Best Summer Travel Snacks

Posted by Ethan Boldt on

Summer travel is awesome. Being together with loved ones. Traveling to cool places. Frolicking in the sun and surf. 

What's not fun is when you've been in the car, tent or beach just a little too long … and because of all that activity, your hunger hits like a freight train but you're snack-less! Nooooo!

So do a little travel prep and make up these delicious, power-packed snacks for the road or plane trip. You and your crew will be glad you did.

1. Triple Chocolate No-Bake Protein Balls

Whip up the latest snack trend: no-bake protein balls. These deliver that perfect blend of carbs, fat and protein.

Clocking in a 117 calories per chocolate protein ball, they contain 9 grams of carbs, 8 grams of fat and 4 grams of protein. This protein ball recipe is also gluten-free, vegan and plant-based.

The protein also comes from Plant Protein+ Chocolate, which is made from seven superseeds and can promote healthy body composition and fat metabolism, help reduce stress-induced food cravings and increase muscle recovery. (You can also sub Bone Broth Protein Chocolate.)

Total time: 30 min 

Summer travel snack chocolate protein balls

Servings: 24

Ingredients:

1 cup almond butter
1 cup gluten-free oats
1 cup Medjool dates, pitted
1 scoop Plant Protein+ Powder Chocolate
½ cup cacao nibs
½ cup dairy-free chocolate chips

Directions:

  1. Combine almond butter, gluten-free oats, dates and protein powder in a food processor. Pulse together for 30 seconds or until mixture is well combined.
  2. Add in chocolate chips and cacao nibs and pulse a few more times.
  3. Use a small cookie scoop or your hands to grab dough and roll into 24 balls (the size of 1 tablespoon).
  4. Cover and store in the refrigerator.
  5. Keep these energy bites in an airtight container for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 2 months.

2. Almond Butter Banana Protein Bar Recipe

With only extra healthy ingredients and easy as pie to make, these may be the best protein bar you've every had ... and it's certainly a lot better for you than anything you can pick up at the store.

At 241 calories per bar, they'll also keep you going for hours. They're also the perfect macronutrient bar, with 21 grams of healthy carbs, 12 grams of healthy fats and 10 grams of protein. 

Total time: 40 min 

Summer travel snacks almond butter protein bar

Servings: 10

Ingredients:

1 cup gluten-free oats
1 cup Bone Broth Protein Pure (or Vanilla)
1 cup sprouted almond butter
¼ cup maple syrup
2 ripe bananas, mashed
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
  2. Grease 8 x 8 pan with coconut oil or line with parchment paper and set aside.
  3. In a small bowl, add in oats and protein powder and stir.
  4. In a large mixing bowl, add in almond butter, maple syrup, bananas, eggs and vanilla extract.
  5. Mix almond butter mixture until well combined.
  6. Pour in oat mixture and stir again.
  7. Spread batter into pan and bake about 30 minutes or until firm.
  8. Let bars cool before cutting and serve.

3. Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies

This is a breakfast baked good that you can make yourself. A two cookie serving also offers 39 grams of good-for-you carbs (oat flour and oats), 20 grams of protein and 26 grams of fats.

Total time: 30 min  Summer travel snacks oatmeal breakfast cookies

Servings: 8

Ingredients:

½ cup oat flour
1 cup old fashioned oats
½ cup dried cranberries
½ cup raw pumpkin seeds
¼ cup ground flaxseed
1 tablespoon chia seeds
3 scoops Multi Collagen Protein Vanilla
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon sea salt
3 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
½ cup unsweetened applesauce
2 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven at 325 F.
  2. Mix dry ingredients.
  3. Melt coconut oil.
  4. Add wet ingredients and stir well.
  5. Mold into balls (around the size of a golf ball), then flatten a bit with your hand.
  6. Bake at 325 F for 18 minutes.
  7. Remove and let cool for at least 10 minutes for eating.

4. Protein Fig Bars

These 5-ingredient homemade fig bars require no baking, and they're a healthy, gluten-free treat to take on-the-go!

Why do these make a perfect snack? Because this almond fig bars recipe offers a balanced macronutrient bar, with 15 grams of carbs, 10 grams of protein and 12 grams of fat. 

Total time: 2 hours Summer travel snacks protein fig bar

Servings: 12

Ingredients:

1 cup dried figs
1 cup almond butter
1 tablespoon flax meal
2 scoops Bone Broth Protein Vanilla (or Collagen Peptides Vanilla)
2 tablespoons raw honey

Directions: 

  1. Line an 8x8 baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  2. Add all the ingredients to a food processor and blend until dough starts to form into a ball.
  3. Press the dough evenly into the pan and refrigerate for 2 hours, or until bars set.
  4. Cut into squares and store in an airtight container.

5. Birthday Cake Protein Bars

Are you ready for this show-stopper? These birthday cake bars are powered by Bone Broth Protein Vanilla, and these can be the perfect macronutrient snack for anyone in your circle.

Check out this profile: 295 calories per bar with 26 grams of carbs, 24 grams of fat and 5 grams of protein. Filled with performance fats, these will satiate you for hours and help power you through the day.

