Spring break, summer vacation, or just a weekend away with your squad — a road trip is always a good time. So good in fact, we decided that for this article we’re focusing on snacks of a greasy, savory variety instead of your typical road trip trail mixes to reward ourselves for a year well spent studying and making progress towards that degree.
The point is, to keep yourself going you’ll need to fuel up more than your car. There’s plenty of research to show that road trip snacks improve road trips, so we say these delicious, salty, scrumptious snacks are just you need to kick your summer off right.
I know on many recent road trips, I needed to treat my car right. After making sure it was checked out and ready for the road, my next move was finding snacks that would keep me awake and driving happily down the highway to my destination.
I’d just finished finals, so I wanted flavor over nutrition. (Everyone needs a cheat day, right?)
Snacking keeps you awake, saves you money from having to stop and buy meals, and gives you something to talk about with your pals who’ve come along for the ride. Ice cream may be delicious, but just wait until it’s melted all over your new seats.
For a great road trip, you need delicious, car-friendly road trip snacks. Catch them below:
1. Sweet and Salty Energy Bites
These easy-to-make energy balls from Gimme Some Oven are exactly what the traffic-cop ordered. They’re no-bake, making them super easy to make and and easy to pop in your mouth without taking your eyes off the road. Key ingredients include oats, coconut flakes, and agave for bites that are packed with protein and flavor. Munching on protein will help keep you alert and you’ll thank these bites for the long-lasting energy they’ll provide to get you to your destination faster.
2. Nutella Ganache Cookie Cups
There’s no shame in using pre-packaged ingredients (I’m looking at you, boxed cake mix), especially when budgeting for a road trip. These scrumptious cookies will make a nice treat when you need a sugar boost. Via Diary of a Recipe Collector.
With a total cook and prep time of 17 minutes, you can sleep through your alarm, make these cookies, and still be on the road to your destination without skipping a beat.
This blast of sugary goodness is great for the last couple of hours you’re on the road — that way by the timethe sugar wears off you’re relaxing comfortably by the pool at your hotel.
3. Classic Pigs In a Blanket
Dress up some carb wrapped protein fun with this accessible road trip snack from Damn Delicious. If you’re not a fan of poppy seeds, try pepper or chili flakes for a slight kick.
These are a treat for sure, but they’re so delicious we can’t resist. Break these bad boys out when you stop at a rest stop to refuel and enjoy them before hitting the road once again.