TPG Staff Picks: Our Favorite Snacks to Bring Onboard
Any seasoned traveler knows a good snack can get you through a long day of flying. Whether you're trying to survive a long layover, a long-haul flight or day of Nor'easter cancellations, you can't go wrong munching on something yummy. While little can live up to the multi-course buffet in a premium airport lounge, instead of settling for a tasteless cup of coffee or airplane peanuts, we here at TPG don't mind packing some savory treats to keep us satiated during a flight.
Here are our favorite go-to snacks to pack or buy at the airport. After all, no one likes being hungry from 35,000 feet in the air.
Candy
"I gravitate toward artificial, sugary snacks such as Red Vines, Sour Patch Kids and M&Ms. They say your sense of taste is different in-flight, but I wish I could say these aren't some of my faves on the ground as well." — Sarah Silbert, Points and Miles Senior Editor
Nuts
"My in-flight snack is cashew or macadamia nuts and Dom Pérignon." — Brian Kelly, The Points Guy
Protein Bar
"I bring Primal Kitchen Chocolate Hazelnut Collagen Protein Bars onboard. They are high in protein, which keeps me full, but low in sugar and carbs (unlike most of the snack bars you buy at the airport or on planes). They also don't taste that good, so I eat them slowly (unlike a Kind or Cliff bar, which I demolish in one bite)." — Isabelle Raphael, Photo Editor
Crackers
"I usually try to eat ahead of time or bring my own food with me. I won't go anywhere without my GG crackers since they are filling and help me stay on track — even while traveling or on-the-go." — Samantha Rosen, Social Media Editor
Caviar
"I don't often buy food onboard, since I get free snack boxes or meals when flying coach as a United 1K, but my favorite in-flight item would have to be caviar. I don't even love the taste of caviar on its own, but with ice-cold vodka and all the fixings it's really hard to beat." — Zach Honig, Editor-at-Large
Ramen Noodles
"I am obsessed with soup and noodles, so I love traveling in and out of East Asia airports with their little magical kiosks of plenty. I usually stash away one or two ramen cup noodles in my bag for late-night snacks on long-haul flights. Shim Ramyun is a great default brand, but I also love sampling obscure Japanese and Korean flavors when available." — Katherine Fan, Freelance Writer
Flipz
"I wish I could say my favorite in-flight snack is something bougie or healthy even, but au contraire: my go-to snack is Flipz milk chocolate-covered pretzels. I don't buy much junk food day-to-day, so this is a real pre-vacation treat. They're just the right balance of salty and sweet, low maintenance and something that puts me in an out-of-office state of mind." — Jane Frye, Nights & Weekends Editor
Salad
"I don't have a particular snack, but I usually like to grab salad or something light so I'm not totally stuffed before I sit in a cramped economy seat for a few hours." — Brendan Dorsey, Associate Editor
Anything Healthy... Or M&M's
"My main criteria for picking an in-flight snack is that it doesn't smell too much (I don't want to annoy my seatmates or make them jealous). Plus, I like to eat/drink quickly — so I try to bring on a smoothie (if I can find one in an airport), or I'll try to find a healthy combo of snacks (almonds, fruit, string cheese) and go with that. If I'm feeling particularly undisciplined, I'm carrying on peanut M&M's." —Cindy Augustine, Lifestyle Editor
Granola Bar
"I've recently discovered Nature Valley's almond bars and I treat myself to one bar wherever I go. This snack satisfies my craving for something sweet or savory every time. The best part is that they're easy to pack and carry around." — Alexa Noel, Editorial Intern
Macadamia Nuts
"When I was a kid, my parents always used to buy a jar of macadamia nuts before a flight and we'd open them up once in the air to share between the four of us. I haven't done that in a while, but they were a great in-flight snack.... I should definitely bring that tradition back!" — Jeffrey Preis, Editorial Intern
Latte
"A delicious latte is always my go-to snack, but especially so when I'm traveling. I truly enjoy sitting back and relaxing in my seat with a good cup of coffee and a movie playing." — Lindsey Campbell, Social Media Director
Shrimp Ceviche
"Delta has a shrimp ceviche that's been appearing lately in its SkyClub lounges, and when I see it, I always have a second helping. And a third, and…" — Alberto Riva, Managing Editor
Hummus
"I'm completely addicted to hummus. When I can find the Sabra to-go cups with pretzel dippers in the airport, it's a good day!" — Jessica Puckett, Assistant News Editor
Photo by Shutterstock.com