With travel restrictions relaxing, many people are taking the opportunity to hit the road this Easter. Staying well when eating away from home can be challenging. Long journeys, traffic jams and plane delays are all the realities of travelling, and without access to a fully functioning kitchen it can be hard to make the best food choices.

Planning ahead and taking food from home will ensure you have enough energy and nutrition to arrive at your destination well fed and ready to start your holiday. However, if you end up relying on what you can find on the road, you may have to make food choices that are less ideal. Let’s look at the best snacks to take on the road, and better options if you have to buy food from a service station.

What to look for in a healthy snack 

The best types of snacks when on the road: 

• Are high in filling gut-healthy fibre 
• Contain protein to help stabilise your blood glucose and keeps you feeling satisfied 
• Are low GI for long lasting energy without the blood glucose spikes and crashes 
• Are portable, easy to store and eat, and won’t make a mess!

Below are some portable snacks that tick one or more of these boxes: 

• A boiled egg (protein)
• Small handful of unsalted raw or dry roasted mixed nuts and seeds (fibre, protein) 
• Squeeze tube of no added sugar yoghurt (low GI, protein) 
• Piece of fresh fruit or container of cut up fruit salad (fibre, low GI)  
• Plain milk popper (low GI, protein) 
• Cheese slice / stringer (protein) 
• Vita wheats with vegemite, cheese or 100% nut butter (low GI, high fibre) 
• Plain popcorn – air popped (high fibre) 
• Slice of grainy bread or raisin bread with olive oil spread + topping (high fibre, low GI) 
• Homemade muesli bar (low GI, high fibre) 

Note – many of these snack options require being kept at a cool to cold temperature for food safety. Use an insulated cooler bag with an ice brick to keep things cold.

If you are feeling hungry and want a snack, but your blood glucose levels are trending higher, eating foods that are lower in carbohydrate will help you beat the hunger without raising your blood glucose further. 

Lower carbohydrate snacks: 

• Vegetable sticks – think carrots, green beans, mini cucumbers, celery 
• Cherry tomatoes 
• Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries 
• Nuts and seeds 
• Cheese slice or stringer 
• Boiled egg 

If the service station is your only option, the best snacks to look out for are: 

• Small plain / flavored milk e.g. Up & Go 
• Tub of yoghurt 
• Fresh fruit – check the open fridge section or counter 
• Chia pods 
• Fresh sandwiches / rolls 
• Plain popcorn – air popped 
• Roasted fava beans or chickpeas – found with the chips 
• Trail mix / dried fruit and nuts 
• Baked beans.

Find out more about healthy eating when dining out and or having takeaway meals.

By Kate Battocchio​, Accredited Practising Dietitian