ideas for travel food

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Yeti Tundra 45

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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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.

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 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 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 .

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!

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

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!

If you enjoyed reading our best Road Trip Food List , click here to check out our Related Posts:

• Top 10 Tips for Planning a Family Road Trip (And Enjoying it Too!)
• 7 Road Trip Word Games to Play in the Car With Kids
• 18 Amazing “Are We There Yet” Road Trip Activity Bags
• Top 16 Tips for Flying With Kids & Ways to Keep them Calm
• The Ultimate Guide for International Travel with Kids
• 8 (Unexpected) Benefits of Traveling With Kids

*Before leaving, be sure to check our  Travel Resources Page  to find our exclusive travel discounts and to book hotels, rental cars, and guided tours.*

Jen Brommer is a family travel expert. She has been featured as an authority on several notable travel websites and is a member of the Family Travel Association (FTA), Midwest Travel Network, and TravMedia global media network.

A prominent content creator and influencer on Instagram, Jen has over 150K unique monthly blog readers from countries all over the world. She has spent the last 16 years planning fun, and hassle-free family vacations for her family of 5.

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

Packed for Life contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase using one of these links, we may receive compensation at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. See my Disclosure policy for more info.

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 we love. 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

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

• 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 . 
• We find our own make-ahead meals & road trip food tends to be 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. I know you feel me on this one!

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.

I love how 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. Because as a parent anything I can do to make my life easier is golden.

Road Trip Breakfast Ideas

We’ve found it’s easy to take these road trip breakfast ideas to go, or quickly eat hot in the morning.

As long as we’ve made them ahead of time, and brought them in our cooler. Or if we have access to hot water or basic kitchen facilities or a microwave.

Grab tasty breakfast 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. We’ve found they’re less likely to spill in the car if you use a spill-proof refillable cup and snack cup for the littles.

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

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 I 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

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

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 we’ve found you will only need a few things to mix and match:

• 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

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. We add them right before eating.
• Pack each ingredient separately . Then everyone can assemble their sandwich how they like, on-the-go. We’ve found this helpful with our pickiest eater.
• 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. 

I 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 I find when you need a few dinner in the car ideas on hand. You can always re-use the lunch or even the travel breakfast ideas , because they are all tasty anytime of day. 

Check out our favourite easy vacation dinner recipes .

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. I’ve been there, done that, forgetting the stove. Another option is to choose motels, or places to stay that have basic kitchen facilities. 

I’ve also gone the route of meal prepping ahead of time and putting individual meals in separate containers that are easy to reheat and clean up. 

If you are a camping family, what you plan for pre-made 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

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

Meal Planning Tips

When meal planning healthy road trip foods, I think it’s important 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 of my top tips to make packing a bit easier:

• Bread: Bring wraps, pitas and flatbreads – we find 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 we love that they give us 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: We always have a designated garbage bag for the car. It helps to keep the garbage contained, and the 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, we usually use small stackable Rubbermaid containers to pack our 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.

There’s been numerous times my “safety first” approach & extra clothes has saved us on long trips. From puking children, to epic diaper blow outs, and unexpected spills, with kids it’s always better to be safe than sorry.

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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!)

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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!)

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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!!

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.

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

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:

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

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 2024-06-10 / 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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49 Non-Perishable Road Trip Food Options For Your Next Adventure

When you’re planning a road trip , one of the biggest expenses is food. And one way to help alleviate the expense is to pack your own non-perishable road trip food. You don’t always want to lug a cooler around or have to rely on accommodations with a refrigerator.

Planning your trip? Use our favorite resources!

For accommodations –   Hotels.com  |  Expedia  |  VRBO ​ For car rentals –   Discover Cars ​ For tours & excursions –   Viator ​ For cheap flights – FareDrop ​ For travel insurance –   Safety Wing

But what are the best choices? And can you even get healthy road trip snacks? Or choose things the kids will eat?

Well, I’ve compiled a list of 49 non-perishable food choices to pack for your next road trip . I’ve broken them down into categories for you so you can find options that are healthy, kid-friendly, have plenty of protein, or work great as a quick snack on the go.

And if you want a list you can print out and take to the store with you, check out the download near the end of this post!

Non-perishable road trip food ideas

Quick & easy non-perishable road trip snacks.

When you’re driving, sometimes it’s easiest to just grab something that’s individually packaged to curb your hunger instead of having to pull over and make a snack or get something from the gas station.

These options can come in single-serving bags that you can throw in the car and have ready to go, or you can also buy the larger boxes and divide up the servings into your own bags for the road. These are great road trip snack ideas for adults and for kids and teens.

1. Crackers

3. Pretzels

4. Snack bars – these are some of my all-time favorite foods to pack for road trips. They are quick and easy and there are so many out there that are healthy.

My ultimate favorite snack bars are Larabar . They are made with simple, healthy ingredients and taste SO good! My favorites are Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough , Cashew Cookie , and Mint Chip Brownie .

Made Good is another brand that is healthy and looks delicious that I’d like to try out soon!

5. Quaker rice cakes

6. Popcorn – there are so many great popcorn options out there! I’m a sucker for Smartfood White Cheddar Popcorn but you could go for any flavor that you like!

Non-Perishable Kid-Friendly Options

We all know kids can be picky eaters, but that’s one of the great things about packing your own snacks – you can make sure you have something you know the kids will eat!

These non-refrigerated road trip food options are going to be crowd-pleasers for most children.

7. Goldfish – the classic kid snack! You can get the individual bags or divide a larger bag into single servings.

8. Fruit snacks – what kid doesn’t like fruit snacks? If you are looking for a great healthy choice, YumEarth fits the bill.

9. Cereal – another great option is to divide up some of their favorite cereal and put it into smaller bags for them to munch on.

10. Cookies – again, it’s probably best to have these separated out so they don’t eat an entire box of cookies (yup, it’s me, I’m still that person).

11. Poptarts – these could also be a great option for a quick breakfast on the road.

12. Candy – sometimes a nice treat of their favorite candy can cheer up kids and keep them happy on a rougher day…I mean, it still works for me too!

Non-perishable food choices High In Protein

We’ve all been there – you have a few more hours until you reach your destination and your stomach is grumbling. Choosing a high-protein road trip snack will curb hunger and keep you fuller longer. These are some great non-perishable road trip food choices for in-between meals that will fill you up.

13. Tuna/chicken/salmon cans or packets – These are one of my top road trip food choices. They are the perfect non-perishable protein option for when you are on the go, but they also work well for making sandwiches or putting on salads. They are incredibly versatile!

The Starkist Tuna Creations packets are easier for eating on the road, but the cans are a good option for camping and when you are sitting down to eat. Just don’t forget to get the ones with the pull tabs so you don’t need a can opener (or make sure to bring a can opener with you) and also have some utensils easily available.

14. Jerky – while a more expensive option than some of the others, there are so many flavors available, and jerky is always an easy and filling choice. You can try different unique kinds too, like Buffalo Bob’s assortment . 

15. Meat sticks – lots of options for these too, such as Wenzel’s Farm Variety Pack Sticks .

16. Pepperoni

17. Protein bars (like Clif, Kind, or Power Crunch)

18. Trail mix – you can make your own or find some good premade kinds. I absolutely love Power Up Trail Mix .

19. Pumpkin seeds – try to find a brand that doesn’t use a ton of salt, like Terrasoul Superfoods Organic Pumpkin Seeds .

20. Nut butter – a good choice to eat with crackers for a more filling snack (almond, peanut, pistachio).

21. Protein powder – mix up some protein powder with water in a shaker cup and you’ve got a filling, healthy drink for the road!

Non-perishable meals + Sides

Let’s be real, one of the best parts of road trips is getting to try new foods and eating out at local establishments. But if you’re on a tight budget, you probably will need to watch how much you spend on food, so sometimes you’ll need to make road trip meals for yourself.

After a long day of traveling or exploring, you might just want to come back to your campsite or hotel and make something quick and simple. And if you have some easy road trip meals already on hand, you don’t even need to go to the grocery store!

When we travel, my husband and I always bring some staples along for late nights and when we are too lazy to make anything fancy. Here are some of the best foods for a road trip that you can bring along to help cut costs and that also don’t need a refrigerator.

22. Quaker Instant Oatmeal – you can add dried fruit, nuts, seeds, cinnamon, and other items to make this a great hearty breakfast. I like to buy the version in disposable cups so it’s easy to just add hot water or milk.

23. Peanut butter + jelly on a tortilla – tortillas last much longer than regular bread and are a great choice for road trips.

24. Ramen/cup of noodles – always an easy choice!

25. Spaghetti + pasta sauce – we’ve made spaghetti on our camp stoves and it works really well!

26. Canned soup – there are so many canned soup choices, and they are very filling and easy…just warm it up and eat!

27. Kodiak Cakes Flapjack Mix – this is one of our camping staples…just add water to the mix and cook over a fire or a camp stove. We also like to add peanut butter to our pancakes and it’s SO GOOD!

28. Pizza dough mix + pizza sauce + toppings – we almost always make pizza when we camp because it’s easy and most of the ingredients are non-perishable so we can buy them ahead of time.

29. Rice packets – a great easy option for a side.

30. Canned veggies and beans – more simple side options…just warm up and eat!

31. Instant mashed potatoes – you can get these in different flavors as well.

32. Condiment packets & spices – you can pack along a few of these to help flavor your meals and also not have to worry about bringing along a whole bottle of something that you then will need to refrigerate or toss.

33. Olives/pickles – another option for pizza or burger toppings or just to snack on (is that weird? Maybe…but I still like them for snacks).

34. Soy/almond milk cans/boxes – can be used with cereal or to mix with sides that call for milk (these don’t need to be refrigerated until opened).

35. Powdered milk – can also be used as a milk substitute for recipes.

Healthy Non-Perishable road trip food

Road trip food is pretty much known for being processed, unhealthy junk which is one of the reasons most of us gain weight on vacation (I’m definitely one of those people).

But there are plenty of healthy snacks and food choices out there that are better than just going through the drive-thru for the fifth time.

If you are looking for some options for non-perishable food for a road trip that is healthy, here are some ideas for you.

36. KIND Granola – mix with a little powdered milk and water for a healthier cereal option. KIND has very little added sugar which makes it a solid choice.

37. Dried fruit (raisins, cranberries, apricots, etc.) – try to find some with very little or no added sugar, such as Mavuno Harvest .

38. Nuts (cashews, walnuts, pistachios, etc.)

39. Seeds (pumpkin, sunflower)

40. Dried chickpeas and beans – if you are ambitious you can make these yourself, or you can buy premade ones like these from The Good Bean .

41. Wildmade Fruit Leather

42. Kiwa Veggie Chips – these can be a good alternative to potato chips or crackers.

43. Simple Truth Applesauce – this is a great brand with no added sugar.

44. Salsa – a better chip dip choice than queso or other processed dips.

45. Bare Baked Coconut Chips – oh man, we just discovered these and they are SO GOOD! They are much healthier for you than regular potato chips and they taste like a dessert.

Non-Perishable Drinks

Drinks can get expensive on road trips, so it’s a good idea to bring a few options along with you so you don’t need to constantly grab something at the gas station.

While I always bring along a water bottle and fill that up as I go, sometimes you want something with flavor, so here are a few suggestions.

46. Coffee – the instant stuff might not be any good, but you can make your own favorite coffee over a fire with a camping coffee pot, or anywhere you go with this Aeropress . I lot of hotel rooms and Airbnbs will also have coffee pots you can use.

related: Ways to save money on a road trip

47. Tea – my husband’s the coffee person, but I love my tea. I like to bring some along for the mornings I need a little pick-me-up or to chase away the chill.

48. Water flavors – there are plenty of water flavorings out there, so you are sure to find one you like. Just squeeze a few drops in your water bottle and have something delicious to drink without the added calories.

49. Iced tea/lemonade packets – this is another good option you can add to your water for some flavor and without needing to constantly purchase bottles in the store.

Non-perishable road trip food list

If you’d like a road trip packing list of food you can download and take with you to the store, fill out the form below to download it for free!

Benefits to packing your own road trip food

So why should you pack food along on your next road trip? That’s just more work and one more thing you have to do to prepare for your vacation!

Yes, it might take a little planning and be a little more work, but there are lots of reasons why bringing some of your own food with you when you travel is a great idea.

It saves you money

One of the biggest reasons to pack along food is because it will save you money.

Your vacation money is precious, and if you can use less of it on food so you can spend more of it on activities and other things that matter, you’ll be able to stretch your budget even further.

By taking a little time to plan for some good travel food ideas and grocery shop before you go, you’ll be able to plan your budget better and not blow all your food money by grabbing whatever you can find to eat at every gas station and vending machine to keep the family fed.

It saves you time

We all know that on vacation, time flies and it feels like we never have enough of it.

And while some of the experience of a trip is sitting down and eating a good meal, there are other days when you’d rather be hiking or exploring a museum or zoo and you’d rather not spend several hours finding a place to eat when all you want to do is go and see ALL. THE. THINGS.

