Do you ever struggle with what snacks to pack on a long road trip with kids? Or do you end up just winging it and stopping at gas stations throughout the trip? I’ve been there! Many, many, many times! Packing easy and healthy snacks for traveling in the car with kids doesn’t have to take up too much time OR be hard though!
I can promise you with a little bit of pre-planning it’s actually really easy AND it makes for a smoother car ride, happier kids, and you don’t get to your destination feeling crummy from eating peanut M&M’s and Cheeto’s for 8+ hours. (Can you guess what our go-to unhealthy road trip snacks are?!)
We are actually heading to Charlotte, North Carolina in a week and a half so this post covering easy and healthy snacks for traveling in the car with kids is perfect timing for me (I’m so motivated to be healthy on our 17+ hour drive), but it honestly could be used on shorter trips since kids are usually hungry… all… the… time!
FYI – some of the items will need to be stored in a cooler and kept cold.
1. Veggies
- Steamed broccoli
- Carrots
- Cucumbers
- Bell peppers
I had to go with this one first because vegetables are usually the last things my kids want to eat!
Weirdly enough, my toddler loves broccoli. So we are steaming up broccoli the night before and luckily she will eat it cold!
My favorite for my older child is cut-up carrots. I have a strange thing about not eating pre-made baby carrots so I literally will pre-cut a 3 lb bag of the huge carrots.
Cucumbers both of my kids will eat, but I have to strategically peel the cucumber skin a little bit so that my toddler will eat it.
My toddler will gnaw on bell peppers (and sometimes spit them out), but my 9-year-old loves them. So do I!
2. Fruit
- Mandarin Oranges
- Grapes
- Blueberries
- Strawberries
- Apples
- Bananas
Fruit in my opinion is the easiest thing to pack for a road trip! You literally only have to wash the fruits that don’t have edible skin on them and you’re good to go. For us – the fruit goes FAST!
For this long trip to NC, I’ll probably do two containers of the grapes, blueberries, and strawberries so that we can have a second helping at another point in the drive.
3. Nuts
- Pistachios
- Chocolate-covered Almonds
- Cashews
My toddler won’t eat pistachios, but she absolutely loves chocolate-covered almonds which it’s a little more “unhealthy”, but I’ll take her eating that over dyed M&Ms any day.
For the pistachios, I always end up getting the ones that have the shell on them. For two reasons – they are usually cheaper than the pre-shelled ones and it gives you something to do while you’re eating them.
You could also make your own trail mix super easily with your favorite nuts and dried fruit! Target has a line that has a whole array of different kinds of trail mixes if you don’t want to make your own. Pre-made trail mixes can go a little crazy with the sweeter things inside them, so if you go this route I’d personally portion them out so the kids don’t go too crazy!
4. Rolled up deli meat
This is something I do almost every day my daughter goes to school! Putting deli meat flat in a lunch box looks weird so I always roll it up and slice it in half for her. For my son, I’ll leave it rolled up as well for easier eating in the car.
One of the things I feel like I struggle with a lot on car trips is getting enough protein. Carbs are easily accessible, but won’t keep you full as long as protein does! Deli meat for the kiddos will definitely hit the spot. Our go-to’s are turkey and ham!
5. Cheese sticks
For some reason, my daughter won’t eat cheese sticks, but I’m still packing them for my son and then my husband and I will definitely snack on them!
Choose whichever kind of cheese you prefer and you’re set! I love that this option also gives you a good boost of protein.
6. Yogurt pouches
Again, this item is packed with protein which will help your kiddos stay fuller longer! I don’t know about your kids, but sometimes I feel like they can snack all day long… one snack after the other, but filling them up with protein along with a carb helps (a little!).
Our favorite brand is Stonyfield and we usually stock up on Strawberry or Strawberry Banana.
7. Muffins
This one could potentially be labeled more unhealthy than the other options, but muffins travel well and they are good. This option also may take a little bit more thought and pre-planning if you make them yourself which I highly recommend to make them more “healthy”.
My favorite healthy-ish muffin to make that the kids love is this banana nut muffin recipe from Ambitious Kitchen. You can definitely add some chocolate chips in it as well, but I choose not to while traveling because my daughter would get it everywhere.
8. Chips
Okay before you say chips aren’t healthy… they aren’t my favorite things either, but what is healthy is a good balance. Also, choosing a better option of something that isn’t quite as healthy.
My kid’s favorites are below! I will definitely be the first to say… I do not eat these (other than the plantain chips… SO GOOD!), but I know my husband does and enjoys them as well.
- Veggie Straws
- Chickpea Puffs
- Pirate’s Booty
- Plantain chips
My tip with these is to get the snack packs because we all know that siblings do not like to share.
9. Hard-boiled Eggs
My personal favorite… I love hard-boiled eggs and it’s such an easy snack. Do a little prep work beforehand with these and get the shells off and put 1-2 in snack bags for easy grabbing for the kiddos!
10. Granola Bars
You really can’t go wrong with a granola bar. Sometimes I feel like my kids are eating them like they are going out of style. We are sloooowly switching from Chewy granola bars to the healthier version that Annie’s does. On this car ride I’ll probably pack a few of both just so I can keep them satisfied!
Do your best!
I hope this helps you out when you’re planning your next trip! Even if you pack just 1-2 extra snacks than what you normally do, I know it’ll set you up better for a successful road trip with happy, full kids (and parents!).
What matters the most is getting in the habit of packing easy and healthy snacks, so strive for that and do your best!
Let me know below what your favorite snacks are to bring when you travel!!