Eating healthy on the road isn’t always easy. If you don’t plan ahead and pack something, your options often seem limited to candy bars and chips. But there are a lot of heartier hidden gems, even in the most basic of gas stations. Try these snacks and mini meals when you’re trying to hit your macros on the road.
Peanuts
One of the most underrated foods out there, peanuts get most of their calories from fat but also include a decent amount of protein and fiber. If you’re looking for something low-cal, pass this up. But if you want a snack that feels more like a meal, grab a whole jar of peanuts. They come in salted, unsalted, and sometimes fun flavors, like these sweet and spicy ones. When it comes to grams of protein per dollar, they’re one of the best deals around.
A cup of peanuts (5 ounces, which is a lot of peanuts) contains 828 calories and 38 grams of protein.
Trail mix, nuts, and seeds
If you’re a little fancier, you can look at other nuts, seeds, and mixes. A bag of almonds, cashews, or sunflower seeds will pack a ton of protein, and a bag of trail mix makes a filling and even tastier snack.
Trail mixes vary in nutritional content, but a typical one, according to the USDA, might contain 693 calories and 20 grams of protein per cup (and, again, a cup is a lot of trail mix). Almonds and sunflower seeds have macros that are very similar to peanuts; check the label on the nut or mix of your choice for details.
Jerky
Jerky is just dried, seasoned meat, so you know the macros will be good. Unfortunately, jerky tends to be one of the more expensive options, but prices vary. A 100-gram serving of jerky (about 3.5 ounces) will tend to have about 410 calories and 33 grams of protein
Hardboiled eggs
Hardboiled eggs are a classic protein snack, and many convenience stores with a refrigerated section will stock them (look next to the sandwiches). In Pennsylvania, you often have your choice of plain eggs or magenta ones that have been pickled alongside red cabbage.
Each hard boiled egg contains 72 calories and 6 grams of protein.
Protein bars (but check the label)
Protein bars would seem to be the natural choice for a high protein snack, but always check the nutrition facts (and the price) before settling on one of them. Quest bars have 21 grams of protein in 190 calories; that’s excellent, but more than a few bars a day may give you digestive issues. Clif Builder bars have about the same amount of protein, but 290 calories. The difference comes from carbs; they’re higher calorie, but the lack of sugar alcohols is a plus. Gatorade whey protein bars go even further in that direction, with 350 calories for the same 20 grams of protein.
Checking the label will also make sure you don’t confuse other types of bars for protein bars. Granola bars, “energy” bars, and other bar-shaped foods are often fairly low in protein despite sharing a shelf with protein bars.
Deli sandwiches
Head back to that sandwich case for one of the better options when you’re hungry and need to get your protein. At least one of those sandwiches—probably one with turkey in it—will pack a decent amount of protein into usually not too many calories. The USDA’s listing for a turkey sandwich on wheat says that a 327-calorie sandwich has 22 grams of protein; check the label on the gas station one to see how it compares.
