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Dietitians and a veteran international flight attendant all reach for the same snack. Here’s why unsalted walnuts deserve a spot in your carry-on.

Reviewed by Dietitian Emily Lachtrupp, M.S., RD

Key Points

• Unsalted walnuts provide protein, fiber and healthy fats that help keep you satisfied.
• Research suggests walnuts may support better sleep during long-haul travel.
• Dietitians and a flight attendant rank walnuts among the easiest plane snacks.

We’ve all been there: your flight is delayed, the only open kiosk is selling $6 cookies and sandwiches suffocating in their plastic wrap. Meanwhile, your stomach is growling and you’re still a time zone away from home. This is when having the right snack in your carry-on can be the difference between reaching your destination refreshed or arriving irritable and starving.

So we asked registered dietitians and a veteran international flight attendant what they actually reach for at 35,000 feet. One unassuming option rose to the top of their picks: unsalted walnuts.

Why Unsalted Walnuts Are a Top Pick

Walnuts tick a lot of boxes for travelers. They don’t need refrigeration; they won’t leak or shatter at the bottom of your bag; and they pack fiber, protein and unsaturated fat into a compact serving. That combination helps keep your energy steady when travel has turned your usual mealtimes upside down.

Sleep Support for Changing Time Zones

Walnuts have another big perk. They might help you do something that can be tough on a plane: sleep. “Research links daily walnut consumption to improved sleep quality, which is a real bonus on long-haul flights, road trips and any time you’re crossing time zones,” says Samantha Cassetty, M.S., RD. A recent study showed that adults who ate a daily serving of walnuts fell asleep faster and reported better sleep overall.

Appetite Management

There’s an appetite angle, too. Cassetty points to research on tree nuts and GLP-1, the same hunger-regulating hormone behind today’s popular weight-management medications. “The fiber, healthy fats and protein keep you full and your blood sugar stable, and a recent study found that eating walnuts and other tree nuts was associated with increased GLP-1 levels, meaning better appetite regulation between meals,” Cassetty says. That study, conducted in young adults at higher metabolic risk, tied tree nut snacking to a reduced desire for sweets rather than measurable changes in hunger—so think of walnuts as a steadier choice, not an off switch for your appetite.

Plane-Friendly

Practicality seals walnuts’ spot at the top of the plane snack hierarchy. “They’re TSA-friendly, shelf-stable and don’t have any off-putting odors,” Cassetty notes, which your seatmate will definitely appreciate. Walnuts also have backup from the front of the cabin: LaWana Boonea veteran international flight attendant, lists nuts—walnuts, almonds and pistachios—among the snacks she recommends most to travelers.

More Snacks Worth Packing in Your Carry-On

Walnuts are far from your only good option in the sky. Any travel snack that combines complex carbs, protein, fiber and healthy fat will help you stay full and even-keeled through a long day of gates and layovers. Here are a few more dietitian- and flight attendant-approved picks:

• Roasted edamame. Crunchy and rich in plant protein and fiber, it satisfies the crunch factor that a chip provides, without the fragility. “Crunchy roasted edamame snacks are a great alternative to chips since they will be more filling and they won’t get crushed as easily,” says Emma Shelton, RDN, LDN.
• Rice cakes with almond butter. A shelf-stable combination of complex carbs, protein and fat that helps with satiety and steady energy. Single-serve nut butter packets are small enough to get through security.
• Baby carrots or snap peas with a single-serve hummus cup. “Baby carrots and hummus combine complex carbs with fiber for gut health and blood sugar regulation,” says Dawn Menning. RD, CDCES.
• A low-sugar, high-protein bar. Bars are an easy way to get carbs, fat, protein and fiber in one wrapper. Shelton suggests being choosy: “I recommend opting for one that has little to no added sugar and at least 10 grams of protein.”
• Nuts and whole-grain crackers: Pairing protein, either from nuts or a cheese stick, with complex carbs makes for a filling combo that helps steady blood sugar between meals, and both are easy to grab at an airport shop if you forget to pack them.
• Dark chocolate (70% or higher). When you want something sweet, this is an alternative to airport candy. “A square or two of dark chocolate (70%-plus) helps to curb cravings without a sugar crash,” Menning says.

What to Leave Behind

A few popular picks get a pass from the experts. Cassetty recommends steering clear of meat sticks: “They tend to be high in sodium, which is particularly problematic at altitude, where cabin air is already dehydrating.” Processed meats are also classified as a Group 1 carcinogen, so they’re not an ideal travel snack.

Boone’s insider advice is to skip anything that common sense tells you travels badly. “I do not recommend anything with dip (ranch/blue cheese). These can often explode with cabin pressurization,” she says. Chips, she adds, tend to get smashed and crumbled. And Menning notes that sugary pastries can spike your blood sugar and leave you cranky, while strong-smelling foods like tuna or hard-boiled eggs may irritate your seatmates with their aromas.

Our Expert Take

If you pack just one plane snack, make it a small bag of unsalted walnuts. They’re sturdy, virtually odorless and TSA-friendly, and the protein, fiber and healthy fat help keep your energy and blood sugar stable when your next meal is unpredictable. Early research hints at benefits for sleep and improved satiety, too. That said, the “best” snack is ultimately the nutritious one you’ll actually eat, so build a small stash from the options above based on what you like.