20 Healthy Road Trip Snacks for Kids
I consider myself a bit of a pro when it comes to feeding kids on the road.
My family regularly sets off on an 8-hour road trip to visit my parents interstate, so I’ve packed a lot of road trip snacks over the years.
And I’m here to tell you this: snacks are your secret weapon for peaceful road trips with kids (or at least more peaceful, I’m not a miracle worker!).
But when I say snacks, I don’t just mean any snacks….
Here are my hard-earned tips plus 20 healthy road trip snacks for kids to help you maintain your sanity (and your car seats!).
But do they really need to be healthy…?
OK, I get it, part of the fun of road trips is eating all the junk.
It’s fun to take a break from the usual routines around food and enjoy a little time where anything goes.
BUT, in order to keep everyone sane, I recommend keeping the high sugar, high fat snacks in check at least a little and continuing to prioritise the good stuff.
By all means, throw in a few extra treats, but overdoing the junk food is a one-way street to meltdown town (pardon the road trip pun ;).
Tips for planning, packing and preparing road trip snacks for kids
Have a good meal before you leave
It might be the last thing on your mind as you madly pack the car and rush out the door...
But if you’ve got a bit of time on your hands, have a meal before you leave.
That way, everyone can begin the journey with full tummies and stable blood sugar levels.
And that means fewer meltdowns and arguments over who gets the armrest - and the travel snacks won’t all be devoured in the first two hours!
Take your first meal with you
Once again, it might not exactly fit into the madness of getting out of the house and on the road…
But if you’ve got a long journey ahead, I recommend packing your first meal to take with you.
Something simple like sandwiches, or some leftovers you can store in a thermos.
Then you’ve got the first few hours sorted, and you know the kids will at least get one nutritious meal on the journey.
After that, you can hit up the drive thru’s and roadside diners.
Not all road trip foods need to look like this!
Stock up on non-perishable travel snacks
I find the best travel snacks are ones that can be thrown in a bag or the car glove box and stay there happily for a few hours or a few days, without going bad or going stale.
They also tend to cause less mess (I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve cleaned yogurt off the backseat of my car!).
Use resealable bags or containers
An obvious one - keep snacks fresh and reduce mess by putting them in a resealable bag or a container.
Take a few extras with you for those half-finished snack packets you never know what to do with.
Pack a small cooler or insulated bag
If you’re packing perishable items such as yogurt, cheese or cut-up fruit, pack them in an insulated bag or container, preferably with an ice pack to keep them cool.
Stash a few ice packs in the freezer to throw into an insulated bag whenever you need to keep snacks cool.
Include a variety of snacks
Snacks can be a handy way to break up the boredom of long journeys.
To maximise the entertainment value, pack a variety of different snacks to keep it interesting.
Involve your kids
Getting your kids to help out with snack prep before the trip is a great way to get them excited and mentally prepared for the trip.
It will also mean they’ll feel that they’ve had a say in what’s packed, meaning they’re more likely to eat it!
Portion out snacks in advance
If you can, portion out snacks before you leave into containers or zip lock bags.
This helps ensure little ones get a good variety of foods (instead of eating an entire bag of one thing) and generally means less mess.
Pack a bento box
If you’ve got a picky eater on your hands, packing a bento box can be a great way to offer up a range of different snack options in one container.
No judgement if that’s all a bit too much effort though - throwing a few packets of different things into a bag is also totally acceptable!
What about eating in the car? Is it safe for kids?
Unfortunately, mess isn’t the biggest downside of kids eating in the car - there are some important safety considerations.
It’s generally more difficult to keep an eye on younger kids when they’re eating in the backseat, and parents might not be able to respond quickly if they begin to choke.
I recommend taking regular breaks when you’re road-tripping for the sake of everyone’s sanity and to reduce the need for kids to eat in the car.
BUT, I know that sometimes eating it’s unavoidable or just makes life a whole lot easier (and the trip a whole lot quicker).
The bottom line is, keep the in-car snacking to a minimum if possible.
And if younger kids are eating snacks in the car, avoid any choking hazards (yogurt pouches are handy for in-car snacking!).
20 Healthy Road Trip Snacks for Kids
1. Homemade Trail Mix
Whole grain cereal, nuts, dried fruit, dark chocolate - the best thing about trail mix is customising it to suit your family’s tastes (and what you have in the pantry!).
You can even get the kids involved in making it.
Another great thing about trail mix is its nutritional value, with protein and healthy fats from the nuts and fiber, vitamins and minerals from dried fruit and wholegrain cereal.
I like to make my travel trail mixes a little more fun than the usual variety by adding some chocolate chips or M&Ms.
2. Dry Cereal
Good old whole grain breakfast cereal makes an easy and nutritious road trip snack.
Just portion out into ziplock bags or containers, and you’re good to go.
