Written by Elizabeth Rietz

“Are we there yet?” “I’m hungry!” Sound familiar? Traveling with kids can be, well, challenging to say the least. And eating well on the road can be even more so.

Whether you’re going on a road trip or traveling by plane, careful planning for a family trip is an absolute necessity. And you must prepare for the unexpected delays and snafus along the way. After many family trips, I can say that snacks or lack thereof can make or break a long trip. If you forget the all important snacks, you are at the mercy of fast-food chains and airlines who may only serve you peanuts for a cross-country flight.

Here are some suggestions for you and yours to be snack savvy on your next trip:
•    Make your own sandwiches / pack a picnic if traveling by car.
•    Try to eat balanced meals / snacks. Think complex carbohydrates.

o    Peanut butter and whole wheat crackers
o    Turkey, cheese and spinach wrap in a whole wheat tortilla

•    Pack fruit and veggies that are easy to access and not so messy.

o    Bananas
o    Apple slices
o    Orange slices or easy-to-peel Clementine’s
o    Veggie sticks (bell peppers, carrots, celery)
o    Shelled edamame
o    Grapes
o    Dried fruit / raisins

•    Remember to bring breakfast (which often gets the short end of the stick on a busy travel day).

o    Make nutritious mini-muffins (such as bran or oatmeal).
o    Give everyone a smoothie in the car on the way to the airport.
o    Bring portable yogurts and fruit.
o    Pack cereal, granola and / or protein bars.

•    Use ice packs if traveling by car for longer than 30 minutes with any items that are perishable (such as eggs, milk, meat, salad, cheese).
•    Put all of your snacks in small, reusable containers to facilitate easy access in your bag and refilling for the return trip.
•    Bring napkins and wipes for easy clean up. Don’t forget bibs!

Age-appropriate Snack Ideas

For toddlers:
•    Raisin boxes or bag of dried fruit
•    Cereal bars
•    String cheese  / Laughing Cow  / or other cheese slices with whole wheat crackers
•    Apple slices
•    Rice cakes
•    Graham crackers
•    Individual applesauce or fruit cups
•    Bags of cereal (Cheerios, Wheat Chex)

For preschoolers / elementary school children:
•    All of the above
•    Get them involved in the snack preparation
•    Sandwiches (PB&J or turkey wrap)
•    Trail mix
•    Granola bars
•    Bag of grapes
•    Bag of shelled edamame
•    100-calorie packs of crackers
•    Veggie sticks and white bean dip
•    Whole wheat pita bread with hummus
•    Celery sticks with peanut butter
•    Banana chips
•    100 % fruit leather