26 of the best road trip snacks for kids

If you’re planning a family road trip, there are so many things to pack and plan – but whatever you do, wherever you go, don’t set off without plenty of road trip snacks for kids.

contains affiliate links*

Essential if you’ve taken an exciting detour and are running late for dinner, have found yourself stuck in unexpected traffic, are tackling travel sickness, staving off hangry meltdowns or just dealing with road trip boredom, you can simply never have too many!

After all, you don’t want to make a stop every time someone says, “I’m hungry!” – so whether you’re looking for an easy option (who isn’t?!), healthy snacks for kids, something which won’t cause a huge mess, and will tempt picky eaters or nauseous passengers, check out my list of the best road trip snacks for kids.

The easy options

Easy road trips snacks are always good to have on hand – so if you want to keep it simple and don’t want to waste too much time preparing different ingredients, consider bringing some of these options with you on the road trip.

Cereal

Packing dry cereal couldn’t be much easier – although to avoid finding bits all over your car, it’s a good plan to take it out of the box or bag, pour it into individual containers for each child, and place the cereal containers into your storage bin or bag for the car.

If your kids all like different cereals, that also makes it easier to pack several different types. Super simple and a great way to keep the kids from feeling hungry while on the road.

For more tips on packing for a road trip with kids, check out my essential list

Chex Mix

A little more effort than just putting cereal in a box, making your own Chex Mix is still a pretty easy option – create your own version from Chex cereal with mini chocolate chip morsels, mini marshmallows, and nuts for a child-friendly treat.

If you’re not in the US, Shreddies are the closest substitute for Chex in both the UK and Canada.

Rice cakes

Always a winner with younger kids, they’re also a great option if you’re looking for a snack to stave off boredom but not fill them up completely before the next meal.

Popcorn

Another super-easy snack, you can stick with plain versions if you don’t want to give your kids too much sugar or salt.

You can even make your own and divide it into containers if you’ve got the time/energy, which is great if you want to make a salt-sweet mix, or add just a little flavour rather than shop-bought options.

Vegetable crisps/chips

What kid doesn’t love a bag of these? Whether they’re a fan of tortilla chips, the classic potato version, weird and wonderful flavours or super-plain, there’s always an option to suit your family.

If you’re looking for a slightly healthier alternative, there are more vegetable crisps around these days too – as she’s got older, my daughter has really got into these, although I doubt she’d have tried a beetroot one when she was a toddler! (The spinach ones are still a firm no though).

Oat crackers

More filling than most crackers and with a bit more flavour than plain wheat options, these are another easy option for kids to nibble on.

My daughter loves the Nairn fine milled oatcakes, and handily there are sealed packs within the box, so you can just grab one of those and go.

Pop-Tarts

Another no hassle snack is Pop-Tarts – with the added convenience of being able to simply open the package and hand one to each child.

Again, you can choose from different options to suit each child, whether your little ones are fans of Strawberry, S’mores, or even the Hot Fudge Sundae kind!

Granola bars/Cereal bars

From chocolate chip to peanut butter, oatmeal raisin, and more, there are all kinds of tasty granola bars to choose from that your children can enjoy while road tripping.

Yogurt tubes

Ditch the spoon and the plastic pots, and provide the kids with some portable yogurt tubes to enjoy, or you can find pouch versions too.

Yoplait, Frubes and Gogurt are all good brands to try.

The good stuff (healthy snacks for kids)

While it’s always good to be able to grab and go, if you want to make sure your children are snacking something that’s good for them – or at least mixing a few vitamins in among the easy options – check out these healthy road tips snacks for kids as well.

Fruit Salad

If you don’t mind prepping some ingredients beforehand, it’s hard to beat something as simple, delicious and naturally good for kids as a fruit salad.

Just wash and slice a whole batch to put into small containers, and don’t forget a fork for your kids to eat it on the go.

Veggie sticks

As a less sugary alternative to fruit, pack up some vegetable sticks for the journey – carrot batons, cucumber sticks, slices of bell pepper, baby plum tomatoes.

All easy to prepare, good for kids and will last the journey well. You can add in a side of their favourite dips, like hummus or ranch dressing, as well.

String Cheese (Cheesestrings/Cheese strips)

Full of protein, it’ll curb their hunger for longer while they’re in the car, and the calcium and vitamins make it a healthy choice too.

Ideal if you want something to break up sugar overload, and it’s one that most kids love.

Trail Mix

You can’t go wrong with trail mix, and if you’ve got picky eaters, you can easily make your own version to avoid any pet hates.

Otherwise, an option full of peanuts, almonds, cashews, dried cranberries, and other dried fruit will help keep kids full until their next meal without too big a sugar rush.

Picky eater must-haves

While healthy snacks can come in handy, if you’ve got picker eaters who don’t like fruit and veggies, or perhaps have sensory issues that stop them eating foods with particular textures, there are still plenty of ideas for child-friendly snacks.

Animal Crackers (or any crackers)

They’re light, full of flavour, and shaped like adorable animals. What more could kids want? Any crackers will do here, but if kids are getting bored along the way, any little entertainment helps, right?

Goldfish Crackers

If your kids like Goldfish crackers or any other baked cheese crackers, such as Cheese Nips, these are a great snack to have in the car.

Pretzels

The crunchy texture and slightly salty taste make pretzels a great choice – and if your kids even have a favorite shape, you’ll find sticks, circles, thick pretzels, thin pretzels, pretzel nuggets, and more, so there are plenty of great options to keep them happy.

Breadsticks

A toddler favourite, these are a healthier alternative to salty crackers, chips or crisps, and I’ve yet to find many kids who won’t eat them.

