Deciding on which food items to carry on a trip can get a little tricky, especially on a long journey. Be it munchies and snacks or full laid-out meals; it’s by no means an easy affair.
At the same time, we would never advise you to carry along many tiffin boxes. That’s especially true if you wish to maintain that waistline or save yourself from extra luggage. If that’s clear, we prepared for you a detailed article on the best long lasting food for journey.
There exists a diverse selection to choose from when it comes to food items. Thankfully, that makes it a lot easier to select long lasting food for journey. Ensure to check out this food for travelling recipes Indian while planning your trip.
Apart from selecting ready-to-eat food travel, consider looking at long lasting Indian food recipes. Focus more on long lasting food for journey that is healthy and nutritious.
These offer easy and simple menus that are healthy, thus making them an optimal food for travelling recipes Indian.
With these aspects in mind, let’s dive into our article on the best traveling foods.
Best Long Lasting Food for Journey
Passing through beautiful landscapes, one can find numerous railway station vendors or dhabas along the highway. But not everybody chooses to indulge in such amenities and would rather prepare long lasting food for journey.
Our article lists down Indian food to carry while travelling in train or a car. It also includes recipes that are sure to prepare you well for the entire trip.
Types of Food You Can Carry
Remember that if you’re going to prepare long lasting food for journey, get rid of the moisture. That is, whatever ingredients/vegetables you’ll use for the long lasting Indian food recipes, remove the water content. It’ll ensure that your vegetables remain fresh and crispy.
Dry Snacks
Murmura
If you’re someone who’s used to traveling by trains, waking up to “Garma garam chai. Chai chai…” is the usual. And nothing beats having dry snacks such as sev murmura along with your tea.
The recipe consists of kurmura and sev, both of which are among the top Indian favorites. It’s pretty easy and simple to make a dry snack. Or you can just buy a jar of the sev murmura. The jar won’t even take up that much space in your luggage.
You can make this already tasty snack even tastier by adding garlic moong or kala channa. These definitely will add more flavor to the murmura.
Bhel
Bhel is a famous Indian snack. If you’ve traveled anywhere in India, those stalls selling bhelpuri are hard to miss.
It contains fragrant Indian spices, crispy nuts, and crunchy veggies. If you like sprouts, you can even get for yourself the mixed sprouts bhel.
For sure, bhel is among the best traveling foods for being a refreshing snack item.
Chips
Chips are perhaps among the most common dry snacks when it comes to long lasting food for journey. The variety is plentiful, and the flavors even more abundant. These snacks are among the most common Indian foods to carry while travelling by train.
The Indian style and Chile Limon Lays are one of the most opted options and for good reasons. Chips offer a convenient and light way to fulfill our cravings on a train or car journey. In that regard, the following are a few more options:
Chopinz
Not many people know of the brand. Chopinz is a safe option if you want a quick snack while keeping healthy. The chips are vacuum fried.
You can finally binge on a potato snack without regretting it later. What better snack to carry on a long journey? These chips are 100% natural fruits and veggies baked (yes, not fried) by making use of a vacuum fryer.
If you’re into snacking on raw garlic, you’ll definitely love their Garlic chips.
Tubs
Tubs is another brand that people aren’t that familiar with.
That’s because Tubs uses chole, aka chickpeas or moong dal and rajama, to prepare their chips. The chips have minimal amounts of saturated fats but are rich in protein.
It makes for the perfect candidate ready to eat food for travel, especially on a long journey. You can snack without worrying about any adverse effects.
You can order flavors such as Rajma Smoky Barbecue, Chickpea Masala, Rajma Cheese, and so on.
Banana Chips
Banana chips, the ready to eat food for travel, offer a great alternative from the usual chips that most people go for. Nothing stands in comparison to banana chips when it comes to food for travelling in car. It’s also the best food for train journeys.
For sure, it’s among the top options when it comes to Indian food to carry while travelling in train.
The perfect chip to snack on between your meals, crunchy banana chips is available in various flavors. You can even order these online or purchase them in sealed packets, in case you don’t wish to buy the ones sold in loose. You can either go for the sweet flavor or the spicy, salted one.
The Kerala banana chips by the House Of Calicut are among the best traveling foods.
Chikkis
Chikkis make for an efficient snack while on long trips. The sweet and crispy Rajgira Chikki is among the favorites and is, for sure, a delightful treat. It’s made from jaggery and seeds of amaranth that are little and dainty.
Rajgira Chikki has a pleasant texture and rich taste. It combines the crunch and nutty taste of cashews and rustic texture of amaranth to jaggery’s sweet flavor. It’s a great ready to eat food for travel.
