5 easy travel snacks for kids

Heading out for a hike in North Vancouver's Lynn Canyon.

Whether my family is heading out to the beach, on a hike, for a picnic, on a road trip, or boarding a long flight, I like to bring along some healthy snacks I know my kids will eat. I want these snacks to be easy to pack and easy for the kids to eat without making a mess.

Here are the supplies I use to pack snacks and bring them along when we're on the go:

• Lock&Lock Containers, various sizes
• Rubbermaid Litterless Juice Boxes
• A couple of small lunch coolers, like this eBags Lunch Cooler
• Several small ice packs, like these Fit & Fresh Cool Coolers Ice Packs
• A reusable water-bottle

If you're bringing snacks on a flight:
Keep in mind that things like yogourt and ice packs count as liquids, and any liquids brought through security have to comply with the rules for liquids. My tip: it might be easier not bring these items if you're flying.

You can bring a reusable water bottle on board, just remember to empty it before going through security: then it can be refilled again once you're through. This is a lot cheaper and more environmentally friendly than buying and emptying new bottles of water!

Easy-to-make travel snacks
I'm by no means a chef, but here are 5 very easy-to-make and easy-to-pack snacks that are popular with my kids: 

1. Easy yogourt smoothie

• 2 large frozen strawberries
• 1/2 cup plain yogourt
• 1 tbsp honey

Process the ingredients in a blender until smooth, then pour into a litterless juicebox and keep refrigerated in a cooler. You can use blueberries, peaches, or any other fruit or berry your child likes. Makes 1 smoothie.

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2. Blueberry muffins

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole-wheat flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk, cream, buttermilk, or yogourt mixed with milk
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 6 tbsp canola oil
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

Mix together the dry ingredients (except the sugar) in a bowl. Mix together the wet ingredients and the sugar in another bowl. Stir the wet mix into the dry until it's just moistened. Carefully stir in the blueberries. Bake in a 400F, for 15-18 minutes (standard size muffins), or 10-12 minutes for mini muffins. Makes about 48 mini muffins, or 12 standard muffins. Keep the muffins in a snack container rather than a paper or plastic bag to avoid them getting squashed.

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3. Homemade travel-mix

Mix together a variety of dry ingredients your child likes, for example:

• Cheerios
• alphabet pretzels
• goldfish crackers
• and raisins

Keep in a reusable snack container. 

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4. Cream-cheese wraps

• 1 tortilla
• cream cheese
• optional: sliced ham, sliced roast beef, or any other thin-sliced meat your child likes

Spread cream cheese on the tortilla and top with meat if desired. Roll up and cut into bite-sized pieces. Keep refrigerated in a cooler until it's time to eat.

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5. Veggie cups

In a snack container, mix together a variety of raw vegetables your child likes, for example:

• baby carrots
• cucumber slices
• celery sticks
• cherry tomatoes
• canned black olives
• yellow peppers
• snap peas

The veggie cups stay freshest if their refrigerated, but some veggies, like snap peas, baby carrots, and cherry tomatoes will keep OK even if they're at room temperature for a limited time. I find this harder to do with fruits, since many spoil quickly if they're cut up. Grapes do keep well and can be brought along in a snack container though.