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Airplane-Friendly Snacks for Your Next Long Flight

Nut butter, a granola bar, and a bowl of quinoa
Justin’s Nut Butter/CLIF Bar/Kitchen & Love

Not everyone knows that you can bring your own snacks onboard when you fly. And as long as liquids don’t exceed 3.4 ounces or 100 milliliters, you can bring those, as well. While not every snack is exactly airplane-friendly, many will really hit the spot when you get hangry on your next long flight.

Of course, if you’re bringing your own snacks on a plane, it’s also important to be considerate of others. It’s extremely close quarters, so avoid smelly foods (don’t punish your seatmates with the stench of a tuna sandwich) or anything super messy. All of the snacks on our list are extremely portable, unscented, and easy to eat without distracting or annoying anyone.

Mixed Nuts

A bag of mixed nuts
Happy Belly

Nuts make a perfect snack and have the added bonus of healthy fats to keep you energized during your flight. Most are also low in carbs, so many people who are doing the keto thing or just watching their weight snack on nuts daily. A bag of mixed nuts contains a variety of flavors and textures to satisfy your hunger on a long flight.

Just be sure to check with your seatmates first and make sure no one has a nut allergy before you tear into these. Generally, if anyone on your flight has a severe nut allergy, a flight attendant will let everyone know, but it’s still a good idea to double-check.

Happy Belly Deluxe Mixed Nuts

The perfect crunchy, salty in-flight snack.

Almond Butter Squeeze Packs

A packet of almond butter next to toast
Justin’s Nut Butter

If you don’t enjoy raw or salted nuts, a nut butter is a good alternative. These almond butter squeeze packs are small enough to get through airport security and easy to eat without making a mess.

Almond butter also provides healthy fats and can be eaten with pretzels, carrot sticks, and more. You can also enjoy the squeeze packet plain. Again, just double-check with those around you to make sure no one is allergic.

Justin's Maple Almond Butter Squeeze Packs

Eat it plain or spread it on crackers.

Protein Bars

Three CLIF Bars.
CLIF Bar

Airline snacks tend to be chips, crackers, or cookies, none of which contain much protein. If you get hungry on a flight, you probably need a snack that contains more than empty carbs.

CLIF Bars makes some of the best-tasting protein bars on the market. They also contain 10 grams of protein per serving, so pack a bunch so the whole family can benefit. This variety pack is sure to have a flavor combo everyone will like.

CLIF BARS

Tasty and nutritious.

Fruit Bars

A package of fruit bars
That’s it.

We’re not against eating candy on a plane; it’s just that everyone is pretty passionate about what their fave candy is. This makes it kind of difficult to recommend just one overall.

However, it’s true that a sugar high won’t make you feel very good on a long flight. If you’d rather indulge your sweet tooth in a way that’s a bit healthier, these fruit bars make an excellent alternative. Fruit is the only ingredient in each, and you’ll also get plenty of fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

Triscuits

A woman eats a Triscuit cracker
Triscuit

Crackers are another fairly common airline food, but they make great packable snacks, as well. Triscuits aren’t as crumbly as other brands, making them a better choice for parents flying with kids.

Made with whole grains and a mild, yet tasty, flavor, Triscuits also make a perfect base for hummus or cheese. You’ll get a balanced snack that’ll keep you satisfied until you land and can get a full meal.

Popcorn

Two bags of popcorn
Smartfood

Is “snackability” a word? If not, it should be, and popcorn would be the definition! Popcorn makes a great snack for practically any occasion, including a long trip overseas.

This variety pack includes three flavors: kettle corn, movie theater butter, and white cheddar. Bring several bags for your travel party and avoid spending a fortune on this snack at the airport. Plus, what could be a better snack while watching the in-flight movies than popcorn?

Smartfood Popcorn Variety Pack

The perfect thing to munch on while watching movies or reading.

Dried Fruit

A bowl of dried fruit and someone holds dried fruit
Traina

Like the fruit bars above, any sort of dried fruit is nice to have on hand while traveling. It satisfies your sugar craving without the sugar high and inevitable crash you’d get from candy. It also contains fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

This two-pound bag contains dried peaches, cranberries, apricots, pears, nectarines, and raisins. The variety will keep everyone’s taste buds singing.

Ready-to-Eat Meals

A quinoa bowl on a desk
Kitchen & Love

If you’re not a fan of the meals provided by airlines (who is?), pack your own! While you can absolutely cook something ahead of time and pack it in your carry-on, that’s just one more thing to worry about before your big flight.

Instead, pack one of these ready-to-eat vegetarian meals. Because they don’t contain any meat, they don’t have to be refrigerated or reheated before eating, which makes them perfect for travel. With several flavors to choose from, you’re sure to find one that you’ll enjoy far more than the in-flight selections.

Kitchen & Love Cooked Quinoa Meal

Skip the airplane meal and bring your own.


Whenever you fly, you might just eat whatever the airline offers or deal with a grumbling, hungry stomach. But you don’t have to! You can bring your own snacks (and even meals) onboard. Hopefully, some of our suggestions have inspired you to pack foods you’ll actually enjoy on your next long flight.

Anne Taylor Anne Taylor
Anne Taylor is a writer with a BA in Journalism and a passion for storytelling. Her work has been published on a variety of websites including Mental Floss and Well + Good, and she recently published her first novel, What it Takes to Lose. When she's not writing, Anne loves to travel (19 countries and counting), spend time outside, and play with her dog, Pepper. Read Full Bio »
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