Car trip snacks for kids

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mkcmurphy
mkcmurphy Posts: 437 Member
in Food and Nutrition
We are planning a car trip with our kids and its time to organize the snacks. Any suggestions for snacks that are relatively healthy and car friendly?

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  • Mustang_Susie
    Mustang_Susie Posts: 7,045 Member
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    How old are the kiddos and how far are you planning to travel?
  • bevmcarthur
    bevmcarthur Posts: 341 Member
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    bump
  • mkcmurphy
    mkcmurphy Posts: 437 Member
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    Elementary and preschool; 7-8 hours.
  • lambeas
    lambeas Posts: 229 Member
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    Popcorn

    Carrot Sticks and cheese

    Grapes
  • viglet
    viglet Posts: 299 Member
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    We drove 24 hrs down Texas and we packed apples, clementines, granola, crackers and brought stuff to make healthy sandwiches.
  • bevmcarthur
    bevmcarthur Posts: 341 Member
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    bump
  • stardancer7
    stardancer7 Posts: 276 Member
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    You want to make sure that the snacks are not choking hazards. Things people have listed are healthy choices, but you might want to consider juices in the car, but make rest stops for munching.
  • Mustang_Susie
    Mustang_Susie Posts: 7,045 Member
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    We have been traveling with our daughter since she was a toddler.
    She's nine now.
    I pack a cooler full of water bottles and snacks.
    She has an insulated thermos with a built in straw to minimize spills.
    Protein bars (Nature Valley are tasty)
    Fruit snacks
    String cheese
    Fruit (bananas are filling)
    Trail mix
    Ritz Bits
  • FrankiesSaysRelax
    FrankiesSaysRelax Posts: 403 Member
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    - Individual (snack) sized peanut butter, celery, cut up apple slices, banana
    - Individual hummus, baby carrots, cucumbers.
    - Raisins, dried fruit
    - Make small bags of their favorite snacks - goldfish, pretzels, fruit snacks
    - fruit- grapes, blueberries, strawberries, peeled oranges, etc.
    - nuts or trail mix
    - granola bar
  • Mustang_Susie
    Mustang_Susie Posts: 7,045 Member
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    - Individual (snack) sized peanut butter, celery, cut up apple slices, banana
    - Individual hummus, baby carrots, cucumbers.

    That's right, I've seen these pre-packaged at Walmart.
    I just didn't think they would be filling enough for my daughter.
    It depends on your children's appetites.

    We travel with our camper and carry our food supplies with us, so to save money on meals, we will stop at a rest stop and make lunch (sandwiches, fruit etc.) instead of going to a restaurant.
    This also affords a potty break and time for little legs to burn off some energy :wink:
  • mkcmurphy
    mkcmurphy Posts: 437 Member
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    These are awesome - thanks!
  • Alice_rio
    Alice_rio Posts: 17
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    Roll-up sandwiches are really easy to eat. You can put on healthy ingredients on the sandwich. Also, try bringing sliced fruits. Baked muffins are great also!
  • cynlynn38
    cynlynn38 Posts: 7 Member
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    We drove cross-country last summer with the kids. I second the recommendations of string cheese, raisins, granola bars, and goldfish crackers.
  • athenasurrenders
    athenasurrenders Posts: 278 Member
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    Save up empty jam jars. Put a dollop of hummus, salsa, yoghurt dip or whatever your children like. Add sticks of carrot, cucumber, pepper, celery etc so they are stood up in the dip, and screw the lid back on. Self-contained dipping jars! You could also do it with fromage frais and sliced apples/orange segments, or depending on the age of your preschooler, strawberries and melons on toothpicks.

    Make your own lunchable type snacks with whole wheat crackers, thin slices of cheese and thin slices of good quality cooked meats (assuming you have a cooler in the car).

    Make up smoothies from fruit and yoghurt, pour them into empty plastic drinks bottles and freeze. Don't put them in the cooler, by half way through your journey they should be thawed just enough for a nice cold drink.

    If you have enough time before your trip, home made fruit leathers?

    Make bite-sized mini muffins with fruit/veg/cheese/meat baked into them.

    If you can get your hands on the little plastic boxes that people use for sorting nuts and bolts or fishing tackle, you could let the children make up their own mix and match snack tray before you leave - nuts, dried fruits, dry cereal, maybe one or two treats like gummy bears or an oreo (if that's allowed in your household).

    Yogurts that come in tubes or squeezy pouches - they can be sugary but still more nutritious than candy. I don't know if you have the 'Ella's kitchen' brand where you are, but they do little squeezy pouches with fruit puree - no extra sugar, no additives. Sometimes in the baby section.

    Soft pretzels - filling, and fairly healthy if you make your own, and non-messy to eat.

    Buy a selection of snacks with holes in them - pretzels, cheerios etc. Let your children make necklaces by threading them onto string and wear them in the car (again, depending on how old your preschooler is).

    I'd go for small portions of lots of things, that way the food adds entertainment value as well. Oh, and pack baby wipes!

    Oh and if your kids are messy eaters, you might want to pack a couple of these non-spill snack cups and just tip in anything which comes in little bits to minimize the quantity of crumbs crushed into your car seats! http://www.amazon.com/Munchkin-Snack-Catchers-Colors-Vary/dp/B000GB0NZK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1374762396&sr=8-1&keywords=toddler+snack+container

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