On days like that, packing your own food is a life (and time) saver. Just whip up a couple of make-ahead meals from your food stash and throw in some snacks, and you can take the day to explore and then have nourishment on hand when the stomach growls.

You can eat healthier

Obviously, not all road trip food is healthy. But packing your own allows you to make healthier choices instead of being at the mercy of fast-food restaurants and gas station hot dogs.

Sure, you can definitely find salads and wraps and veggie trays at stores, but it’s not always guaranteed, so knowing you have some healthier items with you allows you to not feel guilty or forced to eat bad food when there isn’t much else to choose.

You have things you know you will eat

If you have picky eaters, there’s no guarantee you are going to find food choices they will like. If you pack along meals you know they will eat, it will save your sanity.

You can Have a picnic

Who doesn’t love a picnic? I know I sure do! It’s a great addition to the ultimate road trip experience! When you have all your food with you already, you can have a picnic anytime it strikes your fancy!

Keeps you from getting hangry

My husband will attest that I can get hangry pretty easily, and my son seems to have inherited that trait from me as well. We need to eat something every few hours, and if we don’t we get crabby. And then that makes all of us crabby which can ruin the day if we aren’t careful.

So by having something to eat with us wherever we go, we don’t have to worry about a lack of food ruining an otherwise amazing day.

Non-food items to pack for a road trip

If you’re going to eat on the road while traveling or if you’re camping, you’ll need some additional items to prep and store your food as well as clean up afterward. Here’s a list of things to bring with you.

• Plastic plates, cups, and cutlery (plastic is nice because you can wash them and reuse them a few times)
• Paper towels
• Bamboo/reusable straws (better than paper since you can reuse them)
• Hand sanitizer
• Ziplock/storage bags
• Plastic tote for storing food (a much easier choice than bags)
• Reusable water bottles
• Coffee mugs/thermos
• Cutting board & knife
• Sponge, bucket, dish soap

How to keep your food organized on a road trip

So you’ve got your food, you’ve got your non-food items, and now you’re ready to hit the road. But how do you keep everything organized so you can find what you’re looking for? Here are a few road trip tips to keep your car from getting cluttered.

Use plastic containers/totes to organize

I’ll admit I’m guilty of just shoving all my food into Aldi bags, throwing them in the back seat, and calling it good, but every time I’m looking for something, it takes me way longer than it should (not to mention everything ends up spilling everywhere).

So buy a couple of clear plastic containers to put your food in and make it easier on yourself.

The nice thing with these is that you can see what’s in them, you can write on them with dry-erase markers so you know exactly what’s in them, and they stack nicely in the car. So much better than grocery bags.

Everyone has their own reusable water bottle

Rather than having a bunch of half-drunk plastic water bottles piled up everywhere and nobody knows whose is whose, get everyone their own bottle or mug so there’s no confusion and less trash.

Use small storage bags for individual servings

It’s usually cheaper to buy a larger bag of something than a bunch of smaller bags of the same thing, so to save money, buy that large box of Cheez-Its or popcorn or potato chips or whatever you’d like and divide them up into separate smaller bags.

Not only will you save money, but it makes it easier to divvy up the snacks among the group without passing around the larger bag, and you can also control portions better (because I know it’s not just me that will mindlessly eat that whole sleeve of cookies because it’s just sitting there).

You can even buy reusable silicone ones so you can wash them and use them again instead of throwing away the plastic ones constantly.

Have clean-up items close by and easily available

It’s bound to happen. You’re reaching back for something and you knock over a cup, or one of your kids drops their bag of Goldfish, and then you’ve got a mess to clean up.

Have a separate small box or bag with clean-up supplies (paper towels, wet wipes, sponge, upholstery cleaner, etc.) so when the accidents happen, you can take care of it quickly and move on.

Keep a garbage can/bag in the car

It’s something so simple that will keep your car much cleaner and organized. Designate a plastic bag or get a garbage can for the car and discard your items in there instead of hoarding a pile on the floor of the car until the next stop.

Conclusion: Non-Perishable Food Options For Your Next Road Trip

Purchasing food ahead of time for your next road trip will help save you money and time, and non-perishable items are perfect so you aren’t restricted by having to have a cooler or fridge. And if you’re looking for road trip food on a budget, most of these food items fit the bill!

I hope this list gives you some great choices for your next vacation!

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Stefanie Henne is an experienced road trip travel blogger who specializes in helping others plan their dream vacation, no matter their budget or time restraints. Go here to read more about Stef's story. If you want to send Stef a message, visit her contact page here.

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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!

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.

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101 Road Trip Food Ideas: Best Fun and Healthy Snacks You’ll Love

Posted on Published: November 18, 2020  - Last updated: June 21, 2023

Who doesn’t love a good road trip? Better question: who doesn’t love a good road trip snack? Well here’s a mega list of road trip food ideas that you’ll want to pack along.

One of the worst things that can happen on a road trip is running out of food and dealing with a hangry family member. Don’t let that happen! Keep your ride peaceful with these road trip snack ideas!

This list of road trip snacks goes beyond gas station junk food and difficult-to-eat-on-the-go meals. The best road trip foods are convenient, satisfying and healthy (but also sometimes not!)

This post may contain affiliate links. For more info, see my  disclosures .

On this mega list of 101 road trip food ideas, you’ll find:

Healthy road trip snacks, homemade road trip snacks.

• High energy foods on the go

Road trip snacks for kids

Vegan road trip snacks, ideas for your sweet tooth, meals for road trips, packing tips and food containers.

• Essential supplies you’ll need

Best road trip food

As someone who checks off bucket list locations and takes many road trips every year, I know my road trip food. 🙂 It’s important for food to be portable, easy to eat in the car and it needs to be able to travel well.

Some of the food ideas below you’ll want to prepare and package up at home before you hit the road. Be sure to pack a cooler to keep foods fresh as needed.

Note: stick around to the end of the list for the best packaging solutions and containers . Because it matters when packing food for a road trip!

You want something convenient and healthy, right? Well it’s just as easy to grab an apple for a long car ride as a bag of Doritos!

Now, before you head to the store to buy a bunch of fruit, make sure to think through them all. Like bananas…

Bananas are not a good option for road trips, as they get mushy. On my road trip to Moab, Utah, the bananas I packed split open and made a mess of my reusable grocery bag. So skip the bananas, okay?

Here’s the list of healthy road trip snacks

• Sugar snap peas and ranch
• Healthy granola (think savory seasoning, not sweet ingredients)
• Popcorn (my favorite budget-friendly snack using this air popper )
• Homemade trail mix
• Carrots and ranch
• Strawberries
• Sugar-free, gluten free muffins
• Veggie chips (store bought or homemade)
• Blueberries
• Basil, tomato and mozzarella salad
• Rice cakes with nut butter
• Cottage cheese and almonds
• Pita chips and hummus
• Healthy zucchini muffins
• Yogurt with mix-ins (just watch the sugar content)

Next let’s dive into the things you can make – or bake – from home. My kiddos always ask for a few of these on every road trip. Their favorite on our way to Glacier National Park was # 20 below!

• Rice crispy bars
• Or their yummy cousin, fruity pebble bars
• Other cereal bars – think Cheerios, Lucky Charms…the possibilities are endless!
• Paleo, keto and Whole 30-friendly nut bars
• Cheese quesadilla
• Pretzel hugs (just don’t pack a bunch – they’re addicting!)
• Ditch the flour with these black bean brownies
• Sweet trail mix (DIY – just throw pantry staples together!)
• ‘Cookie’ protein balls
• Almond bark with mix-ins
• Spicy roasted cashews
• Peach oatmeal muffins

High energy foods on-the-go

Sitting in the car can be B-O-R-I-N-G and an energetic snack can help to pick you up. Or if you’re driving an all-nighter like I did from Omaha, NE to Gulf Shores, AL , you’ll need some energy to get you through the long drive.

Here are some of my favorite high-energy snacks for the car:

• Greek yogurt
• Ham, chive and cream cheese pinwheels
• String cheese
• Cinnamon apple energy bites  
• Hard boiled eggs
• Energy bars ( RX bars are my favorite for road trips and hiking snacks)
• Salmon in a pouch
• Favorite energy drink (as needed) for driving over night

Let’s focus for a minute on food for little ones. While most road trip food on this list can be given to kids, there’s just some foods that are naturally designed for kids.

Pro tip: make sure to give the kids healthy road trip snacks first. It’s way harder to get them to eat an orange after having a bunch of chocolate. Don’t ask me how I know. 😉

Just a quick note: many of these food are pre-packaged which isn’t the most eco-friendly way of traveling. However if you balance it with homemade and reusable packaging when possible , it lessens the environmental impact.

Kid-friendly road trip snacks:

• On-the-go yogurt
• Homemade double chocolate zucchini muffins (my kids go crazy over these!)
• Kid-friendly trail mix
• Suckers (or any long-lasting sucking candy)
• Applesauce pouches
• Pirate’s Booty
• Fruit snacks (save money by buying them at a bulk bin grocery store)
• Pepperoni slices and cheese cubes
• Baby carrots
• Juice boxes or pouches
• Kid-friendly pinwheels
• Fun cheeses, like Baby Bell or Laughing Cow
• Raisins or cranberries
• Healthy toddler mini muffins

Also make sure out check out the 15 Things to Pack on a Road Trip with Kids

If you’re more comfortable with the vegetarian or vegan diet, here are some great options for your next road trip. Many of these will need to be prepared or portioned out ahead of time. (See recommended containers below.)

• Veggie chips (sweet potatoes, beets, parsnips, etc.)
• Bell pepper slices and hummus
• Celery and nut butter
• Pumpkin cake pops
• Cherry tomatoes with vegan ranch
• Cinnamon apple chips
• Cajun roasted chickpeas
• Roasted pumpkin seeds
• Vegan lemon blueberry muffins (homemade)
• Chocolate-drizzled caramel popcorn

Okay there comes a point in the road trip where cravings take over. Some of my favorite food to take on a road trip are the special sweet treats. I just try not to pack too many!

• Yogurt dipped pretzels
• Puppy chow / muddy buddies
• Chocolate covered almonds
• Medjool dates
• Scotcharoos
• ‘Crack’ popcorn (candy covered popcorn with sprinkles)
• Homemade cookies
• Candied almonds (make them in the crock pot before you leave to save money)
• Gummy bears, or chocolate covered gummy bears
• Your favorite candy bar (mini size bags are perfect for sharing)

It’s sometimes nice to plan stops for gas or stretching around mealtime. And eating out is nice and convenient when on the road!

But it can also really add up! If you’re on a budget trip , then eating out every meal isn’t always a great option.

Pro tip: make sure to pack items that you won’t mind eating cold or room temperature. I sometimes freeze snacks and to keep them longer and prolong ice in the cooler from melting.

One strategy my family uses for road trips is to pack food for the first meal in a cooler. We’ll stick other road trip snacks in there too, and if it’s a long road trip we’ll pack multiple meals.

Anyways, back to best meals for road trips:

• Egg salad sandwich
• Cranberry almond chicken salad wrap
• Pre-portioned salads (homemade or store bought)
• Peanut butter and jelly sandwich
• Packaged tuna (not canned) and crackers
• Fruit salad (misc. fruit with a splash of honey and lime)
• Deli meat and cheese sandwiches
• Chips and guacamole (buy the small portion guac so it doesn’t go bad)
• Banana bread muffins for breakfast
• Gluten free strawberry oatmeal bars
• Milk, orange juice or iced coffee

More snacks to pack on-the-go

We’re almost there! Here are a few more ideas to add to your road trip food list:

• Water (of course this needs to go with!)
• Peanut butter filled pretzels
• Store-bought breakfast bars
• Mints or tic-tac’s (helps to pass the time)
• Traditional chips
• Sweet Tarts
• Hot Tamales (my husband’s favorite!)
• Yogurt covered raisins
• Dried fruit
• Jelly on rice crackers (use jelly packets for this)
• Mini cheese and cracker sandwiches
• Almond butter packets
• Sunflower seeds (what gets me through overnight driving)

So now that you have a ton of ideas, let’s move onto packaging. Breaking foods up into convenient portion sizes ahead of time saves a lot of headache – not to mention mess – in a moving vehicle.

Here are my favorite packaging solutions that are convenient, eco-friendly and ultimately will save you money.

Coolers – my family usually travels with a small, collapsible cooler in an easy-to-reach spot in the car that’s filled with drinks and snacks. Then we put meals and back-up drinks in the large cooler in the back.

Collapsible containers – great for making meals ahead of time and takes up less space in your car.

Mini containers – perfect for dips, trail mix, salad dressings and kid portions. I love these mini containers for road trips! I’ll even use them for snacks that I buy while on the road.

Reusable water bottles – my whole family has reusable bottles that we use for water on road trips. We usually put filtered water in old milk jugs (that have been cleaned) to refill water bottles throughout the trip. These water bottles are perfect for hiking or beaches, too!

Portable silverware set – perfect for meals, yogurt and to eliminate the need for plastic utensils during drive-through’s.

More supplies for your car

Alright now that you have your food list and packaging solutions, it’s time for the extra supplies that may help on the road . These are items I pack that help with snacks and meal times.

