Edwina Clark - Registered Dietitian and Wellness Expert

Healthy, TSA-Approved Snacks

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It’s easy to fall into the fast-food trap when you’re stuck in an airport with limited healthy options. Save money, and prevent hangry meltdowns by stashing a few of these TSA-approved snacks in your carry-on. 

I will be the first one to admit that staying healthy on the road can be a challenge. Over the years, I’ve done a fair bit of travel and experienced my fair share of substandard, overpriced airport food. 

These days I’m a little wiser. I stash an arsenal of snacks in my carry-on so I don’t have to open my wallet for something that tastes subpar and lacks nutrition. 

Here are some of my favorite TSA-approved snacks from every food group.

TSA-approved protein/fat options for your carry-on luggage. Buy individual packets of nut butter and hummus to stay under the 100mL liquid limit.

Protein/ Fat

  1. Individual nut or seed butter packets. Examples: Justin’s, RX Bar, 88 Acres
  2. Roasted chickpeas or broad beans. Examples: Biena, The Good Bean, Enlightened Bada Bean Bada Boom
  3. Dry roasted or raw nuts
  4. No added sugar trail mix
  5. Individual hummus packets. Examples: Lilly’s, Kirkland Signature
Baked veggie chips and carrot sticks on a white backgroun
TSA-Approved veggie options to stash in your carry-on bag.

Veggies

  1. Baked veggie chips. Examples: Bare Snacks or Rhythm Superfoods
  2. Baby carrots or carrot sticks
Whole apple and pear on a white background
Harder fruits such as apples and pears fair best in carry-on luggage. Alternatively, you can store apple/pear slices or berries in Tupperware containers.

Fruit

  1. Fresh fruit. Examples: Apple, pear, banana.
  2. Unsweetened dried fruit. Examples: That’s It Bars, KIND Pressed Bars.
Whole grain crackers and high fiber cereal on a white background.
Whole-grain crackers, instant oatmeal packets, high-fiber cereal, and popcorn make great snacks in your carry-on luggage. They’re non-perishable and provide fiber for long-lasting energy. Pair whole grains with a source of fat or protein to stay fuller for longer in-flight.

Wholegrain Carbohydrate

  1. Whole-grain crackers. Examples: Mary’s Gone Crackers, Triscuits, Brown Rice Crackers.
  2. Air-popped popcorn. Examples: Skinny Pop, Boom Chicka Pop.
  3. Instant oatmeal packets or cups. Examples: RX Oats, Quaker Oatmeal Cups, Bob’s Red Mill Oatmeal Cups, Umqua.
  4. Wholegrain pretzels. Examples: Quinns, From The Ground Up Cauliflower Pretzels.
  5. High fiber cereal. Examples: Barbara’s Bakery Puffins, FiberOne, Bob’s Red Mill Granola.
Whole food-based bar and a PB and J sandwich on a white background.
Snacks such as a PB and J sandwich and whole food-based bars offers a combination of protein, fat, carbs and fruit.

A Bit of Everything

These TSA-approved snacks provide a combination of protein, fat, carbs, and fruit for an all-in-one snack option.

  1. Bars made with real food. Examples: Lara Bars, RX Bars, Bob’s Red Mill Better Bars, KIND Grain Bars.
  2. Pre-made peanut butter and jelly/jam sandwich on whole-grain bread.
How to build a healthy travel snack: Pair a protein/ fat with a fruit/ veggie/ whole grain carb.
Pair a source of protein/ fat with a veggie/ fruit/wholegrain for a satisfying snack.

How To Build A Satisfying and Healthy TSA-Approved Snack

I recommend pairing a fat/protein with veggie, fruit or whole-grain for long-lasting energy. Often, people just snack on veggies, fruit or carbs alone and find themselves unsatisfied and ravenous within an hour or so. Fat and protein move more slowly through the digestive tract and help us avoid big peaks and valleys in blood sugar levels.

Curious about how to build a healthy travel meal? Check out this download.

Examples of satiating TSA-approved snacks

  • Raw or dry roasted nuts + dried fruit
  • Individual nut butter packet + apple
  • Individual nut butter packet + whole-grain pretzels
  • Individual hummus packet + whole-grain crackers
  • Individual hummus packet + veggies chips

Staying healthy on travel days is a challenge, but it’s not insurmountable. A little strategic planning can leave you feeling happier, more energized and a little richer. For more information on TSA-approved travel items check out the TSA website here.

Avoid subpar airport food with this healthy, TSA-approved snack list.
TSA-approved travel snacks
Save money, and prevent hangry meltdowns by stashing a few of these TSA-approved snacks in your carry-on.