It’s officially the start of the summer travel season, so I thought it would be appropriate to share the list of my favorite travel food, including the food I recently took with me on my trip to Asia.
A lot of the items below you can find at Healthy Home Market, Earth Fare and/or Whole Foods. I’ve provided links to where you can find these items on the internet too, which is my preferred method to buy things so I am not always hunting around for the items I love at multiple stores.
Please note – this list assumes I won’t have a kitchen while traveling and won’t be cooking. If I were going to stay somewhere with a kitchen, this list would include more cooking essentials and I definitely wouldn’t be using so many ziplocs!
Travel Food To Pack Before You Go
Non-Perishable Goods:
- Green Vibrance – Single Serving Packs – Insurance for being away from my juicer
- Vitamineral Greens – Travel Size – One of the best superfoods powders on the market. I alternate between Green Vibrance and this powder.
- Chia Seeds Packs – Perfect to top oatmeal, yogurt, or drink in coconut water for sustained energy.
- Almond Butter Packs – I like to eat this directly with one banana, apple, stuffed into a date, or on top of Suzie’s Thin Crisps
- Suzie’s Thin Crisps – This is my travel cracker of choice – doesn’t crumble and has a nice crunch. They are made of easily digestible spelt flour and flax seed.
- Navitas Naturals Power Snack – Amazing superfoods snack that I highly recommend with no refined or added sugars. All the flavors are delicious, especially the Cacao Goji. I took these on my scuba diving trip every day because they wouldn’t melt and were perfect for instant energy.
- Q’ia Superfood Cereal – Superfood made easy. Delicious bites of buckwheat groats, chia seeds and hemp seeds mixed with almonds and cranberries. SO YUMMY.
- Quick Oats – I made pre-made ziploc packs of organic oatmeal (a mixture of rolled oats and quick oats) and ate them almost every morning in Borneo. It’s the perfect breakfast when your options are limited.
- Cinnamon – For the oatmeal.
- Dates – I love snacking on dates, but these are also one of the ingredients I have to use in my oatmeal. I add one chopped date to oatmeal before I add hot water. The date slowly dissolves into the oats, naturally sweetening it, once the water is added. I prefer this method of sweetener over other liquid or crystal versions, because dates have antioxidants and fiber.
- Prunes – I know I’m not 70 years old, but I love prunes. They are chewy, sweet, fill you up and keep you regular on vacation (I know a lot of people who mention this problem all the time!)
- Figs – My candy of choice. I could eat one stuffed with a walnut every single day!
- Raw Walnuts – For figs, other homemade packs of trail mix, and to top off oatmeal.
- Himalayan Raisins – Toppings for oatmeal (my husband loves these) and for trail mix.
- Raw Almonds – For snacking or for trail mix.
- Goji Berries – For trail mix or just to eat by the handful. I seriously have a goji problem!
- Golden Berries – Just to eat….these are nature’s little sour patch kid, aren’t loaded with sugar and have 5 grams of fiber per ounce.
- Numi Teas – Assorted Variety – My favorite teas at the moment and I always take my own organic tea wherever I go. (You know this, if you’ve ever dined with me before!)
- Yogi Teas – Assorted Variety – I love the decaf green and ginger versions.
- Cranberry Tea – Reducing water retention is always easy by drinking this tea – especially after consuming over salted food while traveling.
- Seintenbacher Alligator Gummies – My junk gummy candy of choice. It’s Non-GMO, Vegan and I LOVE Alligators.
- MacroBar – My husband’s favorite bar at the moment, try the Granola with Coconut.
- Mary’s Gone Sticks & Twigs – Pure addiction. I’d rather eats these than any other salty chip on the market.
- Brad’s Raw Chips – One of the best “good for you” chips on the market. Raw and all whole foods – no gluten, sugar or added chemicals.
- Sprouted Wheat Pretzels – The only organic pretzel on the market made with the ingredients sprouted wheat and good for you olive oil.
- Go Raw – Coconut Cookies – Crunchy cookies that don’t crumble and contain no added or refined sugars.
- Kur Delights – Little individually wrapped delicious bites of goodness! (get 10% with code: FOODBABE)
- Go Raw – Carrot Cookies – My favorite flavor of Go Raw.
