The Best Road-Trip Snacks with Printable List

Need some quick and easy snacks for your road trip? Here are some of the best road-trip snack tips you can find!

So finally, the time comes when you get to enjoy your mini vacation! You’ve decided to do a little vacation nearby, so you’ll be driving there. A road trip! Clothes and toiletries are packed. The kids have picked out their favorite stuffed animals to bring, everyone’s choice of music has been loaded into the car, simple toys and books are all within each child’s grasp, and you’re all ready to go!

But wait—what about snacks? I’m sure you all have experienced the “I’m not hungry” child turning into the “I’m starving” monster, right after you’ve pulled away from the house.

I speak from experience; believe me when I say it’s always better to prepare for hunger to strike at any moment without warning. Even if you don’t end up eating everything you packed while on the road, you can then have those snacks and use them for the duration of your trip instead of buying something while you’re out!  It’s really a win-win situation.

So what to pack? Depending on whether your trip will be lengthy or not will determine what kind of snacks you can bring. Should you bring finger foods, snacks, or full lunches?

For my family, it’s always important to pack healthy snacks that require little refrigeration. I’ve compiled a list of our favorite snacks that need no refrigeration just for you. Download it here. 

The convenience of packaged food might call out to you or your kids at the rest stop, but try making your own homemade lunchable first. Healthy lunches are super simple to make quickly at home. Your kids will love them just as much, and so will you. With all the fresh fruits, vegetables, and food you put into it, you don’t have to worry about an ingredient list that is a mile long.

You can also pack hearty meals! How does macaroni and cheese, spaghetti, lasagna, or soup sound? If you want to pack food that will stay warm while you drive, you can always use your thermos. For more details, check out this post on how to warm a thermos.

And what about something to drink? Water is always an easy option. Packing water in a reusable container means you can refill your container along the way. For those times where you might want something more than water, you can easily pack a smoothie to go (in a thermos cup or even in a squeezable fruit pouch!)

So now that the food is taken care of, I think you are ready to go on your trip!

1. Water
2. Trail Mix
3. Freeze-Dried Fruit
4. Freeze-Dried Vegetables
5. Cheese Crackers
6. Whole Wheat Crackers
7. Nuts
8. Applesauce
9. Homemade Granola Bars
10. Popcorn
11. Dried Fruit (dried apricots, raisins, etc.)
12. Fresh Fruit (bananas, apples, pears, grapes, etc.)
13. Fresh Vegetables (carrots, celery, grape tomatoes, etc.)
14. Cheese Sticks
15. Homemade Cookies
16. Pretzels
17. Muffins
18. Fruit Leather
19. Nut Butters (peanut butter, sunflower seed spread, soy nut butter, etc.)
20. Brown Rice Krispy Treats
21. Mini Nut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches
22. Oatmeal Energy Bites
23. Cereal or Granola
24. Organic/Natural Fruit Snacks
25. Animal Crackers