I will admit it- I spend just as much time planning my travel snacks as I do picking out what to wear on my vacations. While there are plenty of food options on the road… I always like to have a few of my own goodies on hand—especially the kind that are nutritious and delicious. How many snacks I pack totally depends on how long I’ll be in transit. For anything over a few hours, I like to be prepared. Every non-food item I bring serves double duty for later in my trip, so I use a good quality tote bag & silicone snack bags. I include several paper napkins and a few extra ziplocs bags. I use my extra ziplocs for the snacky food items from the morning buffet at the hotel, snacks from the airport lounge or the goodies at the spa. Traveling costs have drastically increased so I don’t feel bad getting my fill. IYKYK
My Travel Snack Staples:
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Fresh fruits & veggies prepped the night before or morning of.
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Dried fruits high in fiber like figs, dates, or prunes (nature’s candy!).
- A PB & honey sandwich on sourdough for longer journeys (6+ hours).
- A sweet treat like HU Chocolate (because, of course).
The Real MVP: Homemade Granola
Specifically, Pamela Salzman’s Big Cluster Homemade Granola. It’s hands down the best granola I’ve ever made—and I’ve tried a lot of recipes. I’d been searching for something clean and crunchy that tastes like it came straight from the cereal aisle or one of those beloved granola bars. (You know the ones.)
This one nails it: big golden clusters, perfectly sweet (but not too sweet), and packed with wholesome ingredients. I always make a double batch and stash it in a silicone bag for the trip. It’s perfect for snacking on its own or topping yogurt once you arrive.
What makes this Granola recipe different is finely chopping half of the mixture in a food processor and using brown rice syrup such as- Lundberg Organic Brown Rice Syrup (which helps the granola stick together). You can also use honey if you cannot find brown rice syrup.
Another trick is when the timer goes off or the granola is golden brown, turn off the oven, open the oven door, leave it open. Once the oven fan turns off, close the oven door and leave the granola in the oven until the desired crispiness. I like a hard crispy granola, so I leave it in the oven for 2-3 hours. I break the granola into large pieces and store half in my pantry and the other half in my freezer.
Parchies Oven Clips securely holds the parchment paper so I can easily spread the granola to the edges of the pan. Clean up is fast and easy.
Pamela Salzman’s Big Cluster Homemade Granola.
By Pamela Salzman
Yields: 5 cups
Ingredients:
3 cups old fashioned rolled oats (not steel cut), like One Degree Sprouted Organic Rolled Oats
½ cup unsweetened, dried coconut flakes
⅓ cup raw pumpkin seeds
⅓ cup raw sunflower seeds
2 tablespoons hemp seeds or sesame seeds
1 cup pecans or walnuts or your favorite nut, chopped
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoons flaky sea salt
¼ cup melted unrefined coconut oil or olive oil
⅓ cup pure maple syrup
¼ cup brown rice syrup or honey
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 325 f. Line a rimmed baking sheet 18” x 13”, with parchment paper with an ¼”-½” overhang. Clip down sides with Parchies Oven Clips.
- In a large bowl, stir together the oats, coconut flakes, seeds, nuts and cinnamon.
- Take 3 cups of the oat mixture and pulse in a food processor until finely chopped. Transfer back to the bowl with the rest of the dry ingredients. Stir in the flaky salt.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the melted coconut oil, maple syrup, brown rice syrup/ honey and vanilla extract. Make sure it is well blended. I like to use a jar and shake it to get a really good blend. Add the oil to the oat mixture and stir to coat well.
- Transfer oat mixture to the prepared baking sheet and spread out in an even layer. Make sure the edges aren’t thin. Bake for 20-25 minutes until it is golden brown. Try not to stir the granola. The granola will be chewy. Turn off the oven and leave in the oven with the door slightly ajar until the fan turns off. Close the oven door and leave in the oven until desired crispiness. Keep an eye on the granola during this step to make sure it doesn’t burn.
- Remove from the oven, once it has reached desired crispiness. Completely cool down before breaking apart. Store in an airtight container. Can be stored in the freezer, refrigerator or pantry.