Favorite High-Protein Snacks for Travel
After a longgg year & half it feels like travel is finally a possibility again (please delta variant don’t blow this). In July, I visited Yellowstone National Park with my family, and while the park was STUNNING and so cool, they were seriously lacking in healthy food options. I brought some staple snacks with me, but if I could do it over, here’s what I’d bring – and what I keep stocked in my pantry these days.
[1] Low Sugar Protein Bars
It’s shocking how many ‘protein bars’ are really all sugar (I’m looking at you PerfectBar, CliffBar). When looking at protein bars, ALWAYS check the sugar on the nutrition label, and read the ingredients list for things like ‘brown rice syrup’, ‘dates’, ‘honey’ – while these may slightly better than processed cane sugar, it all breaks down to glucose in your body.
My favorite brands have no sugar alcohols (fine in small amounts but can trigger GI issues) and are free of dairy & soy.
PerfectKeto Bars – These are definitely the closest thing to a healthy candy bar I’ve ever found, with the CLEANEST ingredients. My favs are the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, Almond Butter Brownie & Salted Caramel. 12g protein / 2g net carbs / Collagen – code ELYSEWELLNESS for 15% off
IQ Bars – I love that these bars include functional ingredients like Lion’s Mane, and are totally plant based for anyone who doesn’t eat collagen. I love this chocolatey variety pack. 12g protein / 3g net carbs / Plant-Based
Dang Foods Bars – Another good plant-based option that you can almost always find at WholeFoods. The peanut butter & mint chip flavors are amazing! 9g protein / 4g net carbs / Plant-Based
Collagen Protein Shake* – Protein powder & a water bottle is another easy way to get in protein on the go! 11g protein / 2g net carbs
[2] Meat Snacks
When it comes to high protein, low sugar snacks, meat-based snacks are hard to beat. The protein-to-calorie ratio is top notch, just make sure you check the sugar – especially on jerky! I’ve seen top jerky brands with 15g of sugar per bag.
CHOMPS Meat Sticks – I seriously can not get enough of CHOMPS – especially this Turkey Jalapeño flavor. I always have a few of these in my purse – they are PERFECT for travel, or amazing as an afternoon snack dipped in hummus. 10g protein / 0g net carbs
EPIC Chicken Sriracha Bites – If you’re a traditional jerky lover, these are an amazing low-sugar alternative. The Sriracha flavor gives it a slightly sweet taste, but with 0g sugar. And the small, snackable bites means they are easy to eat, and your not going to be struggling to chew through thick jerky. 11g protein / 0g net carbs
Biltong – Biltong is like jerky on crack – super lean & super high in protein – it’s thin, easy to eat, and contains 32g protein per bag. This does have the most ‘meaty’ taste so just make sure you’re into that. 32g protein / 0g net carbs
[3] Whole Food Snacks
Alright these foods aren’t exactly easy to throw in a carry on, but if you’re traveling by car or have access to a grocery store once you arrive, these whole-food snacks are always ideal over processed snacks.
Hard Boiled Eggs – With 7g of protein per egg, along with healthy fats & vitamins, hard boiled eggs are a great on-the-go superfood.
Sardines – Alright even I haven’t worked up to popping sardines out of the can, but if you can handle them, sardines are an amazing source of protein, omega 3s, vitamins & minerals. Look for wild caught & packed in olive oil, not vegetable oil.
Nuts & Seeds* – Nuts & seeds aren’t actually very high in protein, but they are packed with healthy fats & easy to take on the go. The brand Terrasoul has great organic, bulk options to buy on Amazon – make sure to avoid nuts roasted at high temperatures in vegetable oils.
Veggie Sticks + Hummus* – Another low protein snack, but still a great one. Veggies like carrots, celery & cucumber are full of water to make them hydrating, and add some extra fiber.
What’s your go-to travel snack?
