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41 Of The Best Gas Station Junk Food

April 24, 2023 by Food For Net
Home ‣ Delicious Food ‣ 41 Of The Best Gas Station Junk Food
Many types of gas station junk foods, like chili dogs, chips, sunflower seeds, and Chex Mix
Best Gas Station Junk Food. Many types of gas station junk foods, like chili dogs, chips, sunflower seeds, and Chex Mix

I recently did a motorcycle trip across the USA from LA to New York City. Bikes have small tanks, so I stopped every 100 miles or so, sometimes more frequently if my butt got tired or I was going into a long stretch without any available gas stations. Needless to say, I ended up buying a lot of gas station junk food.

I tried to eat real meals and healthy foods as much as possible, but I definitely ate a lot of gas station junk food because it was convenient, and to be honest, I felt a bit nostalgic!

We’ve all been on a road trip and looked around at all the full glory of gas station gourmet snacks like hot dogs, nachos, potato chips, and energy drinks.

As an adult, it’s not every day that I go to the store and buy myself a bag of Hot Cheetos ‘just because’, so I had a great time trying some of these snacks for the first time in over a decade. Some were still as great as they were back in the day. Some had me thinking, “I can’t believe I used to eat this.”

Now that I’m back, I put together a list of my favorite gas station junk foods. Do you see yours on this list? Don’t forget to let us know your favorites in the comment section.

Table of Contents

Toggle
  • My Favorite Gas Station Junk Food
    • Beef Jerky
    • Airport Food That Tastes Good & Options You Should Avoid
    • Powdered Sugar Donuts + Milk
    • Chex Mix
    • Stale Coffee
    • Slurpee
    • Hot Peanuts
    • Trail Mix
    • Microwaved Burritos
    • Corn Nuts
    • Pork Rinds
    • Fake Cheese Nachos
    • Sugar Babies
    • BBQ Potato Chips
    • Flaming Hot Cheetos
    • Mystery Hot Dog
    • Funyuns
    • Red Bull
    • Doritos
    • Rock Star
    • Chili Dogs
    • “Fruit” Pies AKA Home Run Pies
    • Lunchables
    • Ice Cream Sandwich
    • Pickles
    • Slim Jim
    • Soft Chocolate Chip Cookie
    • Combos
    • Sunflower Seeds
    • Danish Pastry
    • Popcorn
    • Snickers
    • Red Vines & Twizzlers
    • Boston Baked Beans
    • Gas Station Pizza
    • Charleston Chew
    • Sun Chips
    • Sour Gummy Worms
    • Whoopie Pie
    • Red Hots
    • Taquitos
    • Takis

My Favorite Gas Station Junk Food

Beef Jerky

Many bags of jerky hanging in a store.

Who can go past jerky? It might be a bit tough on the teeth, but it offers a ton of protein and saltiness. It’s also a great choice if you’re sick of the sweet stuff.

And, why not? Even when gas stations have a crappy selection most offer at least one half-decent bag of jerky. 

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Powdered Sugar Donuts + Milk

Fresh powdered donuts in a pile

You might occasionally find fresh donuts at a gas station, but most of the time you’re looking at small packets of powdered donuts instead. Little Debbie Powdered Donuts are a great option here. How can you go past the price?

Sure, these aren’t the most amazing donuts in the world, but they still hit the spot. Have some milk alongside and any staleness becomes almost unnoticeable.

Chex Mix

A pile of Chex Mix bags. Most are orange, but one is blue and green instead.

Ah, Chex Mix. You can find at least one variety at most gas stations and there are often multiple to choose from.

Different textures, flavors, and shapes in a single product, what’s not to love? Just watch your portion sizes, as scoffing the whole bag can easily lead to digestive complaints.

Stale Coffee

Hot coffee written on the wall, in front of disused gas pumps

Fresh coffee is better. That goes without saying. Still… the odds of actually getting fresh coffee while you’re on the road are pretty slim. You’ll probably need to stick with the stale version instead.

Then again, when you’ve been on the road for hours at a time, even stale coffee can taste pretty amazing.

Slurpee

A bench of some type outside with a fresh purple and yellow cup containing a Slurpee

If coffee isn’t your thing, what about a Slurpee instead? It’s sweet, cold, and will keep you hydrated (well, somewhat hydrated, at least).

While you won’t find a Slurpee branded drink at every gas station, sweet slushy-style drinks are incredibly common. Their quality varies, but most taste good at least.

Hot Peanuts

A wooden table with a blue and white bowl containing hot peanuts

Sure, you could just get regular nuts, but where’s the fun in that? Hot peanuts are much more interesting. They might even help to keep you awake if you’re getting tired (it’s hard to be drowsy when your mouth feels like it’s on fire).

Trail Mix

Bags of trail mix hanging in a gas station, including tropical and M&Ms varieties. There are some containing candy underneath too.

Trail Mix? You mean M&M’s with obstacles!

