Portable snacks for toddlers

[Anonymous]

We will be taking a long car trip with our two year old, and I'm in search of some fairly healthy, portable snacks to bring in the car. In the past we have done cheese sticks, goldfish crackers, and animal crackers. I'd love some suggestions for adding fruits/vegetables or proteins. Many of her usual snacks involve dips (hummus, salsa, etc.) or yogurt, which would end up all over the backseat.
We'll be bringing a cooler and have no dietary restrictions. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Blueberries or halved/quartered grapes.
Veggie Shreds by Plum Organics
Freeze dried fruit is good but can stain
Some people do raisins
Cut up pieces of deli turkey or ham or roasted chicken
Squeezable yogurts

[Anonymous]

Baby Carrots
Edamame (out of the shell)
Those dried seaweed sheets that TJ's sells
Kale chips
Clementines
Melon balls

[Anonymous]

Lara bars. 2 year old DS is obsessed. They are a pretty healthy combo of fruit and nuts, easy to throw in a purse and don't make a mess.
TJ veggie sticks
agree about dehydrated fruit-just be careful not to get a red berry it could get messy.
I've also seen dehydrated veggies at a few stores.

[Anonymous]

Another vote for blueberries, (cut) green grapes, and baby carrots. Aa a backup, Cheerios, and, as a treat, Goldfish. Who the heck on here got their kid to eat seaweed?

[Anonymous]

How long is the car trip? I'm all for healthy snacks and I allow eating in the car, but some of the ideas (ie baby carrots) are choking hazards.

Bananas. Thin apple slices. Thin pepper slices. Thin cucumber slices. Graham crackers (we love the kind in the clear plastic container from trader joes), baked snap peas, dried whole grain cereal.

You can also make pretty healthy mini muffins (ie tons of zucchini and carrot) and bring some that are frozen--they thaw easily.

[Anonymous]

Thanks everyone! This is a great list and gave me lots of new ideas. I really appreciate it! The car ride is six hours - we will be stopping, of course, but I really don't want to end up giving her lots of junk food purchased at the rest stops. The seaweed comment cracked me up. I've never seen the dehydrated seaweed but DD lives for seaweed salad, so I might just try the dried kind.

[Anonymous]

car trips equal special treats, the junk food express is what we call it.

just make sure to look for lost twinkies under seats.

[Anonymous]

OMG, my two year old and I can take DOWN a pack of TJ's roasted seaweed in about 10 minutes - that stuff is amazing. It is our little secret.

http://www.traderjoes.com/pdf/onthecounter-seaweed.pdf

[Anonymous]

Pretzels. My 21 month old is obsessed with pretzels, especially if we put them in a snack cup and he can feed himself. He likes honey wheat pretzel sticks and peanut butter filled pretzels.

Squeezie pouches are a good choice.

Agree with the string cheese suggestions.

Annie's makes some reasonably healthy snacks like cheddar (or whole wheat) bunnies. My kid loves them!

Also, for more interest, if you have time maybe you can use some interesting or new packaging. A new reusable snack bag or container, perhaps. Makes it more fun for the little ones who are stuck in the car.