Suitable for Slimming World snacks for a car journey
If you are going out for the day or away for a few days and have a long car journey we all want snacks, don’t we? What are your favourite snacks for a car journey? Do you enjoy snacks which aren’t on here?
The above pyramid shares the UK’s favourite snacks for a car journey. I must say I disagree with some! Read more about their research here.
Who on earth put Liquorice Allsorts above Skittles??
Healthy snacks don’t have to mean boring
One of the biggest challenges of a long car journey isn’t the driving – it’s the constant temptation to snack.
Whether you’re heading off on holiday, driving to see family or spending hours travelling for work, sitting in the car can make you want to eat simply because you’re bored. I know I’ve been there. Before I lost weight, a road trip often meant grabbing a giant bag of sweets at the petrol station before we’d even left.
These days I still enjoy snacks on a journey, but I try to choose things that will actually keep me satisfied rather than having me rummaging around for another packet half an hour later.
The good news is that you don’t have to avoid snacks altogether. A little planning can make a huge difference.
Why we snack more in the car
Have you ever noticed that you can happily drive for three hours without feeling hungry, but as soon as someone opens a bag of sweets, suddenly everyone wants some?
A lot of car snacking is driven by habit rather than hunger. Long journeys can be monotonous, and eating gives us something to do. If you’re travelling with children, snacks can also become part of the entertainment!
I’ve found that taking snacks I’ve chosen in advance helps me avoid buying expensive impulse purchases at motorway services. Research and nutrition experts also recommend planning snacks ahead of road trips, choosing foods that provide protein or fibre to help you stay satisfied for longer.
My favourite healthier snacks for a car journey
There are so many options beyond sweets and crisps.
Some of the snacks I regularly take include:
- Grapes
- Apple slices
- Baby carrots
- Cucumber sticks
- Hard-boiled eggs
- Cherry tomatoes
- Homemade snack boxes
- Popcorn
- Roasted chickpeas
- Greek yoghurt (with a cool bag)
- Light Babybel
- Lean chicken slices
- Protein yoghurts
- Sugar-free sweets for a treat
When I know I’m going to be in the car for several hours, I try to include at least one snack that’s rich in protein because I find it keeps me full much longer than sugary snacks alone. Protein-rich foods such as eggs, cheese, jerky and yoghurt are commonly recommended as satisfying road-trip snacks.
Slimming World-friendly travel tips
When I followed Slimming World, I quickly realised that motorway services could become a danger zone.
If I arrived hungry, I’d often end up buying something simply because it was there rather than because I really wanted it.
Packing snacks before leaving made life much easier.
Some ideas include:
- Fresh fruit.
- Boiled eggs.
- Homemade hummus with vegetable sticks.
- Chicken pieces.
- Fat-free yoghurt in a cool bag.
- Air-popped popcorn.
- Low Swip cereal bars if you want something sweet.
Planning ahead is one of the simplest ways to stay on track without feeling deprived. Slimming World also encourages choosing filling foods and planning snacks in advance rather than relying on impulse purchases.
Unofficial Slimming World syn values for these favourite snacks for a car journey
God-Tier snacks for a car journey
Werther’s originals are usually 1 syn each for the original butter candies (1.5 if they have the filling, though) or around 1.5 each for the creamy toffees or soft caramels. Swapping to the sugar-free version saves quite a few syns with the original candies for half a syn and the toffees for 1 syn each. It doesn’t sound much, but when you are eating a few, it soon adds up.
Wine Gums are around 1 syn each, whatever the brand, so a whole bagful will soon add up.
Starburst are another sweet that comes in at around one syn each.
Scotch eggs are definitely the highest syn snack in the God tier with mini scotch eggs at around 2.5 syns each and standard ones at a whopping 14 syns. I guess it depends on how many you munch though as they are more filling than the sweets.
Top-Tier snacks for a car journey
Maltesers are full of air, so they have to be healthy, right? For 25g of Maltesers, you will use around 6.5 syns.
Crisps can be so high in syns, especially if you get a grab bag with Walkers’ grab bags at around 12.5 syns for Cheese and Onion. They are so easy to munch through, too, aren’t they?
Carrot sticks and hummus can actually be syn free if you make your own hummus.
Hard-boiled eggs are another syn-free snack, so great for snacks for a car journey.
