Traveling is one of the joys of summer! Experiencing new places and meeting new people builds memories that can last a lifetime and traveling with friends or family can solidify bonds of friendship and camaraderie. While our traveling experiences can be freeing and illuminating, they can also take a turn for the worse when fatigue and hunger get the best of us. Whether traveling by road, water, or air, finding healthy food to fill your belly and fuel your journey is easy if you keep these healthy snack ideas handy.

Beef Jerky. This high-protein snack is not just from beef anymore. Try jerky made from salmon, turkey, lamb, chicken, bacon, venison, wild boar, buffalo, or a plant-based vegan jerky. The protein in jerky supports good-mood neurotransmitters and keeps your blood sugar stable to reduce the risk of a hangry melt down.

Trail Mix. Although many options can be sugar heavy (think chocolate candies and sugar-sweetened dried fruit), mixes that include a blend of nuts and unsweetened dried fruit can provide healthy fats, protein, and carbohydrates for a dose of everything we need to keep our metabolic machinery running. You can even sneak in some dark chocolate or cacao nibs and still keep it healthy! Check out this post for a simple trail mix recipe that is fun to make with little helpers.

Nuts. To avoid the sugar in trail mix, go for a handful of mixed nutty goodness. Nuts not only provide heart-supportive fats that give you energy and help you feel full, they also provide protein to help balance blood sugar and keep your brain happy with the building blocks for feel-good neurotransmitters. Almond butter packets are another easy way to get your nut on.

Chips. No, not the potato variety, the green kind. Try packaged kale chips or seaweed snacks, or this easy kale chip recipe. These tasty packets of green goodness boost your veggie intake to help support digestive health and healthy weight management on the road while satisfying salt and crunch cravings.

Drinks. Avoid the pull of the dreaded soda by bringing flavored sparkling water or kombucha with you. These options are especially great to keep in the cooler on road trips but aren’t likely to make it through airport security. No matter how you travel, bringing along a refillable water bottle can help you remember to prioritize that life-giving fluid.

Cooler Snacks. If you do have access to a cooler while traveling, consider bringing precut veggies and fruits along with individual servings of cheese. You can make cooler snacks gourmet by including summer sausage, premade dips, hummus, or guacamole.

Combining the ideas above will help you enjoy each adventure the summer has to offer! When you plan which tasty treats to bring and purchase them ahead of time at your neighborhood Natural Grocers, staying within your travel budget is a breeze. Be sure to stock up so that this summer’s journeys are not only fun but healthy as well!