13
Jan

Paleo Travel Snacks

It takes some preparation ahead of time, but packing paleo travel snacks in your suitcase is well worth the effort. I am frequently asked what I do to prepare for a trip and when I posted a photo of my carryon on the other day, so many of you inquired about the products that I thought I’d do a blog post on it for you.

While some airports are fortunate and offer good food, I have been in my fair share of them that literally have nothing to offer for a person with food allergies or even someone trying to eat healthy. Not to mention the options the airlines offer. Trust me when I say that an 8-10 hour travel day (or worse 16 to 20!) without food is really not a predicament you want to be in.

I wrote a post a couple of years ago on all of the homemade snacks you can make ahead of time and bring with you on your trips (see it here), but as our life has gotten more hectic, I realize that making everything from scratch is not always convenient or realistic. Especially when you’re trying to pack your suitcase, your kid’s suitcases, and any household tasks that need to be tied up before leaving for a trip.

Thankfully, there are tons of new products that are making their way onto the market that fit within paleo guidelines. While they are not cheap, real food never is, they are a fantastic alternative to keep in your pantry for those special occasions when you’re out of time and need something on the run.

I’m sent dozens of samples of new products to try. Quite honestly, because I am recipe creator and probably have a fairly high standard based on how much we enjoy my food, I’m sometimes difficult to impress. So when I recommend a product to you, it is because we genuinely like it. Now I do have to say – we don’t eat these often, but I keep them in a bag up in the top of the pantry to throw into my purse or suitcase on a whim and they always deliver.

If you haven’t already, take a look at my Snacking Made Simple page from my book Meals Made Simple to see more of my recommended convenience products. Also take a look at my post about traveling on paleo here and dining out while paleo here.

 

Snacking
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Here's what's in my suitcase! 

  1. Steve’s Paleo Kits – this is the beef jerky and berry combo which I’m not overly thrilled about, but I do love the grass-fed beef jerky on it’s own. You can purchase it through their website here.
  2. Made in Nature Dried Mango – I buy the bulk bags of this at Costco when they carry it because Asher loves it so much, but these smaller bags are great for traveling. Buy it here on Amazon or check your Costco for the bulk bag.
  3. Chocolate Berry Granola – this is my recipe! I made a huge batch a few days before we left and plan to snack on it or eat it with some almond milk for breakfast if I'm on the run. Find the recipe here.
  4. Rx Bars – I first tried these last year when I was in Chicago, where this company is based. While I am not usually one to eat protein bars or use protein shakes, these are really nice to keep in my purse as a meal replacement. My only wish is that that the sugar content wasn't so high, even though it does come from figs or dates. I also wish they still had their zip-top packaging because I usually only eat half at a time and love to save it. My favorites are the Blueberry and the Coconut Cacao.   I have not yet seen them offered in stores, but you can order them online here.
  5. Dry Roasted Cashews – When I have time, I like to soak and dehydrate my own nuts to reduce the phytic acid. I also love to make the trail mix from my first book Against all Grain to take with us on trips. But the organic dry roasted cashews from Trader Joe's are my fall-back because they taste great, are affordable, and don't use any seed oils.
  6. Jackson's Honest Sweet Potato Chips – These chips are cooked in coconut oil and sea salt and are such a great treat. Plus I love that it's a family owned business and they have a great story. Sadly we don't have them at our local grocery stores, but you can see where they're sold here or order them here on Amazon!
  7. Veggie-Go's fruit strips – the mountain berry spinach flavor is my favorite, but the spiced sweet potato one is really good too! There's no added sugar or citric acid which I love and feel better about giving them to Asher. I often buy them at Whole Foods, but you can order them online as well.
  8. Chocolate Snakaroons – Chocolate coconut macaroons are one of my favorite treats, and I think they're perfect for traveling when you just need a little bite of chocolate. I find that they're easier to not over indulge in too (give me a bag of my real deal chocolate chip cookies and I'll eat them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner!). Find them at most health food stores or online here.