Super Snack Tips for Road Trips With Kids

Any time kids spend a long time in the car, they’re probably going to ask for a snack! If you’re planning a long road trip with kids, it helps to give extra thought to the snacks you pack for the ride.

As a mom of five kids, I have spent many hours in the car on road trips with children. Being a military family, every two to three years we move to a new location — often in a different state. Twice, our cross-country moves included a five-day road trip! Military families take a lot of long car rides when they move to a new home, explore new locations, or travel great distances to visit family. Which also means a lot of road trip snacks!

Over the years, I have made a few mistakes and learned some things about snacks on road trips:

• It isn’t always easy to find lunch food: be prepared!

• If kids don’t like everything in the trail mix, they might pick out one ingredient and throw it on the floor.

• Chocolate melts during hot summer car rides!

• Juice boxes are easily squeezed and spilled.

• Anything that stains fingers — like chocolate cookies or cheesy chips — can also stain clothes or car seats.

To provide fun and healthy food options during your next trip, try making some of your own snacks ahead of time. Help your kids prepare for the trip by making and packing your road trip snacks together!

In “The Wombats Family Road Trip,” Super gives Zeke a job watching a special package that contains a pie for a friend. When the pie accidentally flies out the window, the Wombats work together and use a backpack full of snacks that Zadie had packed to recreate a tasty pie treat. Have you been in a similar situation, where a special snack fell to the floor, completely ruined? As parents, we often have to think on our feet when something happens unexpectedly — like when it comes to finding food on the road.

As my family watched the Wombats work together to rebuild the pie, my younger children giggled and my older children tried to guess what would happen next. And, we all learned some useful tips about road trip snacks:

• It’s smart to pack different kinds of snacks when you go on a trip. You never know what you might need! For example, Zadie packed both graham crackers and plain crackers, which have different textures and flavors. Zadie also packed carmel, sunbutter, and honey. Having different options boosts your chances that you can pull together snacks for everyone.

• Include a variety of food options like fresh fruit, healthy nuts, sweet treats, and crackers.

• When eating on the go, you may need to substitute different ingredients from your usual options. Be supportive and encourage your child to try something new by talking about how the new food tastes like something they’re already familiar with.

• Dried Fruit: Make apple chips or fruit leather for simple sweet snacks made from fruit. These snacks are easy to store, hand out, and eat in the car.

• Homemade Bread and Muffins: Banana bread cut into small pieces and spiced oatmeal muffins are easy to make ahead and handle on the road. Bring small containers to contain crumbs and bake without baking cups to reduce waste on the go.

• Special Sandwiches: Don’t forget about lunch! Cut sandwiches into letters or make a giant snake sandwich — both will be a welcome surprise at a picnic rest stop.

• Pack Pizza: Make Mini Pizzas with your child in advance of your trip to help them get excited for your lunch stop. Pack your mini pizzas in a sealed container. Warm them at a rest stop, or eat them cold!

• Creative Choices: Make trail mix and snack dip cups with your child. For the trail mix, let them choose their favorite dried fruit, nuts, cereal, and snacks. Store in a small container or ziplock bag. Adapt the snack dip recipe for on-the-go by placing hummus into bowls with lids or bento boxes. Include delicious dippers like carrots, pepper slices, or pretzels for a fun side dish that’s ready whenever your child is hungry.

May your next road trip be full of fun, adventure, and delicious snacks!