Summer Road Trip Travel Guide: 15 Kid-Friendly Snacks on the Go.

Jul 24

Will you be hitting the open road on a road trip or two this summer? If you are planning on a road trip this summer, You will want to use this guide to plan the perfect kid-friendly, lectin-free, and gluten-free snacks, the best food-storage ideas for traveling, tips on what to wear, and the absolute best tips on entertainment while on the road.

Whether your road trip is across the country or only a few hours’ drive, there are several key factors that go into executing the perfect road trip. While this post is geared toward traveling with littles, these fool-proof travel tips are helpful for anyone who will be on a road trip this summer.

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Before we get to the best SUMMER ROAD TRIP guide and tips on the whole internet, I need to tell you something. I hear from dozens of people each week that share the same discouraging story, “I was doing really great with my diet until (enter vacation or work trip here).” Please don’t let this be you. Planning ahead can make a huge difference, not only in how you feel on your adventures but also in keeping you going STRONG on your long-term health goals when you return from your trip.

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Summer Road Trip Guide

This is your guide to surviving your next road trip with littles. Fasten those seatbelts as we share 15 Kid/Adult-Friendly healthy snack ideas, Snack-Storage Solutions, and entertainment tips that help families thrive on every road trip!

If you love all things healthy travel, you may also be interested in this recent post 10 Travel Hacks for Traveling this summer, where we dive into how to stay healthy while traveling.

15 Kid-Friendly Snacks

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15 Kid-Friendly Snacks ●

✨Kid-friendly, Healthy Snack Ideas

Snacks are a critical part of any road trip! Planning snacks in advance can take some time but trust me when I say it will be well worth it when you are munching on healthy snack ideas from this list vs. being at the mercy of whatever sugary snacks the next gas station has on hand. Repeat after me, “I will plan ahead; it’s worth it in the end.”

15 Kid-Friendly Road Trip Snacks

1. Hard-boiled, Pasture Raised Eggs

Hard boil eggs are a perfect high-protein snack for traveling. Make a batch and peel before you hit the road. If you’d like some tips on making the perfect hard-boiled egg, or if you want some yummy hard-boiled egg recipes, check out this recipe for Classic Deviled Eggs (No Mayo) or this one for Green Deviled Eggs.

2. Snack Packaged Olives from Dr Gundry

Olives are a must-have for any road trip. Keep a few packages of Gundry MD olives handy anytime you are on the go. One order comes with a box of 4o individually wrapped packages of olives so you can keep several packages in different locations like a car, desk, purse, work bag, or where ever you might need a snack.

3. Guacamole

Pack guacamole or smashed avocado and enjoy with sliced radish chips.

Follow these two secrets to storing avocado or guacamole before it begins to brown.

The first way to prevent browning is citrus; I prefer lime because I think it compliments the avocado the best but lemon will work too.
The second way to prevent browning is to stop oxidation. Place guacamole into a container. Before adding the lid, place a large piece of food-safe plastic wrap on top of the container of guacamole. Start from the center and press the plastic wrap into the guacamole, pressing out any air bubbles, continue pressing until you reach the edge of the container, and then fold the remaining plastic wrap over the edge of the bowl and cover with lid.

4. Flaxseed Crackers

Flaxseed crackers are a delicious crunchy snack you can make at home. These homemade, gluten-free crackers taste very similar to Wheat Thins and store perfectly for road trips. Get my recipe for Flaxseed Crackers here.

5. Carrot Chips with Dairy-free Almond Ricotta

Slice large carrots into thin planks and dip them into this yummy Dairy-Free Almond Ricotta. Or baby carrots. Almond Ricotta is thick and creamy, it is perfect for car rides because it won’t spill easily.

6. LoveBird Grain-Free Cereal

LoveBird cereal — *Love Bird Grain-Free Cereal* comes in four flavors. I prefer the one above because it is unsweetened, but even if you try some of the other flavor with a higher sugar content, you can rest easy knowing the ingredients are mindfully sourced ingredients. Good for you and your babies!

At some point in every mom’s life, you can relate to a time when you could reach into your purse and could produce a bag of dry cereal. When you are a mom on the go, tiny snacks like dry cereal aren’t just for breakfast but entertainment. While dry cereal may not be the healthiest option, it does have many benefits, like keeping those little fingers busy, and it’s relatively easy to clean out of car seats.

Until now, most moms have depended on cereals like Cheerios, which are loaded with allergens, lectins, and preservatives. Not to mention sugar if you go with the Honey-Nut Cheerios. Now you can make a healthier swap to LoveBird Grain-free Cereal made with only organic ingredients. LoveBird cereal is shaped in “O’s,” so your kiddos will love them.

7. DIY Trail mix

Shop Amazon for these items Dang Coconut Chips, LoveBird Unsweetened Cereal, Wonderful Pistachios, 365 Macadamia Nuts.

