Healthy Travel Snacks-What to Pack for an Outdoor Adventure

Travis and I are about to take off on a fun adventure to Glacier National Park in Montana!

I wanted to do something extra special for his 30th birthday, and after pressing him for a couple of weeks on what he wanted, he finally revealed that he really wanted to take a trip to Glacier Park to check off a bucket list item and start off his 30’s on a high note!

Travis isn’t really the one to get super excited about traveling, so when he was the one to initiate an adventure, I was ALL over it!

We don’t have a ton of activities planned, but we are planning on as many hikes as we can squeeze in, driving on the “going to the sun road”, fishing, and white water rafting! I am sure there will be a lot of firsts for me/us this weekend, and I can’t wait to see how it all plays out! One of the things we are looking forward to the most? Sleeping in without the disruption from our dogs at 5:30am 😉

With this trip on the horizon, there were 2 things I put a lot of thought into. 1st: What will I wear? I don’t have much (or any) “gear” for hiking, and the weather is pretty unpredictable up there. Spoiler alert: as I sit here at the airport, I still haven’t really figured out what to wear. I basically threw in a bunch of athletic attire for varying temps and figure if I need something major, I can always get it there? I’ll let you know how that works out for me 😉

The 2nd thing I have put far too much thought into is of course, food related. From early morning flights, to hotel living, to long hiking trips on the itinerary, I just had to consider the snack situation! I figured that if I am going to put this much thought and planning into something, I should probably share it here with you all!

The snacks I have packed are all non-perishable, paleo friendly (or at least grain free & gluten free), and easy to throw in a backpack. We have a good variety of protein, carbs, and healthy fats to keep us full and satisfied until our next meal. They should also be great options to throw in our backpack for those long expeditions.

I think that I make packing snacks such a priority because when I get hungry, everything else shuts down. I get cranky, can’t really think straight, and lose all interest in whatever I am doing. I am not proud of that trait, it’s just what happens! Well, that just can’t be the case on Travis’s 30th birthday trip! With healthy snacks on hand, I will be much more likely to stay on track health-wise, and also remain a happy camper! 🙂

 Dried Fruit

• I love the dried mangos from Made in Nature (I get them at Costco)
• Fruit bars from Trader Joe’s
• Crunchy Dried Honeycrisp Apple slices from Trader Joe’s
• Plantain chips-can’t leave home without them!

Nuts

• We love snacking on pistachios
• Cashews are another favorite
•  I like to make a “homemade trail mix” with cashews, macadamia nuts, dried cranberries, and Enjoy Life chocolate chips. SO yummy! 
• Lara Bars- awesome grab and go snack full of nuts and dates

Protein

• While nuts and dried fruit are great in a pinch, when I get hungry, it’s usually because I need protein. Fortunately, Krave hooked us up with a bunch of jerky and protein sticks/bars to keep us fueled for our trip. They have SO many different and unique flavor options and I can’t wait to try them all! 

Treats

• (AKA chocolate!) I like to always bring a chocolate bar with me when I go on a trip…that way I won’t be as tempted by an overly indulgent dessert that will end up making me feel sick later on. As long as I know I have my favorite chocolate bar waiting for me in the car or the hotel, I will be good to go!

For traveling purposes, I throw all of these items into a small reusable bag that will fit in my carry-on backpack. There are never any issues at the airport security, and I can grab what I need/want anytime! 

Since we don’t love the idea of eating out for all 3 meals, I will also probably hit up a grocery store once we arrive to stock up on some fresh fruit, veggies, and deli meat that we can store in our hotel fridge. Much cheaper, healthier, and easier!

OK, time to fly! I will be checking in on Instagram and can’t wait to share all about our trip early next week!