On The Go Snacks For Kids

5 On The Go Snacks For Kids

I spend a lot of time on the road with my boys, I mean a lot with a monthly average of over 3,000 miles so you can only imagine that at times it feels like we live in our car. I keep a couple of waters stocked up in the console of the Yukon and a few of the snacks below always on hand. For long road trips I find that if I take a few minutes of prep time we are all a bit happier and it keeps us out of the convenience stores candy aisle and any fast food restaurants we run across; it’s easy for us to convince ourselves that a 4 piece chicken nugget makes a quick filling snack.

Now that you have learned about ways to save money on vacation, crossed off the items on your staying organized list and prepared yourself with travel games to play in the car don’t forget the on the go snacks.

Flavored Applesauce Snack Pouches

We have all seen these snack pouches in the grocery store and I can’t get over the price of them. They are so convenient though and keep mess to a minimum. I knew I could make my own flavors of applesauce but wasn’t sure how to make them easy to travel with, not until I found these re-usable puree pouches on Amazon. In a blender you can make any combination of fruit or veggies and puree to get your own flavor combinations. Hard fruits and vegetables may need cooked down first, however making my own is considerably cheaper (with summer fruits on sale) than the alternative of buying the pre-packaged ones and I am keeping the packaging to a minimum by re-using our own pouches. Our favorite flavor currently is peach, strawberry, mango and as they are all soft fruits I don’t have to worry about softening any of the fruits up before pureeing.

Fiber Packed Granola Bars

Granola bars are getting with the times and attempting to make them fairly healthy for the kids, plus they are so conveniently packaged and are easy to keep on hand in the car. I try to find one packed with fiber because in my own mind it offsets the sugar that most are packed with. It’s my way of assuring myself that they are ok and getting over the mom guilt that it may not be the healthiest option, but everything in moderation right?

Popcorn

Popcorn is often an overlooked snack because it can be a bit messy, but if your kids are a little older and keep it to a minimum, popcorn is an ideal snack. 1 cup of air popped popcorn only has — calories and is jam packed with fiber. Many microwave popcorn companies make individual size packages now days which makes it easy to throw a couple of bags in the microwave while everyone is getting dressed and you will have a delicious snack ready for later.

Dried Fruit

Dried fruit is a perfect choice for in the car because it tastes great and still allows you to pack most of your child’s favorite fruits without the mess. No dripping juice or seeds to have to deal with. Dried pineapple is our favorite because it’s so sweet and we can make our own easily.

Cereal

As a mom with young kids I can hardly be found without this little treat. Our new favorite is the Frosted Mini Wheats Touch of Fruit. Cereal is filling and the perfect fit for any size hands. Get a flavor everyone can agree on and keep a couple of ziploc bag fulls in the console or glove box.

Babybel Or String Cheese

String cheese comes in so many flavors but the original is still a family favorite. I like that they are packaged and ready to go at a moments notice. While most of our trips are planned, it’s not uncommon for the husband to walk in the door and let me know he actually has two days off in a row and would like to head to head to the city for a couple of days. Getting a family of 4 ready for two nights away in less than an hour can be a bit hectic and string cheese is my go-to snack to make sure we have in the fridge.

Whether your heading out for a day or packing for a week long trip snacks are a must in the car to keep the stopping to a minimum. I would much rather spend a few minutes preparing some on the go snacks than wasting a lot of time or money buying them on a whim. It never fails that if I don’t spend a few minutes being prepared with some on the go snacks we end up making snack time at McDonald’s and frankly a 4 piece of chicken nuggets isn’t really the best snack.

Do you keep on the go snacks in your car?  When your packing for a trip what types of on the go snacks do you pack?

~  On The Go Snacks by Brandy M.