Memorial Day weekend is 10 days away. If you’re driving anywhere — beach, lake, family — these are the 19 TJ snacks we’d stash in the cooler bag (or the dashboard glove box, when the cooler bag is already full).
Every one of these holds up to a 6-hour drive without melting, going stale, or staining the seats. Crunchy, sturdy, shareable.
1. Trek Mix
$4.99 (pantry shelf)
Nutritional Facts
Serving size: 1/3 cup (30g) | Serves about 4
- Calories: 150
- Total Fat: 11 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.5 g
- Monounsaturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
- Sodium: 210 mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 13 g
- Dietary Fiber: less than 1g
- Total Sugars: 1 g
- Includes: 0 g Added Sugars
- Protein: 2 g
- Vitamin D: 0.2 mcg
- Calcium: 10 mg
- Iron: 0.7 mg
- Potassium: 150 mg
The TJ flagship trail mix — almonds, cashews, raisins, cranberries, and a few chocolate chunks. Big bag, eats well by the handful, holds for the whole trip without going stale.
Taste Notes
Balanced sweet-salty-crunchy with a good ratio of nuts to dried fruit. The chocolate stays solid in the bag (cooler bag temperature) and adds enough sweetness to feel like a treat.
Serving Ideas
- Portion into snack bags one per person per day so nobody fights over the chocolate chunks.
- Stir into vanilla yogurt at the hotel for a quick crunch breakfast.
- Top a green salad with a handful for unexpected sweet-savory crunch.
2. Elevated Mixed Nuts
$5.99 (pantry shelf)
Nutritional Facts
Nutritional info coming soon — check the package, or reply with your label photo and we will add it.
Roasted cashews, almonds, pistachios, and Marcona almonds in one elegant bag. The road-trip snack you can pull out at a friend’s barbecue and not feel embarrassed about.
Taste Notes
Buttery roasted, lightly salted — the Marconas bring the surprise note. Texture is properly crunchy without being too oily on the fingers.
Serving Ideas
- Stir into Greek yogurt with honey for a 4pm reset at the hotel.
- Top a cheese plate instead of crackers when you’re hosting on vacation.
- Snack straight from the bag keep small portions to avoid the ‘whole bag in one sitting’ trap.
3. Vegetable Root Chips
$3.49 (pantry shelf)
Nutritional Facts
Serving size: 1 oz (28g per 14 Chips) | Serves about 8
- Calories: 140
- Total Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
- Sodium: 85 mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 19 g
- Dietary Fiber: 2 g
- Total Sugars: 2 g
- Includes: 0 g Added Sugars
- Protein: less than 1 g
- Vitamin D: 0.0 mcg
- Calcium: 30 mg
- Iron: 0.3 mg
- Potassium: 280 mg
Beet, taro, parsnip, and sweet potato chips in one bag. The ‘real’ alternative to potato chips — earthier, more interesting, and they don’t go stale fast.
Taste Notes
Crunchier than potato chips, with sweet root vegetable notes (especially the beet). Less greasy. Salty enough but not overwhelming.
Serving Ideas
- Scoop with hummus or tzatziki for an upgraded chip-and-dip combo.
- Crumble over a salad for crunch instead of croutons.
- Pair with a sharp cheddar unexpected sweet-savory cheese-board moment.
4. Plantain Chips
$2.99 (pantry shelf)
Nutritional Facts
Serving size: 1 oz (28g/about 12 chips | Serves about 5
- Calories: 140
- Total Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
- Sodium: 0 mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 20 g
- Dietary Fiber: 1 g
- Total Sugars: 7 g
- Includes: 0 g Added Sugars
- Protein: less than 1 g
- Vitamin D: 0.0 mcg
- Calcium: 0 mg
- Iron: 0.3 mg
- Potassium: 210 mg
Salty-sweet, big-crunch plantain chips that hold up to bagging, packing, and a long car ride. Bigger flavor than potato chips, no melting risk.