• Paper towels/napkins
• Gallons of filtered water for refills
• Wet wipes for sticky fingers
• Anti-bacterial gel
• Sharp knife for food prep (as needed)
• Plastic bag for trash

Road trip food – that’s a wrap!

Well there you have it! 101 ideas for road trip food! With a huge variety of options, you’re bound to find some you can buy or make ahead for your upcoming trip.

Hope you have a great trip, stay safe and satisfied!

Check out these fun road trip destinations you’ll love: Perfect Colorado Itinerary: 22 Road Trip Stops You Need to See 16 Midwest Road Trips: Scenic Routes You Can’t Miss Miami to Key West Road Trip: 22 Awesome Activities You Need to Do Denver to Moab: 16 Gorgeous Stops Along the Way

Find this article helpful? Save it now or share it on social media!

Wednesday 12th of May 2021

These are great ideas, thanks! We are just doing a big road trip in a few weeks, so this is perfect timing! Thanks!

Welcome, Erin! Have a great time on your road trip!!

Tuesday 11th of May 2021

Wow great ideas! Love this list and so many options!

Thanks... it was a fun one to create!

Awesome list! I definitely saved on Pinterest for later 😊

Glad you got some inspiration from this list! :)

Sunday 22nd of November 2020

Wow! This is one epic list of the best road trip snacks! Love it!

Monday 23rd of November 2020

Thanks - glad you found it helpful!

These are such wonderful and creative suggestions! :) Need to bring some peach oatmeal muffins for my next road trip :)

Oh yes Jiayi! They're so good!!

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111+ Healthy Road Trip Food Ideas (Non Refrigerated Snacks)

Updated: Feb 17, 2024 by Max · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

Bringing healthy foods that don't need refrigeration is a great option to save money and time while on the road. Since I travel most weeks for work, I've gotten to truly test out the best nonperishable foods to bring on a road trip for kids and adults.

All these healthy road trip foods don't need refrigeration for at least a day, and most of them will last indefinitely. Whether you're planning a weekend getaway or a cross-country adventure, any of these healthy non perishable snacks will keep you satisfied without having to constantly stop at restaurants or grocery stores.

This article covers well over a hundred road trip food ideas that don't need refrigeration, including pre-packaged nonperishable snacks, meals for each time of day, delicious chocolate snacks , and some recipes you can make ahead of time. Simply use the table of contents below to navigate to what type of road food you seek.

Healthy Non Perishable Snacks

Healthy road trip snacks for kids, fruits to bring on a road trip, gluten-free road trip snacks (non refrigerated), healthy road trip meals for breakfast, healthy road trip meals for lunch, healthy road trip meals for dinner, sweet but healthy road trip snacks (non refrigerated).

Healthy pre-made snacks are among the best foods to bring on a road trip, because not only do they save you time, but they're easy to find and can please kiddos as well as adults.

• Snacking Ramen
• Protein Bars
• Homemade Pop-Tarts
• Mini Muffins
• Seaweed Sheets
• Garlic Peas
• Tahini-Based Fruit Dip (for crackers, chips, or other fruits)
• Fresh Walnuts
• Thai Chili & Lime Cashews (from Trader Joe's)
• Shell-On Pistachios (Wonderful Pistachios are reliably delicious)
• Salted Sunflower Seeds
• Toasted Pumpkin Seeds
• Whole Peanuts
• Raw Macadamia Nuts
• Spiced Pecans (homemade are easy & less expensive!)
• Chocolate-Covered Almonds

• Animal Crackers
• Freeze-Dried Snap Peas (they'll be so obsessed with the crunch they won't even realize it's vegetables!)
• Pretzels (filled or plain; whichever your kiddos prefer)
• Cheese Sticks (mozzarella sticks are easiest to find)
• Freeze Dried Cheese Bites (like Moon Cheese)
• Apple Juice Packs
• Fruity Chia Squeeze Packs
• Healthy Fudge (Nut Butter or Seed Butter Base)
• Graham Crackers
• Annie's Fruit Snacks
• Single-Serve Dry Cereal
• Nut or Seed Milk (this shelf-stable option comes in single-serves, as well, and can make getting your kid to eat breakfast just as easy as at home, especially with the addition of the crunchy freeze-fried fruit!)
• Cherry Tomatoes

• Dried Fruit (i.e. mango, pineapple, apple, etc.)
• Freeze-Dried Fruits (for kiddos with missing teeth or anyone who doesn't like the tough texture of the dried versions; I recommend trying strawberries or mangoes)
• Applesauce Cups
• Mixed Fruit Cups
• Canned Fruit
• Fruit Leather
• Raisins or Dried Cranberries
• Toasted Coconut Chips
• Watermelon Squares
• Cherries on the Stem
• Apples or Apple Slices (great with peanut butter or tahini)
• Asian Pears
• Strawberries
• Dragon Fruit
• Blueberries
• Squeezable Fruit Pouches

Finding gluten-free snacks for road trips is easier than ever these days, and for my fellow grain-free friends, most of these options are also free from grains.

• Veggie Straws
• Flaxseed Pudding in Mason Jars
• Baby Carrots
• Celery Sticks With Dip
• Pre-Cut Bell Peppers
• Lentil Crackers (these can be homemade or sometimes found in stores)
• Tortilla Chips
• Cassava Chips (the Siete brand one comes in several shapes & sizes and we love it with hummus or salsa at my house)
• Potato Chips
• Plantain Chips
• Simple Mills Grain-Free Crackers
• Popped Sorghum
• Clusterbucks (Chocolate Buckwheat Treats)
• Roasted Chickpeas
• French Macarons (fillings vary)
• Coconut Cookies or Macaroons
• Halva (Sesame Seed-Based Sweet Treat)

• English Muffins
• Blueberry or Chocolate Chip Muffins
• Cereal Bars
• Granola (here's my favorite recipe )
• Waffles (making studier versions ahead of time makes them easy to be stored in bags & drizzled with jam, nut butter, or chocolate spread for a sweet breakfast treat)
• Banana Bread

• Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches
• Pita Bread (with deli meats, nut butters, pomegranate seeds, a sprinkle of granola, or any combination of flavors you take along)
• Hard-Boiled Eggs
• Trail Mix (Homemade or Store-Bought)
• Crackers and Hard Cheeses (like parmesan or gouda)
• Chips and Salsa
• Packets of Nut Butter (Justin's brand is reliable)
• Pita Chips and Hummus
• Sweet Potato Chips

• Canned Chili (Annie's brand is great)
• Canned Soups
• Canned Beans
• Salmon Jerky
• Canned Tuna or Chicken
• Packet Rice or Quinoa
• Packets of Lentil Stew or Chickpea Stew
• Salami Sticks (can easily be sliced, or you can buy small ones for easy snacking)
• Premade Falafel Balls
• Baked Sweet Potatoes

• Peanut Butter Cookies
• Almond Flour Brownies
• Dark Chocolate Chips
• Homemade Chocolate Chip Rice Crispy Treats
• Rice Pudding Cups
• Nut Butter Cups
• Sugar-Free Candy Bars
• Chocolate Tahini Spread
• Candied Ginger Pieces
• Energy Bites
• Chocolate-Covered Espresso Beans
• No-Bake Cookie Dough
• Pepero Sticks (or Pocky )
• Peanut Brittle
• Dark Chocolate Bars

More Vegan Recipes and Chocolates

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50+ Road Trip Food Ideas- Easy Meals On the Go!

This page may contain affiliate links, which means that we may earn from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you.

When you’re taking a road trip, bringing the right food can make a huge difference.

Not only is sustenance a necessity on a long trip, but it also breaks up the drive and gives everyone something to look forward to. Especially when you’re traveling with kids! 

There are a lot of factors to consider when picking food for a road trip. Which foods are best for eating on the road? How much should you pack? How should you store it? How can you stay organized and neat? 

Not to worry, this guide has all the information you need to create a perfect road trip meal plan!

Road trip food

Everyone has different road trip strategies and traditions.

Some families prefer to bring food for breakfast and lunch and eat out for dinner, whereas others would rather bring all the food they will need for their entire trip.

Some families prefer to focus on healthy meal and snack options, while others see road trips as a perfect excuse to let loose and enjoy some “fun” food choices.

Whatever your preferences are, we’ve got you covered. 

We’ve divided up our food ideas by meal, although there may be some overlap (a meal that’s good for lunch can also be a great option for dinner, etc).

How to store your road trip food

For any road trip longer than a couple of hours, we highly recommend bringing a cooler with ice or ice packs . This allows you to bring food that needs to be kept refrigerated and greatly increases your meal and snack options.

A few tips on coolers:

• The ice in your cooler should last for several days, depending on the kind of cooler you have and how often you take the lid off.
• If you find you need more ice, you can pick some up at a gas station or grocery store.
• Avoid opening your cooler frequently to prevent the ice from melting quickly and to keep the food cool for longer. 
• Keep ice/ice packs on top of your food, not just at the bottom of the cooler. This will keep your food cool better and longer, as cold air sinks.

**Meat and dairy products should not be left at room temperature for longer than two hours. The warmer the room (or car), the shorter the time perishable food can be left out. 

Road Trip Breakfast Ideas

Breakfast is arguably one of the easiest road trip meals to plan for. There are a variety of breakfast foods that are simple to pack and convenient to eat on the go. Here are a few of our top choices.

• Banana bread
• Banana with peanut butter
• Fresh fruit
• Protein bars
• Boiled eggs
• Bagel and cream cheese
• Yogurt parfait
• Mini cereals

Road Trip Lunch Ideas

There are a lot of different options for lunch on a road trip. Some people might prefer light snacking throughout the day, whereas others might want a full lunch meal. If you prefer hearty snacks as opposed to a large meal, scroll down to the snack section for ideas of foods to supplement your lunch. 

And even if you’re packing a lunch instead of eating out, this still might be a convenient time to stop and get out of the car for a little bit. A park or rest stop is often a convenient place to stretch your legs and have a quick picnic lunch. 

Sandwich tip – wait to add ingredients that have any moisture (tomatoes, condiments, avocado, etc) until right before you eat to prevent your bread from getting soggy.

• Peanut butter and jelly sandwich
• Sub sandwich with lunch meat and cheese
• Cream cheese and raisin bread sandwiches- this has been a favorite of our family’s for years. We would always have it for road trips growing up, but I’ve never seen anyone make it like we do, so I’m sharing the love by including the recipe here! Scroll to the bottom to learn the simple recipe. They are a huge hit with kids!
• Hawaiian roll with cheese
• Rotisserie chicken- presliced, great on a roll, bread, or just eaten plain
• Crackers with cheese and summer sausage- precut cheese and sausage into slices before you leave
• Tuna sandwich
• Egg salad sandwich
• Lunchables- kids love these and honestly, they can be fun for adults too
• Salad- prepared from fresh ingredients before you leave (wait to add dressing until you’re ready to eat) or from a salad kit

Road Trip Dinner Ideas

Dinner always seems like the hardest meal to plan for on the road. Many people are used to eating hot meals for dinner, but that’s not really an option for a road trip unless you stop to heat something up at a gas station. 

But there are some delicious meals you can prepare ahead of time for dinner, especially if you are bringing a cooler. 

• Barbeque chicken sandwich
• Chicken and cheese sandwich
• Pita sandwiches
• Chicken salad sandwiches
• Turkey rollups – from Costco or homemade
• Premixed salad kit
• Fruit salad
• Chicken Caesar salad (Costco has a great premade kit)
• Taco salad- store chopped ingredients separately, then combine and add dressing when you’re ready to eat
• Pasta salad
• Potato salad

Road Trip Snack Ideas

No road trip is complete without road trip snacks. Having something to snack on can prevent people from getting hungry and grumpy during the stretches between meals. It can also help to keep the driver awake if they start to feel drowsy while driving and keep kids entertained!

• Granola bars- Lara bars, Cliff Bars, fig bars, Kind bars
• Crackers- Goldfish, Pirates Booty, Wheat Thins, Cheez-Its, animal crackers
• Pretzels- regular or peanut butter filled
• Pringles- a nice, non-greasy chip option
• Yogurt- Gogurts are less mess and easy to eat in the car
• Fresh fruit (apples, grapes, strawberries, mandarin oranges, blueberries, bananas)
• Dried fruit (apricots, apples, bananas, mangoes, pineapple) 
• Celery and peanut butter- prepack the peanut butter in a condiment cup and dip the celery sticks
• Veggies and hummus- carrots, broccoli, celery, cherry tomatoes
• Fruit leather
• Popcorn- Simply Pop brand or make a fresh batch before you leave and snack on it throughout your trip.
• Sunflower seeds- great for snacking on if you’re starting to feel drowsy 
• Nuts- Mixed nuts, almonds, peanuts, cashews
• Cheese- Babybel cheese, string cheese, cubed cheddar, mozzarella, and/or pepperjack
• Rice cakes with peanut butter

If you’re traveling with kids, plan a “movie night” during the drive and pull out the popcorn and treats while you watch a fun show the whole family can enjoy. It’s a fun way to break up the drive!

