15 Snacks To Pack for Your Road trip!

We all have different taste buds..and I’m not sure if anyone else notices but our little ones taste buds seem to change, ALOT..One week they will be eating strawberries and the next week they will be telling us that they don’t eat them anymore, and so on…

So variety when on a road trip or travelling for that matter is important.  And a I always tell the kids about the junk food, if any, last because the last thing you need is a toddler jacked up on sugar early in on the trip.

But I must admit, on some occasion when everything seems to be haywire I will reach for the packet of chips just to quiet them down…we are all guilty of this so don’t feel bad.

What We Pack

1. Water – we will freeze some bottles of water to keep everything else cold.  This is great when all the unfrozen bottles are either finished or have gone hot.   The frozen bottles are usually ready to drink by this stage and can be very refreshing.
2. Juice – 250mL, same deal with the juice boxes.  Get your favourite juice boxes, freeze some and put some in cold.
3. Yoghurt pouches – this one would be one of our main snacks that we always pack.  Vaalia seems to be the flavour of choice for our kids.
4. Popcorn – Who doesn’t love popcorn!! Make your own and store them into separate sandwich sized lock seal bags.  If that sounds like too much, you can always buy small packets of popcorn with or without salt and/or flavour.
5. Pretzels – this one is a bit hit and miss.  Some times the kids love them, sometimes they don’t.. I still pack a couple of packets just to add to the variety, plus Mum or Dad will probably enjoy them anyway, so they won’t go to waste.
6. Fresh fruit – apples, bananas, strawberries, blueberries and grapes are the big hit on our road trips.  No mess, no fuss! Well, to an extend!😂
7. Carrot, Capsicum and cucumber sticks – really happy to say that this seems to be the first to go..to get the kids to enjoy the less ‘enjoyable’ snacks we pack one of thier favourite dips. (eg, french onion or avocado)  This has been our trick to get our darling children to eat their raw vegies. Works a treat!
8. Sandwiches – you can’t go wrong with packing a few sandwiches with everyone’s favourite spreads.  If you’re wanting to pack some sandwiches with meat on them; as long as you have some frozen bottles or ice packs in your esky or cooler bag you should survive.
9. Ritz or Jatz – Ritz are my favourite as they don’t seem to be as hard as a Jatz biscuit.  We have already packed some dips for our fresh vegetable sticks so a packet of Ritz will be perfect to add to the trip.
10. Nuts/trail mix – I’m a little fussy and only like the salted peanuts.  Try a DIY trail mix and creating one with all your family favourites. Include some dry fruit in there as well. (eg. banana, apricots & sultanas)
11. Muesli Bars – NOT a hit at all in our family unfortunatly. We are a little naughty and get the choc chip ones; for Dad AKA ‘The Driver’ he seems to like this snack the most.
12. Beef Jerky – Now this is what I’m talking about!! Mum’s favourite!  I could actually live off jerky if I could.  I always buy the biggest packet at our first fuel stop.  Yes, to my disgust, I do share. When I get the not so hot one; chilli is my fave. *insert evil laugh*
13. Packets of Chips or shapes – The convenient go to.  We always have chips and/or shapes .  When the kids are tired, cranky, exhausted between stops sometimes a packet of chips is the easiest and most fulfilling and in my opinion this is absolutely fine!
14. Mints – Keep this one a secret…We pack mints for the parents only.  This is our reward for surviving the trip.
15. Snakes – The Natural Confectionary Co. snakes are a special treat for the kids.  This is what we use for our bribery tool…Eat that sandwich and you’ll get a snake.  I know you all do it; plus it works! and as the old saying goes.. ‘whatever works’, right?

Note: before you begin your road trip or journey.  Always check and be aware of the quarantine zones if you are travelling interstate and ensure correct disposal of any restricted products (fruit & veg). For more information on zones in Australia, click here.

Travelling long road trips can be tiring for everyone especially our kids.  Patience, lots of snacks and regular breaks can help the whole family overcome any second thoughts about travelling with your kids.  And if it is a first time, yes it does get better, however there will always be someone who seems to be more tired & cranky.  The best approach is to not join thier chaos. Stay calm.  Talk about all the cool things you will be doing with them when you get there (after unpacking & a rest).  And if you’re on your way home, have a discussion about the good things they get to do and see when they get home (eg. see thier family pet, all thier friends they haven’t seen for a while or just being back in thier own beds).

Tips:  If you haven’t got one already, fit a seat protector on your backseat.  This will help with cleaning out your car and save alot of stress during your trip if someone spills thier juice or drops a berry in a hard to get to place like under your baby’s car seat.

The best way to avoid the mess in the car is to stop for picnics.  This is when everyone can stretch thier legs and go to the bathroom.  Or if you’re stopping to go the the bathroom, make this the time for your picnic.

Pack rubbish bags – put all rubbish into a bag straight away.  This way when you are stopping for the bathroom stop or fuel you can easily dispose of the rubbish.

Of course, our snacks change as our kids grow but these are main snacks when we are road tripping.  The main idea is to pack your favourites that won’t send the kids too hypo and can be easy to dispose of at each stop.  Healthier options are obviously ideal.

The less plastic the better…

Let us know what you pack by posting in the comments.

♡Mrs Bleakley