Ahoy! It's the Best Snacks for a Boat

There are many reasons you could find yourself on a boat. Maybe you’re celebrating a special occasion by renting one for the afternoon. Maybe you bought one and imagined you’d be out on it every day, but instead you make it out onto the water maybe three times a year. Or maybe you’re Jeff Bezos (who I imagine only travels by yacht, even on land). No matter the circumstances, a key piece of preparation for a day on a boat is bringing the right snacks so you don’t have to prematurely head back to land. The snacks need to be easy to eat without utensils, they shouldn’t slosh around if you hit rough seas, and they shouldn’t make a mess—bonus points if they have a nautical association! These are the best snacks for a boat, according to the Sporked crew.

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Parmesan Goldfish

I really hate to start this list off with such deception, so I’ll come right out and say it: These aren’t actually made of fish and are only named after the snack’s fish shape. To add to the truth-telling, I’ll admit these aren’t my (nor Sporked’s) favorite Goldfish flavor, but they are the best non-flavor blasted option on the market. This is crucial because you can’t really wash your hands while you’re out on the water—and you don’t want to get stuck licking a bunch of flavor dust off your fingers. Added bonus: If these fall off the side of the boat, they’ll fit right in with the rest of the fish!

Spudlove Sea Salt & Vinegar Thick-Cut Potato Chips

If your boat happens to be out on the ocean, you could top chips with your own freshly procured sea salt (we think?). But if you’d prefer to spend your boat time sunning yourself, we recommend bringing along Spudlove’s Sea Salt & Vinegar Thick-Cut Potato Chips instead. These powerfully crunchy chips have a vinegar-forward flavor and excellent salty tang. Contributing writer Danny Palumbo likened them to chips right out of a deep fryer at a restaurant, so these will class up your trip, even if the boat is a junker.

Nicos Green Tea Seaweed Snacks

If you’ve ever found yourself in a boat wondering what it’d be like to eat the plants down below, this snack will satisfy your curiosity in a way that isn’t gross. This is the most sophisticated snack on our list (Mr. Bezos, are you taking notes?). Nicos Green Tea Seaweed Snacks are crispy and complex and they come packaged in plastic, so they won’t get all smooshed. When Danny and his dog Fey were looking for the best seaweed snacks, they were caught off guard by Nicos. “I just love that there’s so many flavors at work here,” Danny wrote. “Nicos strikes a great balance of meaty and lightly fragrant.” Whether it’s a dumpy fishing boat or a 100-foot yacht, these will hit the spot.

Related: The 9 Best Seaweed Snacks

Trader Joe’s Roasted & Salted Fancy Mixed Nuts

Nuts are hearty, protein packed, and they can handle sitting out in the sun all day long. Plus, these mixed nuts from Trader Joe’s nuts are fancy, just like you for being on a boat, sis. They have everything you want from a nut mix: cashews, almonds, hazelnuts, Brazil nuts, and pecans. If you insist on peanuts, there’s a we have a non-fancy option for you, too.

Related: The Best Mixed Nuts

Dot’s Homestyle Pretzels Original Seasoned Pretzel Twists

If you’ve had Dot’s Seasoned Pretzel Twists, you know how good these are, but for the uninitiated, these are the pretzels for any outdoor activity. Sure, there are pretzels that pair better with gooey cheese sauce or tangy onion dip, but Dot’s are best when you need a pretzel that will deliver on its own. Dip is too much hassle on a boat! In Sporked’s best pretzels ranking, managing editor Gwynedd Stuart mentioned that the seasoning tastes like the Worcestershire-esque seasoning on a really good snack mix, and that makes these an ideal boat snack.

Related: The Best Pretzels

Butter Chocolate Pocky

Pocky is an amazing mashup of decadently delicious desserts and it’s highly portable—the best kind of sweet snack for a boat excursion. When Danny taste tested Pocky flavors, he loved the Butter Chocolate Pocky the most. “The chocolate does in fact taste lusciously buttery, and when paired with the sugary biscuit, it almost tastes like a homemade pie crust. The depth of flavor here is off the charts. You get the decadent fattiness of the butter, the creaminess of the chocolate, and the crispy sugariness of the biscuit.” I hope I’m not the only one whose mouth watered from that. If you want to feel like royalty regardless of the vessel you captain, Butter Chocolate Pocky is a necessity!

Related: Best Pocky Flavors