Best Road Trip Snacks For Kids

Make sure you have the best road trip snacks for kids on your next family road trip! These genius mess free snack ideas are perfect for the car.

The key to traveling with kids is being super prepared. I’ve learned that one of the most important things is packing easy, mess free snacks.

These snacks are different from my normal healthy toddler snacks. I packed a mix of healthy road trip snacks as well as some special treats for when they started getting cranky.

The most important thing is to pack a variety of snacks that your toddlers or kids will enjoy! This will hopefully keep whining and hunger to a minimum.

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Best road trip snacks for kids

Applesauce pouches

Look for applesauce pouches that have no added sugars and where the only ingredients are apples and water.

There are tons of different flavor varieties as well. My kids go crazy for strawberry applesauce.

The nice thing about these pouches is that there is no core to get rid of afterwards and no seeds to spit out. They can easily squeeze into a purse or diaper bag without taking up extra space.

My toddlers only eat apples sliced and without the peel, which is nearly impossible to do when traveling. Applesauce pouches let them get a good serving of fruit in a mess-free way.

You can also look for fruit blend pouches. This gives your kids a variety of fruits and changes the flavor up a bit. Some even have hidden veggies in them.

Yogurt pouches

Shelf stable yogurt pouches are great for road trips. My kids really like the Go-Go Squeeze ones. They come in flavors like strawberry and blueberry which are my kids favorite yogurt flavors.

Carrot sticks or chips

If your kids want a crunchy snack, try bringing some carrot sticks or chips! Put them in a small Tupperware container or a throwaway bag for convenience.

The carrot chips are really great for dipping into a soft cheese, peanut butter, or hummus (especially the ones that are in individual cups!) They make a great healthy family road trip snack.

Nuts or trail mix

This snack should not be given to toddlers or young children for risk of choking.

Nuts and trail mix are a great road trip snack that travels well! You can buy these little individual packs or make it yourself with your favorite nuts, dried fruits, and chocolate candies or chips.

Raisins (or other dried fruit)

Mini boxes of raisins are a great snack to bring on a road trip!

Other dried fruits, such as dried coconut, apricots, cranberries or apple slices, can help satisfy your toddler’s sweet tooth while providing a little something nutritious.

You could even try yogurt covered raisins if your child is old enough and you aren’t worried about them choking. Sour raisins are another fun snack to try!

Great mess free snacks for kids

Pretzels

Little baggies of pretzels are a great crunchy, salty snack. Pretzels are great because they aren’t greasy and don’t leave residue on hands like chips might.

Pair them with a single serve peanut butter for a little fat and protein to keep them full! Plus, what kid doesn’t love having something to dip?

Goldfish crackers

My kids go crazy for Goldfish crackers!

Stay away from the flavor blasted ones to avoid a powdery mess. Try some of the other varieties, such as the baby Goldfish, the colored ones, or even the Mickey Mouse variety!

Popcorn

Older kids might love munching on a bit of popcorn! You could make it at home beforehand or pack a few mini bags.

You could even try adding some mix-ins to make it interesting. Ideas for popcorn mix-ins could be mini M&Ms, jelly beans or dried fruits.

Peanut butter crackers

Peanut butter crackers are a great road trip snack because they’re so filling!

Serve them alongside an applesauce for a light lunch.

Granola bars

The great thing about granola bars is there are so many varieties! You can really tailor it to your child’s taste.

Try to pick a bar that isn’t sticky or crumbly. Clif bars are great to bring along for a little protein filled road trip snack. There is even a kid-friendly variety of Clif bars!

Veggie Straws

While not nearly as good as a real vegetable, Veggie Straws are lower in fats than regular chips. It’s a fun, crunchy snack is a favorite toddler road trip snack! Try all of the varieties to keep things interesting.

Peanut butter sandwich

If you aren’t planning to stop for meals, pack a few peanut butter sandwiches for a lunch on-the-go.

Add a little jelly or honey for a complete, yummy sandwich. It makes for a balanced road trip meal that doesn’t need to be refrigerated.

Animal crackers

Animal crackers are fun for kids, because who doesn’t love to pretend to eat an elephant or giraffe?!

These also pair well with a single serve peanut butter for a fun and balanced road trip snack kids love.

Candy

Last, but definitely not least, a little candy might save everyone’s sanity! Candy is everyone’s favorite family road trip snack.

My trick was to secretly pack it and pull it out on the second half of the trip when the kids were getting restless and cranky. It worked beautifully!

I recommend packing candy that isn’t messy and won’t melt, especially if you’re packing it as a road trip snack for toddlers.

You’ll also want to avoid candy that has a lot of wrappers (think Starburst, for example).

We brought along a few different kinds of Twizzlers, gummies, and Skittles for our trip. The girls loved it!

Best road trip snacks for toddlers

When packing snacks for my toddlers, I ask myself the following questions:

Are they likely to choke on it?
Does it melt?
Does it have lots of crumbs?

Here’s a list of my favorite car snacks for toddlers:

Applesauce pouches
Yogurt pouches
Apple slices
Pretzel sticks
Animal cookies or crackers
Puffs
Cereal

I hope you have an amazing time on your next family vacation. These essential road trip snacks for kids will hopefully help keep them happy (and keep you sane) on your next family adventure.