Road Trip Snack Ideas

We go on so many trips- both longer vacations and lots and lots of local trips around California.  I have become a pro at packing up snacks for our family that are portable and healthy-ish.  Packing your own food gives you control over what and when you eat and can save so much money.  I also like the convenience of using our time for activities and not wasting it in lines for quick bites or hunting down a place we can all agree on.

I try to pack healthy options with a few treats here and there and I thought I would share some of our favorite options when we are on the road.

The items I use when packing:

• Ziploc Bags (storage size and sandwich size)
• Food Storage Containers (about $3 for an 8 pack at Target)

The food storage containers are disposable but can be reused over and over again.  I tend to quickly rinse them when they are emptied and usually bring them back home.  These particular containers can be stacked within themselves to save space.

I like to either freeze water bottles ahead of time to use as ice or I fill Ziploc freezer bags with ice to use in the cooler.  We drink the water as it thaws out and the extra freezer bags are great to refill with ice from the hotel so you don’t need to keep unpacking your cooler.  We just freshen the ice each day and everything stays nice and cool.

Now for the snacks!

My favorite snacks include:

Crackers // Nuts (usually almonds, pistachios or cashews) // sliced salami (my husband’s favorite) // sliced cheese- this is smoked gouda, parmesan and cheddar are also favorites  // hard boiled eggs // apples (I actually slice them- these usually last 2 days before browning)

Fruit is always to right answer and we pack tons of it.  This is the easiest breakfast for the kids and they know before they choose crackers or treats, they have to make a healthy choice with fruit or veggies.

In this case I peeled several tangerines // mixed berries // grapes

We have also packed watermelon, strawberries, blueberries… anything that isn’t too juicy works. You can also find little snack packs at stores like Costco and Target with fruit, cheese, pretzels that work perfectly for children or adults.

I pack veggies too.  Anything crunchy that your family loves is best- carrots, celery, broccoli, snap peas, cherry tomatoes…. Another favorite is black olives.  I just empty an entire can in a Tupperware, drain the liquid and the kids love it.  You can pack hummus, guac or little ranch packets to go with your veggies if you like.  I try to keep things simple and here is what I recently packed:

Spinach Salad (I picked up a 2pk of salads for $5 at Costco. This kind is my favorite because there is a fork included inside the container) //baby carrots and I realize Dilly Pickles aren’t a veggie but my kids love these.  We always pack them and they are usually the first thing they grab to eat.

Many of our road trips involve hikes or lots of walking so I try to pack very lightweight snacks that are salty.  My children and husband love beef jerky and I usually grab a Larabar or maybe a packet of peanut butter for protein.  We also pack tons of water.

Treats!  Now what is a road trip without treats?  Not one I want to be on 😉  I try to keep the junk food pre-portioned and limited and we have little portions of lots of options.   We pack cookies, chips, candy- Red Vines are a favorite and for the kids lollipops take awhile to eat and provide zero temptation to me.  Anything that isn’t messy and doesn’t involve tons of little wrappers works.

Some favorites:

Gummy Bears (these are the real fruit ones from bulk bins at the market- so much more flavorful than the bags) // chocolate covered cashews (from Costco- these are amazing) // chips (I grab what is on sale at Costco- these are Luke’s Organic BBQ flavor) // Cookies (we love wafers- Loaker is my favorite in lemon flavor or hazelnut but note these get slightly melty in direct sun so I keep them in a cool spot)

Last but not least is drinks.  We load up on water and try to avoid sugary sodas and juices.  The kids are only allowed water in the car and the occasional milkshake. I love to bring kombucha, flavored sparkling water and cold brew coffees.  There are tons of flavors but my current fave is this Starbucks iced coffee.  I like a little milk in my iced coffee so I add about a cup of milk right into the bottle and it is ready to pour.  Much cheaper than hunting down coffee shops on long trips and this entire container is the same price as one cold brew coffee on the road.

I hope this gives you some ideas for your next road trip!  What are your favorites?  Any tricks to packing or transporting your favorite snacks?

Here are a few things I occasionally make for our trips:

Freezer Breakfast Sandwiches 

Crispy Protein Bites (these are yummy)