Snack Ideas for Car Trips

If you’re planning a road trip and aren’t sure what to pack for the kids to eat, I’ve got you sorted! We’ve been doing long drives with the kids since they were babies and have had all sorts of food variations along the way.

We rarely buy food on the drive, thought we have tried it a couple times. We always buy coffee. If we want special foods we’ll make it beforehand or buy it beforehand. This means you get to choose where you stop, when you stop, and whether or not you need to stop at all.

I know plenty of kids eat lollies the whole trip, so no judging here. I’ve found those salty and sugary treats make us all extra thirsty, which can lead to extra toilet stops! Also I tend to think they make us more restless, rather than decent foods which fill up your bellies and make you sleepy/full. So if you’re looking for some good ideas that aren’t too sugary/salty, here are some foods we’ve loved on trips:

17 Road Trip Snacks for Kids

  1. Bliss Balls (we make basic homemade ones with dates and oats, like this recipe)

  2. Dried fruit (get extra varieties from a special wholefoods shop – banana, mango, apricot cubes, saltanas)

  3. Sushi (if your kids aren’t messy eaters lol)

  4. Plain biscuits/cookies (my toddlers thought milk arrowroot biscuits were heaven)

  5. Fruit or vegies chopped up

  6. Crackers or corn/rice thins, with dip or spread with peanut butter

  7. Seaweed snacks

  8. Muffins (you can make brekky muffins or any flavour!). Our favourite are apple and cinnamon, blueberry, or banana.

  9. Pikelets

  10. Sandwiches (spread with butter/margarine first so they don’t go soggy)

  11. Breakfast cookies (like these)

  12. Muesli bars

  13. Vegemite scrolls

  14. Cheese and bacon bread rolls, mini pizzas, or pizza scrolls (or other bread-based treats from a bakery)

  15. Mini quiches.

  16. Hard boiled eggs

  17. Banana bread slices

Try to limit messy food, or save those for picnic stops. Pack wipes and a change of clothes for cleaning up if necessary.

My best tip for lollies/sweets/candy is to get lollipops, as these take ages to finish. Also once you’ve had one, you rarely crave more, unlike other types of lollies.

As my kids have gotten older, I now just pack a lunchbox/bento box so they can manage their own food.

Your Turn

Let me know what your favourite road trip foods are for kids in the comments below!

Related Articles:

Tips for Car Trips with Young Kids


Fun, TravelMiki Robertsonfood, recipe, Drive, PrepComment