Road Trip Desserts and Treats

Sometimes it’s nice to have some food that feels a little special when you’re on a long driving trip. Pack a couple of these dessert foods for a fun treat to pull out during your drive. 

• Rice Krispie treats
• Cookies (chocolate chip, peanut butter, snickerdoodles)- made in advance or store bought
• Brownies- make and individually wrap before your trip
• Candy- if you want something non-meltable choose a candy like Sourpatch Kids, Redvines, Starbursts
• Fruit snacks

Don’t forget to Bring…

In addition to meals and snacks, there are some other non-food essentials that you don’t want to forget on a road trip. Skim through this list to make sure you aren’t missing anything important. 

• Paper towels – a necessity for inevitable spills and messes
• Wet wipes – for wiping hands and faces after eating
• Reusable water bottles – it’s important to stay hydrated on a road trip. Bring reusable water bottles and refill as necessary when you stop for gas. 
• Sandwich bags – useful for for divvying up food, storing leftovers, etc
• Garbage bags – bring a couple of garbage bags for storing trash so you can keep you car clean and organized
• Grocery bags- useful for organizing food, trash, etc
• Hand sanitizer – prevent germs by cleaning everyone’s hands before eating. Also very useful if the place you stop to go to the bathroom doesn’t have soap…
• Plates and bowls – may be a necessity, depending on your meals
• Plastic utensils – forks, spoons, knife
• Cooler and ice/ ice packs – store food that needs refrigeration
• Collapsible car organizer – hugely helpful for storing non-refrigerated food and staying organized, especially in a van
• Condiment cups – These are amazing for dividing up condiments and dips in small portions 
• Salt/pepper packets , condiment packets – useful for adding flavor to your foods (depending on your meals). You can pack your own or buy small packets before your trip.
• Snack catcher – If you’re traveling with a toddler or young child, bring a snack catcher to use for crackers and other small foods. They are much less likely to spill their snack all over the car and create a mess. And it acts as an activity to keep them entertained trying to get their food out of the container!

Road Trip Food Tips

• Keep a hand held vacuum in your car – you can easily vacuum up any spills and inevitable food crumbs, keeping your car feeling much cleaner.
• Make food in advance and freeze it – there is so much to do to get ready for a road trip. Where possible, make food several weeks in advance and freeze it until you’re ready to leave on your trip. This works great for muffins, breads, cookies, and some sandwiches and meat dishes.
• Throw out your trash when you stop for gas. Regularly clearing out the garbage will prevent buildup of trash in your car and the stinky smell of rotting food.
• Have a pre-filled road trip bag- If you’re going on road trips frequently, have a bag ready with the nonperishable items you need for your road trip. Keep inside a list to restock the bag after a trip. It’s much easier to just grab your bag when you’re getting ready for a trip than having to repack it every time.
• Try to avoid foods that are excessively greasy, sticky, or crumbly – messy foods can be a pain on a road trip. Minimize mess, minimize stress.
• Bring a couple of water bottles and refill as necessary when you stop for gas. We try to stick to mostly water as our beverage of choice for road trips to avoid sticky spills.
• Stock up on food and meals at a wholesale store before your trip. Costco has great pre-made meal options that you can buy right before your trip. We love the Costco sandwich rolls, Caesar salad, muffins, potato salad, and fruit bowls for road trips. And of course, you can’t go wrong with their bulk snacks like trail mix, dried fruit, fruit leathers, popcorn, crackers, etc.

Benefits of packing your own food for a road trip

Although it’s a little more work and preparation than stopping for food, there are a lot of benefits to bringing your own road trip food. Here are some reasons to skip the fast food and pack your meals.

It’s more cost-effective

Eating out for every meal, even if it’s at a fast-food restaurant, can get expensive. This is especially true if you’re traveling with your whole family. 

Save money by bringing your own food! If you plan ahead, you can buy most of your road trip foods at a wholesale store, then divide it up into the portions that you want. 

It saves time

Stopping to order and pick up food takes time. Sometimes it can be nice to break up your trip with a food stop.  But if you’re trying to make good time, stopping for every meal adds extra hours to your road trip. 

If you’ve packed all or most of the food you will need, you have snacks and meals to pull out when people get hungry without having to pull over!

It’s often healthier

Eating out for every meal is often quite unhealthy. When you pack your own food, you have more options and control over what kinds of foods you are eating and how many sweets and treats you want to include. 

Easier to Accommodate Preferences and Dietary Restrictions

If you’re traveling with dietary restrictions, it can be risky leaving food to whatever you happen to find along the way. Packing your own meals ensures you have plenty of safe food to eat. 

And if you’re traveling as a family, you can easily cater to everyone’s preferences by packing food you know everyone will enjoy. That way you don’t have to spend a lot of time picking a place that everyone can agree on.

Cream Cheese and Raisin Bread Sandwich Recipe

As promised, here is our family recipe of cream cheese and raisin bread sandwiches. They are sure to be a road trip hit for people of all ages!

Ingredients

• 8 oz cream cheese
• ¾ C powdered sugar
• 1 loaf cinnamon raisin bread

Instructions

• Soften cream cheese to room temperature. 
• Using a mixer, combine cream cheese with powdered sugar. 
• Lay out half of the raisin bread and spread the cream cheese mixture evenly between all pieces. 
• Top the cream cheese with another piece of raisin bread to complete your sandwiches. 

**You can freeze the whole premade loaf and pull it out when you want to use it, just let it come to room temperature before eating. This is perfect for road trips because you can pull it out in the morning and it’s ready to eat by lunch!

Final Thoughts

Selecting and preparing road trip food can be stressful, but it doesn’t have to be! With this list of food and road trip tips, you have everything you need to prepare for a great trip.

If you’re planning on flying with kids, check out these awesome toddler airplane snacks !

Other posts you might be interested in:

How to Have a Successful Road Trip with a Toddler

Road Trip Activities for Toddlers (That They Will Really Love!)

7 Essential Tips for Road Tripping with a Baby

30 of the Very Best Travel Activities for Kids!

Related Posts:

2 thoughts on “50+ Road Trip Food Ideas- Easy Meals On the Go!”

Very thorough with lots of good information. Makes me want to go have a cream cheese raisin bread sandwich right now.

Thank you!! And yes, they really are so delicious!

Comments are closed.

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HealthyEats

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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.

Related To:

Photo by: fstop123/Getty

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.

Related Links:

Healthy Foods to Pack for an RV Trip

Is Cooking Over a Campfire Safe?

What Nutritionists Eat When They Travel

The Best Vitamin D Supplements, According to a Nutritionist

Why You Should Be Eating More Prebiotic Foods

Bring on the Cozy Vibes with 6 Healthy Ways to Eat Chili

After 30 Years, the FDA Wants to Change Its Definition of Healthy Food

5 Things to Know About Choosing a Prenatal Vitamin

Is Oat Milk Healthy?

MyPlate-Approved Recipes

Can Tapping Help You Lose Weight?

Why Apps and Social Media Are Not Substitutes for Advice from Real Dietitians

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Related pages.

• Toby Amidor Bio
• Heath Goldman Bio
• Aly Walansky Bio
• Kristie Collado Bio
• Megha McSwain Bio
• SJ McShane Bio

Southern Eats & Goodies

These Southern recipes are mouth watering, easy to make, and sure to get you recognized as a Southern cook.

Easy Vacation Dinners

These easy vacation meals will be a breeze to make in your beach house, rental house, or anywhere really that you need to feed the family. For the nights you don’t want to go to a restaurant but still want a yummy dining experience, keep this recipe list at your fingertips.

Depending on where you go on vacation and how much your eating out budget is, you will likely want some easy meals to make yourself. (But if you’re just looking for snack ideas for a day at the beach, head over to our Beach Food Ideas post!)

Whether you are in an VRBO, AirBnb, a townhouse, or a hotel with a kitchenette, you usually will have a few key appliances and ingredients to make these vacation meals.

I’m focusing this post on recipes that don’t require tons of spices, specialty appliances, or less common herbs you simply won’t have on hand.

Watch How to Make Ham and Cheese Casserole

Here’s an easy ham casserole that won’t drag you down with carbs. It’s keto and great for a vacation meal. This dish works well for breakfast, lunch, or dinner!

Easy dinners to make on vacation

When you’re out of town and want to feed our family without having to go out to eat every night (and without sticking them with peanut butter sandwiches) try these easy vacation dinners. They are simple enough and you don’t need tons of ingredients. You also don’t lots of spices or tricky cookware you don’t have.

They’re simple, inexpensive, and satisfying. Of course, while you’re on vacation you’ll want to eat some meals out in restaurants. But for the other nights, try these dishes.

These meals are easy to make on vacation without all your normal spices, tools, appliances, and cookware. Simple and easy to make to fill your family if you want to save money while away on vacation.

Super Easy Spaghetti Recipe (Done in 15 Minutes!)

This easy spaghetti doesn't require hours of cooking (who wants that when you're busy on vacation having fun?) and is tasty.

Caprese Chicken (5 Ingredient)

This is a five ingredient chicken dinner dish. If you need to fill up with some healthy protein, this is a healthy vacation dinner option.

Chicken Feta Pasta (5 Ingredient)

This chicken feta pasta is tasty, cheesy, and healthy. It will be filling and easy to make in an evening after a long day.

Broccoli Chicken Mac and Cheese 

With 5 ingredients (not including salt and pepper, of course) is filling and quick and easy. It won't leave you with a lot of food or ingredients that go bad.

Taco Casserole (5 Ingredient)

This taco casserole blends quite a few spices, still with only a few ingredients. It's inexpensive and super tasty.

Chili Dog Pizza

Now, if you're going for broke and want to cook something that's a crowd pleaser you wouldn't ordinarily eat at home... this is it.

Pasta With Tomatoes, Basil and Garlic

This is another super easy tasty pasta dish that'll fill you up after a long day of sightseeing.

Sheet Pan Pesto Chicken and Vegetables

This is a sheet pan dinner (meaning, throw everything on a sheet pan and bake it, voila, SO QUICK AND EASY!) and only requires

Ground Beef Teriyaki Ramen

Ramen is the KING of easy dinners. This 5 ingredient meal throws in some veggies and takes the ramen up a notch.

Chicken Enchilada Bake

This chicken enchilada bake is easy to make, super tasty, and only has a few ingredients.

Cheeseburger and Fries Casserole

This cheeseburger and fry casserole is comforting, filling, and uses frozen or canned ingredients.. read: super easy and inexpensive.

Pizza Chicken Roll-Ups

These pizza chicken roll ups combine two beloved dinner staples... pizza and chicken. Put them together with a side of a roasted veggie and voila, easy dinner.

Best Grilled Cheese Recipe 

These yummy grilled cheese sandwiches are perfect dinners, serve it up with some roasted veggies or a nice salad and you'll be filled up and ready to sight see again tomorrow.

Best Buttered Noodles Recipe

Talk about only using a few ingredients... this one is simple, inexpensive, and still super delicious.

Easy Crescent Taco Bake

This is one of our family's personal favorites. Easy to find ingredients, quick, filling, and a crowd pleaser on those late vacation nights.

Smothered Chicken Bake (5 ingredient)

This is beautiful, rich, creamy, and a great way to make an inexpensive vacation dinner with baked chicken.

Chicken And Broccoli Pasta (Instant Pot)

Chicken and broccoli pasta is a family dinnertime staple for many. Use the instant pot and make it tasty and quick for a 30-minute meal.

Beach vacation meal planning

Now, we’ve already talked about beach food ideas , which are easy foods for a day in the sand. But this list is about great foods to cook during your beach vacation in your beach rental house.

Tasty, light, fresh, and great off the grill; these are quick ways to whip up an amazing meal.

Idea for Beach Dinners

These are great meals that are beach inspired, you can get easy seafood, or foods you can cook with your grill, and easy beach dinners that you can either eat on the beach or in your beach vacation rental.

Easy Shrimp Pappardelle (5 ingredients!) 

Got some fresh shrimp? Here's a great and super simple 5 ingredient garlic shrimp pasta recipe.

Best Oven-Baked Tilapia Recipe

If you've caught some fresh fish and want to cook it up, this uses the oven (so you don't have to spend an hour on a charcoal grill!) and the result is amazing.

Best Crab Cake Recipe - How to Make Crab Cakes

These can be a little more difficult to make, but if you've been crabbing and want to try and whip up some yummy crab cakes, this recipe is simple and easy to follow.

Balsamic Glazed Salmon

Embrace the seafood side with this easy to make and delicious glazed salmon.

Prosciutto-Wrapped Scallops with Spinach

Gone scalloping? Here are some easy recipes to cook a delicious meal with scallops that are wrapped in prosciutto... which is always a winner.

Express Shrimp & Sausage Jambalaya

Get some sausage with that shrimp and make an awesome cajun jambalaya one evening.

No-Frills Shrimp Boil Recipe

New to the shrimp boil? This is a no frills shrimp boil that you can make as long as you have a pot, shrimp, potatoes, and corn. This is one of our favorite beach house dinners because it's so easy and delicious.

