Shopping List for Travel: Travel Friendly Meals
Old Sean’s Mobile Shopping List
The following is my regular shopping list for travel. Specifically, this list is used when I’m rapidly moving from location to location, such as during hikes or tours.
The list below has foods which tend to travel well, are easy to pack and can be eaten with minimal preparation. The items on this list are easy to find in a wide range of countries, making quick trips to the market, grocery store, bazaar or convenience store easy.
All these goods are fairly light, easy to buy and convenient to carry around in a backpack. They can be consumed without preparation anywhere. These goods can generally be bought at almost any market, shop or store in the world.
Affiliate Disclosure: Leftfade Trails contains affiliate links, so using services or products through these links supports the website, at no extra cost to the user. All links are to tested services and products designed to aid travelers on their journeys. Some links specifically connect to Amazon. As an Amazon Associate this website earns from qualifying purchases.
Supplementing My Shopping Lists
Often, this core shopping list is supplemented foods that are locally cheap and fresh. For example, I often buy soaked pineapple sticks in Chongqing, China or fresh coconuts in Guatamala.
I use the app Listonic for my shopping list, but virtually any list app works fine.
Shopping List
Dry Snack Goods
- Almonds
- Raisins
- Unsalted Peanuts
- Dried Berries
- Seaweed
- Veggie Chips
- Cashews
- Crackers
Sturdy Fruit and Veggies (can be packed and carried between locations)
- Bell Peppers
- Apples
- Avocados
- Broccoli
- Grapefruits
- Lemons
- Oranges
- Parsnips
- Peaches
- Carrots
Non-Refrigerated Meat
- Dried Berries
- Seaweed
- Veggie Chips
- Canned Salmon
- Canned Tuna
- Eggs (hard boiled)
Sandwich-and-Wrap Ingredients
- Sugar Free Almond Butter
- Sugar Free Peanut Butter
- Honey
- Spicy Mustard
- Bread
- Flatbread
Spice Kit
I travel with a sealed pillbox. This lets me pinch out some flavors and sprinkle them on meals and snacks. It also means I don’t have to buy a new set of spices for every place I visit.
- Salt
- Black Pepper
- Paprika
- Cumin
- Ginger
- Mint Leaves
Food on the Road
I generally try to bring food on planes, trains and long bus rides. This can provide something to eat in case there are delays. It also tends to save a lot of money, since airport and station restaurants are expensive.
Again, this list is specifically what I carry in my backpack when hiking or traveling from point A to B.
For extended stays (longer than three days in one location) I follow a different shopping list for travel. It can be found by clicking here.
Enjoy your food while traveling. Remember, eating out while exploring is a part of the travel experience. But keeping snacks and meals on hand to save money and stay nourished is important as well.
Best regards and excellent trails,
Old Sean
Want to read about all the odd places food can be taken? Read about firsthand travel experiences at Leftfade Trails Blog Posts
Favorite Day Bag Option
Most of the food I carry around during my explorations fit in my day bag. My absolute favorite day bag option is the Skog Å Kust DrySåk Waterproof Floating Dry Bag. It’s an incredibly useful piece of equipment since it’s tough, easy to pack, watertight, pickpocket-proof and can be taken swimming. When I’m bringing meals around town, this is the bag which carries them.
Favorite Cooking Gear
While a big part of traveling involves eating out, I still spend a lot of my time cooking my own meals to save money or learn new recipes. My cooking pot of choice is the Fire-Maple 1L Hard Anodized Aluminum Pot. It’s light, sturdy, works for camping and stovetops and cleans easily. I prefer this cooking pot since it’s rather narrow and tall, meaning it easily lays down in my backpack and can be used as a mug in mornings. (I need my morning hot chocolate during treks.) While traveling, I this pot with a pair of screw-together chopsticks I picked up from an Asian market. Overall, it’s an extremely lightweight travel-cooking system.