It’s actually pretty easy to find healthy backpacking snacks when on the road. And on a budget – some of the healthy foods work out much cheaper than unhealthy snacks! Whether you’re on a bus or train ride, or just walking around a city, chances are you’ll get hungry at some point! Healthy snacks are so much more fulfilling and help to keep hunger at bay for longer. So don’t reach for the chocolate and crisps to snack on when travelling! Instead here are five ideas for healthy backpacking snacks.
Fruit And Veg
An amazingly obvious healthy snack, but one that people often forget, or simply ‘don’t count’ for some bizarre reason. They’re easy to find in shops and at markets and don’t break the bank! Whether you go for dried or fresh, they’re a great choice. Although fresh is best, as I know I find it far too easy to munch on dried fruit and so probably end up eating unhealthy amounts of fructose! You can even take a small pot of a dip with you, such as hummus or natural yoghurt.
Some fruit and veg ideas:
Apples
Bananas
Cucumber
Celery
Cherry Tomatoes
Grapes
Raisons
Carrots
Sugar Snap Peas
Trail Mix
Trail mix lasts for ages, especially in a resealable bag. The mix of fruits, nuts and granola is great for an energy boost. Just a handful or two is enough to keep hunger at bay. You can either buy some (bigger packs work out cheaper in the long run) or make it yourself. Here are some ingredient ideas for homemade trail mix:
Almonds
Granola
Sunflower Seeds
Pumpkin Seeds
Banana Chips
Dried Cranberries
Peanuts
Chocolate Chips (alright, not so healthy, but they do go well in a trail mix)
Cashew Nuts
Raisons
Cereal/Granola Bars
Fairly similar to trail mix, but if you have difficulty putting trail mix down you can restrict yourself by having cereal bars instead. Plus they’re easy to stick in your bag or even pocket for later. Just be careful with the brands – make sure you check that there is no added sugar or other nasties!
Yoghurt
Probably not great for if you’re walking round all day, but a great snack to take if you have an early train or bus to catch and so miss the hostel breakfast! Packed with calcium and probiotics they’re good for you and your gut! Try to go for plain yoghurts and sweeten them yourself with honey or fruit for example, as flavoured yoghurts can be packed with added sugars.
Whole Grain Crackers/Brown Rice Crackers
These healthy crackers make a great compliment to many of the above snacks, or can be eaten on their own. The whole grains or brown rice are healthier than white varieties and release energy slower. If you want a bit more flavour you could bring a small tub of peanut butter or hummus with you to dip the crackers in.
Hopefully this has given you some ideas for healthy backpacker snacks for on the move. Do you have any other healthy ideas? Leave them in the comments below!
