The elusive non-perishable snacks (that’s easy to take with you and non-messy)… Everyone wants to know, right? It’s simple to say “yogurt” or “leftovers” but those aren’t exactly non-perishable. What about snacks that can be left in the car for days or weeks? Stuff you can always have with you? That’s the dream. Or at least for me, it is.
I don’t like taking messy snacks with us, and sometimes, I even stay home when I’d prefer to go out because thinking of something to prepare to eat is just so annoying.
That said, there are several snacks you can take with you. Some of these are “non-perishable snacks” in that they don’t need to be refrigerated and will last several days. Others can actually be kept for weeks or months in the car or wherever you want. I need to take my own advice and start keeping these on hand more often…
1) Dried fruit
There are so many delicious ways to eat dried fruit. You can buy raisins or prunes, or dried cherries or blueberries (whole fruits). You can dry apple slices. There are freeze-dried versions available. We like to puree fruit and make our own fruit leather. Any form of dried fruit is great!
2) Crispy nuts
Make your own crispy nuts (the “crispy” part makes them more digestible). Eat them plain, or flavor them with cinnamon sugar, chili, and lime, or whatever spices you like! I like walnuts a lot, but you can do this to any nut. Or, just keep plain nuts around.
3) Nut butter
Nut butters are a great way to eat nuts that almost anyone likes, and that the younger set can enjoy too. Grab an apple or some carrot or celery sticks to dip, or some crackers (see the next point). Nut butters are high in protein and great for a quick snack, or made into a sandwich for a meal. Make your own!
4) Crackers
Crackers are a great snack. Pair with nut butter, cheese, sliced meat, or just eat them plain. Try these cheese crackers.
5) Meat sticks (like Nick’s Sticks)
When I was in Utah, I was introduced to these delicious jerky-like meat sticks. They’re Nick’s Sticks, and they’re made with pastured beef or turkey. We bought some while we were there, and had to share them with the kids when we got back — darn! 🙂 They loved them too and begged for more. They’re seasoned with Real Salt, so they are 100% awesome and nourishing (and delicious). They don’t contain MSG, or nitrates or any of that junk that most commercial meat sticks or jerky do. They’ll last for months so you can leave them in the car for last-minute “I need something to eat!” times.
6) Homemade “Larabars”
Larabars are delicious but expensive. Make your own! There’s coconut, banana, and PB&J versions, chocolate date balls, or you can create your own! (They’re mostly pureed dates, sometimes raisins, with nuts and other flavorings.)
7) Granola bars/Granola
While granola can be a little messy, it can also be a great snack. It’s not perishable, and can be eaten alone (try snack cups for the kids) or with yogurt. Granola bars might be a little easier to manage. Depends on what you prefer! Try this granola recipe, or this simple soaked version, or granola bars. There are also maple nut granola bars, and peanut butter chocolate chip granola bars.
8) Trail mix
Make your own mix of nuts, dried fruit, or whatever else you like in trail mix! Some people prefer the mix, and you can even add coconut shavings and other sweet or ‘unusual’ but nourishing ingredients. Try this sticky trail mix, sweet and salty trail mix, or create your own!
9) Popcorn
What’s not to love about popcorn? Make your own healthy popcorn with coconut oil, and try these 11 different flavoring combinations.
10) Healthy cookies
There are a lot of cookies that you can make that are actually pretty healthy. There are goji, almond, and sprouted buckwheat balls, no-bake cookies, grain-free “oatmeal” raisin cookies, molasses cookies, oatmeal chocolate chip, or gluten-free lemon cranberry cookies.
Next time you’re on the go, choose one of the delicious snacks above!
**This post was sponsored by Nick’s Sticks. I was thrilled to work with them because I love their product.**
What are your favorite non-perishable snacks?
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[…] roundup of non-perishable snacks would be particularly helpful for traveling parents or workplace snackers. [Modern Alternative […]
This is a great list thanks!! We love dried fruit leather ourselves, except I can never seem to make enough to last the whole trip! =) one tip I’ve learned for dehydrated items is to save the little silicon packs from your vitamin jars. Then put one in with the fruit leather and it will keep it from getting soggy while it’s stored (it works great with baked kale chips as well!)
I have a grand child who has p-nut tree-nut allergies. can you suggest things for us to do for long trips. the fruit leather looks good. I hate buying stuff at gas stations or just buying in general for him. I’ve been trying to grow my own stuff and I make a lot of stuff from scratch because I know exactly what I put in them. thanks for help. love your site.
Most of these look awesome, but I am going to give you some push back on the Nick’s Sticks. They say they only contain turkey or beef and sea salt, but when you go into the ingredient list, it is actually “seasoned salt” that contains onion, coriander, spices, mustard, black pepper, paprika and herbs. In addition, there is also lactic acid and celery salt – none of which is listed as organic. I am very suspicious of “spices” and “herbs” – why don’t they just list the ingredients? Definitely not up to standard.
Hi Tracy,
The seasoned salt is a product made by the Real Salt company and I fully trust them, and it. If I had any questions about that, I wouldn’t have promoted it. Lactic acid and celery juice are standard in uncured meats — you’ll find it in any bacon, sausage, hot dogs, etc. from organic companies. Thanks for your concern!
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Nowadays life has become hectic and there is hardly time enough even for essential tasks like eating well-cooked meals and snacks. This is the reason that most people are opting for ready to eat food and snack items. However, most of these ready to eat items available in the market need not necessarily be healthy. In fact when it comes to snacks, most of the ready to eat stuff available in the market is loaded with cholesterol and calories.
There are many reasons why you might want to travel with some non-perishable snacks. Maybe you’re just tired of eating all of your edible food every time you fly, or maybe you live in a city without a grocery store. In a nutshell, you want to be able to take food with you on your next trip.
Nowadays, life is stressful, and there is barely enough time for even the most basic chores, such as eating nutritious meals and snacks. This is why the majority of people prefer ready-to-eat foods and snacks. However, the majority of these ready-to-eat items on the market are not necessarily healthy. In fact, when it comes to snacks, the majority of the ready-to-eat options on the market are high in cholesterol and calories.