.

Chocolates and Candy

Confectionary candy and chocolate (hardened) are perfectly alright to carry on your flight. Keep everything neat and packaged, and feel free to pack the sweets in your carry-on or checked bag.

Yes, you can even take home that baguette. Ask the bakery to give you some packaging so you can avoid crumbs in your bag, but otherwise, bread of any kind is good to fly in both carry-on and checked luggage.

Coffee Beans and Tea Leaves

Coffee beans, loose tea leaves, or dry tea sachets are all considered dry goods, so the same rules apply.

Cooked Food (Non-liquid)

Tell your family that you're happy to take home extra Thanksgiving turkey, but leave the gravy in your checked bag. Cooked foods of any kind, as long as there are no liquids, are safe to fly in both carry-on and checked bags.

Dried Fruit

Fresh fruits and vegetables can be a little tricky, but in their dried form, they're officially A-OK. The same rules for dried goods and packaged snacks can be applied here.

Yes, even fresh eggs are okay in both carry-on and checked bags, oddly enough. Even though they're technically liquid on the inside, they're still solid food by TSA standards. It can be a little risky to take them, though, for obvious reasons.

Juice and Baby Formula

There are special guidelines for parents traveling with baby formula and juices in carry-on bags. These items are fine in checked luggage, but if you want to bring them on the plane with you, they will need a special screening .

Feel free to take that extra-large pepperoni pie with you, because TSA is pizza friendly. It might be a little messy to pack as a souvenir, but this is good news for people who want to pick up a quick bite before getting into the security line.

Pies and Cakes

Pies and cakes are cleared for take-off as well, so holiday travelers can breathe a sigh of relief. It's unclear how TSA feels about fruit filling, but according to its website, these items are OK in both carry-on and checked bags.

Protein and Energy Powder

Even though these need to be mixed with liquid to be consumed, they are still a dry product, much like a spice. Therefore, the same rules apply here. Just make sure everything is labeled and sealed properly.

That episode of "30 Rock" where Liz had to scarf down an entire Teamster sub is accurate, but only because she couldn't give up the dipping sauce. Feel free to stop by the deli for a sandwich before getting on your flight, but leave the liquid dipping sauce behind (if it's over 3.4 ounces, that is).

Pack It, Ship It, or Leave It

If you want to travel with something on the list below, your only option might be to pack it in your checked luggage. In some cases, there are items you are not allowed to fly with no matter what, such as high-proof alcohol.

High-alcohol Liquor

Anything over 70 percent alcohol (140 proof) is not permitted on planes. This includes liquors like Everclear, grain alcohol, and certain types of whisky, vodka, absinthe, and rum, so make sure you know what you're buying before you fly. When in doubt, just ship it home.

Canned Food

Canned goods are fine to fly in a checked bag, but they are usually subject to TSA's 3-1-1 rule. This can be a big problem because most cans are more than 3.4 ounces and they would require additional screening. It's best to check it or ship it home.

Oils, Vinegars, and Honey

Olive oil, special cooking oils, vinegars, honey, and similar items make excellent foodie gifts , but there's just one problem: They're all liquids. Feel free to put them in checked luggage, but if you want to carry on you'll have to buy the small size to comply with the 3-1-1 rule.

Dips, Jams, Creamy Cheese, and Spreads

Sadly, the 3-1-1 rule isn't just for liquids, it also applies to creamy or spreadable items, since they have a soft consistency (like a gel). Salsa, creamy cheese, dips, peanut butter, jams, preserves, and other items like these are all OK to put in checked luggage, but can only be carried on in containers less than 3.4 ounces.

Yogurt, Gravy, and Other Liquid Food

If you can bring these in solid form (by freezing them, for example), that's great. But if not, liquid foods like yogurt or gravy aren't allowed in carry-on luggage if they're in containers larger than 3.4 ounces and are best put in checked baggage or shipped home.

Fresh Fruits or Vegetables

Packing these items needs to be done with care. Fresh fruits and vegetables are cleared by TSA in checked bags, and most of the time TSA is OK with bringing solid, fresh foods in carry-ons. If they are soft, mashed, or liquid, they are subject to the organization's 3-1-1 rule. Passengers flying from Hawaii, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands cannot travel with most fresh fruits and vegetables. These rules may change for people traveling internationally.

Fresh Meat or Seafood

According to TSA, these foods must be packaged properly and completely frozen at the time of screening. This rule also applies to ice and ice packs used to keep the food frozen in its container. If you comply with these rules, you should be able to bring these items in both carry-on and checked luggage.

Wine or Other Alcoholic Beverages

Beverages, including wine, that are over 24 percent alcohol (but under 70 percent alcohol) are fine in checked luggage only. However, there is also a limit of five liters (1.3 gallons) per passenger. Mini bottles are okay to bring in your carry-on as long as they are under 3.4 ounces and fit comfortably in your single, one-quart bag. But remember that the FAA restricts passengers from drinking alcohol on board planes unless it is served by a crew member.

International Travel

If you are entering the United States from another country, you will have to go through customs where your bag might be screened. The rules and regulations about what you can and cannot bring into the U.S. are different from what TSA allows. Check the latest regulations from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection for a list of permissible items. If you want to know what foods you're allowed to travel with outside of the U.S., you will have to check the regulations for your destination country.

Fly Like T+L: Our Tips and Top Experiences

What's Hot

Chefs reveal the 9 destinations you need to visit if you love to eat.

Wellness Reporter, HuffPost

Among chef's picks? Mexico City, Cape Town and New Orleans.

For many people, bookmarking restaurants and bars is a beloved part of trip planning. And if you’re someone who considers dining and drinking an experience more than a necessity, then you may want to plan your entire vacation around destinations with unbelievable fare.

But while viral TikTok videos and skewed restaurant reviews can sometimes lead you astray, there’s one group of people who certainly know where to go: chefs. These experts aren’t just pros at their craft, but they know their way around a menu, whether it’s a fine dining meal, huge food market or a street food cart.

We asked chefs from across the country for their favorite places to travel to for good food (aside from the town where their restaurants are located) that they feel are attainable and affordable. Here’s what they said:

Amanda Shulman, the chef and owner of Philadelphia’s Her Place Supper Club and co-owner of Philadelphia’s My Loup , recently returned from her honeymoon in Thailand where she said the food was incredible.

She recommended “any single street food cart that serves plump Thai pork sausages stuffed with vermicelli noodles — a sour fermented pork sausage, grilled over charcoal until it is swollen and glistening, nearly popping out of its casing.”

“Fatty and tangy and incredible, I grabbed them whenever I could,” Shulman said.

“In Chiang Mai, there’s a roadside restaurant called Neng’s Earthen Jar Roast Pork filled with clay barrels rendering fat pork bellies until the skins are shatteringly crisp,” Shulman continued.

In Northern Thailand, laarb, which is “finely minced pork dressed in fish sauce, chilis, herbs and rice powder,” and khao soi, a rich curry noodle soup, are mainstays on many menus. Shulman recommended Aroon Rai , a small restaurant in Chiang Mai for these items.

In Bangkok, Shulman said “ Sorn was one of the best fine dining experiences I’ve ever had. Every bite was unabashedly delicious, the technique was evident and tight, and I’ll be dreaming of swiping warm roti into beef curry maybe forever.”

London, United Kingdom

“The modern London dining scene is, I think, the most exciting dining scene anywhere in the world,” said Ed Szymanski, the chef and owner of Dame and Lord’s in New York City.

London has restaurants that feature high-quality produce coming from France, Spain and Italy, as well as seafood from the northern parts of the U.K. “All of these things come together to create this very diverse dining scene,” Szymanski said.

Many restaurants serve modern British cuisine, including Planque , St. JOHN and Noble Rot , but the city’s food options don’t stop at British food. You can find great Pakistani, Indian, Spanish, Italian food, and more.

Or, for an all-in-one spot for local food and drinks, visit Borough Market where “you walk around and get some snacks, and you can have oysters shucked right in front of you, have a glass of champagne, and then go and have a sausage roll after that,” he said.

To find great food and drinks on your trip, "Read! Do research — read local publications of where you're heading to find out the scoop," said Amanda Shulman.

An oft-overlooked cuisine is Guatemalan food, which is known for its stews, and all things corn and beans, like corn tortillas, tostadas, tamales, empanadas, and pupusas loaded with cheese and beans, said Sofia Deleon, the owner of El Merkury in Philadelphia and the Guatemalan rum brand Tenango Rum . She added that the cuisine naturally has lots of gluten-free and vegetarian options, too.

“One of my favorite places to go when I visit is Mercado Central , the central market, because it’s a one-stop shop for everything [in Guatemala City],” Deleon said. Here you can find produce stands, meat purveyors and vendors selling handwoven items, in addition to food stands selling fresh tostadas loaded with avocado, parsley and cheese, and traditional Guatemalan desserts like a condensed milk treat known as canillita de leche.

Ceviche used to be a popular food throughout Guatemala but has since decreased in popularity. In Antigua, though, (which is about 1.5 hours from Guatemala City), she recommends you order ceviche at Hugo’s Ceviches . The restaurant “has been around forever, and it’s the one place that still maintains their standard and is really good,” she noted, adding Hugo’s Ceviches is also known for their micheladas made with Gallo, Guatemala’s local beer, along with the regular fixings like chilis and Worcestershire sauce.

Also in Antigua is La Cuevita de Los Urquizú, which comes highly recommended by Deleon as well. “What’s nice about this place is ... it’s almost like a buffet where you can buy things by the pound, and they have 50 to 75 varieties of very traditional foods that you would otherwise not get to try if you went anywhere else,” she said.

For traditional sweets, visit Doña María Gordillo in Antigua, which has been around since the 1800s. “Originally, based on Spanish-style sweets, but then it was adapted to Guatemalan flavors, so they have everything from the tamarind balls to chilacayote en dulce, which is like a type of Guatemalan pumpkin” in addition to tasty egg tarts.

