JERF. Just Eat Real Food. This is the goal the majority of the time. On a typical week at home, I recommend minimizing the amount of stuff you consume that comes in a package with a nutrition label. Instead, fill up on vegetables, fruits, meat, fish, eggs, gluten-free whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds. By now, most of us know that packaged foods are usually highly processed and include inflammatory ingredients such as sugar, industrial seed oils (i.e. canola, sunflower, soybean), artificial flavors, harmful emulsifiers and other junk. So we want to reduce this as much as we can. Being on the road (airports, hotels, etc.) can make JERFing pretty challenging. Before your next trip, I recommend packing your bags with some of the below travel snacks so you’re never caught #hangry and forced to resort to airplane fare. I’ve made a list of my top salty, sweet and/or crunchy snacks that are as clean as packaged food gets!

1. Bulletproof Collagen Protein Bars

Vanilla Shortbread is my jam. Finally a protein bar with a good texture and super low in sugar (only 2 g)! Collagen protein from grass-fed cows and quality fat from Brain Octane oil, these gluten free bars are a fantastic snack and seriously yummy.

2. DIY Trail Mix made with mixed nuts, seeds and coconut flakes

I recommend making your own trail mix instead of buying the packaged versions. Those often contain junky ingredients like dried fruit, yogurt-covered-whatever and M&Ms. You can make a healthy trail mix that’s just as delicious (without the added sugar) using various nuts (macadamia nuts, walnuts, cashews, etc.), seeds (pumpkin and sunflower) and coconut flakes for sweetness. You can also toss in some raw cacao nibs for the chocolate!

3. Eating Evolved Chocolate Coconut Butter Cups

For when you just need chocolate! Each cup has 4 grams of sugar (= 1 tsp) which is not bad for a chocolate indulgence. I like that these are filled with coconut butter, a healthy fat to keep you full.

4. Single serve packets of SIMPLE MILLS crackers + single serve packets of NUT butter

Gluten free and paleo, Simple Mills crackers are crunchy, delicious and full of protein and healthy fats from nuts and seeds. Spread some nut butter on them and you’ve got yourself a snack with protein, fat and fiber.

5. Paleovalley superfood bars

With 9 grams of protein from grass-fed bone broth protein and only 4 grams of sugar or less, this is a delicious gluten-free and paleo protein bar to get the job done when a real meal isn’t possible. My favorite is Dark Chocolate Chip.

6. PALEOVALLEY turkey sTICKS

Paleovalley makes their meat sticks with pasture-raised turkey. These sticks are gluten-free, paleo, soy-free and sugar-free. With 0 grams of sugar and 6 grams of protein, this snack will tide you over for a while!

7. Coconut jerky

For my plant-based peeps, this is jerky made from coconut! The chili lime flavor is my favorite! Pair with some protein for a well-balanced snack.

8. Plum Organics Baby Food packets

As weird as it may sound, baby food is an awesome whole food snack, especially when combined with some protein and healthy fat (such as a handful of nuts). They’re super easy to travel with, never get bruised or smashed like whole fruit, and easy to eat (no sticky fingers or core to throw away)!

9. Siete Grain Free Nacho Tortilla Chips

Love Doritos? Great - just found you a healthy swap! These chips are made from cassava flour so they’re naturally grain-free and paleo-friendly. I love that Siete uses avocado oil, opposed to inflammatory vegetable oil, to fry their chips and they even sneak in some chia seeds for fiber and healthy fats. The “cheezy” flavor is naturally dairy-free using nutritional yeast, tomato powder and other spices. These are LEGIT!

10. Kale chips

It can be tough trying to find leafy greens when you’re on the road. Kale chips are just dehydrated kale so they’re chock full of nutrients. I like Rhythm Foods because they have flavors like nacho and ranch while still being organic, gluten-free and vegan.

11. Roasted chickpeas

You can make roasted chickpeas yourself and store them in a ziplock bag or buy these packaged ones! They come in six flavors: plain, BBQ, ranch, habanero, etc. Some of the flavors contain sugar so be sure to check the label (avoid honey roasted). There is 6 grams of protein per serving and 6 grams of fiber which is great for keeping you full! While I don’t love that they’re baked in sunflower oil, overall this is a healthy, crunchy snack option.

12. Single serve pack of Olives

Olives are a wonderful source of healthy fat. Combined with a pinch of salt, they’re a great on-the-go paleo, vegan, keto snack when you’re craving something salty and satisfying. Eat them on their own, pair with some grass-fed jerky for a heartier snack or add them to a sad/boring airport salad!

13. Steamed & Marinated asparagus

Here’s a way to get in some veggies while traveling! Asparagus is a great source of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber. These spears are steamed and marinated in fragrant herbs and extra-virgin olive oil.

13 Best Travel Snacks