Simple Road Trip Snacks for Kids They Will Actually Eat

These simple, healthy, and easy road trip snacks for kids will make it easy to deal with one of the biggest road trip stressors: the constant hunger of children! Click through for easy ideas for travel snacks kids will actually eat.

There are affiliate links in this article which means, at no additional cost to you, we could receive compensation for our recommendations. You can read our full disclosure policy.

What You'll Find On This Page

Road Trip Snacks for Kids – General Tips

We are a traveling family and because of our wonderful location in Seattle, Washington, we can drive to the beach, the mountains, the desert, or even to Canada. Because we’ve been traveling with kids for quite a few years, we’ve learned how to make it painless.

Before we get to the list of great road trip snacks for kids, let’s talk about some general preparation and supplies.

No Time to Read This Now? Pin it for Later

If you’re in a hurry, just save this to your favorite travel board on Pinterest or share it to your feed on Facebook. It’ll be here when you’re ready.

Have an Activity

Limit screen time (or just give the kids breaks) and print off this best-selling road trip pack! It has EVERYTHING and you can print off as many copies as you need. Because it has so many things, they won’t get bored.

We picked it up a year or two ago and I’ve printed it multiple times. My daughter just loves it.

Gather Some Supplies

Mini Cooler – We always put a small cooler in the car.
Reusable Snack Bags – These are a life-saver for us because we take them everywhere. Many friends of mine use plastic cups and fill up their cups with bulk buys.
Trash Bin – Having a small trash bin in the car makes all the difference in the world.

Fun Snacks for Kids

Get the kids involved in creating kid-friendly road trip snacks. When kids get in the kitchen, they feel they’re getting a choice and they’re more likely to eat what they’ve prepared.

Apple Slices and Peanut Butter (or Almond Butter)

Talk about a match made in heaven. The flavor of apples and peanut butter are beyond delicious. Slice up those apples before your trip and have them packaged up neatly right alongside a little dab of peanut butter. And to take them to another level? Sprinkle a few chocolate chips on top of the peanut butter as well.

Energy Balls

We make this easy peanut butter energy balls recipe often and let me tell you, they are gone in a flash! They’re so quick to put together and keep well, so they make the perfect road trip snacks.

Granola Bars

We don’t do many pre-made granola bars, but road trips are the perfect time to buy them instead of making them! You’re likely packing for the whole family, so buying healthy granola bars will free up some time.

Easy Travel Snacks

Trail Mix

What child doesn’t love trail mix? The best part? If you create it at home, you can have any ingredients in it that you want. Pretzels, raisins, sunflower seeds and M&M’s…

Raw or Roasted Nuts

Nuts are such a good way to get in a bit of protein and some healthy fats into a kid’s diet. My daughter’s favorites are cashews, almonds, and pecans.

Popcorn

No matter the time of day, it’s always popcorn time. Pop it ahead of time and have each child have their own individual sealed amounts for the road trip.

Healthy Road Trip Snacks

Fresh Veggies and Dip

Is there anything more simple than having some freshly washed and cut up veggies on hand? And the easiest ones to have in your car are cucumbers, carrots, bell peppers, and celery.

Put these in the mini cooler inside the car, upright in a container like these Ranch Veggies Cups. That way, you can pack a dipping sauce and the veggies stay crisp and cold.

Individual Cheese Sticks

Cheese sticks are always a hit and are simple to eat. Pack extras because they are such a great source of calcium and healthy energy. We prefer the real cheese sticks instead of the string cheese, but choose what your child will eat.

DIY Flavored Water

Many times, we know our children’s hunger is disguised as thirst. We love making fruit-infused water. Before you leave, let the kids pick out their favorite fruit and make up a batch of fruit water. Tip: use frozen fruits to save money.

Please Save This to Pinterest or Share on Facebook

Your shares are how this site grows and I am sincerely grateful. Please share this on Facebook or Pinterest. While you’re there, be sure to follow Ruffles and Rain Boots on Pinterest.