New Orleans, Louisiana

New Orleans has some of “the most diverse and delicious food experiences — there’s not enough stomach space to devour all the good the city has to offer,” Shulman said.

The city is beloved for its food culture, which comprises Southern, Creole, Cajun and French cooking — think jambalaya, gumbo , beignets, and more.

One affordable item on menus across the city are po’boys, a sandwich that’s traditionally made with fried shrimp, roast beef or fried oysters, and served on crusty bread. For a good po’boy, followed by lemon Hubig’s Pies (a sweet New Orleans hand pie), Shulman recommends Frady’s One Stop .

For the New Orleans’ classic muffuletta (an Italian sandwich made with an olive salad, cured meat, cheese on a round roll) visit Central Grocery , according to Shulman.

Additionally, she suggests Cane & Table , a seasonally-focused restaurant that specializes in Caribbean and Cuban food, and Dakar , which serves Senegalese food. Or for something more special, try Mosquito Supper Club , which is Shulman’s “crush of a restaurant — sitting at the bar and eating pickled shrimp and other small bites was a magical experience.”

Cape Town, South Africa

Cape Town, South Africa, is a destination that’s full of complex local flavors along with fresh produce, and lots and lots of great wine, said Deleon. Plus, it’s relatively inexpensive and totally beautiful, she noted.

Specifically, the region is known for its Chenin Blanc wines, a type of white wine that is light and crisp. One of Deleon’s favorite places to drink South African wine is Babylonstoren Wine Estate , a winery where everything is grown in-house, from the olives for the olive oil to the grapes for the wines.

In addition to wine, Deleon said Cape Town is known for its Cape Malay food, “which is a mix of Malaysian and Indian and South African flavors.” You’ll find curry on many menus throughout the city, she said, and you’d be remiss not to try it. One spot for curry she recommends is Curry Club , where you can choose from a menu of chicken curries, lamb curries and veggie curries, ranging from mild to spicy.

Austin, Texas, is the place to go for great barbecue, according to Andrew Taylor of Big Tree Hospitality in Maine.

Mexico City, Mexico

Mexico City is another great place to eat, according to Szymanski. “There’s an unending list of places to go in Mexico City.”

“Mexico City is one of the largest and most eclectic cities in the world, and the rich tapestry of street vendors, markets, high-end restaurants and mezcal bars means there’s always a fun discovery around the corner,” said Szymanski.

Mexico City is known for a range of food, including its fresh tacos, making taquerias a must, according to Szymanski. Among his taqueria recommendations is El Torito, where they serve two kinds: suadero (which is like a beef brisket) and tripa (tripe) or a mix of both.

The area is also known for its barbacoa (slow-cooked lamb). And mezcal, a Mexican liquor made from agave, is worth being sought out, too.

Additionally, you should just “follow your nose and eat the street tacos that look good, eat the quesadilla, go to a market in Mexico and eat the thing that looks good. You have to trust your instincts and wait in line if there is a line because there’s a good chance someone else knows something that you don’t.”

Oaxaca, Mexico

“Mexican cuisine is such a huge part of American cuisine that I am always drawn to Mexico,” Gregory Gourdet, chef and founder of Kann and Sousòl in Portland, Oregon, told HuffPost via email. “I was blown away by my first trip to Oaxaca in 2021. The history and culture is so rich.”

In Oaxaca, you’ll find foods such as moles, which is a traditional Mexican sauce, barbacoa, tlayudas (a traditional Oaxacan dish made of a crunchy tortilla topped with things like beans, meat, veggies and cheese), and tamales, in addition to the local fruits and vegetables that are grown there, said Gourdet.

As far as where specifically to go in the city, Gourdet said, “Criollo and Alfonsina are both incredible restaurants.” You can also visit the Zapotec village of Teotitlan del Valle to take part in traditional cooking classes at El Sabor Zapoteco , he noted.

Additionally, the city is home to sprawling food markets that are must-visits during any trip. And beyond this, it’s a good destination for those with certain allergies, too.

“My dietary distinctions include being gluten and dairy-free, and corn-based Oaxacan cuisine is extremely accommodating. I was often told I was missing out by not indulging in the legendary local cheese, however,” Gourdet said.

Corsica, France

“I can almost guarantee you that nobody will have chosen the place that I was going to propose speaking about which is Corsica. Specifically, the northern half of Corsica, which is referred to as Haute Corse,” said Tyler Akin, the chef-partner of Le Cavalier in Wilmington, Delaware, and Bastia , a coming soon coastal Mediterranean restaurant in Philadelphia.

Corsica is an island, so it’s natural to think that seafood is the focal point. And while you can find great options (Akin suggests stopping in the town of Centuri for spiny lobster and sea urchin), the food here centers on cooking traditions from the mountainous region.

“Unlike Sardinia to the south, you see these alpine cheese traditions and more land-animal-driven cuisine than seafood-driven cuisine,” Akin said. This includes high-quality charcuterie products, chestnuts and mushrooms.

Akin said it’s best to go to Corsica during the offseason. “It’s really cool to be one of very few people there anytime but [specifically] May through October because you have an opportunity to really connect with the people.”

“One of the highlights there for me was the charcuterie that was produced,” said Akin, who added that a favorite producer of his was Les Delices de Castellu, which has “these incredibly natural products, wild boar salamis, and the signature sausage of Corsica which is figatellu.” Additionally, he said you should try migliacciu, which are pancakes stuffed with a ricotta-like cheese known as brocciu.

Another must-visit? Patrimonio, which is Corsica’s wine region where natural, organic wines are the focal point.

In the university town of Corte, seek out baked goods from Casanova Patisserie, which makes a little cheesecake called falculelle and fresh fruit ice cream, and Fritelle Curtinese for the best beignets on the island and a herb pie made with lard, maquis herbs and maquis herbs.

Austin, Texas

When you think of Austin, you likely think of tacos and barbecue — and that’s for good reason. These foods are woven into the history of the area and can be found all throughout the neighborhoods of the city.

Andrew Taylor, the chef/owner of Big Tree Hospitality in Portland, Maine, which operates Eventide Oyster Co., the Honey Paw and Hugo’s, along with some artisan food markets, said Austin is the place that’s stood out to him most when it comes to food destinations.

”[I’m] just really impressed with the food ... it actually reminded me a little bit of Portland in that it’s not a huge town but it felt like the quality of restaurants, the breadth of the restaurant scene was exceptional and punched way above its weight,” Taylor stated.

There are barbecue institutions like Franklin Barbecue and la Barbecue in Austin itself, in addition to options outside of town, too.

He added that it’s hard to find a bad meal in Austin, but if you are looking for places to dine, he has a few tips. “We took a little trip out like 45 minutes from Austin [to] Lockhart, Texas ... and the barbecue there was just the best I’ve ever had in my life. We went to Kreuz Market, which was just outrageous, Smitty’s and Terry Blacks, were just all incredible,” he said.

For tacos, he recommends Nixta where everything, from the tortillas to the braises, are handmade, and Veracruz, which is a food truck vibe.

And there is much more than tacos and barbecue in Austin. Taylor noted that he tried great Japanese food, Mexican food, Caribbean fare, and more.

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25 Easy Make-Ahead Road Trip Meal Ideas they’ll love!

Meal planning on a road trip doesn't have to be tough. Here are some easy road trip meal ideas to help you get started and enjoy the journey! #roadtrip #camping #recipes #mealplanning #campervan #motorhome #wanderingbird #foodideas

Planning a road trip? Looking for easy, make-ahead meal ideas, whether for a weekend break or a longer trip? Or maybe you want some easy recipes for meals on the road? Here are 25 great ideas for you!

*We work hard to make this the best motorhome travel blog and road trip website possible, full of helpful content for you. The website is supported by our readers, so if you buy through links on this site we may earn a commission- at no extra cost to you. All opinions remain our own .

If you find this post useful, you can also treat us to a coffee – we promise to enjoy it while creating more useful content like this- we might even indulge in a biscuit (or two!)

JUMP AHEAD TO...

Easy Make-Ahead Road Trip Meals

I’ll be honest- planning meals for a road trip is one of the things I dislike most.

Don’t get me wrong- I like cooking and I DEFINITELY like eating … but I am not good at creating a meal plan.

I also have a daughter who has gone from eating whatever we give her to being more and more particular about what she likes- and she’d rather not eat at all than eat something she doesn’t love. At home, it’s pretty easy to cook separate meals, but in the van, it becomes a whole different issue- and it makes the process of meal planning a lot harder.

Why plan meals on a road trip at all??

Oh, I hear you. In an ideal world, we’d just head off into the unknown and see what we find. One of the things we enjoy most about travelling is sampling local foods and dishes and enjoying discovering new things.

Both Mr WB and myself are fairly easy to please and can make do with all sorts, but anyone with kids knows that it’s just not that easy. I also don’t want to spend my time on the road worrying about whether she’ll eat anything- so it makes MY life easier if I plan it out a little in advance.

Make planning your next road trip EASY (& fun!)

When you’re planning a road trip, keeping track & organising all your ideas is often the hardest part. Fix that TODAY with our printable pdf road trip planner. Grab yours FREE now

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Road Trip Meal Planning

So, where do you even start with planning meals for a road trip??

For me, I break it down into 2/3 day intervals. Generally, we like to pop into a shop and buy fresh bread, fruit and other bits every 2/3 days. We don’t do MASSIVE week long shops when we travel- our fridge is nowhere near big enough to deal with that and there’s the worry about what happens if you lose power or gas? All that food will go to waste.

Of course, if you’re only going to a weekend, you can easily make-ahead several dishes and just heat them up- much easier.

TOP TIP for picky eaters- Make them choose some meals

One way I tackle our favourite picky eater is to get her to pick 5-7 dinners she will eat. (Annoyingly, this seems to change every week or so!) I also make her come shopping with me- I find if she chooses it, there’s a higher chance she’ll eat it.