- Eden Farms – All Mixed Up Trail Mixes and Nuts – Small packets that easily go in carry on bags.
- Alter Eco Chocolate – The best chocolate on the market. I love the mint and the quinoa varieties.
- Panda Licorice – Chewy just like a twizzler, but sweetened with molasses.
- 2 Mom’s in the Raw Nut Bars – My favorite “treat” bars on the market.
- Seasalt – For topping an impromtu avocado and tomato salad.
- Cayenne Pepper – For Habit # 1
Less Perishable Goods:
- Lemons – For Habit #1, and to squeeze on avocado, tomato salad.
- Avocados – I took 3 with me on our hike to Mt. Fuji. I love eating one with a sprinkle of sea salt and a slice of tomato.
- Tomatoes – For the avocados.
- Oranges – Juicy fruits are great hydrators for long plane trips.
- Apples – Because they pack well.
- Bananas – To combine with almond butter.
- Harmless Harvest Raw Coconut Water – I keep mine cold by filling up a zip lock with ice after security.
- Ezekiel Sprouted Bread & Tortillas – If I take these, I will pack a cooler to keep them fresh until I arrive at my destination.
- Manna Bread – Delicious hearty bread. The banana walnut is my favorite.
- Pre-cut veggies – carrots, celery, peppers, zucchini, squash, peapods, etc. – Because I love veggies and I sometimes get bored on the plane and need to munch.
READER FEEDBACK: What are your favorite travel snacks? I’m always looking for new ideas! If you know someone who is traveling soon or needs real food travel snack ideas, please share this post with them.
Safe Travels,
Food Babe
P.S. Remember these pictures below? This stash lasted us the entire 3 weeks we were in Asia and we ate almost everything. Talk about good planning.
So the oatmeal keeps after being cooked (I’m assuming with water only) without being refrigerated?
No… the oatmeal is raw and I cook it with a cup of hot water (because you can find that really anywhere!)… I usually just ask for a cup or use a mug in my hotel room. Let me know if you have any other questions.
Thanks, this is a great list! We are heading overseas this summer and I plan to pack lots of snacks as well. I’ll definitely be referring t your list over the next few weeks. Thanks for making it easy to print too!
You are welcome Amber… Where are you headed?
Berlin, Prague, and Munich! Very excited!
Europe is GMO free, so you can eat fairly freely without worrying. Also tons of organic food stores, organic options in every supermarket. Really not necessary to bring your own food.
Thanks so much for doing this. I appreciate your efforts and can’t wait to try some of these.
You are welcome Powel!
Thank you so much for posting this. Between you and Lisa over at “100 days of Real Food” I’ve been really trying to eat better. This weekend we went camping with friends who definitely don’t share your food philosophy and I’m feeling really crummy and trying to get back on track. We’ll be camping with them again several times this summer and I was a little discouraged at the thought of eating so much junk food. Then “TA-DA” your wonderful post. Thank you so much, now I can look forward to camping with wonderful friends again, while still eating healthy. 🙂
Wow… Camping sounds fun… I’ve haven’t been true camping in quite sometime… but I love the thought of bringing food and sitting by a camp fire! Also – Tru Roots Lentils and Quinoa cooks super quick, if you bring a pot…. Let me know how it goes!
Love all of these options! I don’t pack a ton when I travel, but lately pack a few emergency items since it’s more and more challenging with my gluten allergy!
I love making my “chia cereal” with chia seeds, goji, coconut, cacao nibs, nuts + seeds that I can mix up with some nut milk and fruit in the morning wherever I am! I also like to have larabars/Vega bars and some tea handy! I’m off for a work trip tomorrow so I better pick up some supplies! 🙂
Also – I always hunt down a fruit stand for bananas and medjool dates – my favourite snacks on the go!!
I really need to make this famous chia cereal this weekend to take it with me to the beach! Every time I hear about it, my mouth starts watering!
Do you have this recipe? the chia cereal?
Thanks for your efforts in posting this! I will definitely make a list of these and try to keep my kitchen stocked for my kids this summer!
A stocked kitchen is always a life saver!… a lot of this food is definitely kid friendly…I heard they even make a green vibrance for kids, if you are interested in that…
Great post Food Babe!! You know I’m a big fan of Navitas’ cacao snacks as well. They’re the bomb!!
