Gas Station Snacks: Healthy Gas Station Snacks, and More

The best gas station snacks are there for you when you need them the most. During any road trip longer than four hours, you will inevitably reach a point when, a.) you get so bored that eating is the only thing that will entertain you, and b.) the car is low on fuel. Luckily, there’s a place where you can solve both problems.

Enter the sketchy site of many a win-win situation: the gas station, home of an untold number of good gas station snacks. I know, I know, not all gas stations are sketchy. But the ones on long road trips somehow always are. One time I was driving down to Los Angeles from NorCal and stopped at a gas station in the middle of nowhere just as the sun was going down and, sure, they had snacks and gas, but they also had a bunch of antique dolls, both for sale and as decorations in the bathroom. It was harrowing. But back to the point: Gas station snacks are essential—to road trips, to morning coffee runs, and to life. Here are some Sporked-approved snacks you’ll find at most gas stations. We even threw in some healthy gas station snacks for good measure. — Jessica Block

Sunflower seeds were banned at my junior high (presumably because the reverend’s son died at a sunflower seed party and so the town outlawed them…wait, no, that’s the plot of Footloose…I have no idea why they were banned). So for me, this is the best gas station snack to grab when I want to feel like a rule-breaking bad boy. Thanks, gas station sunflower seeds. These David Bar-B-Q Jumbo sunflower seeds also happen to be the Sporked crew’s favorite sunflower seeds—and I’m pretty sure they qualify as a healthy gas station snack by virtue of being seeds. The BBQ seasoning really puts them over the edge. It’s smoky, a little sweet, and spiced without being too spicy. Add these to your list of the best gas station snacks. —Jessica Block

Read the full ranking of the best sunflower seeds

I don’t know about you, but when I make a gas station stop on a road trip, I make a beeline for the Cheetos aisle. Crunchy Cheddar Jalapeño Cheetos aren’t just the best road trip snack, they’re one of the best gas station snacks, period. They’re crunchy enough to keep you awake. They have a spicy kick, but aren’t so spicy that you’ll guzzle water and have to pee every five minutes. They’re cheesy and satisfying and you’ll find them at pretty much every gas station. —Gwynedd Stuart

Read the full ranking of every Cheetos flavor

I mean…just read my bio. Takis ‘til forever and always, baybee! But, honestly, nothing makes me feel more alive than Takis, which clearly makes them one of the best gas station snacks. If I am on a ten-hour road trip and I need to stay awake, there is nothing better than the sharp flavor of citric acid mixed with capsaicin to keep my eyes wide open. As Sporked’s Jordan Myrick wrote, “[Takis are] not for the faint of heart, but they are for the strong of taste buds.” An elite gas station snack, for sure. —Jessica Block

Read the full ranking of every Takis flavor

Okay, here’s why I think Combos are one of the best gas station snacks: While buying and eating an entire bag of greasy potato chips might make you feel gross, Combos are cheese and crackers, and I personally feel great about eating cheese and crackers. I won’t go so far as to call them a “healthy” gas station snack, but you know what? Screw it, I just might in the privacy of my own car. Combos is always coming out with wild new flavors, but we think you should just stick with the classic cheddar cheese and baked cracker variety. They’re a classic gas station snack for a reason! —Gwynedd Stuart

Read the full ranking of the best Combos flavors

When we ranked the best snack mixes, Traditional Chex Mix was our favorite overall. Maybe that’s boring, but guess what? You can pretty much always find Chex Mix at the gas station (right near the Combos, in fact, if you want to have twice the gas station fun). The key here is variety. There are so many different morsels! Chex! Pretzels! Breadsticks (boooo)! Rye chips (yaaaaay)! This is another one of those gas station snacks that feels just a little more reasonable than a bag of chips—I mean, it’s cereal, after all. —Gwynedd Stuart

Read the full ranking of the best snack mix

If you’re anything like me, a gas station stop on a road trip is the only time you’ll allow yourself to buy beef jerky (because otherwise, I would blow all my money on beef jerky). Jack Link’s steak strips are a common gas station snack and, ironically, are one of the toughest jerkies out there. But this, as Sporked editor-in-chief Justine Sterling astutely pointed out, is far from a bad thing. “I want it to be an activity,” she said of eating jerky, and as someone who spent most of their childhood trying to make candy last longer, I feel this on a spiritual level. —Jessica Block

Read the full ranking of the best beef jerky brands

Want a gas station snack that is not too sweet and also contains some good ol’ fashioned protein? Well, look no further than Peanut M&M’s. When I was growing up, whenever my dad went into a gas station to get us road trip snacks, he would come out with a bag of these and a bag of Combos, so in my mind, they are a gas station classic. One Sporked taste tester called these “about as close as you can get to a perfect candy” and I couldn’t agree more. —Jessica Block

Read the full ranking of the best M&M’s flavors

When it comes to gas station snacks, there are three main categories: salty, chocolatey, and fruity/chewy. You may be tempted to grab a bag of gummy bears or Trolli Peach Rings, but, hot tip, Welch’s fruit snacks contain vitamin C, and that makes them a ~ healthy gas station snack ~ where I come from. You’re welcome! These things are fruity, chewy, and will scratch that gummy candy itch, promise. —Gwynedd Stuart

Read the full ranking of the best fruit snacks

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