Quick and Healthy Road Trip Snacks

Last week I was on Global news talking about healthy alternatives to family road trip snacks. Check it out!

Summer road trips with the family are an integral part of summer in Canada. Driving along side a road lined with endless greenery and landscape can really connect you with nature and gives you a real sense of adventure. Every kid should get to experience this, and as parents we love to share it with them.

The reality of the matter is, even on the road our kids need to be fed and entertained in the car on the way to the beach. Road trips always consist of stopping for road treats, which all too often involves chip trucks and seemingly endless ice-cream shops. While these treats can have their place, feeding them to our kids on a long road trip can make the trip that much longer! We all see the transition after a dose of ice cream, excited one minute, unreasonable the next. That blood sugar rise and dip can make or break your car ride.

So here are some tips on how to pack for a summer road trip to keep everyone happy, engaged while satisfying the need to munch!

1. Make sure you pack your car with essential goodies to keep them fuelled! Homemade smoothies or my Chia Oat Jar recipe (below) can be prepped the night before, and placed into a mason jar so you can just take it and go. Even easier than this are some hard-boiled eggs and an apple. Make sure you kids are fed BEFORE you hit the road.
2. Keep them hydrated! You can bring water infused with lemon, mixed berries or limes, coconut water, fresh pressed juice or even chocolate almond milk to quench a variety of cravings while keeping the sugar intake low. Usually kids gravitate towards flavours that include pineapple or mango. Coconut water is sometimes mixed with pineapple to make it more palatable for some kids to enjoy. Juice Matters is an excellent brand of cold pressed natural juice that will supply your kids with the fuel they need, and there are usually some veggies hidden in there, as an added bonus.
3. Pack what I like to call ‘air snacks’. Made Good granola bars, veggies sticks or air popped popcorn will satisfy the snack factor, because lets face it, kids still love to snack. Having little things that are easy to eat and fun will keep them happy. Classic potato chips can really make your blood sugar levels rise, because potato metabolizes into a simple sugar. Veggie Sticks are a great alternative.
4. Try to pack all your homemade snacks into one container, like the Planet Box. This will make life that much simpler for you, so you’re not fumbling around in the back looking through different containers. You can pack a sandwich with some sun-butter, cinnamon and a few banana slices, drizzled with maple syrup. This is an easy and balanced sandwich that will satisfy your kids need for sweet, without having to hand them a chocolate bar. You can pack a balanced meal into a Planet Box and as a parent it gives you an easy visual – fill each of the compartments with a variety of fruit, sliced veggies, protein and healthy fats like guacamole, hummus or tzatziki dip. This way you know you have filled all your kids requirements.

Please check out my Global news spot above and enjoy your next family summer road trip. Hopefully this segment will provide you with tips that make life that much simpler for you.

-Jenn xoxo

Chia Oat Jar

• 1⁄4 cup organic rolled oats
• 1⁄2 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1⁄4 medium banana, sliced (freeze the rest for smoothies!)
• 1⁄2 tbsp chia seeds
• 1⁄2 cup blueberries
• 1 tsp maple syrup or raw honey
• Pinch cinnamon

Place all the ingredients in a jar, shake, cover and refrigerate overnight. Add your favourite crunchy topper such as nuts or gluten-free granola and enjoy the next day!