Talk to you soon!
Max
Yes – the bomb is right! If you come across any other travel snacks you like, let me know… Always looking for new things to try!
I love your travel tips. I always take away so much information.
Hi Holly… thanks!
Thanks for these suggestions! Are you not a fan of Larabars? Just curious…
Haha, funny you ask… Larabars are kinda mushy to me, I’d rather stuff a fresh date with almond butter, than eat something mushed up together in a package… I know they are minimally processed, but they are still not organic. If I want something like that, I like the power snack that is full of super foods and completely raw. Tonight I think I am going to make bars for the beach that have dried apricots and coconut in them… can’t wait!
Larabar is owned by General Mills…..
This blog post comes at such a perfect time! My DS & I will be traveling by train this summer, and we are both allergic to wheat. I’m also allergic to corn & dairy and just to make it more interesting I’m a vegetarian too! LOL So finding food on the go is always challenging. I don’t travel often but the information you shared is so helpful! Thanks so much! I feel a little less stressed out about our upcoming 17 hour trip.
Wow on the train, eh? I wonder what type of food they have. You have to post a picture on my Facebook Wall… I’ve never traveled on a train and now I want to!
Goji berries, I have only found them in their dried state. Is there someplace to get them fresh? Is that how you eat them or do you eat the dried?
Hi! Let me say first…. I LOVE YOUR BLOG! I have been on a journey to changing my life. I have become obsessively aware of what I put into my body. I am only 22, but before I started this journey felt like I was 50, even when I was 17 I used to wake up groggy, with aches, pains, headaches! Excuse my language, but WTF? I’m a kid, why is this happening?
My parents raised us on all the processed crap that the rest of America has been eating for years. I love my parents and they absolutely did their best, I know that, and we were very poor when I was younger so I forgive them for not having the knowledge and time to give me a healthy start. Needless to say I stuggled in the past 2 years with my self esteem because I knew I was overweight. I was so angry at my parents for a while, in a addition, I have ALWAYS had stomach problems, I grew up thinking that “that’s the way it is, your stomach hurts right after you eat”… I begged my parents for help, but they didn’t think to change my food, they just gave me Pepto Bismol (which never helped). Now I’m older and happier, healthier, and feel good. I get very upset and disgusted when I see how my family eats sometimes though. I have kind of gotten my father on board with changing because he developed diabetes and extremely high cholesterol. I know it’s not “genetics”… and if it were, then you can still control it. He has changed a lot and lost 100 lbs, but my mother still drinks soda everyday, NO WATER, it freaks me out. And my sister, she’s trying to lose weight and stuffs herself with processed diet bars, shakes, and frozen dinners. No wonder she complains about being hungry.
ANYWAY, I’m rambling and I apologize, I just have absolutely no body who understands this! Now to my relevant comments… I am traveling to Israel for a month as an assistant excavator on at an archaeological site. Very exciting, and I’m also interested to see how they eat there. I thank you for your travel ideas because I know there are a lot of healthy options that I can take along as well as scope out while I’m there and will be taking your advice!
Again, sorry for rambling, but I have been reading your blog for a while but never piped up to comment. What inspired me to comment was the fact that my sister just sat down next to me with a Special K Bar and I couldn’t help but imagine all the mutating ingredients in that stupid “meal replacement bar”. Why should you need a “replacement” for you meals? Are we that addicted to sugar and refined ingredients that we need to “replace” what could be an amazing healthy meal with a bar shaped object? Mother nature doesn’t grow stuff into bar shapes…
Hi Laura! I’m just chiming in because I feel the same way as you on many things and I wanted to say I feel your pain! And your joy at trying to eat better. I’m 24.
My parents didn’t feed us too much processed food (my mom has definitely always been into organic & against processing and dyes), but nonetheless I’ve had lots of digestion issues and have often felt overweight (was always chubby as a kid!).