Fried Whole Fish with Tomatillo Sauce Recipe

Ever wanted to try your hand at cooking a WHOLE FISH? Now's your chance to be the chef of this dish. Plus, you know the kids would think it's fun.

Grilled Shrimp with Old Bay and Aioli Recipe

This shrimp dish is another one of our favorite evening meal recipes for when you're on vacation and want to whip up something quickly. It looks fancy but is super easy to pull off.

Tilapia with Corn Salsa

This tilapia with corn salsa will please even the pickiest of seafood eaters. Plus it's simple and can be baked.

25+ Easy Vacation & Beach Meal Recipes

Ingredients   .

• 15-Minute Spaghetti https://www.averiecooks.com/easy-15-minute-spaghetti/
• 5-Ingredient Caprese Salad https://www.seasonalcravings.com/five-ingredient-caprese-chicken/
• Chicken Feta Pasta https://www.wellplated.com/chicken-feta-pasta/
• Instant Pot Chicken & Broccoli with Penne https://southerneatsandgoodies.com/instant-pot-chicken-broccoli-pasta/
• Broccoli Mac and Cheese https://audrasappetite.com/broccoli-chicken-mac-and-cheese/
• Taco Casserole https://www.theseasonedmom.com/lightened-up-taco-crescent-casserole/
• Chili Dog Pizza https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/chili-dog-pizza/
• Pasta with Tomatoes, Basil, & Garlic https://cupofjo.com/2014/07/pasta-with-tomatoes-basil-and-garlic/
• Sheet Pan Pesto Chicken https://neighborfoodblog.com/sheet-pan-pesto-chicken-and-vegetables/
• Ground Beef Teriyaki Ramen https://dinnerthendessert.com/ground-beef-teriyaki-ramen/
• Chicken Enchilada Bake https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/chicken-enchilada-bake/
• Cheeseburger & Fries Casserole https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/cheeseburger-and-fries-casserole/
• Pizza Chicken Rollups https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/pizza-chicken-roll-ups/
• Best Grilled Cheese https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/a19610233/how-to-make-best-grilled-cheese/
• Best Buttered Noodles https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/a25636049/buttered-noodles-recipe/
• Easy Crescent Taco Bake https://www.pillsbury.com/recipes/easy-crescent-taco-bake/9c2bd5f7-63f7-4a6c-afa3-56baeedbc35a

Dinners Perfect for the Beach

• Garlicky Shrimp Pasta https://www.cookingforkeeps.com/5-ingredient-garlicky-shrimp-pasta/
• Oven Baked Tilapia https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/a19665918/oven-baked-tilapia-recipe/
• Crab Cakes https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/recipes/a58704/best-crab-cakes-recipe/
• Balsamic Glazed Salmon https://www.cookingclassy.com/balsamic-glazed-salmon/
• Prosciutto Wrapped Scallops https://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/249554/prosciutto-wrapped-scallops-with-spinach/
• Express Shrimp & Sausage Jambalaya https://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/252103/express-shrimp-sausage-jambalaya/
• No Frills Shrimp Boil https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/no-frills-shrimp-boil
• Fried Whole Fish with Tomatillo Sauce https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/fried-whole-fish-with-tomatillo-sauce
• Grilled Shrimp with Old Bay and Aioli https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/grilled-shrimp-with-old-bay-and-aioli
• Tilapia with Corn Salsa https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/tilapia-with-corn-salsa/

Instructions  

• Select meal from list above.
• Follow link provided for the recipe.
• Prepare and enjoy!

Other posts you’ll enjoy!

• BBQ Menu Ideas
• Family Backyard Picnic Ideas
• Beach Food Ideas
• 25+ Champagne Cocktails
• 50+ Easy Southern Pie Recipes
• 30+ Awesome Pound Cakes

Rachel Norman

Rachel is a southern born and bred mother of 5 and founder of Southern Eats & Goodies. She's an entrepreneur, country girl, and world traveler who speaks 3 languages and loves Southern food.

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Learn together at the Chalkboard

Here Is The BEST Vacation Food Packing List For A 7-Day Trip

by Kristen 4 Comments

Heading out on vacation can be so exciting! You can’t wait for the sand under your feet and the sunshine to hit your face. But, let’s be honest here, the packing can be stressful. Especially since many of us have been home for some time, we may be a little rusty. Clothes can be challenging enough, but what about if you are heading to a vacation rental. You will need to pack food, too. No need to fret; we’ve got everything you need including a complete vacation food packing list. Want to learn how do you pack food for a beach vacation? 

Let’s go to The Chalkboard.

Jump Ahead To

Why You Need A Meal Plan For A Beach Vacation

Going on vacation should be a relaxing experience consisting of leisurely days and lots of time spent with loved ones. No one wants to stand in front of the refrigerator and wonder what to make for dinner. Going in with a plan and a vacation food packing list helps to make your vacation easy. You can do most prep in advance, so you aren’t cooking too much. If you have never done it before, check out our Ultimate Guide to Meal Planning to learn.

Simply put, having a meal plan for a beach vacation will save you time and money.

What Food Should I Bring On Vacation? A Complete Vacation Food Packing List

That said, you need to pack breakfast, lunch, and dinners, and don’t forget snacks! Sounds like a lot, right?  No need to worry!  Here is a complete list of what to pack for a beach vacation based on our 7-day beach vacation meal plan . 

Steel-cut oats

Peanut Butter

Refried Beans

Roasted Red Peppers

Sundried Tomatoes

Wine, Beer, Juice

Chips, popcorn

Fruit/Vegetables

Strawberries

Blueberries

White Onion

Dairy/Cold Items

Cinnamon Rolls

Cheddar Cheese

Parmesan Cheese

Sauces/Spices

Salad Dressing

Maple Syrup

Red wine vinegar

Salt and pepper

Balsamic Vinegar

Marinara Sauce

French Fries

Vacation Packing List Printable PDF

Click the image below for a free printable PDF of this packing list.

Meals Made Ahead 

Pulled Chicken

Lasagna Rollups

Chimichurri Sauce

Kitchen Items For Your Vacation Food Packing List

Most rental kitchens have the essentials—cutlery, plates, pots, and pans. There is enough to make a proper meal. Here are a few non-food kitchen items to pack. 

• Knives – Cutting with a dull knife is torture. It takes twice as long and does a terrible job. Pack your sharpened knives to make any prep work a breeze. Here is a great way to safely pack knives. 
• Coolers – Most likely, you will pack your food in a cooler but make sure you use one that is a good size for the beach, too. Soft-sided ones are great because they fold down when not in use, leaving trunk space for any souvenirs.
• Lunch Boxes – This is key if you have kids. Bring their lunch boxes. Then, just like for school, pack an individual lunch for each child. This hack will save you from having to grab snacks all the time.
• Corkscrew – If you plan on drinking wine, pack a wine opener.
• BBQ – Plan on using the grill? Double-check that there is one included with your rental.  

Paper Goods and Cleaning Supplies For Your Vacation Packing List

Don’t forget these items when you are packing.

• Clorox Wipes – to clean up dirty counters and messes.
• Paper Towels
• Tupperware – You can pack food in them to bring down and reuse when needed to store leftovers.
• Dish Towels

How To Grocery Shop For A Beach Vacation

If you are a fan of online grocery shopping , check to see if your favorite service delivers to your rental. Ordering in advance will save you trunk space or a trip to the grocery store.

When heading on vacation, I do NOT like to grocery shop at the destination. I find that it takes a lot longer since I don’t know the store’s layout and costs more. Lots of vacation spots have pricier groceries. 

It’s cheaper and easier to bring food with you.

How Do You Pack Food For A Beach Vacation?

• If you are traveling any distance, you want to pack everything so it stays cold. Here are some great tips .
• If you are bringing spices, measure them and put them in small Ziploc bags to save space. 
• If you are bringing meals you prepared at home, write the baking instructions on the foil.
• Leave pantry items in the bags from online grocery shopping.
• Bookmark any recipes you plan to use or print them if you won’t have access to the internet.

Vacation Breakfast Ideas

Breakfast on vacation should be like the weather, breezy. You will want to pack some simple meals and plan for one or two more extensive meals. More complex, breakfasts are great if everyone wants to get a late start or if the weather isn’t cooperating. Here are some easy vacation breakfast ideas for your vacation food packing list.

• Overnight oats – make a big batch before you go and keep them in the fridge. Everyone can top them as they wish. They are filling and cheap. (A six-dollar box of McCann’s steel-cut oats can feed your family for a week.
• Yogurt and granola – call them parfaits if you wish, but yogurt topped with granola and fruit is a simple, complete breakfast.
• Frozen breakfast burritos – Make them in advance and bring them along. They are filling and portable. 
• Cereal – don’t let the simplicity fool you; cereal is a crowd-pleaser. Plus, it makes a great snack! Any item that does double duty is perfect for vacation.
• Cinnamon rolls – here’s a tip. Space them out on a cookie sheet, and they cook quicker. They are hearty and easy to prepare.
• Make-ahead pancake board – this recipe is perfect for beach vacations. You can quickly scale it up or down and prep almost everything in advance.

Vacation Lunch Ideas

Lunches should be portable and fuss-free. Leftovers are GREAT here! If you are going on a beach vacation, cold salads are perfect for lazy lunches on the sand.

• Sandwiches – the old standard, but they work! Peanut butter and jelly, turkey and mayo, salami and cheese, whatever you like. They are easy to customize.
• Chickpea tuna salad – this recipe takes the same amount of time as a sandwich and boasts lots of flavor and protein.
• Big Mac Salad – combining two unlikely items, this salad is filling and delicious.
• Leftovers make great lunches! 

What Do You Think?

Are you going on vacation? Where are you going and, most importantly, what is on your vacation food packing list? Let me know in the comments below; I’d love to hear.

Happy vacationing!

No immediate vacation plans? Pin this for later!

About Kristen

Mother, Wife, Curious Cook.

Kristen is a home cook and food lover who thinks about lunch and dinner while eating breakfast, plans outings around where to eat, and never stops thinking about food.

A former meeting planner, Kristen loves organization and planning. Whether for a party or just a regular week, you will find her creating meal plans and finding the best kitchen hacks to save time and money.

When not in the kitchen, you can find her outside with her two boys or inside watching Bravo TV.

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AlohaFleurlei says

Would you make this printable ?

Kristen says

Great idea! I’ve updated the article and included a PDF printable. Have a great trip!

Meghan says

Do you have a listing of the non-food items to pack, I always try to remember everything but inevitably forget!! Paper towels, TP, Clorox wipes, Dryer Sheets, Laundry Detergent, Dawn, Dishwasher Pods, Handsoap for kitchen and bathrooms, Coffee Filters …what am I forgetting? Thanks!

I don’t but that’s a great idea! Do you have/need dish towels? tissues? I find that if I walk through my day from morning to night, it helps me to see what I need.

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10 of the world’s best foodie destinations (and what to eat when you get there)

Mar 1, 2024 • 12 min read

From dim sum in Hong Kong to barbecue brisket in Texas, be inspired to travel just for these epic flavors © Sammyvision / Getty Images

Have you ever eaten something so delicious while traveling that it becomes the defining memory of your trip? We have, too.

So, to ensure that will happen again, plan your next trip to an incredible foodie destination. We know just where you should go — and what you should eat when you get there. 

Here are 10 of the destinations and dishes, selected from our book Ultimate Eats , that we think are worthy of planning a trip around.

1. Try pinxtos in San Sebastián, Spain

Travelers heading to San Sebastián  in Spain will find an incredible city bursting with Basque culture, and surrounded by golden beaches and verdant hills. But there’s one compelling reason to visit that rises above all the others:  pintxos . The tiny bites (known as tapas outside of Basque Spain) are best consumed with an accompanying drink, seeing as you’ll be taking this particular culinary journey as a bar-hopping escapade through the streets of San Sebastián.

Originally small open-faced sandwiches, pintxos can today be experienced in many incarnations, from the traditional, piled-high toppings on bread, to molecular-gastronomy renditions with flavors that belie what you see on your plate. Needless to say, almost every local ingredient is represented. It’s hard to list favorites, but the simple examples are often the ones that blow your mind: battered white asparagus, a tuna-and-anchovy tart or maybe mushrooms braised with garlic.

To get the full pintxos and San Sebastián experience, have a lazy day in the city and surrounds, take an afternoon nap and then head out around 9pm. You’ll never be more than a few minutes from your next bar, a whole new menu of tasty treats and a whole new group of people eating and drinking.

2. Eat curry laksa in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

One of the most compelling parts of visiting  Kuala Lumpur is wandering through the streets, finding fantastic little hawker centers tucked into the shadows of towering skyscrapers. At this feast for the senses, you’ll truly complete the experience when you sample a rich and creamy curry laksa .

On  Madras Lane , just off Petaling St, you’ll come across competing curry laksa stalls vying for your attention. Pick the one with the longest queue. When you have the bowl in your hands, choose a plastic chair (make sure it’s connected to the stall where you bought your laksa or you’ll be in trouble) and begin the swoon-worthy, sweat-inducing process of eating. Come again the next day to try the neighboring stall’s version.

