A Celiac's Favorite Gluten Free Sweet and Salty Snacks for Summer Travel

I received free samples of some of the gluten free products listed below (in particular, the products from Fit Joy, Fruit Bliss, Handfull, Norti, and Erbology). However, all views and opinions are my own - and I only feature products I really love!

I don’t know about you, but I’ve been doing a decent amount of gluten free travel this summer...and that means I’ve needed all the gluten free snacks to get me through many plane trips and car rides.

Thankfully, finding gluten free snacks in airports or gas stations is way easier than it used to be. Heck, I found a (much-needed) vegan, soy-free and gluten free protein shake by Owyn at the Minneapolis airport. But I’ll always advocate bringing your own snacks - not only in case of emergency shortages but also to save a lot of money during your travels.

That’s why I thought I’d round up some of my favorite gluten free snacks for summer travel. In particular, I’m focusing on the new sweet and salty snacks that have blown my mind (and taste buds) away recently. Some of these snacks were won in Instagram giveaways while others were sent for me to sample or are just favorites I buy on my own. But regardless of how I got them, all the gluten free snackage featured in this post is verrry delicious. ;)

So if you’re looking for a yummy gluten free snack (with many of these also being vegan, nut free and allergy friendly) that is perfect for traveling, I got you covered! Let’s dig right on in...

1. Squeaky Pops's Chickpea Chips

I won these chips in a giveaway and immediately loved that they were made of chickpeas and offer a little more protein than the typical gluten free chip. They come in three flavors: cheddar cheese, white cheddar and apple cinnamon.

Because I don’t do well with a ton of dairy, I only had a few bags of the cheesy chips before giving them to friends. I loved how light and crunchy the chips were, though, and the cheese coating was present without being overwhelming. But the apple spice flavor? Oh my golly goodness!! These gluten free chips seriously taste like apple pie in a super light chip form. The cinnamon coating is sweet but not sugary, and I can easily polish off one of the singe-serving bags with yogurt and fruit as a night snack.

2. Fruit Bliss Fruit and Nut Bites

If you like gluten free snack bars but never finish a bar in one sitting, you’ll love these mini fruit and nut bites from Fruit Bliss. They remind me a bit of Lara bars (check out this post for some of my favorite gluten free snack bars) but denser. I’ll admit that I wish these were just a little sweeter or chewier, but I do love the unique flavor combinations, ranging from Apricots + Dates + Hazelnuts to Tart Cherries + Dates + Hazelnuts + Cacao Nibs. Plus, it’s great that simple, whole ingredients like dried fruit, nuts and rice flour are used to make each bite, and that the bag is resealable so you can snack at your own pace and save any leftover bites. (And if you love snacking on just dried fruit...Fruit Bliss's dried figs, dates and other fruits and veggies are some of the best I've ever tried, both in terms of soft texture and intense flavor!)

3. Grain-free and Veggie-packed Pretzels

More of a salty snacker? Then you’ll love the new brands of unique gluten free pretzels that have hit the market. FitJoy’s new grain free pretzels are made of cassava flour and are also dairy free and plant-based. Now, I haven't had a "traditional" pretzel since my celiac disease diagnosis six years ago, but I don't notice any big differences between a "regular" pretzel and FitJoy's. They also recently changed up their recipe to make the pretzels even lighter and crunchier, which are always good things in my book.

Meanwhile, if you're trying to boost your veggie intake, From the Ground Up Snacks' pretzels take hidden veggies to a whole new level since their pretzels (and other goodies, like crackers and chips) have vegetables like butternut squash and cauliflower in their ingredients list. I have heard from others that they didn't like the cauliflower undertones in the pretzels, but I personally didn't notice a strong veggie flavor and liked how light and crunchy the pretzels tasted. I don’t usually eat a lot of pretzels but I won a bundle from From the Ground Up on Instagram and have been loving these healthier gluten free pretzels with yogurt, berries or a smoothie and nut butter.

4. Enjoy Life Foods Protein Balls

In my opinion, the best gluten free snacks are the ones that taste like dessert but have healthy-ish ingredients, and Enjoy Life’s protein balls definitely fit that category. This is a semi-newer product of theirs (compared to cookies or snack bars), and every single flavor I’ve tried has been knock-it-outta-the-park yummy.

Each protein ball is made with ingredients like roasted sunflower and pumpkin seeds, fruit and rice protein and all are free of the top 14 food allergens. The vegan protein bites have a texture a bit denser than a traditional truffle or fudge, and I love the rich chocolate-based coating that covers most of them. Chocoholics...you're welcome for the snackin' recommendation ;).

5. Beanfields Chips

If you love chips but your tummy hates the corn that most chips are made of, Beanfields Chips will be your dream come true. These vegan and gluten free chips use beans as their base, which makes this snack higher in fiber, potassium and protein than the typical chip. My personal favorite flavor is Black Bean with Sea Salt, but you really can't go wrong with any flavor.

6. Effi Foods Chickpea Granola

"Effi" actually stands for "Eco Friendly Foods Initiative," and if their probiotic chickpea granola is what eco-friendly food of the future looks like, I'm all for it! This is another vegan treat I won in a giveaway, and when I first saw that one of the flavors was "Sweet Heat," I was dubious since I'm not a fan of spice (especially with sweets0. However, this heat is subtle and it just enhances the main chocolate flavors. I also love how crunchy the granola is, as well as how big the clusters are. The extra protein from chickpeas is an added bonus.