Okay… there are some fairly healthy versions of trail mix out there. Those just aren’t often found at gas stations. Gas stations seem to focus on the candy filled versions, which fall squarely in the category of junk food.

Microwaved Burritos

A grocery store shelf with a collection of microwaved burritos

Want something comforting and at least somewhat filling? Microwavable burritos are an easy option.

They’re a snack that some people love and others hate, but hey, it’s not like you have a whole grocery store at your fingertips.

Corn Nuts

A cloth with a small spoon of corn nuts and a black bowl containing the nuts

My favorite flavor is Ranch. What’s yours?

Corn nuts are often gluten free too. That’s a bonus, given that so many other snacks on this list are a bad idea if you’re sensitive to gluten.

Pork Rinds

Someone holding up a very large bag of pork rinds in a store

Pork rinds are seeing new heights of popularity, as they give keto dieters a low carb and easy to find snack. They’re still delicious if you’re not following keto too.

I try not to indulge in this snack too often, as the rinds are pretty high in calories. Still, a road trip is the perfect excuse.

Fake Cheese Nachos

A cardboard dish of nachos covered in fake cheese sauce
Tojosan / flickr

Good for nostalgia once in a while. Just once in a while though. Seriously. These treats sometimes require recovery time.

Sugar Babies

Someone holding a box of sugar babies in the store. Other treats can be seen behind it.

Let’s not forget Mike & Ikes either!

For that matter, most boxed candy works well on the road. What are your favorites?

BBQ Potato Chips

A bag of BBQ potato chips on the dash of a car
chapstickaddict / flickr

Am I the only one that thinks BBQ is the ultimate flavor? #sorrynotsorry to the Salt & Vinegar fans out there.

Flaming Hot Cheetos

Bags of Flaming Hot Cheetos on a shelf, with a tiger on the logo

Want to give your tastebuds a workout? Flaming Hot Cheetos will certainly do that for you.

Just be certain you know your limits first. Too much hot stuff on the road can lead to embarrassing digestive issues. 

Mystery Hot Dog

A display of fresh hot dogs at a gas station, including information about prices

Do you really know what you’re eating with these hot dogs? Gas stations often give little indication. You don’t know how long they’ve been sitting there either.

Then again… do you really want to know?

Funyuns

Two packets of Funyuns in a grocery store, near other bags
Flickr // License

Here we are again with salty and crunchy. That combination is always perfect on a road trip and Funyuns are an easy example. You should be able to find some at most gas stations.

Red Bull

Someone holding a can of Red Bull out of the car window. It's visible in the rear view mirror
Flickr // License

Okay… Red Bull isn’t really ‘food’, but it’s certainly junk. Packed with sugar, caffeine, additives, taurine, and other ingredients, the energy drink won’t do your health any long-term favors.

Still, when you just need a boost of energy – Red Bull is perfect. And when you’ve been traveling for a while, sometimes you just need what’s going to help right now.

Doritos

Bags of red Doritos in a grocery store

I still can’t go past Doritos. They’re easy enough to find, yet they still seem like the perfect traveling food (messy, but oh so tasty).

Rock Star

A hip girl holding a Rockstar drink in some type of market
Flickr // License

If you don’t like the flavor of Red Bull, Rockstar is an excellent alternative. It gives you the same energy kick and comes in plenty of delicious flavors.

There are also sugar free versions of Rockstar. Not surprisingly, these contain most of the same ingredients, just without the sugar.

Chili Dogs

A paper container with a single chili dog, complete with onions, ground beef, a sausage, and plenty of mustard

Chili dogs are both the worst and the best gas station treat – when you can find them. They’re the best because they taste seriously amazing, especially when you’ve been on the road for hours.

Still, it’s almost impossible to eat one without making a mess. That’s frustrating enough when you’re at home, but is ten times worse if you’re attempting to drive and eat. Best case? Find somewhere to sit and enjoy your chili dog slowly. Don’t forget wet wipes for the inevitable cleanup.

“Fruit” Pies AKA Home Run Pies

Two Home Run Pies on a wooden table. One is yellow and one is blue, and both show a bear playing baseball.

Finding these can be hit-and-miss, but they’re still such a treat. There’s something about them that just reminds me of my childhood.

My personal favorite was the Ninja Turtle custard pies.

 

A photo posted by Carrano (@carrano) on Jul 23, 2015 at 7:10pm PDT

These days there are plenty of other options, so it’s easy to find something fairly similar.

Lunchables

A stack of Lunchables in a store. These ones can be used to make little pizzas.

Lunchables aren’t just for kids. They’re also easy road trip snacks, giving you a decent amount of protein in one serving. While they’re still processed ‘junk’ food, they are also healthier than most other options on this list. 

Ice Cream Sandwich

Someone holding a It's - It ice cream sandwich in its package
Flickr // License

Who doesn’t love ice cream sandwiches? Sure, they’re often a little stale from a gas station, but they’re still tasty enough.

