Well, the school year is coming to an end, and it is time to start thinking about keeping the kiddos busy over the summer. While many of our us enjoy lounging in the backyard, while our kids toss water balloons and blow bubbles, others are a little more bit more daring and venture onto the highway for a different kind of fun. If you, like us, are planning to embark on an epic family road trip this summer you will, here are some must-have snacks to ensure blood sugar stays steady and the hangry and boredom pangs are held at bay.
Frozen Yogurt Tubes
Summertime means hot weather in much of Canada, for those of you not in the know, we even have our own desert, and while you may have the air on in the car, your kiddos will still have the sun beating down on them through the windows.
Freeze a yogurt tube for each child the night before your adventure. When they are ready for a cool down just snip the top, and you will have a refreshing, snack with a minimum of mess. Be sure to eat them before they thaw, or the kids may not enjoy the texture after being frozen. While the adults may not love frozen yogurt tubes, you can still pack yogurts for the older members of the family.
Trail Mix
You can never go wrong with trail mix. The best thing about packing this versatile road trip snack is that you when you create your own mixture and you can tailor each bag to each person. Take the kiddos to the store a few days ahead of your trip and let them choose their own ingredients from the bulk buy bins. You can leave out the cashew nuts your picky eater doesn’t like and add some of their favorite dried pineapple chunks. The littles can help combine their own trail mixes and decorate bags to carry them in, while you pack the luggage. Not to mention, trail mix is versatile for adults and kids alike.
Homemade Protein Bites
One mistake that many people make, when packing snacks for a road trip, is that they only pack sugary snacks. While sweet treats may be tasty, you can just have so many before your belly starts to protest, not to mention the fact that even if they are natural sugars, you are bathing your teeth in tooth decay fuel. Whip up some no-bake protein bites to help perk you and the kids up between rest stops. Just combine your chosen nut butter, honey, oats, flax seed, and chocolate chips. Roll them into balls and let them set in the fridge to firm up. Keep them in the cooler and pull out as needed.
Cut Up Some Veggies
You won’t believe how good vegetables can taste on the road. Veggies actually keep pretty well, when they are kept in the cooler. Make it a point to pack veggies on your summer road trips. You’ll be glad you’re not bogged down with all the sugar and extra ingredients in processed foods. Sure, packing chips and other stuff is fun, quick, and easy, but putting a limit on it is wise.
As you pack snacks for this summer’s road trips, keep these ideas in mind. You can be somewhat limited when it comes to what to bring. However, using a cooler does broaden your snack horizons.
