Spring break is here and like so many other parents of school-aged children, we're planning on hitting the runway with our tiny humans in tow. My mom and I are taking my two oldest girls to Chicago to the American Girl Doll Store - what a dream. And since Chicago is only a short plane ride away, I haven't been too concerned about packing our stuff quite yet. BUT what I have been thinking about is packing our plane snacks because any mom of young people knows SNACKS. ARE. KEY. So what's in my snack bag? Go on - take a peek.
Banana Muffins
A family favorite, I pack these muffins in bags of two - perfect for snack-size and they feel like a treat even though they're packed full of good stuff. I always pack extra for any breakfast or snack needs while we're gone.
Trail Mix
I love switching up what goes in our trail mix and we can pass some waiting time looking at the mix and talking about what all has made an appearance in this batch. Need some inspiration? Try my 5-Part Trail Mix for a crowd favorite.
Veggies & Dip
I like to pack individual cups or packets of hummus or peanut butter along with baby carrots, celery, and bell pepper slices. I often pack my own peanut butter for dipping because to my current knowledge, they don't make a peanut butter to go cup (they make packets but those aren't ideal for dipping) that doesn't have added sugar.
Apples & Grapes
Fresh fruit is awesome but I like to stick to fruits that aren't messy and have little to no clean-up. Dried fruit is also great for this reason - just watch out for any added sugar! No one needs a 4-year old with a sugar rush when you're in a tight, confined space.
Cheese Sticks
Cheese sticks are a great source of protein and are an excellent travel food because they can be eaten chilled or at room temperature.
A family favorite. Perfect bars have awesome whole food, high quality ingredients and are so convenient for on-the-go snacking. I love to bring the kid-sized snack bars and bites.
Crackers/Pretzels/Popcorn
This is where convenience kicks in - I like to buy a bulk-sized stock of individually bagged crunchy snacks for traveling and snacking on the go. There just isn't anything much more convenient. Some of our favorites include Harvest Snaps Snap Pea Crisps, Annie's Cheddar Bunnies, Snack Factory Pretzel Thins, Pirate's Booty, and Veggie Straws. I encourage my kids to eat a veggie, fruit, or protein along with their choice of crunchy snack.
Treats
My kids love their treats and traveling just seems to go better when I pull out some fun treats they don't get to have at our house all the time. Surf Sweets is one of my favorite brands for gummies and lollipops and the Simple Mills Crunchy Chocolate Chip Cookies are always a crowd favorite. I also always throw in a couple Unreal chocolate snacks…mostly for myself, but I'll share to keep the peace :)
Happy traveling, friends!
