Road Tripping Canada: Sustainable Travel & Snacks That Keep the Journey Sweet

Now, let’s be real. Nobody’s here to become a zero-waste hermit on vacation — I don’t have the energy to churn my own butter either. But keeping our travels a little kinder to the places we’re exploring? That we can do. And honestly, it doesn’t take much to make a difference. A little smarter packing here, a reusable bottle there, and suddenly you’re leaving more good vibes and fewer empty chip bags behind.

And since this is Canada, land of winding coastal highways, mountain passes, and Prairies that stretch longer than your cousin’s fishing stories, road tripping is basically a national pastime. Which means one thing: snacks. Good ones. Preferably mess-free, sustainable, and delicious.

So here’s your guide to travelling lighter on the planet — and heavier on the snacks.

Packing & Gear

• Laundry strips
  Tiny strips, big impact. Tru Earth (Canadian company!) makes laundry strips that clean your clothes without heavy jugs or leaks in your bag. Toss a couple in a pouch and you’re golden. I love these so much they’re my regular laundry wash at home. BTW not sponsored, just obsessed.

• Reusable water bottles with filters
  Canada’s tap water is usually fantastic — unless you’re at that tiny fishing village your uncle swears has “the best cod on earth.” Bring a filter bottle and you’re good anywhere. Bonus: you save $4 every time you pass a gas-station cooler.

• Rewear & layer
  Pack fewer clothes, layer what you’ve got. You’re on a road trip, not Paris Fashion Week. Honestly, nobody cares if your toque makes it into every photo — that’s called consistency.

• Solid toiletries
  Bars instead of bottles = no plastic, last forever, and you won’t open your bag to find your shampoo tried BASE jumping mid-flight.

Transportation

• VIA Rail & bus routes
  Sure, road trips are iconic, but if you’re crossing provinces, VIA Rail is worth it. Vancouver to Jasper? Like a Windows screensaver come to life.

• Carpool & hybrid rentals
  Share the ride, split the gas, and avoid being that person who packed six coolers for a two-day trip.

Food & Dining on the Road

A great road trip snack isn’t just fuel — it’s part of the journey. Think: biting into a crisp apple while gazing over an Ontario lake, or tearing into fresh banana bread outside a Nova Scotia bakery. Food ties memory to place.

But here’s the trick: pack smart, pack sustainable.

• BYO container (clean, please)
  Collapsible silicone containers are perfect for leftovers. Just… rinse them first. Don’t hand over a mystery-smelling Tupperware to a restaurant.

• Farmers’ markets > grocery chains
  Local, fresh, often cheaper, and way more fun. Plus, no sad carrots that taste like fridge air. (Also, can we start a support group for people who always forget their reusable bags in the car?)

• Snack Ideas That Actually Work

  • Trail mix (nuts, seeds, dried fruit, and yes, some chocolate chips because we’re not animals).

  • Fresh fruit — apples, grapes, clementines.

  • Mini wraps or pinwheels (whole grain tortillas travel better than bread).

  • Veggie sticks + hummus (in that clean reusable container you remembered this time).

  • Jerky for protein.

  • Popcorn in a reusable bag — crunchy, shareable, perfect.

  • Cookies or muffins, because road trips deserve joy.

  • Chocolate… just don’t let it melt into dashboard fondue.

• Drinks
  Hydration = survival. Pack reusable bottles, refill along the way, or jazz it up with homemade iced tea or fruit-infused water in a thermos. Cheaper, tastier, less plastic.

• Pro Tip: Cooler bag
  Small cooler + reusable ice packs = wraps stay fresh, hummus stays chilled, fruit stays crisp. No need to buy endless plastic bags of ice.

Accommodations

• Green Key hotels or family-run inns
  Green Key hotels are graded for eco-friendliness, or better yet, stay at a local inn. Your money stays local, and you might wake up to homemade breakfast.

Mindset Tips

• Slow it down
  Instead of blitzing through five provinces in a week, linger longer. Less gas, more stories.

• Support Indigenous-owned tourism
  From Haida Gwaii tours to Inuit crafts, Indigenous-led experiences are rooted in land and culture — and they’re often the most meaningful part of the trip.

• Leave no trace
  Whether it’s a prairie picnic, a seaside snack, or lunch overlooking the Rockies, leave your spot as you found it (or cleaner). Keep a little bin or bag for waste and recycle whenever you can.

Snacks + Scenery = The Perfect Trip

Canada was built for road trips. From the Cabot Trail to the Icefields Parkway, every mile offers a view worth slowing down for. And when you’ve packed snacks that are tasty, easy, and sustainable, the journey becomes part of the adventure.

Because here, surrounded by mountains, oceans, forests, and skies that stretch forever, even peeling an orange or sharing trail mix can feel like a small celebration of Canada’s beauty.

So hit the road. Travel light. Snack smarter. And leave the chip bags behind.