Pickles

Two jars on a store shelf. One contains pickles, the other contains pickle chips

It’s hard to go wrong with pickles. They’re pretty much the same wherever you go, no matter how long they’ve been sitting on the shelf.

Slim Jim

A tall box of Slim Jims, with red and yellow packaging, on a wooden table

If jerky is too tough on your teeth, then a Slim Jim may be exactly right. Both snacks give you plenty of savory protein in a snack that doesn’t leave any mess.

Soft Chocolate Chip Cookie

A shallow plate of cookies on a wooden table, next to a glass of milk

Who’s with me? Chocolate chip cookies are the best, especially when they’re soft.

Combos

Bags of combos on a shelf in the store

To me, Combos are one of the best road trip snacks out there. They’re tasty, convenient, come in plenty of flavors, and are junk food through and through.

Their processed nature may be part of what makes these snacks so appealing, as the additives and flavorings make these little snacks strangely addictive. 

Sunflower Seeds

A grocery store shelf with bags of sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds

For something healthier, why not turn to nuts and seeds? Sunflower seeds are a crowd favorite, even if you do have the annoying shells to deal with.

Bags of sunflower seeds are also easy to find at most gas stations. That’s another reason to rely on them. 

Danish Pastry

A selection of fresh danishes in a store

Quality varies here – dramatically. Sometimes you’ll get a fresh and delicious treat. More often, you’ll get something low quality, slightly stale, and just ‘meh’. Still, even the meh versions can be pretty good when you’re on the road.

Popcorn

A black bowl with parmesan and garlic popcorn, with some pieces of popcorn on the table

While popcorn can be healthy, the versions you find at gas stations often won’t be. That’s not all bad, though, as the unhealthiest versions of popcorn tend to be the tastiest.

Snickers

A collection of brown Snickers bars, with their labels clearly visible

Snickers is the best! OK OK, Twix is a close second 🙂

Red Vines & Twizzlers

Someone holding a bag of Red Vines in a grocery store, with more treats in the background

Red Vines and Twizzlers are often called red licorice, although they aren’t licorice in the traditional sense. Regardless, they’re delicious and easy to eat when you’re driving.

Boston Baked Beans

Boxes of Boston Baked Beans in cardboard packaging

To be clear, we’re talking about the candy here, not literal baked beans. For those not in the know, these Boston Baked Beans are actually peanuts coated in candy.

Strange as that idea sounds, it works well, creating a treat that’s tough to pass up.

Gas Station Pizza

A gas station sign highlighting the idea of breakfast pizza all day

Gas station pizza is very very hit and miss. Okay, when you compare it to regular pizza, it pretty much always disappoints.

Yet, it’s still one of those foods that many of us love to hate. It’s greasy cardboard, but at least it’s familiar greasy cardboard? Something like that. Honestly, sometimes I have no idea why I love the foods I do.

Charleston Chew

Someone holding up a large Charleston Chew in a station somewhere

Whether you choose the long or the mini version, the Charleston Chew remains a classic. If nothing else, the treat is a huge dose of nostalgia.

Sun Chips

Two flavors of Sun Chips on a grocery store shelf

Crunchy, tasty, and a bit different than regular chips – how can you go wrong?

Sour Gummy Worms

A large number of brightly colored sour gummy worms

Sour treats are too often ignored, which is a shame, as they can be truly wonderful. Sour gummy worms are my personal favorite. That’s partly because of their taste and partly because they’re so easy to find.

Whoopie Pie

A glass plate containing fresh whoopie pies

We can’t miss the whoopie pie, right? You’ll most often find processed and packaged versions, but might get lucky with something fresh too.

Red Hots

Various boxes of red hots stacked in a grocery store

These intense treats aren’t for everyone (seriously, they even lit up the comments section). Yet, they’re still one of my favorites and certainly make the journey more interesting.

Taquitos

A plate containing rolled fresh taquitos with some herbs for flavor

Taquitos feature at many gas stations too. Like hot dogs, you often don’t know precisely what you’re getting. Perhaps that’s half the fun. Regardless, they’re often tasty and tend to be easy to eat as well.

Takis

Purple bags of Takis on a store shelf

Finally, we have Takis. They come with a burn like Hot Cheetos and are just as addicting. You might even find yourself eating an entire bag if you’re not careful.

If your favorite didn’t make the list, let me know what it was in the comment section!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Kyle

    May 25, 2016 at 6:53 am

    How about BIG AZ Sandwiches???

    Reply
  2. Rosemary

    March 28, 2017 at 4:40 pm

    TAKIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WHER EIN THE WORLD IS THE BEAUTIFUL TAKIS!!!!! PEOPLE THINK BEFORE U POST ANYTHING!!

    Reply
  3. jo

    September 16, 2020 at 11:25 am

    wtf is red hots

    Reply
  4. n word

    June 11, 2021 at 9:37 am

    red hots??? BYE

    Reply
  5. Shannon S Colclough

    January 23, 2022 at 5:45 am

    I would have to say growing up the red hot dogs were the best and my favorite.

    Reply

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