Dairy-Free Foods and Snacks for the Road

Regardless of where you are in the U.S. or Canada, there is a grocery store or gas station nearby that carries a brand of crackers or chips that are dairy-free. They're not always the healthiest snacks, but on the other hand, it's a road trip! Alternatively, you could always make your own.

Here are a few favorites:

Crackers

• Kellogg's Keebler Toasteds Wheat Crackers
• Nabisco Ritz Crackers (Original and Whole Wheat)
• Nabisco Saltines
• Nabisco Triscuits
• Nabisco Wheat Thins

Potato Chips

• Lays Potato Chips in Plain and Natural Country Barbecue
• Kettle Potato Chips in Jalapeno, Sea Salt, Sea Salt, and Black Pepper, Sea Salt and Vinegar, and most baked varieties
• Ruffles Potato Chips in Baked Original, Original and Light Original Varieties

It might sound like a no-brainer, but fruits and veggies make great healthy snacks for the road. Before heading off on your adventure, pack a cooler full of apples, carrots, celery, nectarines, grapes, pears or other favorites and bring along some toppings like peanut butter, dairy-free cream cheese, and hummus to dress them up.

Before any road trip, make some homemade granola bars or energy bars to enjoy for the first few days of my travels or pick up several store-bought dairy-free varieties that will last for the duration of the vacation.

Here are a few favorite dairy-free energy bar treats you can make:

• Chewy granola bars
• Dairy-free protein bars
• Homemade cereal bars
• Muesli bars
• Oat and raisin squares
• Vegan chocolate energy bars

For you dairy-freers and vegans who'd rather pick up a bundle of bars at the market, here are some dairy-free granola bars and protein bars:

• Clif Bars, most varieties
• Luna Bars, most varieties
• Nature Valley Granola Bars in Apple Crisp, Maple Brown Sugar, Oats 'N Dark Chocolate, and Peanut Butter

It's more unusual to find a brand of pretzels that contains dairy than a dairy-free variety, so pretzels are often a safe bet while on the road. Make sure to check ingredient labels for dairy-derived ingredients such as butter, buttermilk, casein, milk solids, and whey, and keep your eyes peeled for some of these tasty dairy-free favorites:

• Rold Gold Classic Style Pretzel Thins
• Rold Gold Sourdough Pretzels
• UTZ Pretzels, most varieties

If you're feeling ambitious, you can also make a batch of these Soft Pretzels or Soft Pretzel Bites to take along for shorter trips.

For the health conscious, road trips might seem like nutritional abominations, but they don't have to! It's just a matter of planning. Before you set off, be sure to stock up on fresh fruits and veggies as well as some of these healthier snacks from your local natural foods store:

• Annie's Homegrown Organic Bunny Fruit Snacks
• Back to Nature Honey Graham Sticks
• Back to Nature Organic Saltines
• Dried fruit, either store-bought or homemade
• Trail mix, either store-bought or homemade

Here are a few more yummy ideas for dairy-free snacking on road trips:

• Bagel chips, either a dairy-free store-bought variety or homemade
• Dairy-Free Caramel Popcorn
• Dairy-Free Cheesy Popcorn
• Eggless Egg Salad
• Falafel
• Fruit leather
• Pasta Salad with Light Lemon-Parsley Vinaigrette or Summer Pasta Salad (must be stored in a cooler)
• Peanut butter on pretty much anything (veggies, fruits, bread, crackers, pretzels)
• Pigs in a Blanket
• Pita with chutney, either store-bought or homemade
• Pita with hummus, either store-bought or homemade hummus
• Summer corn salad (store in cooler)
• Vegetarian Baked Beans (great for camping!)