The Best Airplane Snacks for Adults and Kids: Healthy & Easy

Packing snacks isn’t just about saving money. It’s about having food with you that will fill you up and that you’ll enjoy eating while spending hours sitting on a plane. It’s a bonus when the food you bring is also healthy. Airport kiosks often sell high-sodium, sugary, or greasy options, and in-flight food can be hit or miss, if there’s even any available at all. But when you bring your own plane snacks, you don’t have to search out healthy options or try to figure out how to stay satisfied throughout the flight. You’ll have everything you need to snack happily and healthfully as you travel the friendly skies.

Although there aren’t specific snacks made just for adults or kids, taste preferences can often differ. The best adult-friendly snacks include a mix of protein, fiber, and healthy fats. This combo helps you stay satisfied longer and prevents that mid-flight energy crash. Here are some good plane snacks to satisfy adult palettes that are easy to take with you.

Convenient store-bought snacks:

• Single-serve packs of almonds, walnuts, or pistachios
• Roasted chickpeas for a crunchy, plant-based protein boost
• Whole-grain crackers or rice cakes paired with shelf-stable cheese
• Protein bars
• Dried fruit without added sugar, such as apricots, raisins, or mango slices

Plane snacks you can easily make at home:

• Trail mix with nuts, seeds, dried fruit, and a sprinkle of dark chocolate chips
• Carrots, cucumber slices, or bell pepper sticks with a small container of homemade hummus
• Whole-grain sandwiches or wraps like this chicken spinach wrap
• Overnight oats in a leak-proof jar with fruit and chia seeds
• No-bake energy balls made with oats, nut butter, and protein powder

Kids love snacks that are tasty and fun to eat. As a parent, you’ll want to pack snacks for them that are healthy and not too messy. A mix of familiar favorites can keep them happy and well-fueled, especially if you have a long flight or layover.

Kid-friendly store-bought snacks:

• Whole-grain cereal bars or mini granola bars
• Apple chips or freeze-dried strawberries and bananas
• String cheese or individually wrapped cheese cubes
• Mini rice cakes or whole-grain pretzels
• Fruit puree pouches (sealed and TSA-friendly)

Kid-friendly snacks to bring from home:

• Banana or pumpkin muffins
• Fruit skewers with grapes, melon, and berries
• Apple slices drizzled with peanut butter and chocolate
• Easy-to-eat healthy turkey wraps
• Crunchy sweet potato chips

Creating a snack box for the plane makes it easy to have a variety of food on hand for short and long flights. Kids especially love knowing they have their own box of snacks when flying. You don’t need anything fancy to make an airplane snack box. Just use a sturdy container with compartments or a lunch box. You can also put snacks in small resealable bags to keep everything fresh and then place the small bags in a larger bag to keep everything together.

A well-stocked snack box might include:

• Nuts, dried fruit, and whole-grain crackers
• Mini muffins or sandwiches cut into bite-sized pieces
• Veggie sticks and fresh fruit
• A reusable water bottle (filled after security)
• A napkin, wet wipes, and a small fork or spoon

Traveling with a selection of snacks offers variety so you can choose what you’re in the mood for throughout your journey.

If you have a long flight or a layover, you’ll want to bring food with you that has some staying power, to help keep you feeling full longer. Focus on foods that have a mix of protein, fiber, and healthy fats instead of simple carbs and sugar. Also keep in mind that if you’re bringing food that needs to be kept cold, you’ll need a small cooler bag with an ice pack to make sure the food stays safe to eat throughout your travels. When possible, it’s best to bring non-perishable snacks so you don’t have to worry about them spoiling if they’ve been sitting out for too long.

Most solid foods are fine to bring through security, but there are a few foods that are not very plane-friendly, such as:

• Soup, protein drinks, yogurt, or juice (TSA may count these as liquids, which would limit quantities to 3.4 ounces)
• Foods with strong smells, like some cheeses, hard-boiled eggs, or tuna fish
• Items that can spill easily if not packed well

The only issues you’ll have with TSA rules when it comes to food brought through security are that any foods considered to be a liquid or gel are limited to 3.4 ounces. There’s an exception for items like baby formula and food, as well as toddler drinks and puree pouches. These items may need to be screened separately and should be packed in quart-sized clear plastic bags. For more information about what you can and cannot bring through airport security, check out these TSA guidelines for airplane snacks, food, and drinks.