Travel snacks are not everyday eats. They don’t have to be sensible – they can be unabashedly indulgent and nostalgic and even a little odd.

Still, good travel snacks have a very specific brief to fulfil. They need to be quick and tasty, easy to access, durable, portable and relatively mess-free. They need to get you out of bed when there’s a long drive ahead of you, provide comfort when your flight’s inevitably delayed, and have the capacity to be eaten one-handed on the highway – hopefully without covering yourself in sauce or crumbs.

Looking for inspiration for your next journey? We asked 19 chefs about their favourite travel snacks, and they gave us plenty to chew on.

Responses have been edited for length and clarity

Josh Gardiner, co-founder of Pep

Travel snacks should at all times be free hits, holidaying from judgement (your own or anyone else’s). On foot, it’s an ice-cold can (and can only) of Coke with a quality mince and cheese pie – a classic combo that’s as much a part of me (a Kiwi) as the hand that feeds it. Provocation: I don’t believe in putting tomato sauce on a pie, the gravy is the sauce.

In the car, it’s a bag of Mission cheesy nachos corn chips, and I will definitely dip nuggets in a sweet and sour sauce pack cradled in the centre console. For any dawn starts, a Bacon and Egg McMuffin is a certainty. (This includes trips to the airport for drop-off/pick-up, which are to be considered domestic travel.)

In the air, I love Mainland cheese and cracker packs. Plane food can be hit or miss, but these land every time.

Nornie Bero, founder of Mabu Mabu

Service station dim sims are hands down my favourite travel snack. They’re hot, salty, a little bit greasy – everything you want when you’ve been on the road for hours. I reckon I fell in love with them years ago on road trips up and down the coast, when the servo stop was as much about the dimmies as it was about fuel. They’re not fancy, but they fill you up, you can eat them one-handed in the car, and they always hit the spot. For me, they taste like adventure. I never drive past a country servo without grabbing a couple.

Tomoya Kawasaki, owner of Chotto Motto

I always take onigiri rice balls when I go surfing and camping. They have everything inside that you need – it’s like harmony in your mouth. They’re a famous snack in Japan, and you can use leftover rice and food from last night’s dinner so there’s no waste. My mum used to make them every day for my lunch box at school. I eat them all the time when I’m busy and there’s no time for a sit-down lunch. I just grab onigiri and jump in the car. It’s all in there: rice, meat, fish, pickles and veggies.

Emelia Jackson, cookbook author and Masterchef winner

My all-time favourite travel snack is a secret I usually don’t tell anyone. It’s basic, there’s not a single thing about it that could be considered healthy, and it’s readily available on our drives down to the Mornington Peninsula: Macca’s! More specifically, a chicken burger.

There’s no other time I eat it other than at truck stops on the road. It’s pure nostalgia for me – it was my childhood burger choice, perfect for travel because you can indulge, judgement-free, from the safety of your car. For true gluttony, don’t forget to wash it all down with a full-sugar Coke. Oh, and while you’re in the servo, you may as well pick up a bag of Maltesers – got to finish with a sweetie treaty.

Junda Khoo, owner of Ho Jiak

My snack choice would be preserved salted fruits – peach in particular. It’s something I used to love as a kid and I still love it today because Amah (Grandma) used to give it to me as a treat. Great for travel because it’s got both sugar and salt, it gives energy, it’s dry so it’s not messy, and most importantly it’s addictive.

Helly Raichura, cookbook author and owner of Enter Via Laundry

I love this Indian snack called ratlami sev that is peppery and spicy. I have never tried making it, but I do buy a specific brand called Haldiram. It’s nice and zingy and stays well at room temperature, so makes it a perfect snack. Sometimes I even sprinkle the sev on top of buttered bread – trust me it is very delicious!

Troy Bernadus, head chef at The Lucky Prawn

My favourite travel snack would have to be Cheetos cheese and bacon balls. They make a quick, easy snack for in the car, at the park, watching a movie (or the news) or with mates having a drink. It’s great junk food. Don’t care if it’s good – it’s delicious.

Raymond Tan, founder of Raya and Dua

A Sausage and Egg McMuffin with hashbrown is the ultimate satisfying breakfast-slash-snack. Warm, savoury, convenient and nostalgic. Designed for one-hand eating, it’s perfect for road trips. It won’t weigh you down like a big meal, but it keeps you awake and going. Plus, you can grab it on the way without slowing down your journey. Over time it’s become a little ritual for me: whenever I’m off on a long car ride, grabbing a McMuffin feels like the proper way to start. The last time I did this was just last month on a drive to Adelaide.

Nutritionally it may not be the best, but mentally I think it’s great. There’s comfort in the familiarity, and that’s worth it to me.

Jess Liemantara, dessert whiz and Masterchef alum

Whenever I travel, my go-to snacks are always the same: a pack of HBAF honey butter almonds, a full bag of Red Rock Deli honey soy chicken chips, and a rich Boost chocolate bar. I can never pick just one, so I bring all three.

