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17 Snacks That Are Perfect for Your Next Road Trip

To save you money and time.

best road trip snack recipes

Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

While most folks are all about the adventure on long car rides, for me, it's really all about the road trip snacks . Sure, stopping at gas stations for chips and candy is great, but it's much cheaper (and better) to make them at home, just as you're filling up your travel coffee mug before you go. With road trip season in full swing, we gathered our all-time favorite road trip snacks that include everything from the best homemade beef jerky to at-home Chex party mix and beyond. These snacks are made to be packed and are guaranteed to not only save you money and time, but be delicious during your next journey.

Homemade Beef Jerky

"This is a fantastic and easy recipe! I like spicy jerky so I added a tablespoon of powdered cayenne to the marinade (as well as two teaspoons of liquid smoke). Totally worth the effort and the family raves about it! Talk about a money saver!" — Chris Findlay

Original Chex Party Mix

"This was super easy to make. I've always made chex mix in the oven and it takes so long but cooking in the microwave was super fast and taste the same. I will be using this recipe from now on." — Sarah Walker Woodring

Energy Balls

"My entire family loves these just as written. The only thing I do differently is put all ingredients in my food processor and pulse until blended, scoop out and press flat in a glass dish which I then freeze. We can then cut them into bars! takes out a ton of the work from rolling into balls and mixing by hand!" — Natalie Witwer Metzger

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

"Made them over and over again, if you remove the ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon, then use this recipe as a basic cookie recipe. I have even made them with chocolate chips, white chocolate chips and macadamia nuts, cinnamon chips and raisins. Just a very good versatile soft cookie recipe." — Cherri Timmer

Party Pinwheels

"I have been making these pinwheels for over 20 years. They are always a big hit." — Janlee445

Frittata Wrap with Ham and Cheese

"A very nice idea for a lunch on-the-go. I skipped the broiler part and cooked it like a regular frittata flipping it over to cook it on both sides. Thank you for the recipe." — Buckwheat Queen

Homemade Pita Chips

"These pita chips were so good and so simple to make. You can really use whatever spices you like. My daughter loved them and said they were way better then the store bought pita chips. Will be making these regularly." — DBellino

Classic Bran Muffins

"Oh my gravy all over my two scoop rice (that's OMG in my world)! These are the best bran muffins I've ever made, really! I doubled the Vanilla and Cinnamon; I also added in 1/2 cup each of craisins and chopped Pecans. I got 15 smaller muffins. Be careful not to over mix or bake and you will be rewarded with a beautiful textured muffin." — Auntie Doni

Granola Bars

"Great recipe – I make this every Sunday to last us through the week. I bake for 6 to 7 minutes at the end so they still hold their shape. Thanks for the recipe!" — Anna

Homestyle Potato Chips

"This is an amazing recipe and tastes miraculous, I definitely recommend this recipe." — Haya Sleiman

Cowboy Caviar

"This is my go-to recipe. I love to make this for lunch at work and for family functions. It's delicious. You can make it hotter by using jalapenos or you can make it mild by using green chiles. Delicious! Love it! It also makes a huge portion." — Carol

PBJ Kid's Bento Box

"This is fantastic! But I like to add thin sliced strawberries in the tortilla and instead of chocolate syrup I use honey." — ChefDad1337

Sweet and Spicy Turkey Sandwich

"Great sandwich that's a savory combination of sweet and spicy! I would have never thought to pair turkey, pepperjack cheese, and strawberry preserves but this works and is a nice departure from your "run of the mill" turkey sandwich. I used light pepperjack cheese and low sugar Smucker's strawberry preserves. Thanks Snowspiral!" — Jilian

Onigiri (Japanese Rice Balls)

"I used this recipe several times to make bento for work. I love adding fillings like tuna mayo and chicken mayo to give the onigiri flavor. I am not a fan of the bonito flakes but I also used a mentaiko and mayo filling as well which worked out really well! Thanks for the awesome recipe! I will be using this again soon!" — AuthorMeganMarie

Scrambled Egg Muffin Cups

"I make these often and like to keep some in my freezer to take to family get together. They are just as good as when fresh out of oven after heating in microwave. Even good cold." — Ruth Jolly

Banana Muffins

"Turned out great! I made half a dozen, followed the recipe exactly. Just make sure you don't mix the wet ingredients and the dry ingredients too much. That's the key to making good muffins." — Orangette

Microwave Caramel Popcorn

"I can't begin to count the number of times I've made this stuff. It is so easy and so yummy. It travels well and makes a great bake sale item. I tell everyone the hardest part about it is finding someplace to get the paper bags." — Jayne Olivieri

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COMMENTS

  1. The 36 Best Road Trip Snacks You Can Pack - Taste of Home

    Keep everyone happy with homemade road trip snacks! Each recipe is easy to pack (and eat!) in the car and will keep you happy mile after mile. This list includes homemade Chex mix, crackers of all kinds and mini muffins!

  2. 21 Best Road Trip Snacks for Long Drives - Insanely Good

    These road trip snacks are a must for your next car trip! From roasted chickpeas to caramel corn to trail mix, don't hit the road before packing these tasty snacks.

  3. 40+ Best Road Trip Snacks from a Dietitian: The Ultimate List

    A well-planned selection of road trip snacks can make your journey more enjoyable and stress-free (and keep you out of the fast food drive through!). By choosing snacks that nutritious, convenient and satisfy your taste buds- you’ll be more energized and fueled for your next trip.

  4. 25 Best Road Trip Snacks to Keep You Fueled On Long Drives

    Are you looking for the best road trip snacks that’ll tide you over for hours on end? These tasty recipes are packed with wholesome ingredients, plenty of protein, and enough fiber to keep your stomach happy on those long journeys.

  5. 17 Best Road Trip Snacks - Allrecipes

    The best road trip snacks are the ones that are easy to pack and delicious. We gathered our favorite snacks for road trips that include homemade beef jerky, chex mix, and more.

  6. Homemade Snack Recipes for Road Trips | The Kitchn

    Road trip snacks can be tricky, because not only do you want them to be filling and flavorful, but they should also be easy to store. This list of packable, snackable recipes includes bites like smoked almond snack bars, ham and cheddar muffins, and brownie brittle.