How to Prep Healthy Family Snacks for Long Drives

You know how every single long drive is with kids. 

You pack the car, strap the kids in, and mentally prepare for the drive. But then, 20 minutes in, one of the little voices pipes up and says they’re hungry. You could stop at a gas station, sure, but you know what’s inside. Candy, chips, sodas, ice cream… And even if you were okay with letting your kids eat it, you do not want to be stuck in a car with kids hopped up on sugar. 

Greasy foods will have everyone feeling groggy, and sugar will turn the backseat into chaos. 

So wouldn’t you say it’s better to pack healthy snacks that won’t make everybody turn into monsters? 

Planning

Let me paint you a picture. The day is here. You’re moving and you’re excited about it, but there’s still one thing standing between you and your new home. The trip there. 

Let’s say you’re moving from Smyrna, GA, to Daytona Beach, FL. You’ve done your research for the term ‘residential mover Smyrna’ online, and you went with one of the more reputable and affordable moving companies online. They’ll take care of the heavy lifting, logistics, transport – things like that. 

You can relax. That is, you would be able to relax if you didn’t have that 7-hour drive to get through. Right?

Having snacks ready will make the drive so much easier, but good snacks don’t just appear out of thin air. The best time to prepare snacks is the night before or early in the morning, so everything is fresh for the entire duration of the trip. 

Remember that storage is just as important as food. You’ll need insulated bags to keep the food cool, reusable containers, ice packs, and an icebox. Portion snacks into packs you can easily get to, and your road trip might actually end up being fun. 

Well… Maybe not fun. 

Tolerable. 

Healthy Snack Ideas

Not every snack will travel well. Imagine your hungry toddler trying to eat a messy sandwich, and you’ll get what I mean. 

What you want to do is pack snacks that are healthy and tasty but that are also easy to handle and don’t make too much of a mess. 

Here are my favorites. 

1. Snacks Rich in Protein

Protein keeps the energy steady, and it also prevents hunger from coming back too quickly, so you can’t go wrong with making protein the base of your snack bag. 

Hard-boiled eggs are an excellent choice because they’re filling, and make sure to peel them before the drive, or you’ll have shells in the car. 

Cheese sticks or cheese cubes are also very satisfying, and they will give kids something familiar to eat. Best of all – no crumbs! Keep the cheese in a cooler until snack time, though. You can also make nut butter squeeze packs and pair them with apple slices or whole-grain crackers. 

They’re easy to portion and hand out. 

1. Fresh Fruits and Vegetables

I know, I know, kids won’t be too excited to eat fruits and veggies, but hear me out. 

Fruits and vegetables are great because they’re hydrating and naturally sweet. Grapes, apple sticks, celery, carrot sticks, and cherry tomatoes are all easy to prepare and pack into small containers. 

Now, you’ll need to keep this interesting to make your kids want to eat it, so pack small travel cups of hummus or other light dips. 

This way, plain veggies become tasty and fun. 

1. Whole-Grain Snacks

Whole grains are a must for long drives because they help balance out fruits and proteins in a snack pack. Make mini sandwiches on whole-grain bread with something like turkey or hummus. They’re not heavy, but they’re very satisfying. Don’t go crazy with fillings because your kids will make a mess. 

Homemade granola bars are also fantastic, and so are small energy bites made of oats, seeds, honey, and even dried fruit. 

For something super light, air-popped popcorn with a little bit of seasoning is perfect for when you want something crunchy that feels like a treat. 

1. Drinks

Water is your go-to, of course, so pack a lot of it. 

Each member of your family should have their own refillable bottle, so you don’t need to keep handing out drinks. If your kids want something that has flavor, add orange or lemon slices with a few berries. You’ll have a naturally sweet, fun drink that won’t cause a sugar spike like sodas do. 

If you don’t have any sugary drinks with you on the drive, the energy in the car will be calmer, and you’ll have to make fewer stops for bathroom emergencies. 

Conclusion

No road trip has ever gone perfectly, but it’s much easier if the thing that’s making your life hell is a traffic jam and not a hysterical toddler. Food and drinks can make or break a long drive, so make sure your icebox is full of healthy, filling snacks that won’t make anyone cranky or hyperactive. 

Snacks are a big part of the journey, and if you ignore their importance, your kids will make you regret it.