Making trail mix can be a fun family activity and kids love to do-it-yourself project! Grab a few bags of healthy snack options like lectin-free nuts, unsweetened coconut, and LoveBird cereal, and let the kiddos make their own batch of Trail Mix for the road trip.

Add a few dark chocolate chips to your bag but skip this step if the snacks will be sitting in the car under heat. Dark Chocolate can make a mess when it is melted.

8. Celery sticks with Barney’s Butter Bare Almond butter

Barney Bars Smooth almond butter with celery.

Barney’s Bare Almond Butter is one of my go-to travel snacks for the kids and myself. Almond skins have lectins, but Barney’s only uses blanched almonds, so you can enjoy lectin-free almond butter.

Why Almond butter instead of peanut butter?
Peanut butter is highly processed and full of lectins which may be difficult to digest. Opt for bare almond butter.

9. Broccoli or Cucumber Sticks (peeled and deseeded) with Ranch Dipping Sauce

Cucumbers have lectins in the skin and the seeds. Here is how to skin and deseed a cucumber; follow the picture below. Then slice cucumber into bite-size sticks before packing it away into food storage boxes.

Broccoli and cucumber sticks should only be dipped in the World’s Best Dairy-Free Ranch. This ranch recipe is so good it keeps the kiddos asking for more veggies every time!

10. Bars from Human Food Bar- SAVE 10% CODE: LFW10

Try one of these lectin-free bars from Human Food Bar. This bar only comes in one flavor, “Chocolate Almond Coconut,” and this flavor tastes like delicious coconut and chocolate. High in protein and fiber: and low in sugar, you can feel guilt-free giving to your kiddos. *Discount code below

Psst. Let’s talk bars; There are very few bars out there that I recommend because either the ingredients don’t make the cut or they taste absolutely horrible. This bar from Human Food Bar is, hands down, one of my favorites because the taste is actually enjoyable, especially if you enjoy coconut. For a limited time, save 10% when you use PROMO CODE: LFW10

11. Bars from Gundry GD Macadamia Bars or Honey Nut bar

Honey Nut & Macadamia Bars from Gundry MD, are an easy snack to keep on the go.

Psst. Let me tell you a secrect. Do you LOVE saving money on healthy snacks? I can help you save on ALL Gundry MD products. As a brand ambassador for Gundry MD, I offer the lowest prices but only when you use my special link. It’s easy to start saving! Here’s how, simply click this link and you will be taken to my store. My ambassador discounts are already applied to all the products on this site so you can feel confident saving money on healthy snacks and supplements.

12. Popped Sorghum- SAVE 20% CODE: LFW20

Nature Nate’s makes some tasty options for popped sorghum.
What is popped sorghum, and why should I try it? Popped sorghum is lectin-free and a great snacking option when you are looking for something crunchy. Popped sorghum looks exactly like popcorn, except it’s very tiny, and the best part is it tastes exactly like popcorn.

If you’d like to try Nature Nate’s popped sorghum and SAVE 20%, head over to this link and use the PROMO CODE: LFW20

13. Cheese cubes made from goats milk

Grab a package of LaClare’s goat milk cheese and chop it into cubes. Kiddos will love the snacks on the go. If you follow Dr. Gundry’s Plant Paradox Diet, he only recommends one ounce of cheese from an A2 milk a day. That means cutting those cubes small to make them last longer.

14. Lettuce wraps

Lettuce wraps can be made with lots of different fillings. Lay out a few pieces of romaine lettuce and roll them up with healthy fillings. Consider making lettuce wraps with veggies, avocado mayo, or leftovers like chicken salad.

15. Grass-fed beef snacks

Try Chomps grass fed grass finished beef sticks

CHOPS are the perfect snack to keep in your bag for when hunger strikes. Chomps even has a monthly subscription that can be delivered directly to your front door. Easier than Amazon.

Snack Storage Solutions

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Snack Storage Solutions ●

✨Snack storage solutions

What good are ultimate snacks if they are spoiled by the time you are ready to eat them? Use these food storage ideas to keep your food cool and lasting longer on your road trip adventures!

1. Insulated Waterbottle by Hydro Flask

Invest in a high-quality, reusable water bottle like this one from Hydro Flask for kids.

Hydro Flask is a stainless-steel water bottle that is double-sealed vacuum insulation and will keep drinks cool for hours. You can leave these Hydro Flask water bottles in the hot car without worrying about toxic chemicals leaching into your drinks like a plastic water bottle. In Texas (where I live), the heat can be brutal. In a short time, a plastic bottle filled with a cool beverage can not only come heat up to the temperature of the car but also the taste of plastic and other toxins seep into the drink.

Hydro Flasks are extremely durable and will last forever if you take care of them. Hydro Flasks comes in several sizes, are leak-proof, and some have a fold-down sippy straw with a flip tab making it easy for kiddos to use. There is a silicone cover on the base that can take a beating without damaging the bottle.