Recently got some advice from a family friend of my mom’s who is also a holistic doctor – and her advice has changed my eating habits as well as that of my parents! We are all getting healthier because of it. =) Basically she suggested I try going gluten free and dairy free for a month, and also to start drinking the raw green smoothies every morning. My parents got me a Vitamix right away, and got one for themselves too. We also started researching the Alkaline diet and trying to follow that as much as possible, per her advice. Now I subscribe to Food Babe so I can be reminded of everything at least as often as she posts. =)
Anyway, I’d always had digestion issues, and it was a real problem! Always feeling groggy, sick, tired, and especially after I ate, it was like misery! Dinner and a movie always turned into me feeling awful during the movie… and I always felt bad because I always complained to my boyfriend about my stomach hurting. Anyway from cutting out dairy most of that misery is gone! I didn’t realize it could be the food I was eating either. Now the daily smoothies also really help with digestion, and I really try to do that in the morning.
My mom had the same experience. She doubted me when I had previously told her I might be lactose intolerant (our family were always farmers!) but when she tried the gluten-free dairy-free month with me, she had the exact same reaction: wow! We both had way more energy and digestion problems were gone-gone-gone. She likes to make her own raw almond milk (unfiltered) with her Vitamix and swears that this helps too.
I know this post is old, I don’t even know if you have the same email, but your words hit home for me and I wanted to say – you’re not the only one who feels this way! Keep doing your best to spread the healthy word to your family. We are all resistant to change at first, and skeptical that anything can help. My dad is tough – but I try to frame things to him this way: “Well, why don’t you try eating this or eliminating this for a month, and just see if you feel better?” It’s hard to argue with that – even if it’s hard to convince some people that the science is totally sound, they think some forms of healthy eating are a trend, always. =)
Keep up the good fight! I hope you are feeling better every day! And might I recommend trying out a holistic doctor (someone with a DO instead of an MD) if you want to further explore and improve your health. They really take your whole body into account. I remember saying to my old MD that I had digestion issues and she told me “are you drinking enough water with your meal?” Funny that as Food Babe pointed out, that’s probably the worst advice…
Thanks for sharing both of you!
I have a question: how & where can you find a “holistic doctor”? Dr.’s around here just say to “eat sensibly” but don’t talk about details of food….
Wow. What great advice. We’re off to a remote cay in the bahamas later this month and we’re limited in what we can bring, and procure, and so maybe we’ll try to pick up some of these items.
Really nice speaking with you today. You’ve got a pretty good little concept here.
Found out about you from 100 days of real food. Love this post – we live 10 months out of the year in Israel and then the other 2 here in the states travelling all summer to see family. Every time we come back to America we go through about 2 weeks of stomach problems from all the processed stuff in the foods. It is really so much harder to eat healthier here but my husband and I are determined to stick with what we would normally eat in Israel. Thanks so much for everything you do to help make our lives easier while we are sztateside!
Do you have any suggestions for packing the bananas (and tomatoes for that matter)? I’m trying to bring only a carry-on for my next flight and have had bad luck packing bananas in the past. Thanks!
Bubble wrap? or put them in a Box?
There are also hard plastic banana carrying cases, but only for one banana at a time.
Just to let everyone know that if you are traveling to Hawaii bring ONLY the dried things DO NOT try to bring any FRESH fruit or Veggies into Hawaii it will be Taken. You can bring it to est on the plane but need to finish it or throw it away before getting off the plane. Invasives are a big problem on the Islands and we do everything we can to protect our Islands.
Mahalo.
Great tip Nancy – Thank you!
What kind of budget would you say would cover all these items?
How do you get the harmless harvest coconut water through security?
I also like to pack Vigilant Eats – http://www.vigilant-eats.com/products. Super convenient for those early morning flights – just add cold water! Also a fan of Go Hunza Dried Mangos which you can pick up at any Whole Foods!
I use this list before I travel and love it!! Great ideas! Thank you!
Going to Hawaii with 2 young kids for a week, and need to pack lots of food. This is a great list, thanks for sharing!
I am using this list as a guide for packing my boyfriend some food for an upcoming snowboarding trip in NY. It is so hard to eat well (I should say healthy) on vacations, but somehow you do it! He is excited about packing food for the trip. It will be our first attempt. 🙂
These travel food ideas are awesome. I’m a management consultant who travels on business every week of the year, typically Monday through Thursday. I also have a diet that focuses on high quality fruits, veggies, and meat that is organic and avoid processed foods. This type of diet is very difficult to maintain with my travel schedule and I’m always seeking juice bars, and local restaurants that are local/organic focused; but not everywhere I go has these types of establishments. Lately I’ve been packing extra “snacks” (Go-Raw brand goodies, raw almonds, etc) but its hard to come up with other items that pack well and are non perishable. Your comprehensive list has a great number of new items that I need to consider packing as well. Thanks for the tips.