What ties them together is what I love most in a snack: texture, bold flavour and that addictive “can’t stop” quality. Each has a satisfying crunch, is packed with flavour, and never lasts more than a day. They’re far from healthy, but they take me back to my childhood, rewarding myself after long weekends working at my parents’ restaurant and binge-watching 14 seasons of NCIS. It was my little treat, and it still is.

Ellie Studd, one half of the Studd Siblings cheese duo

I’m doing two because I feel passionately about snacks. The first is a bag of Pat’s organic coconut rolls (vanilla flavour). Crunch factor: excellent. Sweetness: Goldilocks, not too sweet. Ingredients: clean/healthy. A grown-up version of the ’90s wafer biscuits. One-hander, minimal crumb carnage – perfect for toddlers and mums.

The second is a Krakus Polish dill pickle, wrapped in foil. Crunchy, dill-loaded, salty and not too sweet. My pickle obsession started young: sitting on my grandad’s knee we would eat pickles and rollmops, and my mum used to open the jar in the supermarket and feed them to me sitting in the trolley. Plus, add some triangled Comte or cheddar!

Lennox Hastie, owner and chef of Gildas and Firedoor

There’s something beautifully simple and deeply satisfying about good potato chips and thinly sliced jamon iberico. The contrast of the crisp, salty chips with the silky, savoury jamon is both indulgent and grounding – a kind of travel luxury I never tire of. It’s easy to eat with one hand, and it feels like a real moment of simple pleasure whether in transit or as a go-to snack for a picnic with friends.

I first threw them together out of desperation whilst waiting for a flight back from the Canary Islands and it’s stuck with me ever since. Unapologetically salty, absolutely not “health food”, and all the better for it. Now we often serve them at Gildas for Golden Hour as the perfect partner to a Dirty Martini.

Mike Russell, co-founder of Baker Bleu

The sourdough base of our Baker Bleu pizza is super tasty and full of flavour. With seasonal toppings and a mix of cheeses, it’s a great snack on the go. I’m usually on the road during the day, going between the bakeries, meetings, on the way to the airport, so I usually pick up a slice somewhere in between. It’s the perfect shape for a one-handed driving snack. My personal favourite is the braised greens pizza with stracciatella and lemon.

Analiese Gregory, Michelin-trained chef and host of A Girl’s Guide to Hunting, Fishing and Wild Cooking

My go-to snack is chips! Something about the salty crunchy hit works really well for travel. I do this thing called “chip of the trip” where I try to buy chips from the area or region [I’m visiting] in interesting flavour combinations. We rate them on texture, crispiness and flavour realisation then vote on a winner. This works exceptionally well in Japan and France where the chips are next level.

Alice Zaslavsky, cookbook author and host of A Bite To Eat with Alice

If I could nosh on one snack non-stop, it would be dried mango! It’s sweet but still savoury and tangy; chewy enough to make you feel like you’re working for it, but still conveniently easy to pack. My favourite brand is Gin Gin & Dry, which I came across in an amazing independent grocer outside of Bunbury, on our way from Perth to Margaret River.

I usually gnaw on a few slices during school drop-off, and pop some in a snap-lock for a longer train or plane trip. I also have some in my bag whenever we take our daughter to any kind of performance, because she’ll turn to me half an hour in and say, “I’m hungry”. Out comes the mango!

Jason Barratt, executive chef at Supernormal Brisbane and Bar Miette

My usual travel snack is a couple of tins of Ortiz anchovies and a fresh baguette. Not for one-hand eating, but for pulling in somewhere nice, lifting the boot, opening the tin, tearing the baguette up and laying the anchovies on top, then drizzling with oil from the tin.

Callum Hann, Masterchef alum and owner of Roma, Olive and Sprout Cooking School

My all-time favourite car snacks are bougie-as: mini cheese board in a lunch box container, or oysters from the Coffin Bay oyster vending machine when you’re on a road trip here in SA. My wife and I are big believers that you may as well eat well when you’re driving – it doesn’t have to be fried food from the servo!

Something we always have with the cheese is a nostalgic favourite from my childhood – good quality dried apricots. It’s imperative you get them from a small business – the plump flavourless imported supermarket ones have got nothing on the chewy sweet flavour bombs you get locally. There are a few businesses that do them in the Barossa where I grew up, and I think most Barossa people do the same as me! They last forever, don’t need refrigeration, are clean to eat in the car (although with kids I forever have wet wipes at hand anyway) and the perfect one-hand snack.

And now, three recipes for topnotch road-trip popcorn...

Jo Barrett, zero-waste chef, cookbook author and co-founder of Wildpie

I love Dave’s popcorn. Dave is my partner and this was the first thing he made for me shortly after we met. He talked himself up with the seasoning spice mix, however he wasn’t wrong – it’s delicious. I have changed the recipe slightly and the popcorn is popped in beef tallow which adds a whole new depth and flavour. This is a really handy on-the-go snack and a must-have for any road trip or adventure. It’s cheap, super easy and a healthier option over the petrol station snack section. We also make the spice mix and take it camping so we can make a batch over the fire.

