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.
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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
2. Chips
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!
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.
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.
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.
- Trash bags
- Plastic plates, cups, and cutlery (plastic is nice because you can wash them and reuse them a few times)
- Paper towels
- Wet wipes
- 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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