While we’re on the subject of kids, here are some posts you might find useful:

  • 21 EPIC Children’s car games & road trip activities
  • 14 quiet time activities for kids, tweens and teenagers

Our Normal Road Trip Food shopping method

On a ‘normal’ two-week road trip to mainland Europe, this is my tried and trusted routine:

  • Buy stuff in UK which we struggle to get overseas (see below)
  • Make-ahead meals for first night or two
  • Buy things as you travel (at local markets, supermarkets or Lidl)
  • Do this every couple of days so we can buy fresh bread, fruit and croissants! Yum!!
  • Try to ignore jeans not doing up….!! 
  • Remember that people eat EVERYWHERE and try not to overbuy before you leave the UK.

This system has worked fairly well for us. It’s allowed us to discover new things, let Jade choose what she fancies and my stress levels don’t get too high trying to plan out a whole weeks worth of meals.

What about perishable foods?

We have a fridge which works both whilst we’re driving (battery) and when we’re parked up (gas). So we bring a small amount of perishable food with us- milk, cheese, ham, meat, yogurt, fruit, bacon.

We don’t buy too much in case there is a problem and the fridge breaks- it’s always been a little tempermental and is the part of the motorhome I trust the least!!

Meal planning on a road trip doesn't have to be tough. Here are some easy road trip meal ideas to help you get started and enjoy the journey! #roadtrip #camping #recipes #mealplanning #campervan #motorhome #wanderingbird #foodideas

Easy Road Trip Recipes

When I’m on a road trip, especially if it’s a holiday, I don’t want to spend hours of my time in the galley, prepping, washing, chopping, cooking and washing up!

Here are a few easy recipes we use and love. Most only use one pot and many can be made in advance if you prefer.

5 easy road trip Breakfast ideas

  • Greek Yogurt and fresh fruit
  • Muesli/ cereal
  • Scrambled eggs in a wrap or on toast (toast is HARD to cook on a gas hob though!)
  • Bacon/ sausage sandwich (bring your own bacon from the UK. Alternatively, look in European supermarkets- but it won’t look the same. It’s usually much thinner and cooks MUCH faster.)
  • One Pan English Breakfast 

Note how those went from fairly healthy to full-on delicious! I’m making myself hungry!

10 easy Lunch ideas for a road trip

We tend to do lunch as we travel- or if we’re exploring we’ll treat ourselves to a cheeky lunch out. Just don’t do that at Neuschwanstein Castle ! ( Jeez- you thought Norway was expensive!!!! )

  • Fresh crusty bread and… anything. Cheese, ham, tuna, butter, garlic cheese, crisps, chicken, leftover beef, fish fingers…
  • Salad. We try and add some fruit or salad in where possible- we’ll pretend to be healthy every once in a while! If we’re parked up I love to fry up some chicken and pop it onto a quick salad with avocado, tomatoes and peppers. Or try these delicious healthy salad recipes . TOP TIP- WASH your salad. Even the ones in bags. They don’t always wash it in Europe. It also doesn’t seem to last as long (that might be the heat) so don’t over buy.
  • Grilled Cheese (see below for recipe)
  • Couscous (see below)

I have still not found a decent way to make toast in the van. It’s an ongoing process that I will continue to work at! Still, Grilled Cheese sandwiches are a perfect snack:

Grilled Cheese Sandwich Recipe

  • Sliced Bread
  • Cheese (Cheddar and Mozzarella work well)

Butter bread thinly and put butter side down into hot frying pan (not too hot and use butter, not oil.) Add slices of cheddar and mozzarella cheese. Add other slice of bread on top, butter side up. After a couple of minutes (when bottom slice is brown but not burnt), flip sandwich over. Grill for a couple of minutes. For an extra touch, transfer sandwich to oven tray and bake in oven at 170’c for 5-7 minutes until cheese is totally melted.

Burritos are basically large wraps, with beans and/ or rice added into the wrap. One of the easiest ones is the bean and cheese burrito, but you can easily add in meat, sauces and any leftovers you might have.

Ingredients: 

  • 1 whole-grain tortilla wrap
  • 1 medium-sized can of black beans (cook in advance if needed)
  • Cheese- sliced or grated

Simply spread ingredients over wrap, fold in all ends tightly and enjoy!

5 Easy Road Trip Sandwich ideas

Sometimes, simple is best. Here are some easy road trip sandwich ideas:

  • Sausage or Bacon Sandwich – great for breakfast or lunch!
  • Ham/Chicken/ Salami Sandwich – with or without cheese
  • Jam or Peanut Butter Sandwich
  • Egg Mayo Sandwich
  • Tuna sandwich

Couscous is magical. Lighter than rice and so versatile. I make a big helping of this and it lasts for lunch and dinner quite happily.

The trick is to double the amount of liquid to cous cous. One cup couscous= 2 cups stock. I love to use chicken or vegetable stock. Nothing fancy; those little cubes in some boiling water are just fine. Stir until the cube disolves, then pour it over the couscous. Leave to stand for 10 minutes. The beauty of this is you can add whatever you like to it. We like lemon, mint, feta, avocado, red peppers, spring onions, celery… the list is endless. I generally make a bowl of plain couscous and we each add different fillings to it.

Meal planning on a road trip doesn't have to be tough. Here are some easy road trip meal ideas to help you get started and enjoy the journey! #roadtrip #camping #recipes #mealplanning #campervan #motorhome #wanderingbird #foodideas

10 easy or make-ahead road trip meals for dinner

Ahhhh… now this is the fun part. Everyone’s been driving in the exact same motorhome for several hours… and as soon as you arrive somewhere and the van is parked up for the night, they all turn to you and ask ‘what’s for dinner?’…!

All of these recipes take no more than 30 minutes or you can make many of them ahead for the first few days of the trip.

TOP TIP- Be kind to yourself. Many people dislike ‘pre-made’ sauces, feeling that they’re ‘cheating’ if they don’t cook everything from scratch. But it’s your trip too, so don’t be judgemental about sauces from a jar. Yes, there might be a bit more sugar or salt- but it’s a heck of a lot better than a pizza or McDonalds. So be kind to yourself and make things easy.

Some easy or make-ahead meal ideas for dinners on the road:

  • 3-way mince (Bolognaise, Chilli, Savoury)- can be made in the slow cooker

Spanish Omelette

  • Easy make-ahead taco Bowl

Chicken Quinoa

  • Pea/ Pesto Pasta

Cheats Pizza

3-way mince: bolognese, chilli or savoury.

Here’s the recipe for 3 way mince bulk cooking. You can get savoury mince, bolognese and chilli from 1 pack of mince. It’s the perfect ‘make-ahead’ recipe and is very easy to heat up on the road.

1 pack of 500g mince makes 5 meals: 2 x savoury mince 2 x chilli 1 x bolognese

Start with chopped onion, pepper, garlic and grated carrot all in one large pan with a little oil (or butter) until softened.

Split the mix between 3 pans & add the mince. Cut it long ways in the packet before adding so it’s easier to break up in the pan.

You can add any vegetables at this point. Previously I’ve used courgette, mushrooms and aubergine, all finely chopped. You can get 6/7/8 kinds of vegetables in there!

Brown the mince on a low to medium heat so it doesn’t clump together, break it up with a spoon as it cooks.  Add the seasoning to the chilli pan (cumin, turmeric, chilli powder, garlic powder and paprika) and garlic powder to the savoury mince & bolognese pans. 

Once browned, strain peas & sweetcorn (one small can of corn & 1 small can of peas and add to savoury mince pan.

Add one can of chopped tomatoes to the chilli pan & 1 to the bolognese, stir through. Drain and rinse the kidney beans and add to the chilli. I used half a can of beans, I’ll save the rest for a salad.

Rinse the tomato cans out with a little water & add to the savoury mince pan. Stir in Bisto granules (or beef stock & maybe cornflour or thickener as needed). Add a little Worcestershire sauce & pepper to taste.

Taste & adjust seasonings if necessary.

Divide & eat, or store in the fridge until ready.

Many thanks to Phillippa from PhilyaBelly for the recipe – follow her on Instagram

Meal planning on a road trip doesn't have to be tough. Here are some easy road trip meal ideas to help you get started and enjoy the journey! #roadtrip #camping #recipes #mealplanning #campervan #motorhome #wanderingbird #foodideas

Serve with:

  • Spaghetti, rice or potatoes.
  • Garlic or crusty bread
  • Grated cheese
  • Side salad if your family will eat it.

I LOVE this Spanish Omelette. It’s so easy to make and only uses one pan.

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, chopped

Heat the oil in large frying pan. Peel potatoes and slice thinly. Put the slices in the pan with the onion & garlic. Cover the pan and cook until the potatoes are tender, turning them occasionally. Beat the eggs.

When the potato and onion mixture is cooked, add it to the eggs and mix together. Heat another spoon of oil in the pan, and turn the heat down as low as it will go. Pour the egg, onion & potato mixture into the pan.

The essence of this dish is slow cooking and it should take about 20 minutes. When there is no liquid left turn omelette over for 2 minutes. It’s now ready to serve and eat! Delicious- perfect with salad or french loaf.

Lamb Kebabs

Take 500g (4 people) of lean lamb mince and add spices (salt, pepper, cumin, coriander, paprika… whatever you like!) Mould into balls or around a skewer and cook on BBQ or in oven until browned.

If using BBQ and wooden skewers, soak the skewers in water for about 30 minutes first.

Serve with Tzatziki- Greek yogurt, mint, lemon and cucumber

Easy make-ahead Taco bowl

  • 1 can of beef
  • ½ of a small jar of salsa
  • Bag of tortilla chips
  • 1 can of beans
  • 1 avocado/ guacamole

Warm beef and cook beans as directed on label. Mix and add on top of chips (can be warmed in oven) Add Salsa, avocado/ guacamole, sour cream and grated cheese as desired (we pop the whole thing in the oven to melt the cheese.