They might not be the most exciting snack, but they’ll keep kids going and you can find individual packs of mini breadsticks as well as the full-size versions.

If you’ve got a way to keep dips cool (and there’s one your picky eater enjoys), these are great to have one the side.

Travel sick-friendly options

There’s nothing worse than motion sickness while you’re travelling, but packing the right snacks can help prevent nausea as you’re driving – whether you’re using motion sickness remedies alongside or not.

Plainer snacks like breadsticks, oat crackers and plain popcorn are also good options here too.

Saltines/Ritz crackers

You can’t go wrong with saltines – most kids are fans, and they’re a great option if you’re not feeling too well (or if travel sickness has struck, the saltiness is a good way to perk kids up again).

If you’re outside the US, Ritz crackers or cream crackers are a good alternative – the latter are less salty too.

Bananas

Always a hit with kids, bananas tick all the boxes – easy to pack, you won’t get juice everywhere, and best of all, they can help combat feelings of nauseousness and dizziness.

Applesauce/fruit pouches

Another easy fruit option if kids aren’t feeling so well, pack some applesauce or another fruity alternative – either put in the containers and a spoon, or grab the pouches for an even more convenient option.

If you can’t find any options aimed at older kids, check the baby and toddler aisles in local food stores – your kids might not need their fruit pureeing, but it’s a super simple alternative for younger travellers, especially preschoolers.

Mess-free goodies

There’s only one real downside to packing lots of snacks for a road trip with kids… finding a huge mess in the car once you get to your destination.

The good news is that you can still find plenty of great foods which are less likely to leave a mess in your vehicle, even when your little ones are eating them!

Frozen Grapes

Many children like frozen grapes for a sweet, cold treat, especially on a hot journey.

They’re perfect for eating on the go because they don’t leave much of a mess behind – with younger kids, make sure you slice them though vertically, and obviously you need a way to keep them frozen.

Fruit Snacks

Pick your fruit wisely though – bananas can be great, but a super-soft juicy pear is a recipe for disaster.

But grab an apple or two, and it’s not only filling and healthy, you should only have to deal with the core.

Raisins/dried fruit

Dried fruit is even easier to transport than the fresh kind – although while my daughter would have eaten an entire bag of raisins in one go, if I’d let her, it’s best to snack on these in moderation!

You can buy small boxes for convenience, or package your own (or any other dried fruit snacks, such as dried apricots) into your own containers for a cheaper option.

Banana chips/fruit crisps

Another easy options for kids to nibble on, these are another more sugary choice like dried fruit, but a handful is mess-free and easy to pop into a snack box.

Banana chips are usually easiest to find, but you’ll see apple crisps and other alternatives if your kids aren’t fans of bananas (or you want an alternative option).

Fruit Leather

You can find fruit leather at stores like Target in the US and most supermarkets in the UK – my daughter is a big fan of Yoyo bears and the Fruit Bowl octopus peelers.

Apart from some slightly sticky fingers as you unroll the fruit leather or peel your octopus, it’s also mess-free. These are a much more sugary option though; maybe best to save them for just before your next stop, so they can burn off the sugar rush out of the car.

Malt loaf

Another family favourite, fruity malt loaf is less sugary than cake but feels like more of a treat than fruit, if you need a bit of a bribe.

Even better, they don’t tend to leave crumbs like muffins and cookies. My daughter loves the Soreen banana lunchbox loaves, which come individually wrapped, or simply slice the standard malt loaf for their lunch boxes.

It doesn’t tend to dry out as fast as bread, but you can butter it (as long as it’ll stay cool enough) if your kids prefer.

Choosing snacks for road trips with kids: tips & products

• Don’t forget to make sure you have plenty of drinks too, even if it’s just water – salty snacks and dry crackers are not tempting when you don’t have something to sip as well.
  
  We love Chilly’s bottles to keep drinks cool, or Ion8 bottles and Sistema bottles are easier for younger kids to open. You can even get purifying water bottles from Larq.
  
  Bear in mind that saltier snacks might mean kids drink more… which means more stops for toilet breaks!

• Individual containers might mean more effort but they can be the best option – it saves kids fighting over who’s had more/who gets to hold it, or any announcements that they won’t eat that snack because it’s touched something they don’t like.
  
  Reusable options are best: I love these stacking snack box sets – it’s easy to pack them away inside each other when you’re done, and there are some fun designs, including these positive affirmations.
  
  Or try Bento-style snack boxes – either the classic Bento box (this one has space for a fork too) or these little containers with separate sections.
  
  And while there’s nothing to stop a determined toddler from dumping all their snacks all over the car (sorry), these snack catchers from Munchkin mean that accidental spills are limited.
  
  
• Don’t travel without wipes! It hardly needs saying, right? Whether you grab a pack of your usual brand, or try reusable and biodegradable versions, they’re likely to come in handy at some point.
  
  
• Keep a seat organiser in the car – it’s a good plan from a safety point of view, rather than having lots of loose items strewn around, but it also means there’s less chance of the snack pot rolling out of reach somehow.
  
  We love this Diono Travel Pal organiser which has multiple pockets including for drinks bottles and outside mesh sections, plus it’s wipe clean and folds flat or this back seat organizer is another good option.

For more tips on packing for a road trip with kids, check out my essential list, as well as tips on planning a road trip with kids

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links – any purchases you make are unaffected but I may receive a small commission. All opinions on the best road trip snacks for kids are my own (and my daughter’s!)

Images courtesy of Depositphotos

LIKED THIS? SIGN UP FOR MY EMAIL NEWSLETTER