All this week we've been talking about travel snacks here on The Kitchn. An ideal travel snack is portable, versatile, configurable, and heat-resistant. (Unfortunately that last factor rules out chocolate as a viable option.) You know what meets all those criteria in spades, though? The chickpea! Roast 'em, dry 'em, shake 'em all up. You've just found your new travel buddy.

Airline food has never been anyone's favorite dining experience, but lately it's gotten downright ridiculous to have to eat bad food and pay for it, too. The upside is that so many people are now bringing homemade food on flights. This makes me happy not just because it's usually more healthy, but because it brings a sense of originality and creativity to what is otherwise a pretty cold and impersonal experience. I find myself peeking over rows of seats to see what people are eating.

When I'm traveling, it seems the easiest snacks to come by are sweet ones. What with baked-on-board cookies, go-to trail mix, and sweet fruits galore, it's easy to start feeling a little dizzy with all of that sugar and so little substance. I've found that the snack I want to keep at hand when I'm traveling is easy, filling, and savory. It's an avocado! 

Although we deal mainly with human food here at The Kitchn, many of us travel with our pets when we go adventuring. Here are a few tricks and tips to keep your pup happy and healthy. 

Ah, the dilemma of dinner during the busy week before a trip out of town. You don't want to blow your budget before the vacation even starts by eating out every night. But if you cook, you want to make the most of your time in the kitchen without generating too many leftovers that you won't be able to finish before you leave. Here is a five-day dinner plan that calls for a some extra kitchen time on Sunday to give a head start on a week's worth of quick and healthy meals. You'll be ready to hit the road on Friday with a clean fridge and no guilt about splurging a little on your vacation.

Kids know how to party! Check out the latest festive celebrations from the Apartment Therapy's Family channel, which posts kids' parties every day. We'll be bringing you a roundup of these inspiring parties every week.

• Post School Rainbow Art Party
• Hudson's Curious George Party
• Dylan's Sesame Street Party
• Naomi's Princess Ballerina Party
• Sofia's Save the Bees Party

The outdoors has much to recommend it — water, sky, woods, mountains! A break from technology and your noisy neighbor! — but it doesn't come equipped with a kitchen. No, you have to bring that yourself if you venture out into the wild and plan on doing your own food prep. You could totally rough it, of course, but if you'd like a little help with food storage, organization, and cleanup, then one of these five camp kitchens is a worthwhile purchase.

I long to be one of those people who packs a healthy, well-balanced meal when they travel. I have friends who pack lunches for their plane journeys — thinking out which foods will complement others and how it will affect the way they feel mid-flight. I don't do this. Usually I can barely manage to eat a decent breakfast before I get out the door. But what I can do is throw together a trail mix for those flights — one that's been put to the test during quick camping trips, day hikes or longer car rides. And I'm always thankful that I took the few minutes to do so.

A train station sandwich is positive proof that I've arrived in Europe. When the airplane touches down on the runway, I'm not there. As we wait for our luggage and stumble through customs, we aren't there. When I make my way through Rome, from the airport to the train station, with three children and a month's worth of luggage, the journey may be coming to an end, but the trip has not yet begun. I have to have the sandwich.

These peanut butter bites are just the thing when you're looking for a tasty, easy-to-make travel snack that'll satisfy your sweet tooth (without going overboard!). The sweetness comes from dates, and the whole recipe takes only about 10 minutes to make — great when you're running late and need travel munchies pronto!