Friends! I’ve just returned from a glorious week in the San Francisco Bay area! (If you’ve never been there, it’s a MUST. Gorgeous scenery, plenty of history, and such incredible food!) While I have TONS of highlights, adventures, and great restaurants to share with you from my trip, I’m still sorting through the zillions of photos I took and recovering from major jet lag! For now, I wanted to write a little blurb on how I prepared for traveling, being a gluten-free and (mostly) paleo girl. So, today, I’m sharing my Top 5 Paleo Travel Snacks that you’ll want to pack for your next trip! ✈️
During the last 5 years of being gluten-free, traveling has been a challenge. And for the past 2 years, I’ve been on a mostly paleo diet, so that makes things even MORE complicated! Before I get out my bags and start packing, I do a lot of research on the destination I’m headed to, the surrounding restaurants and grocery stores, and do my best to find a place to stay that has some sort of kitchen so I have the option of cooking my meals.
If that’s not difficult enough, there are also the airports and flights to contend with! While I was SO pleased to discover that the city of San Francisco is extremely gluten-free friendly, I still had a full day of traveling to get there, with multiple flights and airports to navigate through. Instead of taking my chances and hoping to find gluten-free snacks on flights or in the airports, I planned ahead so that I had plenty of food options and wouldn’t end up miserable or “hangry” on my journey. (That wouldn’t be much fun for my sweet husband to deal with!)
In a perfect world, I would always choose fresh fruit and veggies over store-bought snacks, but sometimes fresh food just isn’t easily packable. So, after many road trips and airplane trips, I’ve discovered the following snacks to be the most reliable and enjoyable to travel with. I try to pack a balance of sweet and salty snacks to conquer any craving. Hopefully, my list will be helpful for you in your future trips, too! So, in no particular order, here are my Top 5 Paleo Travel Snacks that are easy to transport and will keep well for the duration of your travels!
1)PROTEIN BARS
Protein bars are my go-to snack and/or meal replacer in situations where I don’t know what other food options I’ll have. I’ll often eat them for breakfast on vacation, too, if I don’t have a kitchen handy. When we travel by car, I’ll usually just make my own protein bars. However, airport security can be strict about foods that are unmarked or unpackaged. To avoid having my bags searched, I stray from my homemade No-Bake Paleo Protein Bars and opt for the next best thing: RX Bars or Larabars.
RX Bars are my favorite packaged meal replacement bar, while Larabars are better for snacking, since they don’t contain as much protein. Both are loaded with dried fruit and nuts, and RX Bars contain egg white protein. I like these brands because they don’t contain unnecessary fillers, soy, dairy, or grains. You can find Larabars in most grocery stores, while RX Bars can be ordered from Amazon. I know the Peanut Butter flavor I chose here isn’t paleo, but there are a ton of other paleo-friendly flavors! My favorite is the Chocolate Sea Salt. So good!
2) DRIED FRUIT
Dried fruit is my healthier equivalent to bringing candy on my trip! We all need a little treat while we travel! I love having dried fruit on hand because it’s just so great to chew on. I know dried fruit is a higher glycemic food, so just remember to eat it in moderation. BUT, it’s a much healthier alternative than actually taking candy along with you!
My dried fruit of choice is the Unsweetened Dried Mango from Trader Joe’s. I could eat the whole bag in one sitting, but I try to ration it out and make it last for my whole trip. 🙂 A close second is a bag of Dried White Peaches from Trader Joe’s. YUM. If you don’t have a Trader Joe’s near you (I feel your pain), you can order dried fruits online pretty easily. I think Sam’s Club and Costco also carry a good selection. Just look for the unsweetened varieties, since many brands add extra sugar.
3) CRISPY VEGGIES
This may surprise you, but the thing I crave most when I travel are fresh vegetables! I think that’s because they are the hardest things to find in the airport, not to mention that they are so perishable. It’s difficult to pack veggies and have them remain fresh throughout your travels. So, my remedy for getting some form of veggies in while I’m snacking is to buy freeze-dried varieties. I’m in love with Trader Joe’s Crispy Broccoli and Kale Chips! I’ve also seen freeze-dried veggies in other grocery stores, so definitely check them out. These crispy, healthy snacks tide me over until I can find a fresh salad in the airport or cook up some greens once I arrive at my destination.