Total time: 1 hr 30 min  Summer travel snack birthday cake bar

Servings: 12

Ingredients:

1 cup creamy almond butter, unsalted
1 scoop Bone Broth Protein Powder Vanilla
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon sea salt
¼ cup maple syrup
¼ cup almond flour
¼ cup gluten-free oats
1 tablespoon sprinkle

Optional Cashew Cream Cheese Frosting
1 cup raw cashews, soaked in water at least 2 hours, drained (best if soaked overnight)
¼ cup plain coconut yogurt
3 tablespoons maple syrup
½ teaspoon vanilla
¼ teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon sprinkles

Directions:

  1. In a medium bowl, mix together almond butter, Bone Broth Protein Vanilla, vanilla, sea salt, maple syrup, almond flour, oats and 1 tablespoon sprinkles. Stir until fully combined.
  2. Line a 8x8 baking dish with parchment and press the dough evenly into the bottom of the dish. Refrigerate and allow to set for at least 1 hour.
  3. If you’re making the cashew cream cheese, prepare it while the bars are refrigerating. Drain the cashews and place them in a high speed blender. Add in coconut yogurt, maple syrup, vanilla and sea salt. Blend until smooth.
  4. Take the bars out of the refrigerator and top with cashew cream cheese. You can use a spatula or the back of a spoon to smooth out the frosting. Top with sprinkles and freeze for at least 30 minutes.
  5. Bars will last up to one week and need to be stored in the refrigerator.

6. Chocolate Chip Energy Balls

No baking required, these healthy energy balls take just five minutes to prepare and only require one bowl. Simply refrigerate and enjoy!

And they're called chocolate chip energy balls for a reason, as they're a perfect macronutrient snack, with a balanced blend of each macronutrient: carbs (16 grams), protein (11 grams) and fats (21 grams).

Total time: 2 hours Summer travel snacks chocolate chip energy balls

Servings: 12

Ingredients:

1½ cups almond butter
¼ cup raw honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon sea salt
¼ cup Bone Broth Protein Chocolate
½ cup dark chocolate chips

Directions:

  1. Stir almond butter, honey, vanilla and sea salt together.
  2. Add protein powder and combine thoroughly.
  3. Stir in chocolate chips.
  4. Form into balls and refrigerate for 2 hours.

7. Protein Banana Bread

This protein banana bread recipe keeps all the best parts about banana bread while adding a protein punch. We’ll use almond flour, a lower-carb alternative to all-purpose white flour.

Each slice clocks in at 24 grams of carbs, 19 grams of fat and 10 grams of fat.

Total time: 1 hour Travel snacks protein banana bread

Servings: 8

Ingredients: 

4 eggs
3 medium, overly ripe bananas, mashed
¼ cup maple syrup (rather than honey)
¼ cup full-fat, canned coconut milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2¼ cups almond flour
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 scoops Bone Broth Protein Vanilla

Directions: 
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
  2. In a bowl, mix eggs, banana, maple syrup, coconut milk and vanilla.
  3. In a separate bowl, combine the remaining ingredients and protein powder.
  4. Combine both mixtures, stirring until well incorporated.
  5. Place the mixture in a well-greased loaf pan and bake for 45–50 minutes.
  6. Remove from the oven and after a few minutes, empty on a wire rack and allow to cool.

8. Chocolate Paleo Muffins

Whether you’re looking for an on-the-go breakfast option or a hefty snack, these Paleo muffins have you covered.

They’re full of superfoods: coconut oil, flaxseed, Bone Broth Protein Chocolate and apple cider vinegar, making these the most satisfying muffins you’ve ever had. At just over 200 calories per muffin, they also offer 13 grams of carbs, 16 grams of fat and 5 grams of protein.

Total time: 25 minutes Travel snacks Paleo chocolate muffins

Serves: 12 

Ingredients:

3 eggs
¼ cup coconut oil, liquefied
¼ cup maple syrup OR 1 full dropper of liquid vanilla stevia OR 2 tablespoons coconut sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 cup almond meal
3 tablespoons arrowroot starch
1½ tablespoons ground flaxseed
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ cup cacao nibs
3 scoops Bone Broth Protein Chocolate

Directions:

  1. Heat the oven to 375 F.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs until they’re lighter in color. Add the remaining wet ingredients and whisk together.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk the dry ingredients together until well mixed. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Stir to combine thoroughly, then let the mixture sit for 2 minutes.
  4. Add paper liners to a muffin pan. Fill each muffin cup 3/4 full and bake for 13–15 minutes or until golden brown.

9. Keto Chocolate Chip Cookies

If you are eating keto, Paleo or low-carb, cookies typically don't fit into your diet.  Enter these amazing, chocolatey and gooey chocolate chip cookies at only 1.4 net carbs per cookie! Full of amazing and simple ingredients, these are about to be a staple in your kitchen.

Total time: 20 min Travel snacks keto chocolate chip cookies

Servings: 24

Ingredients:

2 cups almond flour
5 scoops Superfood Cocoa
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon sea salt
½ cup coconut oil, melted
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 eggs
½ cup unsweetened chocolate chips

Directions: 

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. In a large bowl, mix together almond flour, Superfood Cocoa, baking powder and sea salt. Set aside.
  3. In a separate bowl, mix together coconut oil, vanilla and eggs.
  4. Incorporate the coconut oil mixture into the flour mixture until a thick batter forms.
  5. Stir in chocolate chips.
  6. Scoop and roll the batter into 24 equal-size balls and gently press down with the back of a spoon.
  7. Place 2 inches apart on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
  8. Bake for 12 minutes.
  9. Remove from oven and let cook for at least 20 minutes.

Recipes developed by Dr. Josh Axe — co-founder of Ancient Nutrition and also author of the best-selling books Keto Diet and The Collagen Diet — and Holly Darnell, RD.