Ingredients

  • 4 chicken breasts
  • 1/4 tsp. herb de Provence (or any herbs)
  • 1 cup. quinoa
  • 1/4 cup. white wine vinegar
  • 1/4 cup. olive oil
  • 2 green onions
  • 2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
  • 4 cup. rocket/ lettuce/ salad
  • 2/3 cup. olives, quartered
  • 12 oz. tomatoes, halved
  • Season chicken breasts with herbs, salt and pepper. Grill 3 minutes per side on medium-high or until cooked through.
  • Cook quinoa as label directs.
  • Mix vinegar, olive oil, green onions, Dijon mustard and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Toss half of the vinaigrette with cooked quinoa, salad/ rocket, tomatoes and olives. Serve chicken over quinoa with remaining vinaigrette.

Pea / Pesto Pasta

  • Pasta  
  • fresh or frozen peas
  • Chopped chives, for serving
  • Cook pasta. Drain and return pasta to pot. 
  • While pasta is cooking, roughly chop 1 cup peas. Add ricotta and lemon zest and mix well. Season with salt and pepper. 
  • Add ricotta mixture, remaining 1/2 cup peas, and pasta water; toss to combine. Sprinkle with chopped chives, if desired.

Alternatively, cook pasta, add several large spoons of pesto and some grated cheese and mix well.

Salmon with rice and vegetables

We eat salmon a lot- it’s very good for you.

Grill (or use a low-wattage air fryer ) and serve with rice, couscous (see above) and vegetables.

Sure, you can make your own dough and add toppings- and if that works for you, then go for it. However, we cheat.

  • Grab 2 pitta breads per person and pop them under the grill
  • You want them warm, but not ‘crispy’
  • Turn over, and spread with pesto (green or red)
  • Add mozzarella cheese, ham, salami, mushrooms… whatever you like!
  • Grill until bubbling

If you’d like more inspiration, here are a couple of our favourite camping cookbooks:

The Camper Van Cookbook: Life on 4 wheels, Cooking on 2 rings

Healthy Road Trip Snacks

We’ve done an entire post on 15 quick & healthy road trip snacks (many of them Keto friendly) but here are a couple more ideas for you:

  • 1 large can of tuna
  • ½ cup of cranberries
  • A packet of whole-grain crackers

First, take the tuna out from the can and empty it into a bowl. Next, mash a whole avocado and add it with the cranberries into the tuna. Use whole-grain crackers to dip into your tuna.

Apple Cookies

  • 2 green apples
  • Peanut butter
  • Dark chocolate chips
  • Almond slices

Cut an apple into slices that resemble a cookie, then layer the rest of the ingredients in between two slices to make the snack look like an apple sandwich. The snack will stay fresh in an ice cooler for two days.

Barabrith – great snack for afternoon tea!

Other things:

Whilst we’re on the subject, don’t forget to bring:

  • Washing up liquid
  • Big scrubbing pad for BBQ if using
  • cleaning supplies
  • Kitchen roll
  • Bottle/ can opener
  • Mugs and glasses
  • Tea/ coffee/ sugar

How else can I help you today??

  • See the BEST Road Trip Journal to record your adventures!
  • Show me essential Road Trip Accessories
  • Get 100+ essential road trip songs (+ playlist)
  • Help me plan my road trip
  • See gift ideas for road trippers

Road Trip meals- quick and easy road trip meal ideas to pack and prep for adults, couples & families.

Kat never planned to buy a motorhome. She also never planned to quit her job as an air traffic controller, go touring around Europe in said motorhome, start one of the UK’s largest motorhome travel websites… or get a cocker spaniel.

Find out how she went from stuck in the rat race to being a digital nomad and inspiring thousands of people to have their own epic adventures here.

If you’d like to connect with Kat, send her an email or follow her adventures on social media.

Last update on 2024-03-01 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

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Hi Kat I’ve not tried these yet but they get a good review on Amazon. As I’ve bought the barbecue you recommended in your blogs I thought I would try to keep my new BBQ clean as I absolutely hate scrubbing it after use. Just bought a pack to try on our trip to France in September BBQ Grill Mat, Set of 5 Beeway® Non Stick Barbecue Baking Mats for Charcoal, Gas or Electric Grill – Heat Resistant, Reusable and Easy to Clean, FDA Aproved – Bonus 12″ Just thought you may also find these useful

They look amazing- let me know how you find them 🙂

The https://wandering-bird.com website is one of the best we have found, and the 15 Easy Road Trip Meal Ideas article is very well written and useful! Thanks and kisses! 🙂

I recommend a ridge monkey for camper van cooking. You can cook chicken breasts, steaks, poach eggs, bake a cake, make an omelette, and it also makes great toast!

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More From Forbes

‘somebody feed phil’ new season, march 1: fantastic travel-food fun.

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Rosenthal and his daughter, Lily, wow about the fish and chips in Edinburgh.

Somebody Feed Phil premieres its 7th season March 1 on Netflix. Inimitable host Phil Rosenthal —whose heartfelt humor feels like a warm hug—dishes up delectable foods and destination finds. He chats and chews with chefs, restaurateurs, guides, travel experts, colorful characters, famous friends, prominent movers and exuberant shakers. And he shares with viewers uplifting insights intended to encourage kindness. This enlightening, enthusiastic series spotlights eight new episodes: Dubai, Mumbai, Kyoto, Taipei, Washington D.C., Orlando ( with a twist ), Scotland and Iceland. Each location’s bounty is ladled with tips and takeaways. Gorgeous sights, sounds, smiles and nourishing ventures abound. Cheers to the camera operators and editors who seamlessly weave narratives and vibrant visuals. Rosenthal’s brother, Richard, is the showrunner and executive producer, as well as his behind-the-cameras sidekick. I won’t reveal the season’s sweetest surprises, which are many—so that you can look forward to savoring unexpected morsels and moments. Here, appetizers to whet your interest.

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Rosenthal eyes a ritzy burger at Atmosphere and Lounge in Dubai.

Rosenthal Says: “A gleaming metropolis on the Persian Gulf shore of the Arabian Peninsula, Dubai is the biggest city in the United Arab Emirates. Behind the glitz, there’s an older part of town that you don’t hear much about. You’re in a city with a thriving immigrant population. Approximately 85 percent of Dubai’s population moved here from other countries, which makes for fantastic world food.”

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The magnificent 7 are falling like dominos; only 3 remain, the top 10 richest people in the world march 2024.

Family Affair: At Michelin-starred Orfali Bros restaurant, three brothers—Mohammad, Wassim and Omar, originally from Syria—triumphantly stretch the boundaries of culinary possibilities with imaginative flavors and textures, as well as visionary pizzazz. Considered a leading restaurant in all of the Middle East and Africa, Orfali Bros embraces Dubai’s multiculturalism and avant-gardism; sources from local farmers and suppliers; and emphasizes gastronomic fun.

Mind-boggling Mouthful: Rosenthal rises to the 122nd floor of swanky Atmosphere and Lounge in the world’s tallest building: Burj Khalifa, which stands 2,722-feet—more than half a mile high. Its 360-degree panoramas of Downtown Dubai and the Gulf, as well as French-inspired menus, enthrall. The restaurant is often cited for the Golden Billionaire Cheeseburger, made with Wagyu beef and topped by 24K gold and truffles. Is this Rosenthal’s tastiest burger ever?

Candy Curiosity: A sophisticated, fancy chocolatier creates camel milk chocolates. Yes, you read that correctly. Rosenthal takes a bite.

Snowballs in the Desert: Dubai does not skimp on extravagance. Ski Dubai, the world’s largest indoor ski slope, is located within the Mall of the Emirates. It boasts 242,188 square feet of indoor ski space, a 240-foot-tall artificial mountain and five runs that vary in difficulty. Every night, 30 to 40 tons of pure water are chilled, blown into the freezing environment and crystallize into snow. Bobsledding, snowboarding, tubing and tobogganing are also available, plus climbing towers, Gentoo and King penguin encounters and an ice cave.

Mumbai, India

In Mumbai, Rosenthal attempts a yoga lesson.

Rosenthal Says: “I have always wanted to go to India, but people who have been have said I need to be ready to experience all of life all at once: rich, poor, beautiful, crazy, overwhelming. And then you have the food, which is an adventure on its own.”

Moveable Feast: Since 1890, an elaborate lunch delivery system by dabbawalas— couriers dressed in white uniforms and Gandhi-style caps—crisscrosses bustling Mumbai. Hot home-cooked meals (usually prepared by wives) and restaurant fare fill iconic cylindrical metal containers. They are collected, transported initially via trains, then mostly bicycles, to hungry workers at their jobs. Soon thereafter, the same metal containers are retrieved and each returned to its source. Today, approximately 5,000 dabbawalas carry approximately 200,000 meals back and forth in a complex, yet remarkably smooth workaday choreography. Rosenthal goes behind the scenes.

Game On: Cricket is the most popular sport in India, introduced by the British in the early 1700s. Will Rosenthal, who agrees to play, score?

Stylish Sips: At the grand Taj Mahal Palace hotel, afternoon tea with English and Indian delicacies are served in opulent surroundings. Chef Dipika Singh joins Rosenthal at his table for five-star comfort food, such as pao (a small roll made with potato), which is spiced with curry leaves, coriander, mustard seeds, turmeric and chili.

Ocean Motion: India food critic, journalist, TV personality and talk show host, Vir Sangi accompanies Rosenthal to Trishna, a superb seafood restaurant, for fish curry, charcoaled jumbo prawns, lobster in chili sauce and butter-garlic crab. Hungry yet?

Kyoto, Japan

Rosenthal and wife Monica Horan (left) appreciate the art of a tea ceremony in Kyoto.

Rosenthal Says: “Serenity, calm, peace and beauty. Kyoto is...the quietest big city I’ve ever been to. The moment I arrived here, it felt dreamlike, as though I was floating down the street.... It’s just that stunning. There are over 2,000 ancient temples and shrines. You can be walking in the city, turn and be transported to another century. Of course, this beauty can also be found in the food. Even while I’m living it, I know I’m going to miss it.”

