The trick to the best road trip food is buying small quantities, keeping everything as fresh as possible, and getting plenty of variety! Let me elaborate.
Always try to consume adequate amounts of proteins, carbs, fruits, veggies, greens each and every day. I highly suggest mixing it up to hit each suggested serving size!
Disclaimer: I’m not a certified nutritionist or a doctor, but I really urge everyone to hit all the recommended servings. I also do not focus on recipes, as they are not my specialty. I want to put more of an emphasis on easing into packing food for a road trip!
Meal prepping ahead of time can really take the edge off. Sometimes there is an extra headache that comes with urgently searching for a next meal. Plus, it will allow us to have better choices, last minute decisions can lead us to make unhealthy choices.
Oftentimes, the best road trip food is clean and fresh, which can really make a difference with clarity and our digestive system. Oftentimes on road trips, we are sitting, experiencing elevation changes, and the vehicle we are in is shaking our bodies. For these reasons, staying hydrated with the right fuel is always best!
Also check out the article HOW TO EAT OUT PLASTIC FREE, when choosing to go out to restaurants while on the road!
Some links in this post may be affiliate links or this article may contain sponsored content, which means if you make a purchase, we receive a small compensation at no added cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Any purchases you make helps to keep this blog going and keeps our content free. I truly appreciate your support! Visit my Privacy Policy & Disclosure Policy for more info!
Breakfast
Fruit
Generally, when choosing fruits, I get one or two that are perfectly ripe and then choose a couple more that are under-ripe. Typically, by the time I’ve eaten the perfectly ripe ones, then the under-ripe fruits are ready.
Getting all ripened fruits oftentimes can become a mess and a waste. There have been so many times that I had bought ripened fruits and later found 2 smashed to the bottom of my bag or cooler because they ripened faster than I could eat them.
Also, choosing fruits that don’t need to fit into a cooler can really save on cooler space, be easier to grab, and are typically less messy!
Furthermore, avoiding large fruits that take up tons of cooler space is key! A couple of examples would be melons and pineapples!
- Under ripe bananas
- Apples
- Oranges
- Pears
- Tomatoes (Yes, these are a fruit!)
- Avocados (Yes, these are also a fruit!!)
- Mangos
- Nectarines
- Peaches
- Plums
- Cherries
- Kiwis
Fruits that require cooler space & go bad faster, but are still delicious!
- Berries
- Strawberries
- Blueberries
- Blackberries
- Grapes
Meals
- Fruit parfait
- Granola
- Dairy free probiotic yogurt
Fermented foods really aid the digestive system, especially while on the road!
- Chia seeds
- Fruit: Strawberries/mangoes/berries/bananas
- Nuts & seeds
- Protein Shake
- Protein Powder
- Greens (if you have a travel blender or prep)
- Superfood Powders
- Fruit (if you have a travel blender or prep)
- Oatmeal or overnight oats
- Oats
- Fruit
- Nuts (Pecans, Almonds, Walnuts)
- Sweetener (Maple syrup, Agave, Raw sugar)
- Protein Shake
- Smoothies
These typically have to be premade or made using a travel blender like this one here! These also store great in mason jars too!
- Fruits
- Seeds (Hemp seeds, flax seeds, chia seeds)
- Greens
- Superfood powders
- Cereal
- Granola
- Nut milk
- Fruit: Bananas and/or Apples
- Nuts and Seeds (walnuts, pecans, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, flax seeds)
Snacks
- Dried Fruit
- Banana chips
- Apple Chips
- Dates
- Nut butter
- Nut Butter + Dates
- Apple + Nut butter
- Celery + Nut Butter
- Energy Balls = Dates + Oats + Nut butter + Seeds + Nuts
- Granola Bars
- Trail mix
- Guacamole + chips or crackers
- Tapanade + crackers
- Mushroom jerky
- Nuts & Seeds (Cashews, almonds, pumpkin seeds, sunflowers seeds, pecans, walnuts)
- Fruit chips
- Crackers & Fermented nut cheese
- Fruit Juices
- Chips + Hummus or Bean Dip
- Potato wedges + Hummus or bean dip
- Avocado + Salt or lemon juice or salsa
- Dehydrated beans
- Edamame
- Chickpeas
- Soy beans
- Dark chocolate
- Dark chocolate coffee beans
- Popcorn
- Fermented Sauerkraut or Fermented veggies
Fermented sauerkraut gives us a serving of vegetables, while also aiding our digestive system with healthy enzymes! YUM!
Lunch
Oftentimes, I try to keep lunches cold and not needing to be cooked, this saves on time and energy. The best road trip food goal for lunch is aiming to keep lunches uncooked, but having the meal light and packed full of energy. A heavy meal can make us lethargic and craving a nap.
- Hummus + Raw Veggies (carrots, mushrooms, celery, broccoli, cauliflower)
- Nachos
- Salads
- Pasta Salad
- Potato Salad
- Quinoa salad
- Chickpea salad
- Sandwiches
- Wraps
- Power bowls
- Gazpacho – blended raw veggie soup
- Stuffed Pitas
- Charcuterie Boards – An array of mixing up snacks
These bamboo cutting boards are the easiest to display on for the road trip! There are square ones here or even lightly rounded edged ones here!
- Olives
- Pickles
- Fermented cheese
- Crackers
- Fruits
- Sliced raw veggies
- Hummus
Dinner
I typically crave something warmer and heavier in the evening to start preparing me for bed.
Bringing a small cooking setup can be ideal for those that don’t want to meal prep. Here is the Coleman stove I typically cook with on a road trip. Most portable cooking stoves also require propane, this is typically what I use here.
These are just some basic examples, and there are so many variations of them!
- Pasta
- Pesto
- Alfredo
- Classic Tomato
- Olive oil + Vinegar Base
- Stir Fry
- Veggies
- Beans
- Tacos
- Tofu, Shitake Mushrooms, Beans
- Bell peppers, Zucchini or summer squash
- Salsa
- Cilantro
- Avocado
- Lime
- Taco seasoning
- Burritos
- Similar variation to tacos but wrapped differently
- Warm soup
- Broccoli cheddar
- Veggie soup
- Potato soup
- Pho soup
- Miso soup
- Stuffed baked potato (These are especially delicious when baked in a campfire!)
- Vegan cream cheese
- Vegan cheese
- Scallions/chives
- Sautéed mushrooms +onions +garlic
- Warm Power bowl
- Grains: quinoa or rice
- Steamed or Sautéed Greens
- Steamed or Sautéed veggies
- Protein: Tofu/Beans/Shitake Mushrooms
- Ramen noodles + Veggies + Greens
Not sure if you noticed, but I’m a vegan! These meals can be made in any variation, and I just give a basic overview of the possibilities.
The best road trip foods to me stem from; organics, sustainably sourced, and zero waste. Want an article on how I shop sustainably? Please comment below!
Want to see how I store everything while road tripping? Comment below and I can create that article!
♻ Sustainability Tip: So many of these goodies can also be composted when you’re done or if something has accidentally gone bad on you! I’ve written an article on SHARE WASTE, which shows us how to compost almost anywhere, especially on road trips!
Do you have anyone you want to go on a road trip with? Share this article with them now!
