Favorite Snacks to Bring on a Plane, From Frequent Trader Joe’s Shopper

2025-08-09T11:13:01Z

I travel once a month for work, and I’ve come to rely on Trader Joe’s for the best in-flight snacks.
I think the perfect plane snack is mess-free, odorless, and has some nutritional value.
Some of my favorites include peanut butter crispy-rice bites and freeze-dried strawberries.

As someone who flies at least once a month for business, I’ve learned that packing the right plane snacks is essential.

In my opinion, the perfect plane snack is mess-free, doesn’t have a strong smell, and offers some nutritional value. I’ve found that many of the snacks at Trader Joe’s check all of these boxes.

I like to switch things up for each trip, packing a mix of sweet and salty options to help me power through long delays or missed meals.

Here are 12 of my go-to Trader Joe’s snacks for traveling.

The Citterio salami and cheese packs feel like a mini charcuterie board.

The Citterio salami and cheese packs from Trader Joe’s are perfect for in between meals.

Jill Robbins

I think of these little Citterio snack packs as portable charcuterie boards. Although they need to be refrigerated, they’re fine for short trips in an insulated snack pouch.

They’re packed with protein, so I like to bring one along for flights that don’t offer meal service.

Trader Joe’s dark-chocolate bar with almonds has a nice crunch.

A hand holding Trader Joe's dark chocolate bar with almonds. — I like the added protein from the Trader Joe’s dark-chocolate bar with almonds.

Jill Robbins

Trader Joe’s dark-chocolate bar with almonds is made with 73% cacao, so it’s a must-try for those who love darker, slightly bitter chocolate.

There’s also a version without almonds, but I prefer this one for the crunch and extra protein.

The dark-chocolate caramels are the perfect sweet treat.

A hand holding a bag of Trader Joe's dark chocolate covered caramels. — I put a few of Trader Joe’s dark-chocolate-covered caramels in a bag.

Jill Robbins

These rich dark-chocolate-covered caramels are perfect for when I’m craving a tiny sweet treat.

I stash a few in a Ziplock bag instead of taking the whole pouch, otherwise, I’d probably eat them all.

Trader Joe’s peanut butter crispy rice bites are the perfect size.

Trader Joe's peanut butter crispy rice bites on display on a shelf. — I love Trader Joe’s peanut butter crispy rice bites.

Jill Robbins

I like Trader Joe’s peanut butter crispy rice bites even better than name-brand Rice Krispy treats. They’re the perfect size for a quick sugar fix on the go.

In my opinion, they have just the right balance of flavors — there’s not too much peanut butter, and the marshmallow flavor isn’t overwhelming.

These dark-chocolate almond-butter cups are a twist on a classic snack.

Trader Joe's dark chocolate almond butter cups on display on a shelf. — Trader Joe’s dark-chocolate almond-butter cups are perfect for sharing.

Jill Robbins

Trader Joe’s dark-chocolate almond-butter cups come individually wrapped, making them perfect for snacking or sharing.

They offer an elevated twist on traditional milk-chocolate peanut-butter cups and have a dollop of creamy almond butter in the center.

Trader Joe’s milk-chocolate peanut-butter pretzels are one of my favorite snacks.

Trader Joe's chocolate covered pretzels on display on a shelf. — I recommend Trader Joe’s milk-chocolate-covered peanut-butter pretzels.

Jill Robbins

This is hands down one of my all-time favorite snacks. Trader Joe’s also sells regular peanut-butter-filled pretzels, which are very good, but the sweet milk-chocolate coating on these takes them to the next level.

The PB&J and PB&C cups are like snack-sized sandwiches.

Trader Joe's PB&C and PB&J snack duos on display. — Trader Joe’s peanut butter snack duos meet the TSA’s liquid and gel requirements.

Jill Robbins

The Trader Joe’s peanut butter snack duos are great for kids.

The chocolate version (PB&C) pairs a cocoa-creme-filled wafer stick with a creamy peanut butter dip, and the jelly version (PB&J) includes a peanut butter wafer with a raspberry dip.

Both come in small, travel-friendly portions that meet the TSA’s liquid and gel requirements.

Chili-and-lime rolled corn tortilla chips make a great tangy treat.

Trader Joe's chili and lime rolled corn tortilla chips on display in the store. — I like the shape of the Trader Joe’s chili-and-lime rolled corn tortilla chips.

Jill Robbins

These chili-and-lime chips are the perfect salty snack with a kick. The rolled shape makes them great for travel since they don’t break easily.

When I’m craving something savory, Trader Joe’s mini everything bagel sandwiches hit the spot.

A box of Trader Joe's mini everything bagel sandwich crackers on display. — Trader Joe’s mini everything bagel sandwich crackers are a twist on a deli favorite.

Jill Robbins

I can’t get enough of Trader Joe’s mini everything bagel sandwich crackers. They’re buttery and savory, with a dollop of tangy cream cheese in between seasoned crackers.

I love the variety in the Many Things snack mix.

Bags of Trader Joe's Many Things snack mix on display. — Trader Joe’s Many Things snack mix packs bold flavors.

Jill Robbins

The Trader Joe’s Many Things snack mix is packed with a blend of sweet and spicy flavors.

The mix includes everything from mini pretzels and bread crisps to honey-roasted peanuts and cereal squares.

Freeze-dried strawberries are a great mess-free snack.

Trader Joe's freeze-dried strawberries on display. — Trader Joe’s freeze-dried strawberries are made with just one ingredient.

Jill Robbins

Trader Joe’s has a nice selection of freeze-dried fruit, but these strawberries are my favorite.

They have a nice crunch, and since strawberries are the only ingredient, I feel good snacking on them.

Trader Joe’s fruit leather buttons are easy to toss in a bag.

Trader Joe's organic fruit leather buttons on display. — Trader Joe’s fruit leather buttons are easy to snack on.

Jill Robbins

These fruit leather buttons come attached to paper for easy snacking — just peel them off and enjoy.

They come in three flavors and are great for younger kids or anyone needing a quick and convenient treat.

Click to keep reading Trader Joe’s diaries like this one.

Source link

ReadNOW