You can be tempted to get your hands on a packet full of wafers or biscuits on a road trip. But try gorging on dry fruits or some packed veggies with a dip for the journey.

All it takes is a little planning ahead, and you can easily avoid the convenience store staples like chips, soda and candy, which are little more than empty calories. Just as you would pack an overnight bag with your must-have items from home, plan your road-trip snack-pack before you hit the highway.

Taking control and ensuring that you boost nutrition while travelling can go a long way in ensuring you’re neither tired nor cranky upon arriving at your destination.

Here are some interesting travel snacks which you can munch on to keep your travel snacking light and healthy, according to Del Monte, which offers a range of healthy snacks such as dried cranberries, apricots and prunes:

* Bite-sized dry fruits: Pep up your boring snacking options with loads of dried fruits like prunes, apricots and dates, which are nutritious energy boosters. Dried fruits are some of the healthiest alternatives to refined sugar, while also adequately satisfying a craving for sweets. Eating dried fruits while travelling is a great way to get the needed vitamins and nutrients.

* Trail mix: This is an easy-to-make snacking option which you can store in an air-tight container while on the move. Combine raw nuts and seeds, and dried cranberries for a basic trail mix. Give it a glint of sweetness with dark chocolate chips, or if you want something with both crunch and spice, try adding wasabi peas. And don’t forget the trail mix classic: raisins and peanuts. Change that up a bit, by mixing 2 tablespoons of dried cranberries and 1 tablespoon of peanuts and you have a single-serving, 100-calorie snack!

* Pack pre-prepped veggies: Carrots, celery sticks, broccoli florets with mayonnaise dip. Raw, pre-washed and prepped vegetables are snacks you can always feel good about. Some road trip-friendly choices include cherry tomatoes, snack-sized or baby carrots, broccoli florets, celery sticks and snap peas, but any of your favourite vegetables will stay fresh when sliced and stored in an insulated cooler. Add mayonnaise as a dip and you’ll also add good fats to keep your hunger low and energy level high, while on your travel schedule.

* Yogurt with Granola bars: Crumble granola bars into a yogurt cup for a sweet and crunchy snack. Travel with pre-packaged bars and yogurt cups to combine together the goodness of both, while on the go. Overall, this is an easily portable and healthy snacking option, which is effective for controlling your sweet cravings while on the go.

* Apple Juice: Soda’s high levels of refined sugar and empty calories have been linked to obesity, among other conditions and illnesses. So, you can tingle your taste buds with a healthy and refreshing beverage alternative like 100 percent Apple juice. Packed with Vitamin C, fiber and anti-oxidants, it’s both a healthy and delicious way to keep your energy up while traveling.

BDST: 1657HRS, Nov-15, 2014