A dash of sprinkled salt and a hint of cardamom elevates the sweetness. That makes chikkis a perfect option as an Indian food to carry while travelling in train.
Aam papad
Calling the flavor profile of an aam papad complex would be an understatement. A childhood favorite of many, aam papad is a perfect blend of savory and sweet.
The snack’s made using the puree of a mango’s pulp. To imagine getting the wonderful flavor of a mango in a tiny snack is lip-smacking tasty.
Even though it’s not a food item, surely, Aam papad is among the best travelling foods. With limited space, it makes for the perfect food for travelling in car.
Bhujia
Bhujia in the form of a savory namkeen makes for an ideal Indian food to carry while travelling in train. Just buy a packet of the Haldiram’s Aloo Bhujia, stuff it in your bag, and you’re ready to go.
Aloo bhujia is a common snack that anyone can find in an Indian household. Made from flour (chickpea), it’s a deep-fried snack item. Just as the name suggests, it contains potatoes as one of its main ingredients.
On the train, all you need is a cup of tea and aloo bhujia to complete your evening snack time.
Laddos
A meal on a train or on a roadside Dhaba or at home, it’s not over until you’ve had a dessert.
Motichoor and besan laddos make for ideal dessert items, especially on a journey that’s going to take a few days. These are easy to store and do not go bad very quickly, even in the absence of a fridge.
The main ingredient of the motichoor laddos is gram flour or besan. These laddos remain to be a delightful delicacy, thus earning them a spot among the best traveling foods.
Trail Mix and Nuts
Before you leave home to begin your trip, these food items, no doubt, are among the easiest to prepare. Go to your pantry and put together a mixture of different types of nuts and seeds.
It includes seeds such as flaxseeds, sunflower, and pumpkin. Add nuts such as walnuts, almonds, and so on. When it comes to something to nib on, trail mix makes for the best food for travelling in car.
If you wish to eat that as it is, you can do so. In case you want more flavors, you can make a trail mix. For that, add chocolates (candy-coated) and raisins.
To prepare the trail mix for the journey, make use of a resealable bag. Not only will it serve as a refreshing snack, but it gives you energy during the long journey.
Namakpara
The savory snack also goes by the names namkin, nimkin, or nimki. It’s a very common Indian dry snack that blends in perfectly with every sip of tea. Namakpara is, indeed, the ideal food for train journey.
It contains refined flour as the main ingredient, followed by mixing in water and oil. It’s cooked in pure ghee; namakpara also contains seasonings such as cumin seeds and ajwain.
It tastes very similar to the outer covering of a samosa. To make it more flavorful, people add dried mint and fenugreek leaves.
Namakpara is easy to store and lasts throughout the journey without going bad. It is an efficient Indian food that can be stored for long time.
Popcorn
Nibble on a pack of popcorn while you watch a movie or take in the beautiful Indian landscape. Popcorn makes for an efficient pastime snack.
Besides, these are a healthy option compared to greasy chips that, more often than not, are outright junk foods.
When it comes to flavor, you may choose from a wide variety of options. Caramel and cheese-flavored popcorn seem to be the favorite of many. At the same time, if you’re someone who likes it plain and simple, go for plain butter popcorn.
Chakli
Terming chakli as among the top Indian tea-time snacks would be quite correct. And to be able to bring it along on a long journey is nothing short of perfect.
Besides, chakli is Indian food that can be stored for long time. It’s perfect for long journeys, be it on the train or via car.
It’s made of different flours from black gram, Bengal gram, and rice. Based on the proportion and type of flour used, there are many varieties of chakli. A classic example is that of the Bhajni (or Bhajani) chakli from Maharashtra.
These days, you can even find butter chakli.
Makhana
An ideal choice for a tea-time snack, makhana finds its usage in kheer and even in Indian sweets.
Not only does it serve as a savory snack, but it’s actually very healthy. Makhanas are abundant sources of nutrients and antioxidants. It’s loaded with calcium, magnesium, and even fibers. So with a pack of makhanas, you maintain good health even while on the journey.
If you’re diabetic, makhanas could be your guilty pleasure.
Makhanas come in a variety of flavors. It includes flavors such as the Roasted and Salted, Peri Peri, Cream & Onion, and so on.
Gathiya
Another savory snack, it’s also known as gathia or gathiya. It’s one of the trademark snacks of Gujarat.
Whether you’re looking for an evening tea-time snack or something to nib on, Gathiya fits the profile. It really goes well with tea, no matter what time of the day (or night) it is.