Culinary Cool Spot: At lively Nishiki Market, a five-block-long shopping street with more than 100 restaurants and shops, everything that a Japanese cook could want can be found—seafood, produce, spices and rice varieties, as well as pots, tableware, knives and personalized chopsticks. Referred to by locals as Kyoto’s Kitchen, this approximately 400-year-old thriving area is ripe for indulgent snacking. Just don’t eat and walk at the same time, which is culturally frowned upon. Rosenthal tries sabazushi —a marinated mackeral sushi; hago —a tempura -style fried eel on a stick; saké— a rice wine; pickled cabbage; and koi fish cooked with soy sauce.

Guiding Light: Joe Okata, who at age 94 is the oldest licensed tour guide in Japan, teams up with Rosenthal for drinking, dining and laughing. Nicknamed The Last Samurai, Okata brings unique zest to this episode.

Slurping, Slurping: Eight-seat Juu-go restaurant focuses solely on soba noodles and mash. Its chef, Akiya Ishibashi, is also its start-to-finish farmer, who plants the buckwheat seeds, tills the field, harvests the grain, kneads it into resulting fragrant noodles that are thick-cut and cooked al dente . Seasoning is added. Simple perfection.

Alluring Stimulation: Chef Jacob Kear, born in California and raised in Japan, dazzles at his Lurra restaurant, center staging fresh oysters from Hiroshima, mountain trout and a galette of eggplant.

Taipei, Taiwan

Rosenthal devours savory snacks in Taipei.

Rosenthal Says: “Situated in the South China Sea, Taiwan has always been a place that others have wanted to control. Here in Taipei, people would much rather talk about the many things that this country has to offer. This is a big city, a big cultural hub, a big economic hub. Taipei might not be the first place you think about when coming to this part of the world, but I know one great reason it should go to the top of your list: the street food.”

Fave Market Eats: Scallion pancakes with an egg inside. Cooked-to-order wafers filled with red bean paste. Fluffy honey cake and pineapple cake, which are widely sold.

Hot Reservation: At Michelin-starred Raw, a strikingly designed restaurant that incorporates gigantic wood forms, chef André Chiang orchestrates an elevated, innovative French menu. Playful cubes with names of ingredients are unveiled to guests, who participate in selecting the composition of their own dishes.

Breakfast Buffet: Begin the day with rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves and peanut sesame noodles at the Palais de Chine Hotel.

Dining Darling: At Michelin-starred Mountain and Sea House, which owns Nan’ao Fengyuan Farm, organic seasonal ingredients are glamorously fashioned in a lovely mansion with courtyard that is reminiscent of 1930s charm.

Cutting-edge Massage: Rosenthal lies face down on a spa table, draped in a cloth, then a therapist vigorously rhythm-taps the length of his body with knives . This is a thing. Yes, there are blades involved. Can Rosenthal relax?

Washington D.C.

Rosenthal at Anju, a contemporary Korean restaurant and pub in Washington D.C.

Rosenthal Says: “Blown away by the beauty of this city, the statues, the memorials, the monuments, the parks, the water, the art, the culture, the history, the ideals of this country are all here.... Historically, D.C. hasn’t really been known as a foodie destination, but that’s all changed in recent years. I’m telling you it’s shedding its steak-and-potatoes reputation with an explosion of new cuisines. I’m excited to dig in.”

Café Charisma: Michelin-starred chef Michael Rafidi shines with Yellow, a café brimming with Levantine-, Middle Eastern- and French-inspired treats. Wood-fired pita sandwiches, shawarma, mezze and hummus excel. Executive pastry chef Alicia Wang and pastry chef Emma Scanlon fascinate with their zaatar (spices) and labneh (thick strained yogurt) croissants.

Pizza and Sign Language: Restaurant Mozzeria—founded, owned and operated by members of the deaf community—specializes in authentic, wood-fired, Neapolitan pizza. It also provides empowered training and job opportunities to hearing-impaired people in a supportive and inclusive environment. Chef and general manager Christin White heads the D.C. kitchen. (Another Mozzeria restaurant is in San Francisco.)

Deli Delicious: A chef-driven butcher shop, Stachowski’s Market is notable for its charcuterie, massive sandwiches and meat platters. Rosenthal samples thick slices of smoky hot pastrami slathered with robust mustard on pumpernickel bread.

Spice Is Extra Nice: At modern Indian cuisine restaurant Rasika, Rosenthal joins journalist-CNN anchor Jake Tapper and Jeffrey Goldberg, the editor of The Atlantic . Crispy baby spinach and crepe -style dosas with Peruvian purple potatoes and chutney are menu musts.

Orlando, Florida

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Rosenthal Says: “Orlando is a city created around entertainment, but it has its own story beyond the theme parks. An amazing food scene, [which] isn’t surprising really as it’s a city of immigrants from all over the world and what they brought is their culture and cuisine.”

Meat Rules: Crocante, a Puerto Rican restaurant—headed by chef Yamuel Bigio—draws an enormous fan following with its succulent porchetta (boneless round of pork loin-and-belly rotisserie-roasted for six hours), mofongo (mashed fried plantains, mixed with garlic and crispy pork skin) and charred arroyo tacos stacked with crunchy cabbage and grilled octopus.

Dreamy Creamy: The winning ice cream at Sampaguita is influenced by Filipino culture and family traditions, run by Marie Mercado and Mo Hassan. This biz brainstorms fanciful flavors—such as vanilla bean ice cream perfumed with a hint of jasmine and lychee jellies; mellow jackfruit cream with lightly roasted chili cashew nuts; and mango ice cream with peach-mango fruit swirls and pie crust crunch. You’ll never look at ice cream the same way again.

Please Say Cheese: At La Femme du Fromage, owner Tonda Corrente celebrates life’s crème de la crème with grilled-cheese happy hours, custom cheese boards and handcrafted artisanal cheese from around the globe.

Colossal Cookies: Baker and owner Steve Lewis sells bold cookies with generous ingredients—pistachio, toffee and chocolate; peanut butter crunch; candied walnut—at Gideon’s Bakehouse. They are a joy-making handful.

Actor Kelly Macdonald and Phil Rosenthal in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Rosenthal Says: “I fell in love with the cobblestone streets, hills and the lush greenery all around the castles and the deep dark buildings set against the sometimes gloomy skies, very evocative of a time and a place long ago. It’s no surprise Scotland is as stunning as ever. What you will find surprising is the food, some food that maybe you weren’t expecting.”

Whisky Frisky: Rosenthal is helicoptered to the verdant Isle of Skye, off the coast of the Highlands, to enjoy single-malt Talisker Scotch whisky—an eye-opening entrance to a spectacular excursion that loops a distillery tour. In Edinburgh, one of the most visited tourist attractions in all of Scotland is Johnny Walker Princes Street, with exhibition and tasting rooms. Emma Walker (no relation), the company’s first female master blender after its more than 200 years in business, is on hand to toast with Rosenthal.

Food Crawl: Grassmarket on Victoria Street turns up Scotch eggs (hardboiled egg, wrapped in sausage, coated in bread crumbs and deep-fried), plus distinctive ice cream and whimsical sundaes at Mary’s Milk Bar.

Sugary Scot!: At Tantrum Donuts, the crème brûlée donut with vanilla custard entices aplenty.

Quintessential Forkfuls: The national dish of Scotland, haggis is made with sheep liver and other organ entrails. You’ll find it almost everywhere.

Glad Glad: Rosenthal heads to the city of Glasgow for a Malaysian meal at Ga Ga Kitchen and Bar. Owner and chef Julie Lin presents spicy lobster and mutton curry.

Rosenthal picnics with Reykjavik-based photographer Gunnar Freyr Gunnarsson near a cave.

Rosenthal Says: “[People] say that it feels like another planet, but it’s not another planet. It’s not that hard to get to…between New York and Europe. So much of Iceland’s soul is rooted in the natural wonders of this place. You can drive an hour and see mountains, volcanoes, green lush fields, streams flowing into waterfalls, sheep, rams, goats.”

Astonishing Culinary Revolution: If you’ve heard that sheep’s head and fermented shark represent Icelandic cuisine, revise your expectations. At Braud & Co, a bakery, Rosenthal proclaims that he’s eaten the best cinnamon bun of his life. Seabaron, a casual restaurant near the waterfront, serves one of the tastiest soups he has ever consumed brimming with chunks of hot tender langoustines. La Primavera, set on a vibrant harbor close to Reykjavik, is owner and chef Leifur Kolbeinsson’s impressive Italian restaurant. He is credited for introducing fresh pasta to this nation in 1993, when the Icelandic food revolution was in its infancy. In Iceland’s first food hall, Skál! is an experimental restaurant and bar that forages Icelandic ingredients. Rosenthal relishes scallops in their shells with horseradish cream, dill and hazelnut oil; braised beets with mascarpone and mustard greens; and baked Arctic char with capers and shallots. Acclaimed American photojournalist Chris Burkard, who lives much of the time in Iceland, dines with Rosenthal, sharing stories about this wondrous land.

Sporty Paradise: Camp, hike, climb glaciers, parasail, spy wildlife. Iceland encompasses famed Silfra Fissure, which is said to have the clearest and coldest water in the world. Rosenthal and wife Monica squeeze into thermal wear and drysuits to float amid a pristine environment. Guess who gets out of the water first.

Check out my recent Forbes interview: Funny Phil Rosenthal Talks New Season Of ‘Somebody Feed Phil’

Daughter Lily Rosenthal, wife Monica Horan and Phil Rosenthal in Iceland.

Laura Manske

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A woman in an orange sweater and chunk light blue glasses site in a chair covered in a quilt and surrounded by paintings.

For Carla Hall, It’s Been a Bumpy Climb to a ‘Top Chef’ Life

The bubbly host of a new TV food-and-travel series plays up the comedy, but her ascent has required navigating setbacks like the demise of “The Chew.”

Carla Hall is the host of “Chasing Flavor,” which just debuted on Max. She loves her grandmother’s quilt, which is draped over a chair in her office, and art, like this portrait of her by Danni Dawson. Credit... Janice Chung for The New York Times

Supported by

Kim Severson

By Kim Severson

Kim Severson, who has written about the new “Top Chef” host Kristen Kish , reporting from New York City and Washington, D.C.