Dave’s popcorn

Ingredients

3 tbsp beef tallow

½ cup popping corn

½ tsp salt

1 tsp Massel vegetable stock powder

1 tsp smoked paprika

½ tsp ground cumin

pinch of cayenne pepper

Method

Start by preparing the spice mix. In a small bowl, combine the salt, stock powder, smoked paprika, ground cumin and cayenne pepper. Mix well and set it aside so it’s ready to go as soon as the popcorn is finished popping.

Heat a large, heavy-bottomed pot with a lid over medium heat. Add the beef tallow and let it melt completely, coating the bottom of the pot. Pour in the popcorn, cover the pot and shake it gently to ensure the kernels are evenly coated and distributed.

As the popcorn begins to pop, continue to shake the pot occasionally to prevent burning and help the unpopped kernels settle to the bottom. Once the popping slows down to just a few seconds between pops, remove the pot from the heat to avoid overcooking.

Transfer the hot popcorn to a large bowl. While it’s still warm, sprinkle the prepared spice mix over the top. Toss the popcorn evenly to coat each piece. Serve immediately and enjoy.

John Rivera, co-founder of Kariton Sorbetes and culinary director at Askal

Our favourite snack to carry along to a long road trip is a homemade batch of freshly popped popcorn. My family absolutely loves popcorn but we found that the supermarket microwave stuff never quite hits the spot like the ones at the movies, so we like to make it ourselves – it’s so easy!

What I’ll usually do is heat up a good amount of ghee in a wide pot and chuck in some dried popcorn kernels – within a couple of minutes you’ll hear the soothing percussion of exploding maize perfectly and generously coated in a beautiful buttery sheen.

From here, you can take the traditional approach and season your popcorn with some sea salt, but this is the perfect opportunity to spruce it up a bit with even more flavour. Ras el hanout is a welcome addition, or maybe try some Cajun spice!

My favourite flavouring right now for popcorn is this ma la tang-inspired togarashi that I accidentally stumbled into making at Askal for a staff meal. It’s super addictive – not only does it add a numbing and fiery kick to your popcorn (which is perfect to keep you awake on long straight roads) but it’s a very versatile seasoning that you can add to meat and vegetables for extra oomph.

“Ma la tang” togarashi

Ingredients

4 dried red chilli, deseeded

2 dried chipotle, deseeded

2 dried guajillo, deseeded

2 dried ancho, deseeded

1 tsp red Sichuan peppercorn

1 tsp green Sichuan peppercorn

½ tsp dried lemon zest

½ tsp dried orange zest

2 tsp white sesame seeds, toasted

2 tsp black sesame seeds, toasted

¼ tsp sea salt flakes

Method

Zest your orange and lemon with a Microplane (or on the finest teeth of your grater) and allow to dry on a tray lined with baking paper. It doesn’t have to be fully dehydrated to start this recipe as it will continue to dry out once you make the mix.

Using a pair of scissors, snip off the stems of the dried chillies and discard the seeds. Cut the chillies into rough 4cm lengths. In a dry frying pan, toast the chillies over medium high heat, tossing frequently, until they are fragrant. Remove from the pan and set aside to cool.

In the same pan, toast the Sichuan peppercorns until fragrant. Remove from the pan and set aside to cool with the chillies.

In a spice grinder or blender (or with a mortar and pestle), blend the toasted chillies and peppercorns until fine. Transfer to a mixing bowl and combine with the zest, sesame seeds and salt.

Store in an airtight container before sprinkling on your popcorn.

Kane Pollard, co-owner of Topiary and culinary director at Ondeen

I love making my own popcorn and re-living the nostalgia of eating what seemed like the ultimate savoury treat as a kid. I don’t think any of the pre-made versions of today come close to it being made fresh, with real butter. This recipe has been a long-term favourite, best enjoyed on the road, with a full day of endless possibilities ahead.

Salty buttery popcorn

Makes around one XL movie size bucket.

Ingredients

25g olive oil

25g butter

100g popping corn

75g butter

½ tsp good fine salt

Method

In a large pot, add the olive oil, butter and popping corn. Place on a medium heat with the lid or a tray covering the top of the pot. Shimmy the pot every 10 seconds throughout the whole cooking process to keep the corn moving, making sure your pot stays on the heat.

The corn will begin to pop slowly, gaining pace as the heat builds. Once you hear the popping slow right down, remove from the heat. Pour the popcorn into a large mixing bowl.

Add butter into the hotpot and allow to melt on a low heat. Drizzle the melted butter across the surface of the popcorn, then toss or stir to combine. Sprinkle half the salt across the surface of the buttered popcorn, toss or stir, then add the other half. Toss or stir well, serve warm.

This story is part of Broadsheet’s special Aussie Travel Issue , presented by Up, exploring uncommon escapes and remarkable stays close to home.