Taste Notes
Crunchier than tortilla chips, less greasy than potato chips. Lightly sweet from the plantain itself, finished with sea salt. The crunch holds even after the bag has been open a few days.
Serving Ideas
- Scoop with hummus or guacamole more interesting than tortilla chips.
- Crumble over a salad for crunch instead of croutons.
- Use as a tropical garnish on coconut curry or Cuban rice bowls.
5. Snacky Clusters
$3.99 (pantry shelf)
Nutritional Facts
Serving size: 1oz (30g/ about 4 pieces) | Serves 8
- Calories: 160
- Total Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Cholesterol: less than 5 mg
- Sodium: 80 mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 19 g
- Dietary Fiber: less than 1 g
- Total Sugars: 11 g
- Includes: 9 g Added Sugars
- Protein: 2 g
- Vitamin D: 0.0 mcg
- Calcium: 40 mg
- Iron: 0.7 mg
- Potassium: 110 mg
Sweet-salty puffed clusters — pretzel + corn cereal + a maple-y glaze. The TJ answer to Chex Mix Sweet-and-Salty, in a bag that won’t spill in the car.
Taste Notes
Sweet upfront, salty middle, with a satisfying clustered crunch. Good ratio of pretzel to corn-puff to nut. Not greasy, no broken bits.
Serving Ideas
- Pack in individual cups so each person gets a handful without rationing.
- Mix into a kid’s lunch alongside grapes and a string cheese.
- Top vanilla ice cream for a quick post-dinner sundae at the hotel.
6. Almond Butter Filled Pretzel Nuggets
$3.99 (pantry shelf)
Nutritional Facts
Serving size: 8 pieces (31g) | Serves about 11
- Calories: 140
- Total Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
- Sodium: 240 mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 19 g
- Dietary Fiber: 2 g
- Total Sugars: 4 g
- Includes: 3 g Added Sugars
- Protein: 4 g
- Vitamin D: 0 mcg
- Calcium: 30 mg
- Iron: 1.2 mg
- Potassium: 100 mg
Bite-sized pretzel nuggets stuffed with creamy almond butter. The road-trip snack that hits the salty-sweet button without leaving any mess.
Taste Notes
Crispy pretzel exterior, creamy nut-butter middle. Salt level is right; the almond butter is unexpectedly smooth, not gritty. Texture stays crisp for the whole bag.
Serving Ideas
- Snack straight from the bag perfect bite-sized for a car driver.
- Dip in chocolate sauce for an after-dinner treat at the hotel.
- Crush over Greek yogurt instead of granola for a salty-sweet breakfast.
7. Hazelnut Bamba
$1.99 (pantry shelf)
Nutritional Facts
Serving size: 1 oz (28g/about 20 pieces) | Serves 3
- Calories: 150
- Total Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
- Sodium: 50 mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 17 g
- Dietary Fiber: 1 g
- Total Sugars: 7 g
- Includes: 6 g Added Sugars
- Protein: 3 g
- Vitamin D: 0 mcg
- Calcium: 30 mg
- Iron: 0.4 mg
- Potassium: 80 mg
Israeli puffed peanut snack — Bamba is the original. The hazelnut version takes it sweet, almost like a savory Nutella in puff form. Cult favorite that travels well.
Taste Notes
Light, airy puffs with a roasted-hazelnut sweetness. The texture is between a Cheeto and a styrofoam packing peanut (in a good way). Mildly sweet, slightly salty.
Serving Ideas
- Open a bag for the back seat kids and adults both demolish it.
- Sprinkle over yogurt with chopped chocolate for an unexpected dessert.
- Pair with TJ dark chocolate the salt-sweet combo on a road trip is rare and excellent.
8. ABC Bars (Almond Butter Chocolate)
$3.99 (pantry shelf, 6-pack)
Nutritional Facts
Nutritional info coming soon — check the package, or reply with your label photo and we will add it.
Almond Butter + Chocolate + Chia bars — six per pack. The TJ riff on the RX/Bobo bar category at a third of the price.
