Real Food on the Road

A round-up of easy real food on the road healthy travel snacks - and even basic meals - for babies, toddlers, kids and adults.

Rule no. 1 when traveling: Let no one go hungry!

No one - not a baby, toddler, preschooler, kid, teen, wife or husband - is happy when they are hungry.

Ward off the hangry beast. Pack some food.

And then pack some more. Don’t be caught in traffic or on a delayed plane without some extra snacks on hand.

Packing food for travel is easier than it may seem.

Whether it’s snacks for a road trip, baby or kid food for a weekend, or goods for a beach week, you can pack up some staples to make sure you’re covered.

Plus, it's reassuring and cheaper to have your own food and snacks on hand to keep everyone fed and happy. You don’t have to stop and rely on whatever the gas station or fast-food has to offer.

Here are some of our go-to ideas.

Healthy Travel Snacks:

Trail mix - customize it to suit your crew
Raisins or dried fruit
Baby carrots
Lara bars or homemade granola bars
Trader Joe's fruit bars/fruit leathers
Cereal (I use snack cups for my little ones)
Fresh fruit: blueberries, grapes, bananas, apples, etc.

I try to make treats like my blueberry oat cookies (light, healthy and no melting) or my 5-minute granola bites before we go, too.

I often pack a special treat - something they don’t normally get from me at home - just in case. For me, that’s Trader Joe’s animal crackers or graham crackers right now.

Yours might be more indulgent. I make exceptions when we travel because again, it’s all about survival. Do what you gotta do.

(Also, check out my recent post on healthy snacks on the go for travel or just busy days of running around town.)

A spread of travel friendly snacks, including granola and fruit bars, cereal, crackers and pretzels.

Travel friendly snacks, including cereal, raisins and fruit bars alongside snack containers and a paper bag.

If you need to travel with meals - either to have as a picnic on your trip or to have while you’re away - here are some ideas for easy foods that travel well as meals themselves or parts of a meal.

Travel Meals:

Grilled cheese or paninis
Quesadillas
Beans
Frozen peas
Roasted sweet potatoes
Muffins (such as pumpkin or spinach-banana)
Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches
Fruit mix for yogurt
Hummus with crackers and veggies
Cheese (sliced cheese or string cheese)
Overnight oatmeal jars
Breakfast oatmeal squares or baked oatmeal
Pancakes
Fun treats like banana oat cookies or baby banana cookies

Just make sure to keep refrigerated items nice and cold in a cooler.

A variety of foods for packing for travel, including sandwiches, baby carrots, beans, blueberries, peas, roasted sweet potatoes and cut watermelon.

Other considerations:

Destination amenities: Will you have access to a microwave or stove to heat things up? Can you guarantee a mini fridge to keep the food cold or will you need a cooler with ice? What can you buy there versus need to bring?

I try to buy basics like milk, yogurt, applesauce and peanut butter once we arrive. Plus fresh fruits and veggies. Sometimes even frozen peas and butternut squash just to have on-hand favorites.

Airplane travel: Check TSA for guidelines but I’ve never had a problem traveling with (large) quantities of food for my little ones.

We took my daughter to a wedding when she was 9 months old and I took frozen breast milk and a weekend’s worth of all her food- lots of baby purees and finger foods. She was a big eater even that young.

Food extras: Don’t forget to pack bibs, utensils, bowls/plates/cups and some extra napkins or paper towels so you’ve got your bases covered.

And be sure to check out my tips for traveling with young children before you set out. Lots of ideas for entertainment to pack, games to play, wiggle breaks to take and quick fixes for fussing.

Happy travels!

XO,

Kathryn

What foods and snacks do you always have on hand when you travel? Leave a comment below and share!