Cereals such as Cheerios or shredded wheat are good options for road trip snacks.
3. Rice Cakes with Dip
Rice cakes with cheese or a dip, such as cream cheese or hummus, make an easy, balanced snack.
Low mess and easy to pack!
4. Hard-Boiled Eggs
Great for filling up hungry kids, protein-packed eggs are the ultimate nutrient-dense snack.
Just boil them, peel them and pop them in a container with a freezer pack to keep them cool (if they’re not going to be eaten in the next few hours).
5. Veggie Chips
A crunchy, healthier alternative to regular chips, veggie chips can be homemade or store-bought.
Kale, sweet potato, zucchini, carrot are all great options.
6. Granola Bars / Muesli bars (low sugar)
With ingredients such as oats, nuts, seeds and dried fruit, muesli and granola bars are packed with fiber to keep kids fuller for longer.
Go for low sugar options, ideally those with less than 15g added sugar per 100g.
7. Mini Sandwiches
Regular-sized sandwiches might not seem that exciting to little ones, but cut them into mini shapes and all of a sudden they’re a hit!
Go for wholegrain bread if you can (otherwise high-fiber white), and fill with protein-rich fillings such as cheese, lean meat or peanut butter for a balanced, simple, low mess snack.
8. Wholegrain Muffins
If you’ve got a little bit of time to spare in the days leading up to your trip, try whipping up a batch of whole grain muffins.
They can be sweet with fruit such as banana and berries or savoury with cheese and veggies like carrots, corn and zucchini.
Try this super easy recipe for Banana Blender Muffins.
9. Popcorn
Light, filling, and whole grain, plain air-popped popcorn is an easy go-to road trip snack.
Buy individual packets or portion out yourself to save endless popcorn munching and keep the mess at bay!
10. Energy Bites
No-bake, easy to make ahead, and packed with energy, these delicious little snacks can be customised depending on your kids’ favorite flavours.
I love to use oats, peanut butter, dried fruit, chia seeds, honey and chocolate chips, but the options are endless!
Check out this guide for 6 different flavor combinations.
11. Whole Grain Crackers with Cheese
A classic snack that’s quick and easy, and provides both protein and fiber.
12. Freeze-Dried Fruit
In my experience, kids love the light, crunchy texture of freeze-dried fruit - such as strawberries, raspberries and mango.
And because it isn’t heated during processing, freeze-dried fruit tends to maintain its nutrients better than heat-dried fruit.
It’s generally not the cheapest of snacks, so look for it on sale, or buy it in bulk and portion out into containers or ziplock bags.
13. String Cheese
The ultimate easy, kid-friendly snack, string cheese is also packed with protein and calcium, and it’s mess-free!
Just make sure you keep them chilled.
14. Cut-Up Fruit and Veg
Yes, it’s an obvious one, but don’t forget about good old fresh fruit and veg!
Your child might turn their nose up at the idea of a full apple or banana, but cut up into pieces, it can be a whole different story.
As cut fruit and veg don’t keep for all that long, I like to offer this as one of the first road trip snack options.
15. Crunchy Chickpeas
Legumes such as chickpeas are one of the most nutritious foods around, with protein, fiber, iron and lots of other vitamins and minerals.
Regular chickpeas generally don’t appeal to most kids, but crunchy roasted chickpeas are a different story.
Grab them in packets at the supermarket, or you can even make your own.
16. Single-Serve Nut Packs
Small boxes or packets of nuts make a very portable snack and a great one to stash in your handbag for both adults and kids (because adults need travel snacks too!).
They’re full of protein, healthy fats and fiber to keep everyone satisfied and mess-free.
17. Yogurt Pouches
One of my kids’ favorites, yogurt pouches have plenty of protein and calcium and are safe for younger kids to eat in the car.
Keep them chilled in an insulated bag with an ice brick.
18. Oatmeal Cookies
These are a great snack to make at home if you have time so you can maximise their nutritional value and keep the sugar content down.
Try this recipe for Oatmeal Raisin Cookies.
19. Dried Fruit
Dried fruit (such as prunes, apricots and dates) is a great snack to keep on hand for both kids and adults.
While it’s very nutritious, because it’s a concentrated source of (natural) sugar, keep portion sizes small.
20. Flavored Milk
Milk is an excellent source of protein and calcium for kids and makes a handy travel snack (particularly UHT or shelf-stable milk).
It’s also a safe option for kids to have while in the car as it’s not a choking hazard.
Just watch out for any spillages!
Hopefully your road trip looks something like this!
I hope these ideas give you some inspiration for your next road trip.
I can’t guarantee a smooth journey, but it will be a whole lot smoother if you can keep the snack monsters in the back seat happy!
Let me know some of your family’s favorite travel snacks in the comments.
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