Taste Notes
Dense, chewy, peanut-butter-cup-adjacent flavor. The chia keeps them from feeling overly sweet. Holds shape in a hot car without melting (mostly).
Serving Ideas
- Stash one in each bag pocket road-trip insurance against hangry meltdowns.
- Cut into thirds for kid-friendly portions.
- Crumble over yogurt for a quick hotel breakfast topping.
9. Dark Chocolate Covered Pretzels
$3.99 (pantry shelf)
Nutritional Facts
Serving size: about 5 pretzels (28 g) | Serves 12
- Calories: 140
- Total Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
- Sodium: 160 mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 19 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Sugars: 9 g
- Includes: 9 g Added Sugars
- Protein: 2 g
- Vitamin D: 0 mcg
- Calcium: 10 mg
- Iron: 1.4 mg
- Potassium: 100 mg
Mini twisted pretzels coated in dark chocolate. The sweet-salty combo at near-perfection, priced at $3.99 for a generous tub. Holds in a cooler bag.
Taste Notes
Crunchy pretzel with a clean dark-chocolate coating — not waxy, not overly sweet. The salt + cocoa pairing is universal crowd-pleaser energy.
Serving Ideas
- Tub-on-tableside at a friend’s hotel room — disappears in 20 minutes.
- Crumble over vanilla ice cream for an instant sundae topping.
- Pack into a kid’s snack box mixed with carrots + cheese for the contrast.
10. Dark Chocolate Coffee Buzz Bar
$1.99 (pantry shelf)
Nutritional Facts
Serving size: 1 bar (25g) | Serves 4
- Calories: 130
- Total Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
- Sodium: 0 mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 10 g
- Dietary Fiber: 3 g
- Total Sugars: 8 g
- Includes: 7 g Added Sugars
- Protein: 2 g
- Vitamin D: 0.0 mcg
- Calcium: 60 mg
- Iron: 0.9 mg
- Potassium: 200 mg
A dark chocolate bar with crushed espresso beans baked in. The road-trip caffeine hit for the front-seat driver who doesn’t want another gas-station coffee.
Taste Notes
Dark, slightly bitter, with real espresso crunch through the chocolate. The caffeine kick is gentle — closer to one espresso shot than a Red Bull. Not overly sweet.
Serving Ideas
- Half a bar before a long highway stretch the dark chocolate caffeine combo is steadier than coffee.
- Break into squares for a road-trip-friendly format that doesn’t require unwrapping mid-drive.
- Pair with TJ cold brew when you really need the wake-up.
11. Dark Chocolate Covered Pistachios
$3.99 (pantry shelf)
Nutritional Facts
Serving size: 1/4 cup (30g) | Serves about 6
- Calories: 160
- Total Fat: 11 g
- Saturated Fat: 4.0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
- Sodium: 80 mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 14 g
- Dietary Fiber: 2 g
- Total Sugars: 10 g
- Includes: 9 g Added Sugars
- Protein: 4 g
- Vitamin D: 0.0 mcg
- Calcium: 20 mg
- Iron: 1.7 mg
- Potassium: 180 mg
Roasted pistachios coated in dark chocolate. The fanciest road-trip snack on this list — and the one that disappears fastest.
Taste Notes
Salty pistachio inside, slightly bitter dark chocolate outside. The size makes for a satisfying bite-by-bite snacking rhythm.
Serving Ideas
- Pour into a small cup for the passenger to dispense one-at-a-time on long drives.
- Top a small bowl of vanilla ice cream for a 10-second hotel dessert.
- Crush over Greek yogurt mixed with honey for a salty-sweet breakfast bowl.
12. Pita Bite Crackers
$2.49 (pantry shelf)
Nutritional Facts
Serving size: 11 crackers (30 g) | Serves about 6
- Calories: 130
- Total Fat: 4.0 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 20 g
- Dietary Fiber: less than 1 g
- Total Sugars: less than 1 g
- Includes: 0 g Added Sugars
- Protein: 3 g
- Vitamin D: 0.0 mcg
- Calcium: 10 mg
- Iron: 1.3 mg
- Potassium: 40 mg
Small round pita-style crackers — crispy, lightly salty, perfectly bite-sized for hummus or any spread.