A heady mix of spices and flavors (such as fresh turmeric, galangal, chili, candlenut and shrimp paste) go into the curry mix, which, when combined with coconut milk, creates the signature fiery-orange hue of the noodle soup. Two types of noodles (thin rice and thick egg) – along with shredded chicken, shrimp, cockles, tofu puffs, bean sprouts, a sprinkling of fresh chili and mint and a squeeze of lime – make up the rest of the lip-smacking ingredients. It’s an only-in- Malaysia experience.

3. Take a sushi master class in Tokyo, Japan

Japan offers a truly awe-inspiring array of food experiences , with few as memorable as sampling sushi in Tokyo . We wish we could say that if you’re going to eat sushi in Tokyo, go to Sukiyabashi Jiro or Sushi Saito, but the inordinately long waiting lists to get into either restaurant take the shine off the experience. That said, if your hotel concierge can work their magic, do not miss your chance; the sushi mastery on show at both places is undeniable. In the absence of this bit of good luck, however, there are some superb sushi restaurants in Tokyo that dish up life-changing experiences without the wait. Cases in point include Mantensushi Marunouchi and Jūzō Sushi.

Most top-end sushi chefs will serve their sushi  omakase- style, which just means you leave it to them and they will select, prepare and serve your sushi as they see fit. Don’t kick back and relax just yet, though – there are some etiquette rules to abide by. First, when your fresh piece of sushi is placed in front of you, pick it up with your hands rather than chopsticks, and don’t dip it in soy sauce or ask for any extra wasabi. The chef has seasoned the offering, so it is something of an insult to modify the flavor. Between courses, it’s fine to use chopsticks to pick up pickled ginger and the  oshibori  (hand towel) to clean your fingers.

Take your time and interact with the chef; it’s such an intimate setting and a perfect opportunity to learn more about this ancient culinary art form. Remember to pay attention to the rice as well as the fish. Sushi masters spend years perfecting their rice and consider it as important as all the other ingredients. Soak it all in – the tradition, the skill, the respect, the service, all amounting to the quintessential Japanese dining experience.

4. Taste tantalizing beef brisket in Texas, USA

Travel to Texas , US , and you’ll quickly learn something important about the locals: they know their barbecued meats. So when they line up for four or more hours to get some, it has to be special. That’s the situation at  Austin ’s  Franklin Barbecue  six days a week. Through the Franklin’s menu includes pulled pork, ribs, sausage and more, the main attraction is its smoked beef brisket.

The team here keeps it simple, rubbing the meat with a mix of salt and black pepper, then cooking it “low and slow” in oakwood smoke until it’s fall-apart tender and encased in a thin, salty crust. It’s a juicy, smoky Texas classic, judged best-in-class by Texans themselves. You could drive to Lockhart , the state-legislated “Barbecue Capital of Texas,” and be back in the time it takes to get into Franklin’s. But the queue is good fun, you can have a beer and meet some friendly Texans while you wait – and damn, that brisket is good .

5. Travel to Bangkok, Thailand, for som tum  

Hit the streets of Bangkok  and prepare for sensory overload. While the sights of the Thai capital will astonish you, you’ll have a similarly intense experience when you try som tum , green papaya salad. Som tum is a bang of flavor: it’s sour, salty, sweet and intensely fiery. It’s also texturally extraordinary, combining the crunch of peanuts with cool slivers of pale green papaya and carrot, and small, sweet, juicy shrimp and tomatoes. It’s sold from street vendors all over  Thailand  but is particularly beloved in the capital, where it feels like there’s a seller on every corner.

Grabbing a plate of som tum on the street, amid all the traffic chaos and the stifling heat, is a rite of passage for visitors to the city, and the epitome of this is the rambling, streetside shack  Jay So . But if you would prefer to revere your salad in relative peace and quiet, the restaurant  Somtam Nua , at the Siam Center on Siam Sq, has a worthy version – tamed slightly for Western palates but still delicious.

Continue your restaurant tour of Bangkok at these local favorites.

6. Heap toppings on  smørrebrød  in Copenhagen, Denmark

Stylish Copenhagen lures in travelers looking to soak up contemporary art, admire amazing architecture and shop for vintage clothes . But the perfect food experience in Copenhagen, a Danish smørrebrød , is anything but fussy – just take a slice of rye bread, put some butter on it and then heap it with whatever tasty ingredients you like.

But it’s not really that simple. There are some rules to smørrebrød that help to elevate it to something beyond just a piece of bread with toppings. First, thin toppings go on first, followed by the bulkier kind; second, when eating more than one kind of smørrebrød at once (and this is nearly always the case; good luck stopping at one), you start with the slice that features herring, move on to fish, then meat, then finish with cheese. This carefully choreographed sequence is designed to gently walk your palate through the flavor combinations so that one never overpowers the other.

If you’ve never had smørrebrød , before there are some classic combinations you’ll see all over  Denmark : for example, pickled herring, onion and dill; mayonnaise, boiled egg, shrimp, dill and lemon; roast beef, pickles, onions and horseradish; and blue cheese, apples and bacon. But these are just a tiny sample of the almost limitless number of toppings.

Copenhagen’s smørrebrød institution,  Restaurant Schonnemann , has been serving up the open-faced sandwich since 1877. Here, presentation is so delicate and refined it resembles sushi in style. Try the following for an ultimate smørrebrød experience, otherwise known as the world’s best sandwich degustation: herring marinated in dill cream with capers, onions and a fried egg; smoked salmon and smoked halibut with a crab and mayonnaise salad, tomato and basil; a breaded cutlet of pork with apples, thyme and onions; and, finally, Camembert with blackcurrant jam. And to drink? Why there are only more than 140 different schnapps, aquavit and genevers to choose from. That should do nicely.

Save these Copengahen restaurants to your itinerary.

7. Savor crayfish by the sea on New Zealand’s South Island

New Zealand ’s scenery is a big allure for travelers who want to experience its incredible array of mountains, fields and coastlines. But beyond its eye-candy appeal, this lush environment also produces a wealth of delicious ingredients. On the east coast of New Zealand’s  South Island , about two hours’ drive north of Christchurch , is the picturesquely situated town of  Kaikōura . The town is famous for the abundance of marine life present offshore – with sperm whales, dolphins and seals often spotted close to land – with its name deriving from the Māori words kai (meaning food) and kōura (crayfish).

Trading on its namesake are numerous fresh seafood vans up and down the nearby coastline. Of these, one of the oldest – and best – is  Nin’s Bin . A 20-minute drive from the center of town, this basic blue-and-white converted caravan has a few wooden picnic tables scattered outside where locals and well-informed travelers hunker over fresh crayfish and mussels with a view over the Pacific Ocean. Nin’s Bin prepares its crayfish with butter, garlic and a sprinkling of parsley, letting the fresh and sweet flesh shine. Add a squeeze of lemon, throw in a cold beer and hope for a sighting of sperm whales – it could be the perfect afternoon.

Quotas on the number of crayfish being caught in this region have been put in place to protect the marine life here and promote sustainable practices. As such, many of the local shacks and restaurants, including Nin’s Bin, have strict seasonal opening hours worth scouting out before your visit.

8. Don't miss bowls of bibimbap in South Korea 

South Korea  offers up an incredible variety of experiences  in a tiny package. Likewise, one of its most popular dishes, bibimbap, offers a dizzying array of flavors in just one bowl. Beef and sautéed vegetables such as shiitake mushrooms, spinach and eggplant are piled on to warm, white rice and flavored with spicy chili paste and an umami-rich fermented soybean paste, topped with either a raw or fried egg. There are two main types of bibimbap:  jeonju -style, which comes in a cold bowl, and  dolsot , which comes in a piping-hot earthenware bowl – making it the perfect dish for any season.

Whichever one you choose comes to you like a display meal, with all the ingredients fanned out over the rice – so take a moment to admire the pretty culinary spectacle and know that the ingredients are chosen for specific reasons. The red of the chili pepper represents your heart, the green vegetables are for your liver, the yellow of the egg yolk is for your stomach, black or very dark items (mushrooms or soy sauce) are there for your kidneys and the white rice is for your lungs. Next, dive right in, mix the whole lot up and give your insides a boost.

9. Take a pilgrimage to Naples, Italy, for the perfect pizza 

Wander the pulsing, narrow streets of Naples  and you’re sure the catch a whiff of its most famous food: pizza. While there are infinite numbers of ways it can be prepared, there’s one version of our worldwide food obsession that will always stand prouder than the rest: the original margherita pizza from Naples. To eat margherita here is reminiscent of a religious experience – you’ll find zealous disciples of specific restaurants.

It’s believed the worldwide phenomenon was first created when a local baker prepared dinner for the visiting King Umberto and Queen Margherita in the 19th century. Legend has it he made three pizzas, and the queen was taken with the flavors of the tomato, mozzarella and basil version, in the colors of the Italian flag. From then on it has been named in her honor.

So where to eat it? One of the longest-standing establishments is Di Matteo . The huge, cerulean-tiled pizza oven fires out light and stretchy toasted pizzas that fly out of the door to pizza lovers on their own personal pilgrimage, and locals who appreciate the exalted position they find themselves in. If the queue is too long at Di Matteo, stroll the streets and find your own place of worship.

10. Snack on dim sum in Hong Kong 

Dim sum (which means “light snack”) is served all over the world – but nowhere does it like  Hong Kong . In fact, Hong Kong’s dim sum is a destination in itself. Dim sum (also known as  yum cha , which translates to “with tea”) has evolved from the traveler ritual of stopping for tea and snacks while on the road into what might be the world’s best brunch.

In Hong Kong you can sample your dim sum as simply or as extravagantly as your predilections go. At multiple locations across town,  DimDimSum does its tidbits traditionally – you’ll find that the  siu mai  (steamed pork dumplings),  har gow  (steamed shrimp dumplings) and  char siu bao  (BBQ pork steamed buns) are all excellent. The atmosphere is buzzing with students, travelers and lovers of dim sum on a budget.

At the other end of the spectrum are the Michelin-starred establishments like  Duddell’s  and  Fook Lam Moon . At the painfully elegant Duddell’s the classics are given an elaborate twist: think pork-and-shrimp dumpling with scallop and caviar, or a deep-fried pork-and-shrimp wonton with foie gras. By contrast, Fook Lam Moon’s mood is classic Cantonese, but still caters to Hong Kong society’s elite with offerings that come with small unexpected flourishes, such as the siu mai with crab roe or the steamed squid with curry sauce.

Whether jostling for elbow room at budget restaurants or sitting in elegant surroundings as silent carts glide towards your table, Hong Kong dim sum is the definitive version to try before the proverbial bucket gets kicked.

This article was first published May 7, 2020 and updated Mar 1, 2024.

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

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40 Best Pork Recipes for Any Night of the Week

Try it in casseroles, sandwiches, or slow-cooked to perfection!

Every item on this page was chosen by a The Pioneer Woman editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy.

Has this got you in the mood for pork yet? Next time you're at the store, swing by the butcher to check out all the different cuts of pork you can choose from. In addition to the usual pork chops and pork tenderloins, this list also includes chorizo , pork ribs , and pork shoulder. No matter what you end up going with, you'll probably find that most cuts of pork are more affordable than the other proteins in the store—a big win if you're on a budget. Try some of these recipes to perfect your pork-cooking game, and don't forget the best side dishes to go with pork .

Herb-Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Preserves

In just 20 minutes, you can make this impressive-looking pork dinner that's sweet and herby. As Ree says, the recipe is "hardly a recipe at all," which goes to show how easy it is!

Get Ree's Herb-Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Preserves recipe .

Country-Style Ribs

The spice rub used on these country-style pork ribs is so delicious, you'll want to use it on pork tenderloin and pork chops, as well! It's spicy, smoky, and downright irresistible.

Get the Country-Style Ribs recipe .

Baked Pasta with Sausage

Italian sausage is made from seasoned ground pork so it's easy to cook with and budget-friendly, too. Add it to a cheesy baked pasta with kale and sun-dried tomatoes for a weeknight dinner that's oh-so comforting.

Get Ree's Baked Pasta with Sausage recipe .

Meatball Sub

A classic ground pork and beef mixture is what makes these meatballs utter perfection. They're added to jarred marinara sauce and piled onto hoagie rolls with lots of melty cheese.

Get the Meatball Sub recipe .

Grilled Ribs

Grab the napkins! These pork ribs are messy to eat, but that's also what makes them so delicious. They're saucy, tender, slow-cooked, and worth the effort!

Get the Grilled Ribs recipe .

SHOP GRILL TOOLS

Stuffing with Chorizo and Poblanos

Adding this type of ground pork sausage to a holiday stuffing will give it a much needed burst of flavor. It's spicy, bold, and great for pairing with poblano peppers.

Get Ree's Stuffing with Chorizo and Poblanos recipe .

Puff Pastry-Wrapped Pork

Give your pork tenderloin a flaky crust by wrapping it up in frozen puff pastry. The store-bought ingredient is an easy way to make this dish feel more elegant.

