You’ve finally finished exams, packed your bathing suits and tanning oil and are ready to live on the beach and drink from sunrise to sunset with complete disregard for meals and a food budget. But your mom’s not there to rock an oversized fanny pack full of emergency Nutrigrain bars and to make sure the hotel room stays stocked with between-meal munchies. Avoid an epic Spring Breakers sized hunger meltdown with these few simple tips for packing snacks.

For The Plane:

  • The number one rule: avoid anything loud, smelly, sticky or spillable for both your sake and your seat mates.
  • Whole or dried fruit and mixed nuts are easy to carry and eat and can make it through TSA without a second glance.
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Photo by Karina Shedrofsky

  • When taking advantage of the free drink service, avoid soda and overly sugary fruit juices. Instead ask for seltzer to get some fizzy hydration or vegetable juice to get a nutrient fix.

For The Hotel Room:

  • Packaged oatmeal lies flat in your bag, can be cooked with the room’s coffee maker for a quick breakfast before you hit Señor Frogs and is a great way to save money.
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Photo by Karina Shedrofsky

  • Beef jerky doesn’t need to be refrigerated, is a great source of lean protein and will give you the afternoon energy boost you need after a full day spent with sand in your shorts and a blazing sunburn.
  • KIND bars are some of the most healthy and balanced snack bars on the market and come in a variety of creative flavors. They can be thrown in your beach bag for later or eaten in the room and wont crumble into oblivion (ahem Nature Valley).

Tricks Of A Food Scavenger:

  • If you bring snacks with you, empty them out of the package and into a gallon zip lock to save space in your suitcase. Then tuck those bags into your pocket or tote in case you have leftovers or a chance to snag a piece of fruit from the hotel’s budget attempt at a ‘complimentary breakfast’.
  • Make sure any snacks you bring to the beach are prepackaged. There are few sensations more painful than accidentally chewing on sand.
  • Always carry wet wipes; while delicious, the Jamaican jerk chicken you thought was a great call after three Piña Coladas is messier than you think.
  • Once you get to your destination, avoid the mini-bar and hotel gift shop and instead scope out local bodegas, supermarkets or gas stations. It’s a great way to get to know the area and more importantly to establish your go-to spot for cheap grub.

Bonus Tip:

Alcohol minis are allowed on a plane and will make your TSA agent’s day (nothing more amusing than an x-ray scan of a bag full of Fireball minis). So whether you want to calm your nerves or start the party at 10,000 feet, avoid getting over charged by bringing your own poison.