I used to love Green and Black chocolate until I discovered soy in the ingredients list. 🙁
I am just beginning this health journey and one of the habits I have begun is the green drink. I will be traveling to a writers convention and I see you take the Vitamineral Green with you. At home I mix this in a smoothie. Do you just mix it in water and drink it that way? Kind of leery of doing that. Thanks
Food Babe, The Seintenbacher Gummies are coated with canola oil. That’s something I avoid. Putting it on a recommendation list indicates you don’t necessarily avoid it. But you do have blog posts about the evils of canola, so it’s a bit confusing. Would you mind clarifying?
It has been 14 months since your original post. Possibly some of the manufacturers have changed their ingredients over that time.
I LOVE LOVE reading your posts! It has helped me SO much to navigate what is truly, authentically good for you food and snacks as opposed to what is trying to make you think that it is healthy and good for you by putting the word natural on the label. This list is great! I have a hard time deciphering what packaged food is best for snacks for my kids…any other brands you can add?
Also, besides flavoring water with fruit, are there any good packaged flavors that can be added that are ok or any brands of flavored water that are ok? Thanks SO much!!
I love love love Panda licorice – but the second ingredient is WHEAT FLOUR!
Coco Hydro dehydrated coconut water! Not sure how you are able to get Harmless harvest thru security?!
I wondered the same. Food I brought got xrayed twice too thru security. They thought my food items were questionable the first time thru xray. Urge. Happened on 2 different travel trips too with different food
Great article. Do you have any tips for a solo self-sustained cyclist who is biking across the country? I am currently mid-way on my trip from Minnesota to Maine in Columbus, Ohio right now, but it has been exceedingly hard to find organic foods and healthy eating places along the way based on the back routes I have to take because I am on a bike. I also can’t carry too much extra weight as I am carrying my tent and all of my belongings already on my rack and have to save weight whenever possible. I do have access to a tiny camp stove which I use to make organic oatmeal in the mornings and organic tea. I’m also on a tight budget so buying some of the things you have listed is not feasible in the long run. Do you have any suggestions?
I skimmed through your list, awesome- thanks! As someone who travels 3-4 days a week for work, I’ve had to get creative and adapt. I have been working on putting together shots of my travel food on instagram, because I’m not the only one who struggles with my situation- your list is awesome and so helpful!
Here are a few of my staples:
Packs of tuna!
Dried cherries
Almonds
Quest bars
Hard boiled eggs- a bit harder to keep, but worth it if you can make it happen. Or, I’ll seek out a Whole Foods and ask for whole, cooked eggs from their cooler.
Instant (microwaveable) rice
Turkey jerkey
And heaps of other things. I totally agree with instant oatmeal and ezekiel bread/tortillas.
Thanks for the list!
Kelsey
Great ideas, thanks! The link to Amazon has the Suzie’s thin crisps at $35 a pack though!
That is for a pack of 12…
How do you get all this food past airport security? Do you just check a bag with food in it? What about ice packs?
Hi Susan!
You can take any food thru TSA, it’s only liquids that are contraband. As far as ice packs go, I know I have been able to take mine thru if they’re totally frozen solid.
I also bring an empty water bottle or two, so if I have to toss my ice packs, I can just ask for them to be filled with ice to tuck in with my food on the trip!l
Great tips! I also pack some seaweed snacks along with coconut aminos so I can always pick up some fresh veggies and make my own sushi rolls as well as sea kelp. To go on the squeeze individual assorted butter packs by Artisana Organic are great too. Too bad that they have a 50 pound weight limit on one luggage. They should allow us to bring an extra luggage of healthy food for no extra cost 🙂 Thanks for all the wonderful blogs…
Hello, I am a big fan and love that you are educating the world about better eating. I have learned many things from your tips and look forward to the email each day.