  • Published Feb. 20, 2024 Updated Feb. 26, 2024

Carla Hall’s tarot card reading was running long. Astrology, numerology, psychics, the Chinese zodiac — she’s open to all manner of metaphysical messaging.

I slipped off my shoes in the foyer of her century-old house in the Takoma neighborhood of Washington, D.C., out of respect for a recent million-dollar gut renovation. Then I went to wait in her airy kitchen, which happens to have the most expertly arranged, hand-labeled spice drawer I have ever encountered.

Ms. Hall finally bounded down the stairs with news from the reading. “Oh, my God,” she said. “It was so good. All stars point to ‘this is your year.’ ’’

Indeed, Ms. Hall seems to be everywhere. She’s selling $88 carrot cakes and nesting bowls decorated with okra flowers from her Sweet Heritage line on QVC. She made croquettes from Doritos at the Super Bowl’s Taste of the N.F.L . event. She is luminous in a recent People magazine spread marking her 60th birthday, which arrives in May. (She’s a Taurus.)

And of course, she’s on TV, the medium that made her a food star almost from the moment she was introduced to the world as “kooky Carla” in the fifth season of “ Top Chef ” in 2008. This year, she’ll judge Food Network baking championships, appear on “ Beat Bobby Flay ” and serve as a guest judge when “ Top Chef ” returns in March.

A tall woman in a chef’s coat and black glasses standing next to two other people in chef’s coats holds a knife.

Her biggest splash is “ Chasing Flavor ,” the first show in which she’s not the wacky sidekick but instead the authoritative star and an executive producer. The show, six episodes of which were released this month on Max, is another entry in the Anthony Bourdain-influenced food-travel genre.

Say what you will about the generosity of the universe, but you’ve got to hustle if you want to make it big. As much as she relies on the metaphysical, Ms. Hall is a grinder who has surfed a string of setbacks to become an unlikely star in the celebrity cooking firmament — a Black woman who has let her hair turn gray and uses her platform to share some unpopular opinions.

A theater kid from a middle-class neighborhood in Nashville, Ms. Hall pinballed her way up from an accounting job to modeling to running sandwiches to doctor’s offices. She has navigated dead ends and disappointments, including a much-hyped Brooklyn restaurant that flopped and the abrupt cancellation in 2018 of “ The Chew, " a show where she made a fifth of what her male co-stars did and worried almost daily that she would be fired.

The hits she’s taken, both public and private, would have laid out most people. To her, they were gifts from a universe that does things for you, not to you.

“I am constantly looking for why something happens,” she said. “I may not know in the moment. I may not even know in five years. But I’m constantly asking myself, why did I experience this?”

Michael Symon , a Midwestern chef who grew close to Ms. Hall during their time on “The Chew,” said she is the most curious person he has ever met. “Everyone I know was born with a fear of failing except Carla.”

With a face as malleable as Lucille Ball ’s and a body honed by dance and yoga, Ms. Hall is a physical humorist who never passes up an opportunity for a laugh. When she tripped while running across the stage as host of the 2018 James Beard awards ceremony, she played it up by going into a pratfall .

“I was like, ‘Engage the core and just go down,’” she said. “Fall like a 2-year-old.”

She’s been polishing her fashion sense since her teens. She makes good use of her height (she’s 5-foot-11, but calls herself “six-feet presenting”) and what she calls her face art — an ever-rotating pair of statement eyeglasses she selects from a collection of some 75 she keeps in a glass case.

Some celebrities seem to have a force field that repels spontaneous fan interaction. Not Ms. Hall, whose entire vibe is accessibility.

“In order to have personal time with her, we have to be in an isolated space,” said her sister, Kim Macedo, a fifth-grade teacher who lives in Olney, Md. When they took their mom, Audrey Hall, out for Mother’s Day in Nashville last year, fans came to the table in a steady stream.

“I’ve never seen her slight even one person,’’ she said.

Ms. Hall credits her father, George Morris Hall, with her comedic timing. She also recalls that he was a heavy drinker who beat her mother. Her parents married and divorced twice, the second time when she was 7.

After Ms. Hall saw the musical “ Bubbling Brown Sugar ” at age 10, her mother enrolled her in a theater group, the perfect move for a tall, quirky girl. “Theater saved me from being bullied,” she said.

By 17, she was sure her future was at Boston University’s school of theater. She didn’t get in, so she followed her sister to Howard University.

Plot twist: She became an accountant. The work appealed to the same love of detail and order that compels her to arrange her cookbooks by color and make shopping lists that follow the store’s layout, but her job as an auditor in an otherwise all-white PricewaterhouseCoopers office in Tampa, Fla., was a bad fit.

She abandoned that and followed some young models she met to Paris, relying on skills she’d learned at college fashion shows and some low-stakes modeling she did for stores in Tampa.

Ms. Hall never thought twice about jumping from job to job, and often encourages people to quit if they’re not happy. “You got everything that you’re supposed to get out of that job and you’re supposed to move on,” she said.

After two years in Paris, she returned to Washington, but not before she had a food epiphany at the Sunday suppers assembled by other Black models, who cooked and talked about the food they grew up on. The meals cast new light on her grandmother’s post-church smothered pork chops and cast-iron cornbread.

Ms. Hall carried that feeling into a career that underscores the importance of soul food, which she defines in part as Southern food cooked by Black people. “Southern food is like a hymn,” she said. “Soul food is like a Negro spiritual.”

“I spent so many years pushing it away,” she said. “But then I understood that my connection to this food is my connection to my heritage and my story and my family.”

Recipe: Granny’s Five-Flavor Pound Cake

Ms. Hall studied at L’Academie de Cuisine in Bethesda, Md., and cooked in Washington hotel kitchens. She was running a catering company when her husband, Matthew Lyons (whom she’d met on her first Match.com date ), started watching “Top Chef.” He knew his effervescent wife would be perfect for the show. She ended up losing in the final round, but created the basis of her brand.

Her crucible was “The Chew,” the food-centered daytime variety show on ABC that she hosted for seven years alongside the chefs Mario Batali and Mr. Symon, and the “What Not to Wear” star Clinton Kelly. The program was widely mocked by the food elite, but drew nearly three million viewers at its peak.

Jessica B. Harris , the scholar of African-diaspora food and a friend of Ms. Hall’s, said people underestimate the importance of having a Black woman showing up every day in that many people’s homes over the course of 1,500 episodes. “That is a degree of engagement and human awareness that I don’t know any other African American in the country had at the time,” she said.

But Ms. Hall felt out of her league and a little isolated. There were no Black producers or even a stylist who knew how to work with Black hair.

‘‘Oh my God, it’s such a steep learning curve,” she recalled. She asked for more training and pushed for more visibility, which helped her land the role as lead interviewer when her idol, Carol Burnett, was a guest.

The pay was not equitable. Her male co-hosts earned more than she did, though she concedes that they had more experience. She couldn’t get the producers to renegotiate her contract until the last year. When they did, her salary more than doubled, to about $950,000.

The couple decided that Mr. Lyons could leave his job as a government lawyer and become a teacher of meditation and yoga. Two weeks after he did, “The Chew” was canceled. In the meeting where the producers told the cast, Ms. Hall couldn’t resist a little comic relief. “I got up and said: ‘Oh, wait. Hold on. I’ve got to see if my husband can get his job back.’”

There were several reasons for the cancellation: Ratings had softened. The show was expensive. And Mr. Batali’s planned exit was fast-tracked after several women stepped forward to say that he had harassed or assaulted them.

Ms. Hall has remained friends with Mr. Batali, and declined to join in the public condemnations. She describes her decision as a nuanced one: She believes the women who came forward, and she saw violence against women in her own home growing up. But she never witnessed Mr. Batali’s offenses, and refused to take on someone else’s pain or anger. She called it a “judge not, lest ye be judged” moment.

She has also fielded criticism for not speaking out more forcefully about racial injustice.

“Sometimes I tend to say things in jest, but I know exactly what I am saying so I make it a little easier for people to take,” she said. “You have to choose how activism happens for you, not how someone else thinks your activism should look.”

These days, her bread and butter comes from the sale of cookbooks and cooking equipment, public appearances and a plethora of partnerships with companies like Hormel Foods . She recently landed Quaker Oats , the cereal her grandmother ate daily. “They’ve been on my vision board for 20 years,” she said.

For her new show, Ms. Hall was paid about $100,000 for all six episodes. But she got to travel to a half-dozen countries, tracing the roots of al pastor tacos to Lebanese shawarma makers who migrated to Mexico, and exploring the origins of ice cream in Turkey. She highlights Black contributions as often as she can, like those of Augustus Jackson, the 19th-century White House chef who developed eggless, American-style ice cream.

Ms. Hall is also writing a funny one-woman stage show with bits about menopause and how she keeps getting confused with the actor Tracee Ellis Ross, while conjuring another TV idea about remodeling her childhood home in Nashville that she hopes HGTV will pick up.

Back in her kitchen, after nearly three hours of talking, she opened a bag of tortilla chips and set out an array of salsa and dips in bowls from her Sweet Heritage line. The guacamole, she confessed, came from Whole Foods Market. She doctored it up with fresh avocados and oregano.

To be honest, I had expected something a little more — although, to be fair, she had planned to take me to a neighborhood Mediterranean restaurant. We got so caught up in conversation that we never made it out the door.

Ms. Hall reminded me that expectations are only disappointments waiting to happen. And that everything happens just the way it’s supposed to.

Follow New York Times Cooking on Instagram , Facebook , YouTube , TikTok and Pinterest . Get regular updates from New York Times Cooking, with recipe suggestions, cooking tips and shopping advice .

Kim Severson is an Atlanta-based reporter who covers the nation’s food culture and contributes to NYT Cooking . More about Kim Severson

More on Food and Dining

Keep tabs on dining trends, restaurant reviews and recipes..

This 3-course menu from David Tanis — flatbreads rubbed with za’atar, slow-cooked lamb and a gorgeous gluten-free walnut cake — gets even better with time .