Get Ree's Puff Pastry-Wrapped Pork recipe .

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

This slow-cooked pork falls right off the bone thanks to the slow cooker. It's delicious piled onto pretzel buns with dijon mustard, or it can be used for nachos or tacos.

Get the Slow Cooker Pulled Pork recipe .

Grilled Pork Chops

Throw some bone-in pork chops on the grill and you'll be rewarded with a juicy, flavorful weeknight dinner. They're delicious on their own but can also be served up with mango salsa!

Get the Grilled Pork Chops recipe .

Slow Cooker Pork Chops

This recipe makes boneless pork chops for a crowd. They're cooked in a rich onion gravy that you'll want to pour over the whole plate (mashed potatoes, included!).

Get the Slow Cooker Pork Chops recipe .

SHOP SLOW COOKERS

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Ree recommends using a combination of half ground pork and half ground beef for her homemade meatballs. It makes the perfect balance for a rich and satisfying dish.

Get Ree's Spaghetti and Meatballs recipe .

Air Fryer Pork Chops

You won't believe how crispy these pork chops get thanks to the air fryer. It's a healthy dinner option, especially when served with a side salad.

Get the Air Fryer Pork Chops recipe .

Sausage Rolls

This appetizer is similar to pigs in a blanket, but it's made with pork sausage and bacon so it's even more flavorful!

Get the Sausage Rolls recipe .

This classic pork shoulder recipe is great for anyone who likes sweet, smoky, and deeply flavorful tacos. The pork is marinated with pineapple so it's anything but bland.

Get the Al Pastor recipe .

Sheet-Pan Ranch Pork and Veggies

There are two ingenious parts of this recipe that make this dinner great. Ree uses a packet of ranch seasoning for a boost of flavor, and she cooks it all on a sheet pan for easy cleanup!

Get Ree's Sheet-Pan Ranch Pork and Veggies recipe .

SHOP RANCH SEASONING

Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Broccolini

The mild flavor of pork makes it a great protein to pair with bitter greens. Try it with broccolini!

Get Ree's Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Broccolini recipe .

Instant Pot Carnitas with Cornbread

Ree's take on carnitas is made in a pressure cooker. However, she recommends popping it under the broiler before serving to crisp up the outside.

Get Ree's Instant Pot Carnitas with Cornbread recipe .

Pork Banh Mi Lettuce Wraps

These flavor-packed lettuce wraps are like a lightened-up banh mi sandwich. You won't even miss the bread!

Get Ree's Pork Banh Mi Lettuce Wraps recipe .

Pork Milanese

Pork chops are delicious with a crispy-crunchy coating. Ree says that tenderizing the meat for this recipe is a great way to get out your frustrations!

Get Ree's Pork Milanese recipe .

Instant Pot Sticky Pork Lettuce Wraps

This easy dinner is a great reason to bust out your Instant Pot. The whole meal comes together in about an hour.

Get Ree's Instant Pot Sticky Pork Lettuce Wraps recipe .

SHOP INSTANT POTS

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50 Best Family Vacation Ideas on a Budget for 2024

From all-inclusives in the Caribbean to quick getaways in the U.S., there's something for every traveler in your group.

It's not lost on us that travel, like everything else, is getting more expensive, so we focused many of our picks on properties that provide great value. When we feature splurgy spots, rest assured they're worth every penny.

Whether you're looking to chill out at an all-inclusive resort , get active in the great outdoors , check out new attractions at a theme park, hit the beach or cozy up at ski resort , there's a destination or experience here to match every vacation vibe and party size. After all, bringing the grandparents comes with so many benefits, not the least of which is babysitting so you can score some much-needed time for an interruption-free dinner, spa treatment or romantic walk on the beach.

Use this guide to help narrow down your options, and then check out the Good Housekeeping Institute 's tried-and-tested list of essential travel gear and accessories to get ready for your trip. You can also consult our guides on how to choose a family-vacation hotel as well as how to keep all ages entertained . Since the early bird gets the best deal, shore up your spring break and summer vacation plans now.

Mexico and the Caribbean

Spend your days rolling in the waves, relaxing by the pool or enjoying quiet time (thanks to some superior kids' clubs) at these island resorts.

Nickelodeon Hotels & Resorts Riviera Maya, Mexico

With massive waterparks, daily slimings and Nickelodeon characters galore, the kids have it made at the all-inclusive Nickelodeon Hotels & Resort Riviera Maya, a Good Housekeeping 2024 Family Travel Award Winner. But grown-ups aren’t left out of the fun. Tequila tastings, spa treatments and romantic dinners can be on your agenda thanks to the supervised club for kids ages 4 to 12. And while you probably wouldn’t be booking a SpongeBob-themed room if you didn’t have the kids in tow, the decor is as mod and classy as it can be. All the accommodations are suites that sleep up to five and have two bathrooms. Suites have direct access to a pool from the balcony. (Yes, even on the top floor!)

RELATED: Nickelodeon Hotels & Resorts Punta Cana Is the Best Place to Travel With a Baby and a Sibling

Atlantis, Paradise Island, Bahamas

Winner of a 2024 Family Travel Award, Atlantis is a top choice for families of all ages looking for a mix of relaxation and adventure. Its adrenaline-pumping waterpark features high-speed slides, including a one-of-a-kind tube slide down a Mayan pyramid. Animal encounters, like getting up close to a dolphin, are thrilling in a different way. But on the other side of the massive resort, the beaches are super chill. The gentle water is just perfect for toddlers and preschoolers. Supervised clubs for kids, tweens and teens truly wow, so adults can enjoy the casino and a meal at one of the resort's fine-dining restaurants.

EXPLORE NOW

Club Med Michès Playa Esmeralda, Dominican Republic

Movies under the stars, trapeze lessons, windsurfing — with cool activities like these, kids will never want to leave this newish resort in the lush, away-from-it-all part of the island. Supervised clubs for babies through teens keep the good times rolling while you’re at the adults-only Zen pool or doing treetop yoga. (Yes, that’s a thing.) Solar panels, recycling, plastic-free water bottles and other sustainable initiatives are part of the eco-minded resort culture.

Beaches Negril Resort & Spa, Negril, Jamaica

While this all-inclusive resort and 2024 Family Travel Award-winner caters to all ages, toddlers and preschoolers will be star-struck. Sesame Street characters entertain them with story times, dance parties and even puppet-making! That’s on top of the mini water slides, splash areas and a playground that makes little ones squeal with glee and wears them out, so they’ll hit the sack early.

Private childcare and supervised kids’ clubs (for babies through teens, including those with special needs) are an option when you want a spa treatment, a quiet dinner or just to read a book on the resort's idyllic 7-Mile Beach. All the rooms and suites got a glow-up in 2020, plus there are new villas with butler service (sign us up!)

RELATED: 20 Best Caribbean Resorts for Families to Visit

Fairmont Mayakoba, Playa del Carmen, Mexico

When it comes to baby and kid gear, this luxury resort has you covered. Need a bottle warmer? They got it. How about a step stool for a toddler to reach the sink? Yours for the asking. With these worries aside, you can concentrate on the beauty of the surroundings (the resort is surrounded by a lush mangrove forest) and incredible bucket-list activities, like kids’ carnivals and night kayaking. All the rooms have received a glow-up and there's a sleek new beach club to boot.

Rock House Resort, Turks & Caicos

Your family may never leave the water at this Mediterranean-inspired oasis , which opened in May 2022. In addition to a full kitchen and roomy living room, many of the villa-style accommodations feature a spacious private pool. (Yes way!) And if your crew ever tires of it, fun awaits at the resort’s oceanfront infinity pool and stretch of white sand beach, which is exclusively for resort guests. Just note that while a cliffside setting makes the resort incredibly picturesque, it’s impossible to navigate with a stroller — so bring the tweens, teens and even grandparents if they don’t have trouble climbing stairs.

Embassy Suites by Hilton Aruba Resort

A brand that's popular with families because it offers separate sleeping spaces for kids and adults, Embassy Suites recently opened a location in Aruba. (Pinch us now.) The 330-suite hotel boasts a kids' pool and playground and is just steps away from the iconic Eagle Beach. A breakfast buffet (with made-to-order items) is included in the price, which is already a value. Rooms also feature a kitchenette, so you can stash drinks and snacks and save your budget for the island's many incredible water activities.

New England Cozy

Lakes, lighthouses and hiking trails make New England a great place to visit in almost any season.

Quisisana Resort, Lovell, ME

Kids will get a digital detox at this all-inclusive lakefront resort , but they’ll be too busy playing to miss their devices. Without TV or a Wi-Fi signal in the comfortable, air-conditioned rooms and cabins, they’ll be fully immersed in the slew of included activities — from paddle boating to tennis to sandcastle-building. They might even learn to kayak or catch their first fish.

At night, music fills the resort. Broadway-style shows, held in a new outdoor theater, entertain all generations. There’s something about the fresh air and a choice of lollipops that keeps most kids from getting too wiggly, and the caliber of the performances is at least on par with good community theater.

The three included daily meals — with menu items like lobster rolls and Maine blueberry pie — will leave your crew’s bellies happy and full. And if you do need Wi-Fi occasionally, you can pop in the main lobby for a signal. Shh: The kids will be fine without it.

Hidden Pond, Kennebunkport, ME

Open from May to October, this nature-focused retreat provides a refuge from city life. Yoga sessions in the garden, a shed filled with arts and crafts supplies for kids, guided nature walks and outdoor art classes are easy-going yet exciting at the same time. Cottages with fireplaces foster togetherness, and complimentary breakfast arrives at your door every morning so there's no need to rush out for coffee.

Smugglers' Notch Resort, Jeffersonville, VT

Nestled in the Green Mountains, this resort is just as fun in the summer months as it is during prime ski season. Besides eight heated pools (some with waterslides!), the action-packed lineup of family activities has plenty to do whether you’re traveling with a toddler, teen or both. Sing-a-longs, magic shows and scavenger hunts keep little ones entertained while older kids will welcome the chance to take a guided hike, design and launch a water rocket or play glow-in-the-dark volleyball. A GH 2024 Family Travel Awards winner, condos at this property accommodate up to five bedrooms, making it possible for extended family and friends to stay together.

Ocean Edge Resort and Golf Club, Brewster, MA

Beach, pool, eat, repeat — that’s how your crew will spend laid-back days at this Cape Cod gem . The private beach has gentle surf and at low tide, kids can spy little sea creatures in the tide pools. When the tide changes, head to the heated outdoor or indoor pools. Outdoor movies are the perfect wind-down to bedtime. And if you can pry the kids out of the water, activities like scavenger hunts, curated by the resort’s new director of fun (for real!) await. Just make sure to stay in the “mansion” section of the resort because that’s the part with private beach access.

Sebasco Harbor Resort, Phippsburg, ME

Kids will never forget sleeping in a lighthouse next to the ocean. The resort’s 1945 lighthouse contains recently renovated guest rooms with amazing views, sea breezes and conveniences like a fridge and microwave. The lighthouse rooms are also near the resort’s iconic oceanfront saltwater pool, which recently got a makeover. A vintage bowling alley, weekly pirate cruise and old-school kids’ club add to the New England charm.

Bluebird Cady Hill Lodge, Stowe, VT

A fantastic value, this new '70s-inspired cozy lodge is perfect for families who want to explore Vermont's Green Mountains. The scenic trails of Cady Hill Forest are just steps away and downtown Stowe is about a 10-minute walk. Two- and three-bedroom cottages at Bluebird Cady Hill Lodge have plenty of space for families and a kitchen to boot. A game room, fire pits for s'mores roasting and a pool make hanging at the lodge a nice respite in between nature activities.

California Dreamin'

Choose your Cali adventure: You can find bustling cityscapes, tranquil trails, stunning beaches and even a fairytale castle.

Los Angeles, CA

Tweens and teens won’t roll their eyes if you suggest a vacay in L.A. — where, trust us, they’ll ask you to eat at In-N-Out-Burger (look cool and say you already had it on the list). Some more must-dos: Visit the Griffith Observatory for the out-of-this-world exhibits and a stellar view of the Hollywood sign, and if you're an outdoorsy family you can hike down from the observatory to the Hollywood Walk of Fame and famous TCL Chinese Theaters .

The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures , where anyone 17 and under gets in free, is conveniently located near the classic La Brea Tar Pits and the cool LACMA ( Los Angeles County Museum of Art). Some outdoor shopping at The Grove L.A. and a beach day in Santa Monica with a spin on the iconic wheel at the Santa Monica Pier will get you more well-deserved parent cred. Or, you can take a trip to Universal Studios Hollywood , where, for now, you can find the only Super Nintendo World open in the United States. Stay at The Garland in North Hollywood, a Good Housekeeping 2024 Family Travel Awards winner. It has a swanky trolley that transports guests to and from Universal, as well as other kid perks like dive-in movies and a retro-chic family suite with bunk beds.

