I recently shared some of our favorite gluten-free road trip snacks, but they’re full of sugar and carbs. I’ve had to make some changes to my diet in the last few months and am almost eating a keto diet. I’ve realized that sugars and starches were making some of my chronic illness symptoms worse, and I’ve been working hard to eliminate them.

I feel so much better, but it does take effort. We have a long road trip planned for this summer and I’ll be bringing some low-carb road trip snacks to keep me away from the carb-filled gluten-free snacks everyone else will be enjoying. I thought I’d share some of my favorites with you, in case that’s something you’re looking for as well.

I know what a difference the quality of our food makes for our bodies, so I haven’t listed cheap snacks you can get at every gas station. Plan ahead and check your grocery store or Amazon for snack foods that aren’t chock full of artificial colors and fillers and rancid oils.

Some items do require refrigeration or a cooler, so be sure to take that into account when planning your low-carb road trip snacks.

* be sure to check ingredients and serving sizes to make sure they’re a good fit for your meal plan and dietary goals. Some serving sizes are quite small and not conducive to mindless snacking.

My Favorite Low-Carb Road Trip Snacks

1. Parm Crisps

These are made from parmesan cheese and crunchy like a cracker without the carbs that are in run-of-the-mill crackers.

2. Pork rinds

Gluten free and low carb foods tend to not have that crunch that is so often associated with snack foods (crackers, chips, pretzels, etc). Like the parm crisps, pork rinds have a satisfying crunch.

These are probably my favorite, but I also like these ones. This brand is good, though weirdly sweet because they add a bit of coconut sugar to them (I think they’d taste better without the sugar). I haven’t tried these yet, but they look like a great value for your money.

3. Cucumbers

I prefer mini cucumbers or English cucumbers since the seeds are smaller and much fewer in number. You can find both at Costco or most grocery store produce departments.

4. Pickles

Bubbies pickles are naturally fermented, which means they have plenty of good probiotics for your gut. Especially useful if you’re eating more junk than usual, even if it’s relatively healthy junk. I’m not a huge fan of pickles in general, but I do like these.

5. Fat bombs

Bring some homemade fat bombs to combat sugar cravings when everyone around you is eating junk food. These peanut butter cups are one of my favorite recipes. I use these parchment paper mini baking cups because the fat bombs release so easily. No fighting with muffin tins or silicone molds or even paper liners that never quite let go of your fat bomb (paper just adds a little fiber, right?). Keep fat bombs on ice though, as they will melt into a gooey mess if not kept cold enough.

6. Babybel cheese

These individually wrapped cheeses are perfect for handing around to everyone, or keeping for yourself. You do have to watch that the wax wrapping gets put in the trash and not left on a cushion or carpet.

7. String cheese

String cheese is also individually wrapped and easy to eat, and the packaging doesn’t make as much of a mess as the Baby Bel wrapping. These days there are many varieties including cheddar and jalapeno cheese.

8. Hard-boiled eggs

Hard-boiled eggs come in their own packaging and just need a little salt to bring out their flavor (we like Redmond Real Salt). Or bring some mayo and mustard for a simple deviled egg.

9. Meat sticks or strips

Pastured beef and pork make for pricier, but much better quality, meat sticks than what you’ll find at a gas station. The New Primal uncured bacon stick has a nice, mild flavor. I really like the easy-to-chew texture of the Epic Wagyu beef steak strip as well.

10. Meat bars

Meat bars are super portable, easy to stash, and a bit more substantial than a meat stick. The bison bacon cranberry is my favorite, though a bit high in sugar, so if you’re really watching your carbs, go for a variety like the beef apple bacon. If you’re not sure which variety you’ll like, buy a variety pack and try them all out. We totally did this a few years ago, passing around bits of each one to see which were our favorites. Jeremy likes the beef habenero cherry the best.

11. Jerky

Jerky frequently comes in tiny pricey packages, but we feel that the Costco brand jerky bucks that trend. It comes in a decent size package (12 oz), is a good price, and has a good flavor. The only drawback is that sometimes the texture is a bit tough and other times it’s quite tender. You can also find a Costco brand turkey jerky if that’s more your thing.

12. Almonds

These almonds come in a variety of yummy flavors, perfect for snacking on.

13. Macadamia nuts

Macadamia nuts are another good snack option.

14. Mixed nuts

My favorite nuts right now are the Planters deluxe mixed nuts (pistachios, pecans, cashews, almonds, and hazelnuts). A close second is their deluxe pistachio mix (pistachios, cashews, and almonds).

15. Sunflower seeds

You can buy sunflower seeds that are already shelled. But if you’re looking for something to keep your mouth busy while not actually consuming a lot of carbs, try sunflower seeds in the shell.

16. Salami and mozzarella panino

Panino are Italian-style meats wrapped around cheese. My favorite is salami and mozzarella. Don’t buy from the link above, I used it just to show you what panino are, in case you were unfamiliar. I’ve found them in the deli/cheese section of our local grocery store and in the cheese case at Whole Foods.

17. Olives

I prefer black olives, but Jeremy likes green olives. Either way, they’re an easy-to-eat finger food.

18. Seaweed snacks

Seaweed snacks are crunchy, salty goodness that don’t fill you up.

19. Nut butter packets

I like a spoonful of peanut butter here and there, and nut butter packets make it much more portable and less messy. Be sure to check for added sugars though. We like Justin’s nut butters, and while their classic peanut butter doesn’t have added sugar, their yummy chocolate hazelnut and almond butter does. My daughter may or may not claim all of them every time I buy them…. If you want a sugar-free almond butter, give this brand a try.

20. Lily’s chocolate bars

I don’t actually eat these sugar-free chocolate bars as a snack because I’ve been working hard to kick my chocolate habit, which used to be out of control but now is almost a non-issue. My preferred chocolate is Lindt chocolate, but most Lindt chocolate has gluten in it (barley malt), so I haven’t been able to eat Lindt milk chocolate for years. I do use 85% and 90% Lindt chocolate (which has tiny amounts of sugar in it but isn’t super tasty on its own) to make the peanut butter cups I mentioned in #5.

However, if you really need a sugar-free chocolate fix, these chocolate bars are a good option as it’s pretty good chocolate. I also use Lily’s sugar-free chocolate chips when I’m baking low carb treats.

You could also throw a few of those chocolate chips in a handful of mixed nuts for a simple trail mix.

21. Smart Sweets fruity gummy bears

These gummy bears are yummy, but I like the fruity gummy bears the best. I actually find them a bit sweet, so I can’t eat them very fast. They also have Swedish fish, sour gummy bears, and sour buddies. The sampler pack shown in the image above is a great way to try them all out and see which is your favorite.

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Judicious snacking on these snacks will help you preserve the feeling of an indulgent road trip while still allowing you to stick to your dietary goals.

Do you have favorite low-carb road trip snacks that I didn’t include in this list? I’d love to hear about them, so please share!

Don’t forget to check out our favorite gluten free road trip snacks and our favorite gluten-free campfire treats too!