We talked with 30 highly accomplished chefs from all over the United States about the challenges of running a restaurant today. Here is what they told us .

In his new column, Ask Kenji, the cookbook author Kenji López-Alt answers your questions. First up: Why do some foods freeze better than others ?

Lasagna soup has taken TikTok by storm, but the origins of it go much deeper than the internet .

Persian khoreshes inspire this sweet-and-sour tofu  in a bright, orange-inflected dish that unites hot and cold.

Sign up for our “ The Veggie ” newsletter to get vegetarian recipes  for weeknight cooking, packed lunches and dinner parties.

Eating in New York City

At Noksu, dinner is served below the street, a few yards from the subway turnstiles. But the room and the food seem unmoored from any particular place .

You thought Old World opulence was over ? A prolific chef gives it a new and very personal spin at Café Carmellini, Pete Wells writes.

Eyal Shani’s Port Sa’id challenges the conventional wisdom  that you can’t get good food in a restaurant with a turntable.

How did a signature item at the Red Hook Lobster Pound, a lobster roll and fries, come to cost $32? Blame the pandemic .

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USA TODAY 10Best Readers' Choice Awards

Mouthwatering tastings, live cooking demos, beautiful venues, and top-notch chefs: food festivals celebrate the cuisine of cities across the United States, each delivering a travel-worthy epicurean adventure. But with so many wonderful city food festivals held every year, which ones are the most irresistible? USA TODAY 10Best assembled a panel of culinary experts who nominated their top 20 picks, and now it's your turn to crown the best city food festival in the country. Vote once per day for your favorite until voting ends on Monday, March 18 at noon ET. The 10 winners will be revealed on Friday, March 29. Read the official  Readers' Choice rules .

Mouthwatering tastings, live cooking demos, beautiful venues, and top-notch chefs: food festivals celebrate the cuisine of cities across the United States, each delivering a travel-worthy epicurean adventure. But with so...   Read More

Best City Food Festival Nominees

Boston Local Food Festival

Boston Local Food Festival Boston, Massachusetts

Bounty of Yamhill County

Bounty of Yamhill County McMinnville, Oregon

Fall For Greenville

Fall For Greenville Greenville, South Carolina

FoodieLand

FoodieLand Las Vegas, Nevada

French Quarter Festival

French Quarter Festival New Orleans, Louisiana

Hot Luck Live Food & Music

Hot Luck Live Food & Music Austin, Texas

International Taste Festival

International Taste Festival Syracuse, New York

Manayunk StrEAT Food Festival

Manayunk StrEAT Food Festival Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

MN Food Truck Festival

MN Food Truck Festival Minnesota

Queens Night Market

Queens Night Market Queens, New York

Smorgasburg

Smorgasburg Multiple locations

A Taste of AZ Food and Drink Festival

A Taste of AZ Food and Drink Festival Scottsdale, Arizona

Taste of Buffalo

Taste of Buffalo Buffalo, New York

Taste of Carlsbad Village

Taste of Carlsbad Village Carlsbad, California

Taste of Chicago

Taste of Chicago Chicago, Illinois

Taste of Madison

Taste of Madison Madison, Wisconsin

Taste of Napa

Taste of Napa Napa, California

Taste Of Vail

Taste Of Vail Vail, Colorado

World Food & Music Festival

World Food & Music Festival Des Moines, Iowa

World Food Championships

World Food Championships

About 10best readers' choice awards.

Nominees are submitted by a panel of experts. 10Best editors narrow the field to select the final set of nominees for the Readers’ Choice Awards. Readers can vote once per category, per day. For any questions or comments, please read the FAQ or email USA TODAY 10Best .

The Experts

Allison levine.

Allison Levine

Allison Levine is the owner of Please The Palate,...   Read More

Allison Levine is the owner of Please The Palate, a boutique agency specializing in marketing and event planning for the wine and spirits industry. With over 15 years of experience in communications, marketing, and event planning, Allison is passionate about the world around her and the diverse people in it. Allison holds a master’s degree in international communications with a focus on cross-cultural training from the American University School of International Service and holds a WSET Level 3 Certificate from the Wine & Spirits Education Trust (WSET). As an industry expert, she has worked with wine regions around the world.  She has traveled extensively and has lived abroad in Italy, Spain, and Mexico where she developed her passion for food and wine. Her work allows her to live life to the fullest and, as a freelance writer, Allison communicates her experiences in articles, as well as in her blog. Allison is the US Host for the international podcast Wine Soundtrack where she interviews winemakers and gets to know them in 30 questions, and she is co-host of the YouTube wine series Crush On This. Her website is  www.pleasethepalate.com   and you can follow her on Instagram @plsthepalate .

Allison Levine

Carly Caramanna

Carly Caramanna

Carly Caramanna has a passion for covering the...   Read More

Carly Caramanna has a passion for covering the latest in unique food, travel, and theme park trends. Growing up in the carb-filled land of bagels and pizza by the slice (aka New Jersey), her parents instilled a love of all things adventure and food. Featured on CNN Business, BBC, NPR, MSN, Huffington Post, and host of the Attractions Magazine podcast, she uses her expertise as a contributor to Travel + Leisure, Business Insider, Delish, and many more. www.adventuresbycarly.com IG: https://www.instagram.com/adventuresbycarly/ X: https://twitter.com/CarlyCaramanna

Carly Caramanna

Jacky Runice

Jacky Runice

Born in Bucktown when bulletproof was a home...   Read More

Born in Bucktown when bulletproof was a home safety choice and not a coffee order, Jacky Runice has been knocking around Chicago as a professional print, online and broadcast journalist and editor specializing in separating the riff from the raff in culture, entertainment, food, travel and pure unadulterated fun. Jacky is a member of the International Food, Wine & Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA). In her best Chicagoese, Jacky asks, "Who has the time or money to blow on hotels, attractions, restaurants, exhibits and activities that blow?"

Jacky Runice

Jacob and Esther of Local Adventurer

Jacob and Esther of Local Adventurer

Esther JuLee and Jacob Fu run one of the largest...   Read More

Esther JuLee and Jacob Fu run one of the largest travel blogs in the world, Local Adventurer , where they hope to encourage everyone to find adventure in their everyday lives. They spent 7 years moving to a new city every year and are now based in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Jacob and Esther of Local Adventurer

Joanne and Tony DiBona

Joanne and Tony DiBona

Joanne and Tony DiBona know a thing or two about...   Read More

Joanne and Tony DiBona know a thing or two about creating photo galleries to share their personal travel experiences around the world with their readers.  Their articles have been featured on 10Best  for the past decade, as well as in national and international print and online media. Their awards for photography and journalism fill up an entire wall in their office, the most recent being a top national award for their US and international galleries published on 10Best. Follow their travel adventures on their scenic photography   website and travel blog . Have a question about travel? Contact them on their  Instagram and Facebook pages.

Joanne and Tony DiBona

Kristin Luna

Kristin Luna

Kristin Luna is a Nashville-based travel writer...   Read More

Kristin Luna is a Nashville-based travel writer who has contributed to  Travel + Leisure, Conde Nast Traveler, USA TODAY, Southern Living  and many more. You can follow her adventures via her blog  Camels & Chocolate  or on Twitter , Facebook and Instagram .

Kristin Luna

Lori Sorrentino

Lori Sorrentino

"Lori Sorrentino is an award-winning photographer...   Read More

"Lori Sorrentino is an award-winning photographer and freelance travel writer and blogger, who writes about slow food and slow travel on her blog  Travlinmad  with a mission to  Eat Local, Travel Slow . She also publishes  Italy Foodies , about food travel in Italy, and the  Naples Florida Travel Guide  an insider's guide for travelers heading to sunny SWFL. A former destination marketing manager, her work has appeared in the Washington Post, Tages-Anzeiger, and The Huffington Post among others. Originally from New Jersey, when she’s not traveling, she’s at home in Florida writing about the Paradise Coast and the Everglades."

Lori Sorrentino

Marilyn Johnson

Marilyn Johnson

Marilyn Johnson is an award-winning Philadelphia...   Read More

Marilyn Johnson is an award-winning Philadelphia area-based food and travel writer focusing on the greater Mid-Atlantic region. Marilyn founded Philly Grub in 2008 and South Jersey Food Scene in 2019. Her work has appeared on MSN, NewsBreak, Philadelphia Today, Cherry Hill Neighbors, New Jersey Monthly, and other online publications. She is a member of Les Dames d'Escoffier Philadelphia, a society of professional women leaders in the fields of food, beverage, and hospitality.

Marilyn Johnson

Marla Cimini

Marla Cimini

Marla is an award-winning writer with a passion...   Read More

Marla is an award-winning writer with a passion for travel, music, surfing and culinary adventures! An avid globetrotter and guidebook writer, she has covered topics such as the Hawaiian islands (including food trends and luxury beachfront resorts), as well as European getaways and global destinations. Her articles have appeared in many publications worldwide, including USA Today. Marla lives in New Jersey (Philadelphia area) and is a frequent visitor to Hawaii and Southern California, and often covers those destinations. Her travel website is:  www.marlacimini.com  

Marla Cimini

Roberto Serrini

Roberto Serrini

Roberto Serrini is an award winning Filmmaker and...   Read More

Roberto Serrini is an award winning Filmmaker and Travel Journalist who has lent his vision to such global brands as Nike, Google and Apple. He has produced hundreds of short subject documentaries about travel and culture, and is extremely active in the film festival community earning over 100 wins and nominations globally. His commercial work can be seen at  www.robertoserrini.com  and you can connect with him socially @serrini on all social media platforms. 

Roberto Serrini

Sky Ariella

Sky Ariella

Sky Ariella is a professional writer and full-time...   Read More

Sky Ariella is a professional writer and full-time traveler originally from New York. After graduating from Hunter College in 2018, she took a solo trip around six Southeast Asian countries. Since then, Sky has traveled to 13+ countries from South America to Europe and she’s written for major travel publications like Travel Lemming , Explore , Booking, and In The Know Traveler , along with publishing on her own blog . She’s written for other types of publications like Zippia , FashionCast , and Inspired Momentum Magazine, and currently writes documentary scripts for a major YouTube channel. Follow Sky on Instagram @skyariella , check out her blog on Medium , and learn more about her work on skyariella.com .