Taste Notes
Crunchy pita texture, mild olive oil and sea salt finish. Don’t crumble in the bag. Pair with anything dippable.
Serving Ideas
- Pack in a small zip-top bag with TJ hummus for a road-stop snack.
- Top with goat cheese + fig jam for an upgraded picnic appetizer.
- Crumble into a salad instead of croutons.
13. Norwegian Sourdough Rye Chips
$2.99 (pantry shelf)
Nutritional Facts
Serving size: 10 pieces (30g) | Serves about 4
- Calories: 150
- Total Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
- Sodium: 140 mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 14 g
- Dietary Fiber: 3 g
- Total Sugars: 1 g
- Includes: 0 g Added Sugars
- Protein: 3 g
- Vitamin D: 0.0 mcg
- Calcium: 10 mg
- Iron: 0.6 mg
- Potassium: 110 mg
Thin, crunchy, slightly sourdough-tangy rye chips. The TJ snack you didn’t know existed and now can’t drive without.
Taste Notes
Properly rye-forward, slightly tangy, with a satisfying snap. Less salty than potato chips, more interesting than crackers. Holds up in a bag.
Serving Ideas
- Top with goat cheese + honey for the fancy hotel-room appetizer.
- Crumble over a salad for crunch.
- Snack with butter and salt Scandinavian-style — surprisingly good.
14. Perfect Bars
$2.49 (refrigerated, single bar)
Nutritional Facts
Nutritional info coming soon — check the package, or reply with your label photo and we will add it.
High-protein, refrigerated-aisle bars — peanut butter, cashew, and a handful of flavors. Made with whole-food ingredients, dense and satisfying, not chalky like protein bars.
Taste Notes
Soft, dense, nut-butter-forward. The texture is almost like a no-bake protein cookie. Different from any pantry-shelf bar.
Serving Ideas
- Pack on ice needs refrigeration — works in a cooler for 1-2 days.
- Eat between hotel meals real protein, real filling.
- Half is a meal portion accordingly.
15. Ketchup Flavored Lattice Potato Chips
$2.49 (pantry shelf)
Nutritional Facts
Serving size: 1 oz (28g/about 13 chips) | Serves 7
- Calories: 140
- Total Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
- Sodium: 220 mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 17 g
- Dietary Fiber: 1 g
- Total Sugars: 1 g
- Includes: 1 g Added Sugars
- Protein: 2 g
- Vitamin D: 0.0 mcg
- Calcium: 0 mg
- Iron: 0.4 mg
- Potassium: 420 mg
The lattice-cut potato chip with a sweet-tangy ketchup flavor. Canadian-snack-aisle hit, now at TJ, and surprisingly good.
Taste Notes
Crunchy, lattice-textured, tangy-sweet from the ketchup powder. Better balanced than you’d expect — not aggressive, more like a barbecue chip with tomato notes.
Serving Ideas
- Pair with sandwiches the classic ketchup-on-the-side flavor without the actual sauce.
- Crush over a baked potato for a quick texture-flavor boost.
- Snack from the bag on a long drive — the lattice texture is satisfying.
16. Freeze Dried Cherries
$3.49 (pantry shelf)
Nutritional Facts
Serving size: 1 package (34g) | Serves 1
- Calories: 130
- Total Fat: 0 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
- Sodium: 5 mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 32 g
- Dietary Fiber: less than 1 g
- Total Sugars: 21 g
- Includes: 0 g Added Sugars
- Protein: 1 g
- Vitamin D: 0.0 mcg
- Calcium: 20 mg
- Iron: 0.4 mg
- Potassium: 160 mg
Crunchy freeze-dried cherries — concentrated cherry flavor in a feather-light package. Healthier than gummies, more interesting than raisins.
