Prep and Pack

From Beef Jerky to Moon Pies: 75 Top Snacks for Road Trips

best road trip snacks for kids
Hitting the road on the Great American Road Trip then you need some snacks. Photo Credit: Catherine Parker

North America is big, but with a little perseverance, travelers can take to the road and explore it. You might not be Ma and Pa Ingalls in their covered wagon or Lewis and Clark in their canoes. However, with a vehicle of your choice, you can chart your own journey. Before setting out, road trips require preparation, snacks included. Here are the best snacks for road trips.

As a part of our culture, travelers load up and explore America. Jack Kerouac et al did it. Ford and Edison did it. Hitting the open road just soothes our yearning for discovery with the Great American Road Trip. Though to do it well that you need the best road trip snacks for kids.

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best road trip snacks for kids
Pack the SUV, and don’t forget to pack the snack bag. Photo Credit: Catherine Parker

Best Snacks for Road Trips

Road trip snacks might be as important as a map and a spare tire. Make it a family affair and ask for suggestions and favorites from your road-tripping companions. Remember to make it fun and pack fun food.

I could tell you I pack the most nutritious items that I can find, but Mom needs a break, too. I want to be the Fun Mom for our road trip, so I pack all the fun snacks just for vacation. We’ll go back on the good-for-you wagon when we get home, promise.

The Classic Road Trip Snacks

  • Pringles
  • Cheez-Its
  • Beef Jerky
  • Pretzels
  • Cracker Jacks
  • Moon pies
  • Twizzlers
  • Corn nuts
  • Slurpees (Remember free 7/11 is Free Slurpee Day)
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Best Bars for Road Trips

Bars are a must. Stash a few in the console compartment, just in case.

  • Protein bars
  • Granola bars
  • Cereal bars
  • Fig Newtons

Fruit Snacks for Road Trips

Kids love fruit but most fresh fruit doesn’t travel well. It really needs a cooler or to be eaten on the first day.

  • A banana or two. Not too many because they bruise.
  • Mandarin oranges or Cuties
  • Apples
  • Fresh Cherries
  • Grapes
  • Fruit leather
  • Freeze-dried fruit– Apples and pears seem to be the winners here.
  • Applesauce pouches
  • Yogurt-covered raisins
  • Dried cherries or apricots
  • Bagged fruit snacks
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Who's driving the first leg of the road trip? Yea, this guy! West Texas Road Trip, Carful of kids, Road trips with kids,
Who’s driving the first leg of the road trip? Yeah, this guy! credit: Catherine Parker

Road Tripping Protein

Sometimes I’m in the middle of a desert and I can’t find a place to eat.

  • Hard-boiled eggs
  • Yogurt. Don’t forget the spoons or get the tubes.
  • Breakfast in a Pouch, a combination of nuts and fruit in a single-serve pouch
  • Flavored almonds, sweet or salty
  • Hummus
  • Nut butters, peanut, almond or cashew
  • Pre-made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches

Cheese

A good source of protein and travels well if individually wrapped. Put cheese in a cooler during the summer.

  • String cheese
  • Babybel
  • Laughing Cow
  • Individually packaged pieces of cheddar or Colby.
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West Texas road
West Texas roads are not crowded. credit: Catherine Parker

Just for Fun Sweet Treats

  • Cookies, a couple of varieties.
  • Rice Crispy Treats
  • Graham crackers
  • Gummy anything
  • Animal crackers
  • Marshmallows
  • Trail Mix
  • Muddy Buddies Mix

Salty Snacks

I stay away from any snacks that will cover my SUV in cheesy fingerprints. Sorry kids I will never buy a barrel of cheese puffs.

  • Cracker sandwiches. I get the variety pack to keep everyone happy.
  • Gold Fish
  • Pretzels
  • Popped popcorn
  • Chex Mix
  • Bagel chips
  • Potato chips
  • Pita chips
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The Road to Jalama County Beach, outside of Lompoc. Photo Credit: Catherine Parker

Road Trip Snack Bag Must Haves

  • Paper towels
  • Wet wipes
  • Disposable silverware
  • Ziploc bags, quarts and gallon size
  • Clothes pins or Chip Clips
  • Refillable water bottles

Snacks for Mom

I do the majority of the driving on our road trips, so I have my own snacks in the front seat since my kids will eat everything within their reach.

  • Sweet and salty nuts
  • Good crackers
  • Edamame
  • Bean Chips, like the SnapPeas Crisps
  • Good Cheese
  • Bottled cold coffee drinks
  • Canned sparkling water
  • Gum
  • Sweet tarts or other really tart candy

I also pack treats that wake up my mouth so I can stay alert. After a few hours on the road I like to chew gum. I have a roll of Sweet Tarts or other candy that’s really tart. I alternate unsweet ice tea or iced coffee and sparkling water.

What About Dads and Dudes?

Dads want a break from the daily obligations of parenting, too. So let him eat junk, just for the trip.

  • Pork Rinds
  • Bugles
  • Pistachios, just give him something for the shells
  • Sunflower seeds, same
  • Gas station hotdog
  • Slim Jim
  • Hot Fries
  • Hostess Cupcakes
  • Twinkies
  • Fried Pies
  • Antacid

Tips for Road Trip Snacking

First, I make it easy and fun. I forget about the cute containers I saw on Pinterest. Let’s get real: What am I supposed to do with all those containers on the second day of our trip?

I skip the plastic containers, especially the glass Mason jars. I buy individual serving sizes so I can grab all the trash from the back seat when I stop for gas. Don’t think I’m the only one with messy kids.

Then, I load everything into one of my reusable shopping bags. Since it’s soft-sided, I can stash the bag in another place if needed.

Since it’s vacation, my kids get what they want, except for chocolate, a giant barrel of cheez balls and Capri Suns. The chocolate and the cheez balls for obvious messy reasons.

Let me tell you a story from the summer of 2010: a Capri Sun gunfight broke out in the backseat of my Toyota 4 Runner. I didn’t know my boys could turn drink pouches into sticky, sweet weapons. They did, and they had a great time. Now, Capri Suns are permanently banned from my SUV.

The snack bag is another passenger and has its own spot in the back seat. My oldest is in charge of the snack bag en route. As the driver, I need to stay focused on driving. That, and I don’t have time for any snack squabbles that break out.

I really have two snack bags, one with the kids and one hidden in the back of the SUV. I use the latter as a backup stock. If I gave all the snacks to my kids at once, they would eat everything like a pack of puppies.

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Catherine Parker has a passion for travel and seen all 50 U.S. States. As a former flight attendant with one of the largest airlines, there isn't a North American airport that she hasn't landed in at least once. Since clipping her professional wings after 9/11, she combines her love of the open road with visiting architectural and cultural icons. She is based out of Central Texas dividing her time between writing and restoring a pair of 100-year-old houses. She shares her life with her three kids and her husband.

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