As the summer road trip season revs up, Kellanova has released a new survey revealing what fuels America’s snack breaks.

The study polled 2,000 US adults and found Cheez-It and Pringles are among the most loved across generations. “With the summer road trip season kicking off, we wanted to find out what people love to munch on the most and discovered all generations crave Cheez-It and Pringles snacks, with Gen Z reaching for the boldest flavours,” said Julia Wilkinson, senior director of Insights at Kellanova.

The survey uncovered notable generational snacking distinctions:

• Gen Z favours spicy and sour snacks and prefers to travel in packs, prioritising shareability.
• Millennials opt for tangy flavours but rank salty, sweet and cheesy snacks as their top picks – especially mindful of keeping the kids happy.
• Gen X prefers a grab bag of crackers, chips and jerky, with sweet and salty flavours dominating their taste buds.
• Boomers lean heavily on traditional salty mixes, chocolate and nuts, often picking up snacks during the journey rather than pre-planning.

Regional tastes also come into play. The South enjoys spontaneous snacking with salty and sweet staples, while the Northeast has a penchant for creamy flavours – twice as much as Midwesterners, even though the Midwest loves cheese. In the laid-back Mountain West and Pacific Coast, travellers are more go-with-the-flow snackers, satisfied with whatever’s around, though they still cite sweet, salty and chocolatey flavours as their top cravings. Retail data confirms these regional quirks align with Kellanova brand sales – proof that where you’re from might just influence what’s in your glovebox.

We’ve also tracked down six snackable standouts to stash in your glovebox – from a TikTok-famous sausage roll and Japan’s wildest konbini treats to fruity popcorn, pink biscuits, banana-filled crêpes and even protein-packed dog balls you can share with your pup.

Ginsters Sausage Roll: The ultimate glovebox grab

When road trip hunger hits, Ginsters’ iconic Sausage Roll is ready to rescue your taste buds.

As the UK’s #1 single sausage roll for over 40 years, it’s made with 100% British pork, seasoned with a proprietary blend of herbs and spices and wrapped in signature light puff pastry – free from artificial flavours, colours or preservatives.

It’s also one of the most loved lunch solutions in the country, with 76% of Brits saying they love sausage rolls and one in four eating them weekly. With a 22% rise in work-from-home lunches since pre-COVID, Ginsters is doubling down on demand by investing a six-figure media campaign to boost visibility and availability in meal deals and convenience channels.

The brand is also connecting with Gen Z snackers via trend-driven NPD like its TikTok-famous Extra Flaming Hot Sausage Roll, which sold out in just 7.5 hours. Available across the UK in major retailers, meal deal fridges and petrol station forecourts.

TokyoTreat: A global road trip

TokyoTreat’s latest snack box delivers the electric energy of a Japanese konbini (convenience store) in every delivery – with snacks curated to surprise, delight and fuel flavour-fuelled adventures.

Each month’s box includes 15-20 full-sized, limited edition Japanese snacks, such as Matcha Chocolate KitKats, Wasabi Potato Chips, Earl Grey Cake, Lotte Crunchy Almonds, and seasonal gummies like Grape & Muscat.

Founded in 2015 by Ayumi Chikamoto, the company started from her Tokyo living room with the simple idea of sharing Japanese snack culture with the world. “We wanted to make Japanese snack culture accessible to everyone and that started with a simple idea in my living room,” she explains.

TokyoTreat now ships to over 150 countries and has become a cult favourite among global snackers. Available onlin via subscription at $32.50 per box, with international shipping included.

LesserEvil Popcorn: Sunshine snacks for the open road

For snackers who like their fuel clean and fruity, LesserEvil’s limited edition Lemonade and Watermelon Hibiscus Organic Popcorn bring bold, beachy flavour to your glovebox.

Both are made with just a handful of ingredients: organic non-GMO popcorn, organic coconut oil, Himalayan pink salt and no refined sugar, seed oils or preservatives.

Lemonade Popcorn delivers a sweet-and-tart citrus hit reminiscent of roadside lemonade stands, while Watermelon Hibiscus is fruity, floral, and light – evoking poolside vibes or a breezy road trip playlist. Both flavours are available (for a limited time) online or via Whole Foods, Sprouts and Thrive Market in the US, priced between $3.99 and $4.49 per 4.6oz bag.

Whaoo! Crêpes & Brioche Buns: Backseat-ready treats for little travellers

Snack superhero brand Whaoo! is expanding its arsenal with two new travel-friendly launches: Chocolate & Banana Filled Crêpes and Mini Chocolate Chip Brioche Buns. These individually wrapped treats are built for convenience and flavour, ideal for the backseat, school runs or sports-day snack packs.

The Chocolate & Banana Crêpes combine smooth chocolate with creamy banana purée in a soft wrap, while the Mini Brioche Buns offer pillowy, chocolate chip-studded indulgence in bite-sized form. Both are free from artificial colours, flavours and preservatives, and contain no palm oil. The crêpes recently received a Loved By Parents Best Buy Platinum Award, while the buns earned a Mumsnet Rated Award.

“Whether it’s for the school run, sports club, or weekend outings, Whaoo! has families covered with snacks that parents trust, and kids love,” says MD Jean-Pascal Allemand,

Both products are available in Tesco and Asda outlets across the UK for £1.95 RRP per six-pack.

McVitie’s Pink Digestives: A sweet throwback for scenic stops

McVitie’s is putting a nostalgic twist on a British classic with its limited edition Pink Raspberry & Cream Flavour Digestives.

Each golden-baked biscuit is topped with a luscious berry and cream coating, celebrating both 100 years of McVitie’s Chocolate Digestives and the current consumer appetite for fun, retro flavours and pink-themed foods.

“Pink is still trending and this reinvention is designed to delight loyal Digestives fans and foodies alike,” says Benazir Barlet-Batada, marketing director at pladis UK&I.

The limited edition biscuits have dropped in Sainsbury’s across the UK, priced at £2.35 RRP, with wider distribution across multiples, convenience and wholesale from July.

It’s The Dog’s: Treats for the real MVP of the road trip

Even your furry travel buddy deserves a premium snack. Enter It’s The Dog’s – a new pet treat brand from the makers of The Protein Ball Co., using the same kitchen, same ethos and the same human-grade ingredients to roll out handmade protein balls for dogs.

The disruptor’s debut product features peanut butter, chia seeds and pumpkin seeds – packing in healthy fats and omega-3s – and are free from artificial ingredients, fillers and anything unpronounceable.

“We actually make a point of specifying on pack ‘made for dogs, fit for owners,’ because our unwavering commitment to nutrient-dense, human-grade ingredients means that as long as your dog is happy, you can actually share these moreish treats whilst out on your walk,” says cofounder Hayley Hunt.

Currently available through select UK dog-friendly cafés, The Pavillion pet shop and a handful of independent pubs and wholesalers, these treats are priced around £3.50 per pack, with a broader retail rollout in the works.

The brand is sponsoring the School Therapy Dog of the Year Awards, with the finale set for July outside the Houses of Parliament.