When embarking on an adventure, whether backpacking through the back-country or taking off on a long flight or road trip, nothing helps keep your spirits and energy up like the right snacks—and few things will knock you out of sorts more quickly than the wrong ones! Unfortunately, with all the other bustle of preparing for your adventure, nutrition is often left to the last minute, forcing us to opt for items that aren’t great for our health, our wallet, or the environment. However, with just a bit of planning, you can bring along delicious and nutritious goodies that will power you up instead of slowing you down.
So, what sorts of snacks are both travel-friendly and nutritious? Many of the to-go go-tos that come to mind, such as energy bars, power gels, and yogurts or puddings, are excellent choices in theory, but the conventional versions often come with artificial additives and excess sugar (not to mention the non-recyclable packaging) that make them less appealing to a health-conscious traveler. Granola is another prime example of such snacks, but it’s super simple to create a version packed with organic goodness and flavor without an insane amount of sweetener.
Spicy, salty, crunchy, and lightly sweet, this granola recipe also tics all your top nutrition boxes. It layers the protein and healthy fats of nuts, seeds, and coconut onto the whole-grain energy of whole oats, and then ties it all together with the delicious flavors of a healthful chai tea-inspired spice palette. Cardamom, which shines through nicely in this blend, is considered a balancing tridoshic spice in Ayurveda and has traditionally been used to support healthful digestion (a handy trait for dealing with disruptions that often come with travel). Plus, it’s backpack- and airplane-friendly.
Make a big batch to fuel your next round of summer adventures—it will last for a month if stored in an airtight container, and you can freeze it for later, too!
Makes about 5 cups.
Ingredients
Directions
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Jana DiSanti is a marketing writer, editor, and strategist who holds a Master of Business Administration with an emphasis in Sustainability. She has also earned a bachelor's degree in psychology and enjoys exploring techniques that help people change their everyday behaviors to make better use of our precious environmental resources. She's spent her career promoting businesses that strive to better the world, and she loves how passionately her Pacific Northwest community supports that mission! She firmly believes that rethinking our food systems is essential for worldwide human and ecological health, and she is thrilled to help support Mountain Rose Herbs in providing responsibly sourced herbal offerings to its customers. Off-work hours will find her hiking, camping, and mushroom-hunting in Oregon's wild areas, volunteering at her local farmer’s market, or cooking, gardening, and corralling chickens at home.
When embarking on an adventure, whether backpacking through the back-country or taking off on a long flight or road trip, nothing helps keep your spirits and energy up like the right snacks—and few things will knock you out of sorts more quickly than the wrong ones! Unfortunately, with all the other bustle of preparing for your adventure, nutrition is often left to the last minute, forcing us to opt for items that aren’t great for our health, our wallet, or the environment. However, with just a bit of planning, you can bring along delicious and nutritious goodies that will power you up instead of slowing you down.
So, what sorts of snacks are both travel-friendly and nutritious? Many of the to-go go-tos that come to mind, such as energy bars, power gels, and yogurts or puddings, are excellent choices in theory, but the conventional versions often come with artificial additives and excess sugar (not to mention the non-recyclable packaging) that make them less appealing to a health-conscious traveler. Granola is another prime example of such snacks, but it’s super simple to create a version packed with organic goodness and flavor without an insane amount of sweetener.
Spicy, salty, crunchy, and lightly sweet, this granola recipe also tics all your top nutrition boxes. It layers the protein and healthy fats of nuts, seeds, and coconut onto the whole-grain energy of whole oats, and then ties it all together with the delicious flavors of a healthful chai tea-inspired spice palette. Cardamom, which shines through nicely in this blend, is considered a balancing tridoshic spice in Ayurveda and has traditionally been used to support healthful digestion (a handy trait for dealing with disruptions that often come with travel). Plus, it’s backpack- and airplane-friendly.
Make a big batch to fuel your next round of summer adventures—it will last for a month if stored in an airtight container, and you can freeze it for later, too!
Makes about 5 cups.
Ingredients
Directions
You may also enjoy:
Jana DiSanti is a marketing writer, editor, and strategist who holds a Master of Business Administration with an emphasis in Sustainability. She has also earned a bachelor's degree in psychology and enjoys exploring techniques that help people change their everyday behaviors to make better use of our precious environmental resources. She's spent her career promoting businesses that strive to better the world, and she loves how passionately her Pacific Northwest community supports that mission! She firmly believes that rethinking our food systems is essential for worldwide human and ecological health, and she is thrilled to help support Mountain Rose Herbs in providing responsibly sourced herbal offerings to its customers. Off-work hours will find her hiking, camping, and mushroom-hunting in Oregon's wild areas, volunteering at her local farmer’s market, or cooking, gardening, and corralling chickens at home.
