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35 Road Trip Snacks for Kids

Crumbled chips rest atop the pile of matted french fries. Sticky drinks cling to the doors. Bits of…what is that, anyway? stick to your shoes.

Ah, the backseat of your car.

It’s a dark place that no sane parent wants to visit.

In this day and age, eating in the card is almost impossible to avoid. Instead of grabbing a bag of greasy, crumbling chips, reach for a healthier and mess-free option. Below you’ll find 35 of our top snacks to pack for road-trippin’ with kids.

Easy Road Trip Snacks for Kids

Dried Fruit-

For obvious reasons, dried fruit is our first choice when it comes to snacking in the car. Easy to store, easy to eat, mess-free and not full of sugar. Do you even need anymore suggestions? 🙂

Beef Jerky-

Whether you opt to buy pre-made jerky or make your own, beef jerky is a great way to get some protein. It can be eaten with just one hand, so even the driver can enjoy this yummy snack!

Grapes-

Frozen or not, grapes are yummy and easy to eat. Depending on where you’re going, you may not even need to keep them cold. If you do, simply throw them in a small insulated bag to keep them from turning into raisins. Small portion-size baggies are helpful for ready-to-go snacks. Pack at home and have healthy and ready-to-go snacks in the car.

Raisins-

In case you want old grapes…

PB & Apples-

With most large stores selling individual sized portions of peanut butter, you can turn to apples and peanut butter on road trips. Simply pack a bag of apples, box of peanut butter cups and an apple slicer. Serve on a paper towel for easy clean-up.

Olives-

Like peanut butter, this healthy snack now comes pre-packaged in individual sized servings. Affordable, mess-free and easy to eat!

Celery Sticks & Ranch-35 best road trip snacks for kids

You guessed it! Ranch can now be bought in individual sized packages, but that’s not your only option. It’s easy to create your own individual sized options on your own. Simply pick up a set of affordable condiment cups and fill them with your favorite dip. The beauty is that you can simply toss them at your next stop and not worry about washing and repacking your empty Tupperware containers.

Cookies-

Fresh baked or prepackaged, cookies are always a hit. Enjoy a few different kinds on hand to mix it up a bit.

Goldfish-

Everyone’s favorite orange treat is the perfect road trip snack for kids. Crunchy and packed with flavor, these little fish are easy to pack, yummy to eat and a breeze to clean up.

Oranges-

As long as you’ve got a few napkins on hand, oranges are a great road trip snack for kids. They love tossing the peel out the window as you’re driving down the road and a wet-wipe will take care of any sticky mess you’re left with.

Guacamole-

Guacamole is a favorite since it’s easy to store, healthy and unexpected. Pick up a container of pre-made or simply make your own. (It’s super easy!) Don’t want to deal with your guacamole turning brown? Simply leave the avacado seed in your guacamole and it’ll keep it pretty and green.

35 road trip snacks for kids

Angel Poop-

The kids will love the name of this fun popcorn treat as much as the addicting flavor! It’s super easy to make and can be kept in a large baggie or airtight container.

Nuts-

Mixed nuts, salted, roasted, pistachios, almonds, cashews, the list could go on and on. Lidded jars of nuts are the perfect road trip snack for kids!

Trail Mix-

Nuts, raisins, M&Ms, pretzels and dried fruit mixed together make a healthy and convenient go-to snack for the road.

Baby Carrots-

One of the sweetest veggies, carrots make a great addition to any long trip.  Paired with ranch, peanut butter or eatten alone, they’re as healthy as they are delicious.

Teddy Grahams-

Bear shaped graham crackers. Need I say more?

Fig Newtons-

Little mess, big flavor. Fig Newton cookies are a delicious and healthy option for hours in the car.

Popcorn-

Quick and easy, kids love popcorn. Mess-free? Not so much but you can easily sweep the kernels out of your backseat using a small handheld broom. (Mom tip #569: ALWAYS keep one of these in your car. It keeps messes from going full-blown and can slide under your seat for easy storage.)

Yogurt Covered Raisins-

While they can leave a little melty-mess on your fingers, yogurt covered raisins are a great alternative to chocolate covered fingers.

No Bake Cookies-35 best road trip snacks for kids

Chocolate cookies made from oats and peanut butter that can be made in less than 20 minutes? There’s simply no reason not to pack a few.

Pringles-

The Pringles container makes them the chip-of-choice for any road trip. Bags of chips get crunched making them a road-trip nightmare but the Pringles can holds it’s shape nicely and the lid secures crumbs inside.

Muffins-

The perfect breakfast snack, with minimal mess, muffins are a healthy alternative to prepackaged breakfast foods.

Pinwheels-

Roll up peanut butter and bananas, cream cheese, ham and pickles spears, turkey, cheese and mayo. The ideas are endless. Anything that can be made into a sandwich can be transformed into a pinwheel. Kidos will love the fresh take on their normal PB&J!

Chex Mix-

It’s cheap and easy to make your own Chex Mix. In fact, most boxes of Chex cereal have a few different recipes right on them!

String Cheese-

Due to the individual packaging and low moisture, string cheese can safely be brought along as a favorite road-trip snack. It holds up well in backpacks, unrefrigerated and in normal temps for hours. As long as your road-trip doesn’t include sweltering temperatures inside your car, it’s safe to toss in your snack basket and eat as you wish.

Pretzels-

Simple, salty and a great addition to your basket of road trip snacks for kids!

Energy Balls-

Packed with only 4 nutritional ingredients, energy balls are a great substitute for sugar-filled snacks. With honey used as the natural sweetener, kids and adults alike will fall in love with super easy energy balls!

Cheerios-35 best road trip snacks for kids

Easy for even the little fingers to grab, dry cereal is a great way to keep the little ones happy.

Fruit Roll Ups-

Prepackaged fruit roll ups are a great snack to keep handy. If you’re trying to avoid sugar, try making your own before you leave the house. Try this delicious peach variation.

Applesauce-

All you need is a plastic spoon and this easy-to-consume treat is the perfect road trip snack for kids!

Peanut Butter Sandwich-

Unconventional but a great way to keep from mindless snacking, a peanut butter sandwich is the perfect alternative for the long stretches of driving between meals.

Rice Krispie Treats-

Quick, easy and packed with sugar for those days when you need an extra challenge of entertaining the kiddos in the car. 😀

Granola Bars-

With so many varieties, there’s bound to be one that your kiddos will love.

Hard Boiled Eggs-

Keep some space in your cooler for a few hearty hard-boiled eggs. With a few tricks, you can make make the shells slide right off, with no mess! Put an end to growling tummies with this healthy road trip snack for kids.

Snap Peas-

Need a salty and crunchy snack? Snap peas are a great idea for long trips. Tasty and packed with flavor, don’t forget to grab some of these for your trip.

With so many healthy options, road trip snacks for kids no longer require sugar-infused junk food. Buy your food ahead of time and save money by not giving in to the high prices of gas station snacks!

Ohh! Great list of mess-free yet mostly healthy road trip snacks for kids! I am printing this out right now!!!