Besides, you won’t have to worry about it going bad. Since it’s a dry snack, simply seal up the packet after you’re finished eating. That will be enough to preserve it until your next snack time.
You can purchase it loose or buy it in a sealed packet.
Dry Kachori
If you’re a fan of kachori and sabji, dry kachori for sure is the best alternative while on a long journey.
The dry fruit mini kachori packet is tasty and fits right in your backpack. It’s made of ingredients such as green gram, tamarind, and dry mango powder, fennel and sesame seeds, and so on.
It also has raisins, cashew nuts, sugar, gram flour, and refined wheat flour.
Ready to Eat
Ready to Eat Poha
Poha is typically rice in the form of flakes. In order to become flaky, the rice goes through various processes such as parboiling, rolling, flattening, and then drying.
Straight out of the packet, it’s bland in taste and doesn’t have any aroma.
Ready to eat Poha mix is a great option for breakfast while traveling. You don’t need a gas stove or prepare other items. All you require is hot water and a few minutes, and you’ll have your breakfast ready.
The ready to eat Poha is convenient and easy to store. It contains ingredients such as coriander, green chili, salt, sugar, onion, oil, and rice flakes. Spices such as turmeric, cumin, mustard seeds, and curry leaves are also present in the mix.
The mix also contains citric acid to regulate the acidity. There are no issues regarding added preservatives, colors, flavors, or MSG. It makes for great ready to eat food for travel.
Ready to Eat Upma
When it comes to travel food, Upma is among the best ready to eat food for travel. The ready to eat upma offers a healthy and instant satisfaction to your upma cravings while traveling.
It’s the perfect breakfast food item to accompany a cup of coffee or tea. You can have it with a trail mix or other snacks or even alongside veggies.
To prepare the instant upma mix, simply fill hot water up to the given mark. After five minutes, you’ll have a warm, savory, and tasty upma in front of you.
In case instead of getting an instant upma mix, you wish to prepare it, ensure to add loads of oil. If you don’t, the upma will turn into various lump pieces.
But it might turn into lumps even before you start packing it for the long journey. In that case, use the backside of a spoon to break it apart after adding ghee or oil.
Note: Banana chips go really well with upma.
Ready to Make Drinks
If you’re someone who has to have tea or coffee numerous times in a day, instant tea/coffee is a must. It offers an efficient, easy and simple way to satisfy your cravings for tea/coffee.
The instant Karak tea mix packets contain masala, sugar, milk solids, and tea extracts. Simply mix the packet into a cup and pour hot water over it.
There’s also a wide variety of instant coffee mixes to choose from. Similar to an instant tea mix, pour the coffee mix into a cup and mix it with hot water.
Homemade Recipes
Sandwiches
Wraps and sandwiches are convenient options for food for train journeys or food for travelling in car. Sandwich menus make for perfect long lasting Indian food recipes.
There’s no secret mantra regarding recipes for travelling in train. Sandwiches offer wide freedom when it comes to recipes.
Anything goes; throw in any ingredient you like. But ensure that you use ingredients that are dry and remain that way for a long time.
Carrot and Cheese sandwiches are a great option in that regard. You would need mozzarella (or any other cheese of your preference), paneer, carrot, and brown bread.
It offers a nutritious and innovative way to prepare a sandwich. In moderate amounts, mozzarella cheese and paneer are good for the bones. It also boosts immunity since carrots are rich in Vitamin A.
Grilled Sandwiches containing cabbage and paneer are another healthy option. You would require brown bread, paneer, and cabbage. Once you layer them together, throw them in the griller.
In case you don’t have a griller, you can toast the bread with butter separately before layering the sandwich.
Sandwich Spreads
Sandwich spreads are what adds that umami and extra flavor to it. Without it, sandwiches mostly taste bland and simply not that good. These menus make for optimal long lasting Indian food recipes.
If you’re looking for easy sandwich spread recipes for travelling in train, go for a honey mustard mayo spread.
To prepare it, you would require:
- One tablespoon of honey
- Two tablespoons of mustard
- A quarter cup mayo
All that you’re required to do is to whisk it all together until you’ve got a perfect blend.
Jams
Unlike a spread, it takes quite a long time to prepare jams. So we would advise that you prepare the jam for your journey much ahead of time.
If you’re searching for jam recipes, you’ve come to the right place. In this section, we’ll guide you on our homemade recipe for preparing a mixed fruit jam.
You would need the following ingredients.
- A quarter cup of lemon juice
- One kilogram of sugar
- One kilogram of peeled and finely chopped mixed fruits
Step 1: Soak the mixed fruits in a bowl full of water overnight.
