Nutritionists’ guide to healthy road trip snacks for kids

Travel is back for NSW which means a return to finding ways to keep the kids entertained whilst being strapped in to a seat on a long drive or flight.

Finding tasty travel snacks for children that won’t have them bouncing off the walls can be difficult and keeping food fresh is another story.

Cancer Council NSW’s Nutritionist, Clare Hughes has put together five tips and tricks to keep the little ones happy when on tour.

“We know that only 6% of Aussie kids eat enough fruit and vegetables,” says Ms Hughes. “It’s important to develop healthy eating habits from an early age, so packing fruit, vegies and wholegrains in a lunch box for a long journey is an easy way to get them eating more.”

Clare’s top tips for keeping the kids happy and avoiding greasy fast-food stops:

1. Pack plenty of fruit  

Go bananas – Bring a banana along for breakfast, it’s easy to carry and ticks off one serving of fruit. If you’re feeling creative, why not try these apple and date muffins?

Easy to grab fruits such as sliced fresh apples are also perfect for nibbling on throughout the journey.   

2. Sneak in the vegies  

A vegie pita with three serves of vegies? Sounds like a winner and easy to pack! 

Chopping your kids favourite vegies like carrots and capsicum to have with hummus or other dips are always an easy option for car rest stops! (and did we mention delicious?)   

3. Include some freezer favourites  

With last minute packing and organising, preparing snacks for the journey is likely last on the priority list.

Try cooking and freezing foods like muffins ahead of time, or freezing other leftover baked goodies, that way you won’t get caught out with the kids nagging for service station chips and chocolates. 

4. Get the kids involved   

Getting the little ones involved in planning and packing what they are going to take on the journey is a great way to give them the foods they like, minimise waste and maximise fun!

Try using the Healthy Lunch Box builder with your kids to pack fun and healthy snacks they’ll love to make and eat. 

5. Don’t forget food safety   

It is important that food stays cold until it is eaten, especially when travelling.

If you don’t have ice bricks, try using a frozen water bottle to keep food chilled and safe. Freeze items such as sandwich bread, milk poppers, and home-made muffins. They will be thawed and ready to eat by the time you’re on the road and they’ll also help keep other snacks cold. Read more tips on keeping food safe.

Find out more about healthy easy to make meals for kids at Healthy Lunchbox.