San Diego, CA

Can’t decide between heading to the beach or exploring a big city? San Diego has the best of both worlds, with near-perfect weather to boot. Make your home base a beach resort like the Kona Kai San Diego Resort & Spa , San Diego Mission Bay Resort or, if you're bringing a big group, Shore House at Del, a Good Housekeeping 2024 Family Travel Award winner. Intersperse oceanside fun with short drives to the city’s famous zoo and museums in Balboa Park. Plan to spend at least a half day at Liberty Station , a cultural attraction that has many places to eat and shop. New stores and restaurants are open at Seaport Village , which has a classic carousel for kids to ride.

RELATED: The Best Things to Do in San Diego With the Whole Family

Monterey, CA

The number one reason to book a vacation in this coastal town: the aquarium. Yes, the Monterey Bay Aquarium is that good. It levels up the typical touch tank experience by letting little kids crawl through tunnels surrounded by tropical fish displays and use squirt toys to learn how animals stand up to big waves. There’s even a padded zone with eye-level exhibits for toddlers! And the whole family will be wowed by the aquarium’s newish exhibition, "Into the Deep: Exploring Our Undiscovered Ocean." Some of the creatures in the 21 live exhibit areas are newly discovered and haven’t even been named yet. Mind blown! Stay at the hotel next door, InterContinental The Clement Monterey .

Disneyland Resort and California Adventure, Anaheim, CA

If you're looking for a Disney trip with young kids, Disneyland may have the edge over an Orlando vacay. Here are some reasons why: You can get on more rides without as much walking in California, so that means fewer tired and cranky kids. Summer weather is also usually better in Anaheim than in hot-and-humid Florida. And rides like Radiator Springs Racers, which looks like it’s right out of the movie Cars , are Cali-exclusive. The new Villas at Disneyland Hotel offer options that sleep up to 12 guests plus the decor is whimsical.

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Home › Recipes › Courses › Breakfast › Easy Overnight Oats

Easy Overnight Oats

by Lisa Bryan

606 Comments

Updated Oct 21, 2023

This post may contain affiliate links. See my disclosure policy .

Learn how to make the perfect batch of overnight oats ! It’s one of the easiest, no-cook breakfast options that will leave you with healthy grab-and-go breakfasts to enjoy throughout the week. Bonus – it’s endlessly customizable!

If you love healthy breakfast ideas but don’t want to do a whole lot of work in the morning, overnight oats were made for you. Honestly, it’s as easy as stirring together a couple of ingredients in a jar, placing it in the fridge, and enjoying the next morning. That’s it! There’s no cooking, baking, and you don’t even get any extra dishes dirty. It’s a total winner all around.

The beauty of overnight oats is that you can make them as simple or creative as you’d like. The base recipe is delicious, and filling all on its own. But if you’d like to spruce it up, you can add a variety of toppings and mix-ins, including fresh fruit, nuts, seeds, spices, jams, and more. I’ll share a few ideas with you today, but as always, feel free to share your overnight oats creativity in the comments below!

Overnight Oats Ingredients

While technically you only need rolled oats and milk to make overnight oats, I always add chia seeds , yogurt, and a smidge of maple syrup in my base recipe. That’s what makes them ultra creamy and tasty!

• Rolled oats: Make sure to use old fashioned rolled oats for the best texture. And remember to look for certified gluten-free oats if you’re gluten-sensitive or celiac.
• Milk: You can use dairy or dairy-free milk (like almond milk , oat milk , or cashew milk ), and yes, even water works. It just depends how creamy you’d like it.
• Yogurt: A simple Greek yogurt or dairy-free yogurt provides extra creaminess, protein, and that perfect touch of tangy flavor.
• Chia Seeds:  These magical little seeds will gel up in the oats to make it creamy and thick. Plus, they’re loaded with health benefits and give a nutrient boost.
• Maple Syrup: Natural sweeteners like maple syrup or honey blend in beautifully. You can always add as little or as much as you’d like.

Find the printable recipe with measurements below.

What to Love About Overnight Oats

A warm bowl of oatmeal is pretty high up on the list when it comes to healthy breakfast options. But I’ll let you in on a secret – overnight oats is equally healthy and a cinch to make with no cooking. Here’s a few reasons why you should to whip up this recipe today…

• It’s a time and money saver. Oats are one of the best ingredients when you’re looking to eat healthy on a budget . Best of all, prepping overnight oats takes less than 5 minutes!
• It’s a nutritional powerhouse. It’s a known fact that oats are heart-healthy. They’re also rich in fiber, protein, antioxidants, and contain a wide range of vitamins and minerals.
• It’s easier on the gut. Soaking your oats overnight helps to break the starches down and reduce phytic acid. That means it’s easier to digest the oats and absorb their nutrients more efficiently. Perfect for those of us with gluten sensitivities!

How To Make Easy Overnight Oats

For a single serving : It’s super easy to make overnight oats in a jar!

• Stir it all together. In a small jar, stir together the oats, milk, yogurt, chia seeds, and maple syrup.
• It’s soaking time. Place the jar in the fridge to let the oats soak for at least 2 hours, though overnight is best.
• Add toppings and serve. The next morning, add your favorite toppings and enjoy! Alternatively, you can scoop the oats out into a bowl and add toppings from there.

If you’re looking to make a bigger batch : just double, triple or quadruple the recipe. It’s as easy as that!

• Stir everything together. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the oats, milk, yogurt, chia seeds, and maple syrup.
• Cover and soak. Cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap and let it soak overnight in the fridge.
• Serve individually. Scoop out a portion (about 1 cup) from the bowl into a serving glass or bowl. Then add your favorite toppings!

8 Ways To Make Overnight Oats Exciting

Now here comes the fun part – toppings and mix-ins! Creativity is the name of the game here. So whatever your heart desires, go for it. But if you need some inspiration, here’s some of my favorite flavor combinations!

• Fresh fruit: Make the most of seasonal fruits, including blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, bananas, peaches, pears, and apples. You can also blend them into a puree or make a chia seed jam and stir it in.
• Dried fruit: Raisins, cranberries, goji berries, and chopped dates lend a chewy texture and fruity flavors.
• Nuts and Seeds: Sliced almonds, chopped pecans or walnuts, hemp seeds, sunflower seeds, pepitas, and toasted sesame seeds add a subtle crunchy texture.
• Extra Flavor: Sprinkle on coconut flakes or cacao nibs. They’ll taste amazing with banana, strawberry, or tropical flavors.
• Spices: Stir in cinnamon, nutmeg, turmeric, cardamom, or ginger to spice things up a bit!
• Yogurt: Mix in any type of yogurt for extra creaminess. Plus, it’ll add extra protein and a probiotic boost.
• Nut Butter: Choose your favorite nut butter (I always love almond butter ), and stir it in or drizzle it on top. It too will provide a protein boost.
• Protein Powder: Still want an even bigger protein boost? Feel free to add protein powder or collagen powder .

The Best Jars to Use

While many photos show overnight oats filled to the brim with toppings overflowing, that’s just not realistic in terms of mixing. You want a jar that’s large enough to stir everything together without making a mess. So with that in mind, I recommend a 16-ounce jar if you plan to add toppings. And a 12-ounce jar works for the base recipe with a small amount of mix-ins.

• Mason Jars: Traditional mason jars are perfect for overnights oats. The pint-sized jars are 16-ounces, and the screw top lid is secure and super easy. You can also get 16-ounce wide mouth jar s if you prefer.
• Weck Jars: While I normally love Weck Jars for so many things (like chia pudding ), if you plan to “grab and go” with your overnight oats, you might lose the clips. But if you’re careful, the 1/4 liter mold jar is the perfect size for the base recipe at 12.5-ounces.

How To Store and Meal Prep

Whether you’re making a single serving or 5 days worth of breakfast, overnight oats is a meal prep savior.

• To Store: Overnight oats will stay good for up to 4 days in the fridge. If you have fruit toppings or fruit mix-ins, I recommend no more than 3 days, as the fruit is likely to go bad first.
• For Freezing: Yes, you can freeze overnight oats! Similar to my meal prep chia pudding , overnight oats will stay good for several months in the freezer.

Common Questions

Yes, you can. But just be aware that the texture will end up more mushy, like porridge.

No, you don’t have to. But I find that yogurt gives a wonderfully rich and creamy texture. If you’re dairy-free, you can always use dairy-free milk and dairy-free yogurt.

Absolutely! Overnight oats don’t have to be eaten cold. Just warm them up on the stovetop in a small pot or in the microwave for a minute or two the next morning.

Yes, they’ll expand a little (about 10-15%). So don’t fill the jar to the brim.

Of course! As I always say… any food can be eaten any time of any day. So feel free to enjoy overnights oats for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

More Easy, Make-Ahead Breakfast Ideas

When you need a break from overnight oats, give these recipes a try! They’re easy, flavorful and perfect for meal prepping.

• Loaded Breakfast Casserole : Bake, slice into squares, and store in the fridge or freezer.
• Chia Seed Pudding : Did you know you can also freeze chia pudding?
• Breakfast Egg Muffins : These bites are customizable and can be stored in the fridge or freezer.
• Sweet Potato Toast : Prep slices for the week for a veggie-heavy breakfast! It will keep in the fridge for 5 days.
• Paleo Pancakes : And when you’re feeling for good ol’ pancakes, these ones store well in the fridge and freezer!

If you make this recipe, let me know how it turned out!  I’d love to hear what you think in the comments below.

Easy Overnight Oats (6 Amazing Flavors)

Description.

Ingredients  US Customary Metric   1x 2x 3x

Basic overnight oats.

• ▢ ½ cup rolled oats
• ▢ ½ cup milk (dairy or dairy-free)
• ▢ ¼ cup Greek yogurt (dairy or dairy-free)
• ▢ 1 tablespoon chia seeds
• ▢ 1 tablespoon maple syrup

Banana Bread Overnight Oats

• ▢ ½ banana , mashed
• ▢ 2 tablespoon chopped walnuts
• ▢ ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ▢ pinch of ground flaxseed

Spiced Pear Overnight Oats

• ▢ ½ pear , diced
• ▢ 1 tablespoon chopped pecans
• ▢ pinch of nutmeg

PB&J Overnight Oats

• ▢ 2 tablespoon raspberry jam or puree
• ▢ 1 tablespoon peanut butter (or almond butter)
• ▢ 1 teaspoon chopped pistachios

Pina Colada Overnight Oats

• ▢ ¼ cup small diced pineapple
• ▢ 1 tablespoon shredded coconut
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ *note: use coconut milk in the base recipe

Carrot Cake Overnight Oats

• ▢ ¼ cup shredded carrot
• ▢ 1 tablespoon raisins

Strawberry Protein Overnight Oats

• ▢ ¼ cup small diced strawberry
• ▢ 1 scoop protein powder or collagen powder
• ▢ 1 tablespoon sliced almonds

Instructions 

Lisa’s Tips

• If you make a large batch in a bowl, once it’s set and thickened overnight scoop out about 1 cup for a single serving.

©Downshiftology. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.

Recipe originally posted January 2021, but updated to include new information.  

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About the author

Lisa is a bestselling cookbook author, recipe developer, and YouTuber (with over 2.5 million subscribers) living in sunny Southern California. She started Downshiftology in 2014, and is passionate about making healthy food with fresh, simple and seasonal ingredients.

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If I add a scoop of protein, would k need to adjust the liquid?

Hi Heidi – No, it should be fine :)

Hi Lisa, Your Strawberry Overnight Oats was a delicious, quick and easy recipe. Thank you Lisa for recycling how to enjoy this delicious seasonal fruit. Your email came right after I asked myself, “Now how can I enjoy all of these delicious strawberries? “ There you were, like magic ! Thank you!. So glad I signed up for your emails….

Hi Marie – Happy to hear you enjoyed the strawberry overnight oats!

Hi Viviana – Thanks for leaving a review and happy to hear the whole family enjoys these overnight oats!

Hi Milena – Happy to hear you found a winning overnight oats recipe!

Freezer hack is extremely helpful since i am working. However, i am bit afraid that does it really stay good for several months. Then, after preparation i have kept it in fridge just for one day but thank you for letting me know that we can keep it even longer.

Hi there – This is best the week you make it, but freezing is fine as well.

Hi Jennifer – That’s so great to hear! Having access to fresh ingredients is the best thing.

Hi Joanne – I haven’t tried this with kefir, but I’m thinking it could work!

Hi Tonyia – I’m glad you’re loving this overnight oats recipe!

Hi Jil – You could try that if you’d like!

I’m confused, for the other recipes, like the strawberry protein, is it the basic oats recipe plus the additional ingredients listed, or only the ingredients under that topic?

Hi Delilah – You will make the base recipe and then add any other ingredients listed under each flavor. Hope that helps!

Hi Suzanne – Yes! You can use any container you’d like, it doesn’t have to be mason jars.

What kind of rolled oats do you use. I can’t find any at our local grocery store

Hi Kilye – You can find the one I’m using linked in the recipe card in the ingredients section!

Hi Vera – Happy to hear you’re loving these overnight oats, as well as the cookbook!

Im confused the over night oats and the toppings should be separated by specifying which is which and macros are not including different toppings

Hi Ray – The base ingredients are listed separately from the add-ins. Also, the nutritional information is just for the base recipe.

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