7. Even more trail mixes and granolas...

As I've shared before, gluten free trail mix is my go-to healthy snack. You can make your own trail mix at home (even by throwing in some popcorn, like in this recipe of mine) or you can take advantage of the many different allergy friendly trail mixes and granolas now sold in stores. There are tons of different options, so you can be sure to find a winner whether you're looking for something crunchy, chewy, sweet or savory. Besides Effi Foods', though, a few of my favorite store-bought trail mixes and granolas include:

• Enjoy Life Foods Beach Bash trail mix ('cause dried pineapple is my favorite!)
• Globe Trekker Trail Mix from Foods Alive (FYI - I'm an ambassador of theirs - but only because I honestly love their products.)
• Prana Organic's Kilimanjaro Deluxe Chocolate Trail Mix ('cause who can go wrong with chocolate?)
• Handfulls' Crrrunch Bites and Fusions (the Honey Mustard Almond flavor was my personal favorite, though I was also a sucker for the Denali Mountain Mix, since it's hard to find a certified gluten free trail mix featuring pecans). 
• Any of the gluten free trail mixes from Nuts.com (a great resource for finding gluten free nuts, seeds and baking ingredients)
• Erbology's super unique tigernut granola, which features organic ingredients like buckwheat, chia seeds and nopal cactus. This ain't your typical granola, but if you're looking for a superfood-packed, healthier alternative to what can be a very sugary snack, Erbology's granola is a tasty place to start.

8. Snack-sized Chocolate

After going around two years of not craving chocolate, my chocoholic nature has returned at full force. So whenever I travel, I always bring some chocolates with me for some emergency sweet tooth satisfaction. ;) I don't think I've ever met a gluten free chocolate I didn't like, but some of my favorite chocolate brands I've tried lately include:

• Enjoy Life Food's chocolate minis - especially their Rice Milk Crunch, which is a real treat since most "crunchy" chocolates aren't celiac safe. These are only around seasonally, so definitely snag a bag when you see them!
• Nib Mor's daily dose of dark chocolate. My favorite (and my mom's!) is the 80% cacao.
• Choc Zero's milk chocolate squares. These actually don't have any added sugar, thanks to monk fruit sweetener, and are low carb and soy free. They are also super creamy. (FYI - this chocolate does contain dairy, though the other chocolates I've listed here are dairy free).
• Norti's Protein Performance Chocolate Bar, which is the newest chocolate brand out of this favorites round-up. Why do I like it? It's actually high in protein, thanks to hemp protein, and packed with digestive enzymes and probiotics. I also love that's dairy free, refined sugar free and it seriously melts in your mouth. Norti also has a low-carb chocolate bar that is equally yummy. I just hope they become a lot more available and affordable in the US soon, since they are originally from Australia.

9. Single-serving Nut Butter Packs

Especially when I'm having a hard time getting in enough calories or protein while on the move, nut butters are my saving grace. I'm not a big fan of peanut butter (or to be specific, my stomach and skin aren't big fans of peanut butter), but I enjoy trying any and all gluten free nut butters besides peanut butter. Some of my favorites to take with me while traveling are single-serving/travel minis of Sunbutter (always an MVP!), Julie's Real almond butter and cashew butter (I'm an ambassador of theirs, FYI!), and Performance Nutrition's Cashew, Coconut and Macademia Nut Blend.

10. Homemade or Store-bought Energy Balls

If you've checked out my recipe page, you already know that I'm a fan of homemade "bliss balls" or "energy balls." You can make them low-sugar, high-protein, high-fiber - basically, whether your health and taste buds desire. Some of my favorite energy balls recipes include my Crunchy Caramel Apple Energy Balls and Chunky Banana Bread Energy Balls.

If you don't have time to make your own energy balls from scratch (which is definitely how I feel when I'm working and going to school full-time!), there are several companies that create gluten free bliss balls or protein bites. A few brands I've tried and enjoyed before are protein bites from Siren Snacks and Frooze Balls' bliss balls, as well as the protein balls from Enjoy Life Foods that I've already mentioned.

Bonus Tip for Traveling with Celiac Disease:

And in case you're wondering...yes, I do bring bags of these snacks with me while flying! I've brought entire bags or Ziploc bags of smaller amounts of pretzels, chocolates, etc. As with any food, you should make sure whatever snacks you bring with you while flying are TSA-friendly, especially if you want to keep your snacks in a carry-on bag. To make the security process even easier, I pack my snacks so that everything is in a few plastic bags that I can just grab out from my carry-on and place on the security belt to get scanned separately. 

And, of course, all of these snacks are just as delicious eaten on a long car drive or other modes of transportation. ;)

The Most Important Thang to Know About Summer Travel and a Gluten Free Diet

When you have celiac disease or need to follow a restricted diet, spending a little extra time and thought on the snacks you bring can make a big difference. After all, no one likes to be hangry and having some extra delicious gluten free snacks near at hand can make traveling with dietary restrictions less stressful and more enjoyable for everyone involved. Plus, it's a lot easier to not feel jealous of others' delicious, gluten-filled foods when you have some yummy chocolate or chips in your bag nearby. Heck. All of these snacks are so tasty, you might have a hard time keeping them all to yourself. ;)



What's your favorite snack to bring while traveling? Tell me in the comments!