Mid-Tier snacks for a car journey
Mentos in a tube is probably the best, easy-to-measure way of enjoying them, as a 38g tube is around 7.5 syns. If you buy a 180g bag, you will soon eat them all, and at around 5 syns for every 25g, it will blow your allowance! Fruit Mentos usually have the same syn values. Why not swap for Mentos White peppermint gum? It lasts longer, and you can have 5 pellets for half a syn!
Fruit-tella is another snack to enjoy from a tube to avoid overeating them. A 41g tube is 8 syns. A great swap here would be the 10% less sugar version, at half a syn per sweet. Fruit-tella sugar-free fruit foams are 8 syns for a whole 80g pack.
Liquorice Allsorts are a syn each sweet too. If you are a big liquorice fan, perhaps buying a small pack would be best to keep within your syn allowance. The ones I found at B&M were good on syns.
Sausage Rolls and pasties are probably the least healthy snack you could have in the car. A great alternative would be cocktail sausages. or cut up cooked sausages. Check out the different choices here.
Oreos come in so wide a variety now, with most being around 2.5 syns each, but the double creme version being around 3.5 syns. A simple swap to the Oreo thins as snacks for a car journey could soon add up, saving you a lot of syns as they are just around 1.5 syns each.
Lower-Tier snacks for the car
Flipz chocolate pretzels are not my cup of tea but if you like them a 100g pack is 24 syns!
Chopped fruit is, of course, syn-free on Slimming World and a great snack. I particularly love to snack on seedless grapes in the car.
Skittles, why are they so far down the pyramid? I love Skittles! If you want to limit the amount of syns you use on them, then the best option is the small 18g bag for 3.5 syns approx.
Pepperami isn’t too bad on syns at 4 syns for a 22.5g sausage, approx, unless it is the Firestick version, which is 4.5 syns approx.
Don’t forget drinks
Sometimes what feels like hunger is actually thirst.
I always try to keep a large bottle of water in the car and refill it whenever we stop. Sugar-free squash, sparkling water and diet fizzy drinks can also help break up a long journey if plain water isn’t your favourite.
If you’re stopping for coffee, remember those speciality coffees can soon add up in calories, so it might be worth checking the menu before ordering.
Snacks aren’t the enemy
One thing I’ve learned over the years is that there’s nothing wrong with enjoying snacks on a road trip.
For me, holidays and days out are there to be enjoyed, and I’m certainly not going to pretend I never eat sweets in the car.
The difference now is that I choose them rather than eating whatever happens to be available. Sometimes I’ll pack mostly healthier snacks and still include a little chocolate because that’s what I actually fancy.
Healthy eating isn’t about perfection. It’s about making choices that leave you feeling good while still enjoying the journey.
Other ways to make a long journey healthier
Food isn’t the only thing worth thinking about.
If you’re driving for several hours, try to:
- Stop every couple of hours to stretch your legs.
- Walk around while refuelling.
- Drink plenty of water.
- Avoid eating simply because you’re bored.
- Keep healthy snacks within easy reach and treats tucked away until you genuinely want them.
Little habits like these can make a surprisingly big difference to how you feel when you arrive.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best snacks for a long car journey?
I like taking a mixture of protein, fruit and a small treat. Hard-boiled eggs, grapes, popcorn, carrots, yoghurt and nuts (if suitable for everyone travelling) are all good options because they’re filling and easy to pack.
How do I stop eating out of boredom in the car?
Planning your snacks before you leave helps enormously. I also find chewing sugar-free gum, drinking water and stopping for a short walk at service stations makes a big difference.
What snacks don’t need refrigeration?
Fruit, popcorn, roasted chickpeas, crackers, cereal bars and many individually wrapped snacks travel well without a cool bag. If you’re taking dairy or meat products, use an insulated cool bag with ice packs.
Are motorway service stations good for healthy food?
They’re much better than they used to be. Most now offer fruit, salads, yoghurt and sandwiches alongside the traditional sweets and crisps, although bringing your own snacks is usually cheaper and gives you more control over your choices.
What are the best Slimming World snacks for travelling?
Fresh fruit, boiled eggs, vegetable sticks, chicken pieces, homemade snack boxes and other filling foods are all practical choices. If you’re following Slimming World, always check the latest official guidance, as Swip values can change over time.
More Slimming World snack ideas
There are lots of tasty snacks you can have, which are either syn-free or low in syns. If you have not found anything above to take your fancy, then do check out these lists.
Snack ideas that are usually syn free
What are your favourite snacks? Are they on here?