I know this is an old post, and I am wondering if you have change the way that you pack your food items? You have all of this beautiful organic food that you put in PLASTIC bags and containers. Have you ever considered stainless steel?
Thank you again for all of your efforts.
Hi Becky – Food Babe does try and stay away from plastic at home but for travel, it really is the most convenient. It weighs so much less and you have to really pay attention to weight when flying. And, you can through it away and you don’t have to wash a bunch of containers – it is vacation after all! Thanks for writing…
Empty plastic bags can also be rolled up and tucked back in your luggage to be brought home and reused (and reused and reused), or used to segregate dirty/wet items in your suitcase.
Navitas Naturals also sells Powdered Coconut Water – PERFECT for travelling esp by airplane where you can’t bring liquids!
Have you tried Dale’s Raw Food Bars, these are excellent! They are based in South Florida. Let me know what you think.
This is a great list! What about toddlers? Are all these good for younger kids as well? If not what would you recommend?
Thanks!
Love all you share, but am curious about something. I notice that you frequently direct people to Amazon for purchasing items instead of the companies actual website. Is there a reason for that? Seems to me that you would want to prompt the company website itself rather than Amazon. A link directly to their site allows for more promotion of all the products a company makes/carries and would also feel more “local”, if that makes sense.
Hi Love your travel tips. For many years I lived in Zimbabwe Africa working as a medical missionary but couldn’t find a lot of these items. Now I’m back in the states and will travel overseas but only for short periods. I will be working in Burkina Faso in January 2014 and will do just as you suggest. It makes life just bit easier when in a completely different environment. Love your Zest & Zeal to educate and create awareness!!! Keep going!
Travel question, does this all go in the checked bag? For the food you carry on the plane with youy,doesn’t that get irradiated bu the bag xray machine? How do you avoid having all this food irradiated?
Great list but please remember that nuts on an airplane can be deadly to children and adults on your flight. Anaphylactic food allergies are serious and scary for those with the allergy when on a plane . Please, please, please, wait the X-# of hours until you can eat them at the airport.
Thank you
Dear Food Babe,
I love your website and your mission. I applaud and appreciate your hard work towards that mission. However, it saddens me to see so many single use plastic bags being used for one trip. I think eating organic (and non-gmo) will be a dream for next generations, if we keep polluting the land, water, and air. Those single use plastic bags find their ways to our soil and water and they threaten our livelihood for today and future. You, as an admirable public figure, also need to set up an example for many of us out there. It would be very nice if you could also consider environmental effects and sustainability when spreading your healthy, organic, non-gmo living message. We cannot just live for today. We have to think and act for next generations, too.
I hope this message does not come accross as a negative feedback on your work, but as a friendly follower suggestion to save the environment for future healthy, organic, non-gmo living.
Best regards,
Ilknur
have you tried gnosis chocolate? the goddess bar rocks!!
How do you get through security with Coconut Water? I would love to bring that on our flight to New York soon.
Food Babe,
Can you get the fruit overseas or is it just for travel? On the plane snacks?
Thanks for this great list Food Babe! Any suggestions for what else I can pack? I will be traveling to Uganda in January & will be there for two weeks, basically “in the bush”. I have to eat gluten-free, dairy-free and egg-free. I will not have access to cooking or refrigeration. I will only have access to room temperature bottled water. I cannot afford many of the items on this list, but would like to choose a few things that are good meal replacements. I’ll take some single serve almond butter, KIND bars, and from your list I’m thinking the chia seeds, Navitas power snacks, Q’ia cereal and some dried fruit and nuts. Also considering the Navitas powdered coconut water. Any other suggestions? Thanks in advance!
I was just looking up the Cacoa Goji (the one recommended above) and saw they have “natural chocolate flavor” as one of their ingredients. What’s up with that? Is that an ingredient we want to avoid? HELP!
What are your thoughts on Quest Bars and Vega protein products?
Hi, can anyone please advise if I am allowed to bring fresh whole lemons into the USA from the UK? Don’t want to bring them and get into trouble at airport security. (I know I can obviously buy them there, but need them until I can get to a store to purchase).
Thank you.
No, you cannot bring fresh fruits and veggies to the USA from any other country.
Thanks Shalini.