Taste Notes
Crunchy-airy texture, intensely cherry-sweet, no chewy stickiness. The flavor is more concentrated than fresh cherries — like cherry candy that’s actually fruit.
Serving Ideas
- Stir into Greek yogurt with granola for a quick breakfast bowl.
- Crush into cookie dough or oatmeal cookie batter for a sweet pop.
- Snack from the bag on a long drive — kid-friendly.
17. Fruit Leather Wraps
$2.99 (pantry shelf)
Nutritional Facts
Serving size: 1 bar (14g) | Serves 1
- Calories: 45
- Total Fat: 0 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
- Sodium: 30 mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 11 g
- Dietary Fiber: less than 1g
- Total Sugars: 10 g
- Includes: 4 g Added Sugars
- Protein: 0 g
- Vitamin D: 0.0 mcg
- Calcium: 0 mg
- Iron: 0.1 mg
- Potassium: 100 mg
The fruit roll-up adult version — strawberry, raspberry, mango leathers made from real fruit purée. Sticky-sweet, kid-magnetic.
Taste Notes
Sweet, slightly chewy, real fruit flavor. Less artificial-sweet than mainstream fruit-roll-ups. The flavor varies by fruit — strawberry is the crowd favorite.
Serving Ideas
- Pack one per kid per day into the snack rotation.
- Stir into oatmeal torn into strips for a sweet hit.
- Use as a dessert topping over vanilla yogurt with chopped fresh fruit.
18. Dried Apricots
$3.99 (pantry shelf)
Nutritional Facts
Serving size: 1 bag (40g) | Serves 1
- Calories: 160
- Total Fat: 0 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
- Sodium: 0 mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 35 g
- Dietary Fiber: 5 g
- Total Sugars: 24 g
- Includes: 0 g Added Sugars
- Protein: 2 g
- Vitamin D: 0.0 mcg
- Calcium: 90 mg
- Iron: 1.2 mg
- Potassium: 600 mg
Plump, chewy, sweet-tart dried apricots. The TJ version is moister and more flavorful than mainstream brands.
Taste Notes
Sweet-tart, properly plump (not papery), with a real apricot brightness. Chew is satisfying without being tough.
Serving Ideas
- Snack with almonds for a balanced 4pm energy bite.
- Stir into yogurt or oatmeal for a sweet-tart breakfast hit.
- Pair with sharp cheddar unexpected cheese-and-fruit board moment.
19. Seedless Raisins
$2.49 (pantry shelf)
Nutritional Facts
Serving size: 1/4 cup | Serves about 11
- Calories: 300
- Total Fat: 0 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
- Sodium: 25 mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 79 g
- Dietary Fiber: 5 g
- Total Sugars: 65 g
- Added Sugars: 0 g Added Sugars
- Protein: 3 g
- Vitamin D: 0.0 mcg
- Calcium: 60 mg
- Iron: 1.8 mg
- Potassium: 740 mg
The pantry staple. TJ’s organic Thompson raisins are plumper and more flavorful than the box-brand competition.
Taste Notes
Sweet, chewy, slightly tangy. Properly plump, not dried-out. The kind of pantry snack you forget about until you’re 100 miles from a gas station and pull a handful out of the glove box.
Serving Ideas
- Add to a Trek Mix supplement when you want more chew and less chocolate.
- Stir into oatmeal with cinnamon for a quick hotel breakfast.
- Snack with sharp cheddar cheese-and-raisin pairing is criminally underrated.
The road trip cart-builder
If you’re packing for a family of four for one weekend, start with these five: Elevated Mixed Nuts, Plantain Chips, Trek Mix, Dark Chocolate Coffee Buzz Bars, and Hazelnut Bamba. That’s the snack quartet that covers crunch + protein + sweet + something interesting, for under $20 total.
What’s your road-trip snack you can’t drive without? Reply and tell us — we’ll feature reader picks in next month’s pre-vacation roundup.