Sky Ariella

10Best Editors

10Best Editors

USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original,...   Read More

USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.

10Best Editors

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COMMENTS

  1. 105+ Easy Road Trip Meals & Snacks: Best Road Trip Food

    Easy Non-Refrigerated Road Trip Lunch Ideas. Canned Tuna & crackers - The mini pull tab tins come in many flavours. Protein Bars, Energy Bars. Sardines or Mackerel canned with avocado, crackers or bread. Snacks for lunch: Beef Jerky, Trail Mix, Smoothie Pouches, Nut Butter Pouches.

  2. Road Trip Food List: Easy To Pack Meals & Snacks

    Road Trip Food List: Snacks. In my opinion, snacks are the No. 1 way to keep everyone (including you!) happy on a family road trip.. Homemade snack mixes and individual pre-purchased snacks are also a great way to help cut costs associated with buying food on the road.. For this reason, I suggest assembling an entire tub filled with fun and appetizing snacks and surprises that you know your ...

  3. 25 delicious travel snacks for road trips and long flights

    Justin's peanut butter is naturally delicious, and each squeeze pack is gluten-free with 7 grams of protein. Each pack weighs 1.15 ounces, which means they're also a solid option for taking ...

  4. What Can I Bring? Food

    Breast Milk. Carry On Bags: Yes (Special Instructions) Checked Bags: Yes. Formula, breast milk, toddler drinks, and baby/toddler food (to include puree pouches) in quantities greater than 3.4 ounces or 100 milliliters are allowed in carry-on baggage and do not need to fit within a quart-sized bag. Formula, breast milk, toddler drinks, and baby ...

  5. 12 Essential Tips that Make Traveling with Food So Much Easier

    Slow cookers are one of the best ways to keep food hot while traveling, so grabbing yourself a bungee cord to keep handy is a great idea if you find yourself attending potlucks frequently with a slow cooker in tow. 2 / 12. Taste of Home. Prevent Food from Sliding in the Back Seat.

  6. 20+ Healthy Foods to Pack When You Travel

    If you are packing cold foods for a car ride, pack foods directly from the fridge into a cooler, and keep meat and poultry separate from foods that will be eaten raw like fresh fruit. The ...

  7. Best Food & Culinary Tours 2024/2025

    12 Days From $1,296. Lift the lid on local cuisine on a 12-day food adventure through Morocco, taking in... View Trip. Mexico Real Food Adventure. 9 Days From $2,025. Take a 9-day culinary journey through Mexico, tasting the flavours of Oaxaca, Puebla,... View Trip. Vietnam Real Food Adventure. 12 Days From $1,983.

  8. What Is Food Travel And How To Plan A Culinary Trip

    Food Travel means moving around with the aim of exploring a destination gastronomic offer. Exploring the pleasures of the table has always been associated with moments of leisure, but on a gastronomic trip, the culinary experience is no longer just a complement but the main motivation in choosing a destination and in the way of exploring it .

  9. Food Travel Tips: Planning for a Memorable Culinary Journey

    Food travel is an extraordinary journey, offering a unique lens through which to explore a destination's culture, history, and traditions. It invites you to indulge in culinary delights, discover a world brimming with flavors and aromas, and create delectable memories that last a lifetime. But to truly savor this experience, it's essential ...

  10. Food Travel: Best Tips for Planning a Food Trip

    Food is a universal language; food and travel can open your eyes to delicious flavors and great food worldwide. With careful planning and some insider tips, your next food travel trip will be sure to offer an unforgettable cultural adventure that your taste buds won't soon forget! Tom Yum on a recent food trip to Thailand

  11. The Best Road Trip Food: 101+ Easy Meal & Snack Ideas You'll Love!

    The Reality and Practicality of Road Trip Food. Now, let's be real. It isn't possible for all of the healthy road trip snacks and food you bring to be homemade, especially if, say, you are going on a 10-day Midwest road trip.. That's a long time and a lot of food to pack for a road trip.

  12. Ultimate List of Plane Snacks for Long Flights

    Best Non-Perishable Snacks for The Plane. Raw Nuts. Seeds (Pumpkin or Sunflower) Unsweetened Dry Fruit. Raw Trail Mix. Healthy Protein Bars. Fresh Fruit (apples, bananas, oranges) Berries (strawberries, blueberries) Celery Sticks.

  13. What Can I Bring on an Airplane? (Travel-Friendly Recipes)

    Those airplanes are so dry, and our systems get bloated and wacked out during travel. Drinking plenty of water makes a substantial difference. Save all recipes 9. 1 / 9. Pesto Pasta with Lemon, Spinach, Edamame & Toasted Almonds. Use smaller, bite-sized pasta. Go to Recipe.

  14. 40+ No-Cook Meals for Traveling

    This is one of our favorite no-cook camping meals. Split an avocado, and remove the pit. Fill the center with a plop of your favorite meat salad. Sprinkle with salt and pepper or paprika. You can use any of the meat you have, salmon, chicken, tuna. Use the leftover tuna salad from yesterday's lunch.

  15. Types of Food You Can Bring on Airplanes

    Foods to Pack While Traveling by Airplane . Surprisingly, the TSA allows almost all food items through the security checkpoint, so long as none of them are liquids in amounts exceeding 3.4 ounces. This means you can even bring pies and cakes with you through the checkpoint—though they will be subject to additional screening.

  16. THE ULTIMATE ROAD TRIP FOOD LIST: 50 Scrumptious Travel Snacks

    20. Fruit leather. 21. Whole-grain muffins. 22. Bread (pretzel rolls, pita bread) 23. Water (Preferably in a water bottle like a Hydro Flask that will keep your water cold for hours.) *The following are all still healthy snacks for a road trip but will require a cooler.

  17. Road Trip Snacks: The Best Healthy Snacks on the Go

    Steamed vegetables. Lean, grilled protein, like chicken or salmon. When it comes to eating on the go, planning will take you far. Bon voyage! Plan ahead and bring plenty of healthy snacks on the ...

  18. 12 All-Inclusive Resorts with the Best Food

    Nov. 18, 2022, at 2:25 p.m. All-Inclusive Resorts with the Best Food. Courtesy of Garza Blanca Preserve Resort & Spa. All-inclusive resorts aren't necessarily known for their dining options or ...

  19. Healthy Travel Food: The Ultimate Packing Lists for Eating Right on a Trip

    3 boxes rice milk. 1 gallon soaked/dehydrated Teriyaki Almonds (recipe below) Tonya's "For Cryin' Out Loud Dehydrator Onion Bread" (recipe below) 1 bunch ripe bananas (for green smoothies; also add to yogurt for breakfast) Bags of washed apples, pears, plums, celery sticks. Ziploc bags of dried fruit.

  20. 33 Easy Travel Snacks for your Airplane Carry-On Bag

    Stanley IceFlow Stainless Steel Tumbler with Straw is a Vacuum Insulated Water Bottle for Travel, the Office or a road trip. Its a reusable cup with a straw Leakproof Flip. The Stanley IceFlow will keep your drink cold for 12 Hours or Iced for 2 Days. This comes in various colors! Check the price on amazon.

  21. A Complete Guide to Food You Can (and Cannot) Fly With

    Dips, Jams, Creamy Cheese, and Spreads. Sadly, the 3-1-1 rule isn't just for liquids, it also applies to creamy or spreadable items, since they have a soft consistency (like a gel). Salsa, creamy ...

  22. The Top Food Cities For Your Next Vacation

    New Orleans, Louisiana. New Orleans has some of "the most diverse and delicious food experiences — there's not enough stomach space to devour all the good the city has to offer," Shulman said. The city is beloved for its food culture, which comprises Southern, Creole, Cajun and French cooking — think jambalaya, gumbo, beignets, and more.

  23. 25 Easy Make-Ahead Road Trip Meal Ideas they'll love!

    5 easy road trip Breakfast ideas. Greek Yogurt and fresh fruit. Muesli/ cereal. Scrambled eggs in a wrap or on toast (toast is HARD to cook on a gas hob though!) Bacon/ sausage sandwich (bring your own bacon from the UK. Alternatively, look in European supermarkets- but it won't look the same.

  24. Ultimate Guide to Packing Travel Food

    Review airline and TSA food rules if flying. Pack water in a water bottle to keep the kids hydrated. For adults, some easy travel foods or road trip foods can include almonds, Greek yogurt, beef jerky, nut butters in pouches, carrot and celery sticks, dark chocolate, chips, turkey and cheese, and more.

  25. 34 Healthy Road Trip Foods

    This healthy road trip foods list highlights easy storage, no mess, and quick clean up. These dietitian-approved road trip foods are perfect for kids, teens, and adults. As a registered dietitian nutritionist, I am always looking for healthy food options that not only make you feel good but taste good, too! After a recent 14 hour road trip, I've came up with the best healthy road trip tips and ...

  26. 'Somebody Feed Phil' New Season, March 1: Fantastic Travel-Food Fun

    Somebody Feed Phil premieres its 7th season March 1 on Netflix. Inimitable host Phil Rosenthal —whose heartfelt humor feels like a warm hug—dishes up delectable foods and destination finds. He ...

  27. For Carla Hall, It's Been a Bumpy Climb to a 'Top Chef' Life

    The bubbly host of a new TV food-and-travel series plays up the comedy, but her ascent has required navigating setbacks like the demise of "The Chew." Carla Hall is the host of "Chasing ...

  28. What is the Best City Food Festival for 2024?

    Marilyn Johnson is an award-winning Philadelphia area-based food and travel writer focusing on the greater Mid-Atlantic region. Marilyn founded Philly Grub in 2008 and South Jersey Food Scene in 2019. Her work has appeared on MSN, NewsBreak, Philadelphia Today, Cherry Hill Neighbors, New Jersey Monthly, and other online publications.