4) JERKY
For a low-carb, protein boost, I always seek out quality jerky when I know I have a trip coming up. The jerky market has grown leaps and bounds in recent years, and there is so much more out there than just Slim Jims. When I look for jerky, I try to find a variety that is minimally processed, nitrate-free, gluten-free, dairy-free and soy-free, if possible. I love the Krave brand because the flavor selection is amazing! Some of Krave’s flavors contain soy, but this Black Cherry BBQ Pork Jerky is soy-free. You can find Krave in many grocery stores, online, as well as Target, which is where I got this package.
While I was there, I also found some super yummy, individually-wrapped Turkey Pepperoni Meat Sticks by Vermont Smoke & Cure. They are nitrate-free, hormone-free, and they’re a perfect little snack while you’re on the go. Mark and I took a bunch of these with us and ate them on a walking tour in San Francisco. I’ll definitely buy these again!
5) PLANTAIN CHIPS
I don’t think anyone will be surprised that Trader Joe’s infamous Plantain Chips made my Top 5 Travel Snacks list! These little guys are not only amazing in many of my recipes here on the blog, but they are a delicious, crunchy snack that I don’t leave home without! They are the closest thing to crackers as far as the flavor goes, and I just never get sick of them! If you don’t have easy access to these wonderful chips, I would recommend sweet potato chips as a close second. My all-time favorite sweet potato chips are the Jackson’s Honest brand, since they are made with coconut oil. Super healthy and SO incredible.
Now that we have our Top 5 Travel Snacks in order, what about beverages for the journey?
WATER
This goes without saying, but obviously, drinking plenty of water is essential when you travel! I highly recommend bringing a refillable water bottle. I personally drink out of this LifeFactory glass water bottle that I found on Amazon.
I was skeptical about buying a glass water bottle, but I’ve dropped it several times and it’s never come close to breaking! I also love that it’s dishwasher safe, BPA-free, and won’t leach chemicals like plastic bottles do. With my MTHFR mutations, avoiding plastic and chemicals of all kinds is a must for me! I just empty my water bottle before I get to the airport security and then fill it up once I’m in the terminal. This not only saves money, but keeps me well hydrated throughout my journey. So, pack your favorite water bottle and drink up!
HERBAL TEA
Finally, I like to bring my favorite tea bags in my carry-on or purse. I seem to always be freezing on airplanes and in airports, so it’s nice to be able to drink something hot and comforting during the hustle and bustle of travel. If you’re on the airplane, you can simply ask for a cup of hot water and just brew your own tea.
I like to pack this Yogi Organic Ginger Tea in case I eat something that doesn’t agree with my stomach, since ginger aids in digestion and can help soothe and upset stomach. True, you can get ginger ale on a plane. However, name brand ginger ale typically contains a lot of sugar or high fructose corn syrup and caramel coloring. So, ginger tea is my pick! The other tea that I’ve been really enjoying lately is the Trader Joe’s Well-Rested tea. It’s soothing, full of chamomile, mint, and other herbs that will help you relax after a long day of rushing through airport terminals.
There you have it, my friends! My Top 5 Paleo Travel Snacks and preferred beverages of choice. Don’t leave home without them! Many of the items I featured here can be purchased online through Amazon or VitaCost, so no matter what grocery stores you have around you, there are always online options! (NOTE: I am not getting paid to post about these snacks. They literally are my favorites and I just had to share them with you because they’re that good!)
Hopefully, this list will come in handy as you embark on your summer vacation! I know all of these snacks really helped Mark and me to stay energized, healthy, and ready to take on the city of San Francisco!
Speaking of San Francisco, I’ll have more on my vacation and a new recipe coming your way soon! Until next time! 🙂
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