Step 2: You need to boil the mixed fruits until they become soft and mushy. For that, make use of a saucepan (heavy-based).
Step 3: Use a blender to blend the mushy mixed fruits and then strain them using a soup strainer.
Step 4: Put the soup back in the saucepan and boil it again. Avoid scorching by continuously stirring the soup.
Step 5: Add lemon juice and sugar. Ensure that you add these ingredients only when the soup is almost reaching the consistency of jam.
Step 6: Continue stirring.
Do not stop stirring the soup base to avoid caramelizing the sugar at the bottom of the pan. If you don’t, it’ll affect the taste of the jam.
Also, until the sugar completely dissolves into the soup, keep the heat at low. Turn the heat back to high and bring the soup to boil once the sugar’s dissolved. Do not stop stirring.
Step 7: Check if the jam is ready. Take a drop of the jam soup and place it on the surface of a cold object. The jam is ready if it starts setting or solidifying.
Step 8: Use airtight jars to store them.
Chutney
In this section, we will guide you on a simple failproof recipe for a chutney that you can carry while traveling. These make an ideal long lasting Indian food recipes.
Since variety isn’t really abundant when we are traveling, chutneys really help out in adding that extra flavor. That makes the food more appetizing and tastier.
Chutney recipes for travelling in train are a must if it’s going to be a long journey.
In that regard, mango-coconut chutney is a safe bet. Its tangy yet mildly sweet flavor really goes well with rice and curry. Chutneys surely add on to the food for travelling recipes Indian.
You would be needing:
- Coconut oil
- Salt
- One tablespoon cumin seeds
- Four smoked red chilies. (make sure to use direct fire to roast the chilies)
- One cup of grated coconut
- Half a cup of finely cut raw mangoes
Step 1: Put all the ingredients except oil in the blender and blend it.
Note: Add the raw mangoes only after blending the rest of the ingredients.
Step 2: Take the coconut oil and add it.
Idli
The list of detailed recipes for travelling in train wouldn’t be complete without adding one for idli. It’s a worthy mention in the list of food for travelling recipes Indian.
Ingredient’s list:
- Water
- Salt
- One and a half cups of urad dal
- Five tablespoons of sesame oil
- Half tablespoon fenugreek seeds
- Two and a half cups basmati rice
Step 1: Make a paste of the rice and dal and combine them.
Wash the ingredients (rice and dal) in separate bowls. Add fenugreek seeds to the bowl containing the rice. Soak the dal and rice for a total of 4-6 hours.
Drain both the bowls, put them in the blender, and make a paste. Blend dal and rice separately.
After you’ve made the paste, combine the pastes and mix them very well. The consistency shouldn’t be runny but thick.
Step 2: Fermentation.
If you want fluffy and soft idlis, ensure to ferment the batter properly. Search for a warm location inside your house to keep the batter.
Add salt to the batter once it rises. Mix it firmly by whisking it.
Step 3: Making of the idli.
Oil the idli stand efficiently. Fill the idli mold by taking an ample amount of the better.
In the idli steamer, add half a cup of water and bring it to a boil. Place the stand inside the steamer and close the lid.
Before you turn off the stove, wait for around 9 minutes. Let the steam build up inside the steamer.
In case you’re using a cooker instead of a steamer, do not close the vent. Simply steam it for about 9-10 minutes before turning off the gas.
Step 4: Wait a while before you scoop out the idlis.
Ensure to release all the steam before you take out the stand. Wait until the stand cools down a little. Scoop out the idlis by using a sharpened knife. Idli, for sure, is a tasty Indian food to carry while travelling in train.
Thepla
The thepla recipes for travelling in train are very easy and simple. The list of food for travelling recipes Indian wouldn’t be complete without mentioning theplas.
In order to make the Gujarati theplas, you would need:
- Salt
- One teaspoon chili powder
- Quarter teaspoon turmeric powder
- Two tablespoon Dahi or curd
- One tablespoon oil
- Two heaping cups of gehun ka atta or whole wheat flour
Step 1: Take all the ingredients and put them in a huge bowl. Using water, knead the mixture until the dough becomes semi-soft.
Step 2: Put some oil onto the dough and knead it again.
Take the bowl containing the dough and place it aside for around ten minutes. Ensure to cover the bowl using a muslin cloth or a lid.
Step 3: Make fourteen equal round balls out of the dough. Flatten the dough balls one by one by placing them in between your palms and gently pressing them.
Roll them into a diameter of around five inches.
Step 4: On a medium flame, place the non-stick griddle or tava. Place the rolled-out thepla dough one by one over the tava. Flip them and cook both sides by making use of oil until they turn golden brown.