PRO TIP: Keep the kids interested in travel destinations by adding stickers from each of the stops on your road trip. Adding stickers to your water bottle is not only fun, it creates memories that you can revisit later, and it also allows children to show their unique creativity. This travel hack, single-handedly helps kiddos gain a sense of ownership and works like magic to help them keep up with their own water bottle.

2. PackIT- Ice pack lunch coolers

PackIT freezable lunch bags — Buy PackIT on my Amazon Store Front

Store your snacks/lunch in a PackIT freezable lunch cooler. The walls of these lunch boxes are ice packs.

These look like ordinary lunch boxes, but they are actually icepack+lunchbox combos! Gone are the days of adding an ice pack to cool your food. Now the lunchbox is the icepack. PackIT is an all-in-one lunch box designed to be placed in the freezer.

PackIT lunch bags are an essential part of healthy eating on the go and can be taken on road trips, school lunches, and even on airplanes. .

3. Stainless Steel Containers with Lids- Snacks on the Go.

Use these stainless steel containers with lids to store snacks or dips like ranch or almond butter.

✨Get comfy!

1. Dress for the occasion. Road trips are the perfect time to get comfy. Are you one of those families that like to travel in pajamas? If so, that’s ok. Or maybe you prefer something a little more put together for stops you will make along the way. There is no rule here, but be sure to find clothing that will be comfy for the extended time in the car.

2. Pillow. Let’s face it--Naps are happening. Bring a neck pillow like this one, or grab a pillow right off the bed.

3. Blanket. Is there an unwritten rule of road trips that there is always that -ONE- person who likes to freeze everyone out? The rest of us are left shivering with icicles hanging off our noses. Bring blankets like this one for the cold-tempered folks.

Road trip tote bag

When I was growing up, my grandma would join our family for road trips. As a mother of 4 boys, she certainly knew exactly how to manage to keep kiddos entertained. Use Grandma’s Travel Hack.

*Buy this* *Road Trip Tote* *from Amazon*

In a much simpler time before we were occupied with screens, on every road trip, my Grandma would bring a tote bag filled with simple toys/activities that she had bought from the dollar store and a tray with raised edges to keep your activities from falling in the seat. These were simple things like a coloring book, a box of colors, small puzzles or sheets of paper that named car games like “I Spy” or a playing card game like “go fish,” Grandma’s only rule was you couldn’t look or rifle through the tote bag and pick what you wanted; Grandma assign you an activity. You never knew what was coming out of Grandma’s Road Trip Tote Bag next, but it always seemed like she knew exactly the perfect activity.

One of my favorite memories was when Grandma stuck her hand into the road trip tote bag and raddled her hand through the bag in what seemed like forever. The suspense she created was legendary. I could hear the shuffling of a plastic bag crinkling like a bag of chips. Then she pulled out a spool of thread and then a completely full bag of dried macaroni. This puzzled me. Then she asked, “Hmmm. What do you think you could do with thread and macaroni?” (Grandma knew how kids operate, and she never let you think it was her idea.)

After thinking about it, I came up with the brilliant idea that I could use the dry macaroni as beads. Let me tell you, I sat in silence in the back of Mom’s dark green minivan, beading dry macaroni onto thread like I was creating my own jewelry line. You better believe I used every single piece of pasta in that bag to create fabulous necklaces for everyone on the trip!

Use grandma’s idea to use any leftover dry pasta with lectins

Entertainment

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Entertainment ●

✨Entertainment

One of the fun things about road trips is the entertainment along the way. Depending on the age of your travelers, the entertainment may be the actual stops along the way or the car ride itself.

● Screen time.

Don’t feel guilty for vamping up that screen time when it comes to a road trip.

PRO TIP: The kiddos will appreciate the extra time, and it will give you a break to focus on the road.

● Headphones.

10 hours in the car is a long time to listen to someone else’s music or videos from the back seat. Sharing a space without quiet time can put unnecessary stress on the driver. Avoid this by bringing a pair of headphones for each of the passengers and appreciate the peace and quiet when you can get it.

PRO TIP: If your little one has wireless headphones, it may be tough for them to understand charging wireless headphones. When we decided to switch from the kindle fire to a newer iPad, we had the hardest time with my daughter understanding wireless headphones needed to be charged. I get it; for years, she has been able to plug her headphones into her screen, and presto, entertainment begins, but the charging concept was too much for her to grasp. We ended up going back to the corded headphones, especially when we are traveling by using an adapter like this one. The only downside is you can either use the charging port for charging or for the headphones, but you can’t do both simultaneously.

● Chargers.

This one may be obvious but bring chargers and adapters for all devices. Keep your chargers neat and organized in a charger bag.

PRO TIP: Do a final sweep to double-check your hotel, Airbnb, or lodging destination for any chargers or devices that may have been left behind. We have shed many tears over leaving our chargers/devices behind. Either we had to waste time going back, or we gripped onto our lifeless devices until we made it home.