Note: Since you wish to eat the thepla during the journey, use a lot of oil. That’ll prevent the thepla from going bad and keep it soft for a longer time.
Make use of this long lasting Indian food recipes without worrying about any spoilage issues.
Dhokla
The final mention in the list of the food for travelling recipes Indian is the Gujarati dhokla.
Ingredients for Dhokla:
- Various spices
- Salt
- Green chilis
- Lemon juice
- Water
- Besan or gram flour
Note: Make use of measuring spoons or cups for a failproof dhokla recipe.
Step 1: Sift the dhokla batter.
To make the dhokla, ensure to sift the batter to get a fine powder.
Step 2: Whisk the dhokla batter.
For about 5-10 minutes, whisk the batter. Make sure to whisk the batter unidirectionally. This step is vital for fluffy and light dhoklas.
Step 3: Resting the dhokla batter.
For the next 6 minutes, allow the batter to rest to relax the gluten strands. It’ll further help in providing the dhoklas with a firm structure.
Step 4: Add baking soda or fruit salt. Do not use salt with any added flavors.
Once you’ve added the baking soda or fruit salt, ensure that you don’t mix the dhokla batter too much. That’s to avoid the dhokla from turning out hard and flat.
Step 5: When you see the froth, pour the batter inside the bowl.
Note: Make sure to grease the cooking bowl before pouring in the batter.
Step 6: Put the cooking bowl containing the dhokla batter inside the microwave and a cup of water. The water will help steam the dhokla. The entire steaming process will take about five minutes.
Step 7: Use a toothpick to check if the dhokla is ready or not.
If the batter sticks to it, that means it’s not done yet.
Step 8: After five minutes, once it’s ready, take out the bowl and allow the dhokla to cool.
You can add the sugar syrup if you wish to once it’s cooled down. Employ the long lasting Indian food recipes for dhokla to enjoy while traveling.
Traveling Tips and Lifehacks
- Try to Plan Trips on your Own
The majority of travelers use a travel company or an agent to organize their vacation to India. They are then provided a list of places to visit and activities to do, and brochures.
But, to experience the nation to its fullest, you must go out on your own and explore the alleys, streets, and local stores. Take advantage of the free activities that aren’t on your plan.
- Practice your Bargaining Skills
Foreign tourists get charged a higher price while visiting another country. That’s also the case for India when buying essentials, food, local products, or transportation.
As a result, we recommend that you make preparations and polish your haggling skills.
Make sure to check for the same products at multiple stores to see if you can get a lower price. It’s a good way to help you decide on the most likely price for that product.
- Always Have Cash On You
India is steadily progressing and using digital means of payments. But it’s primarily used only in urban areas and large retailers or stores.
Credit or debit cards and online payments aren’t accepted in rural areas. So, to avoid payment headaches, keep in mind to carry enough cash on hand at all times.
- Carry Portable Water Filters
Water is a necessity. You’ll always need it when you’re on the road. However, high-quality mineral water will not be available at every location. Even borewell water may not suit you.
Due to this, we advise that you bring a water filter with you, such as a LifeStraw filter water bottle or a SteriPEN with a battery charger.
FAQ
What Should I Eat on a Long Journey?
For long-distance travel, packing food from home is the best option.
You can carry dried fruits and nuts, bread with cheese slices, bread pakora, or paratha. Eat these as your first meal from the start of the voyage. You can surely make use of food for travelling recipes Indian.
If you cannot pack food from home, you also have the option to buy food from approved railway stalls at important stops.
What is the Best Food for Travelling?
Easy-to-eat snacks such as puri, fruits, chakli, and pakora are best when traveling. They’re easy to eat and do not require you to carry utensils.
How do you Store Food when Traveling?
Tiffin boxes are the go-to option to store food. But if you don’t want to carry empty containers, you have the option of carrying disposable containers. You can also try using disposable wooden containers and utensils.
Conclusion
That concludes our article on the best traveling foods while on a journey on the train or via car. It included various Indian food to carry while travelling in train as well as food for travelling in car.
The dry snacks, given you seal them properly after eating, should stay fresh and outlast the duration of your trip. Take for instance, the banana chips, unless you binge on it, should last you two weeks without getting spoilt.
We would advise you to pack healthier food instead of loading your entire luggage with junk food. Be it a business trip or a vacation; stay on top of your nutrition game.
Eating too much of everything is a very common aspect of going on a journey. So rather than unhealthy carbs, carry snacks that are healthy and will give you energy for the journey ahead.