Summer means one thing for many families…travel. For some, this brings to mind tantrums, overwhelmed toddlers, and high priced snacks and airport lunches. I am here to offer hope. Keeping a toddler well-fed and well-entertained is crucial to a happy, healthy trip for all. Because my husband’s family lives 20 hours away by car, we fly often as a family. Here I share my favorite snacks that are toddler and husband approved that we’ve collected over the years.

I feel much less guilty distracting my toddler with snacks when they are healthy options. Her food allergies makes snack packing a creative endeavor. Because travel stresses their tiny bodies body enough with exposure to illness, lack of routine, and excess stimulation, using snack time to get in as many nutrients as possible is one of my top priorities.

Fruit and Veggies

Freeze Dried Apple Pouches

These freeze dried apples are a classic at our house. They are a great option for plane travel, car trips, or just a day at the pool. The packs are small enough to be a single serving for my 2.5 year old, which is great, because she feels more independent when she can hold her own bag.  We buy these in bulk from Sam’s Club, but if you don’t have a membership, I also love  this brand (added bonus that they’re organic-apples are consistently on the dirty dozen). The box we get from Sam’s Club has three varieties including strawberry banana and tropical fruit, but I’ve found the apples to be the most travel friendly. The strawberry banana flavor usually ends up with her hands, the car seat, my shirt, all covered in red dust.

Freeze Dried Okra

This was the most surprising thing my toddler has loved thus far. I bought it with very low expectations, but it just goes to show you that I should never assume her tastes are the same as mine. She has spent much less time on this earth being bombarded with messages telling her that sweet, salty, and fried food is better than the rest. I grew up eating okra, but it was deep fried. This freeze dried okra pays homage to my southern upbringing, but is considerably healthier. My daughter loves them, especially the crunch factor. In fact she finished off the bag within a few days this time around. Note: this post contains many Trader Joe’s products, but is not sponsored by Trader Joe’s in any way. We just happen to love their dried fruit and veggie section. You can find it on Amazon here

Dried Persimmons

As you can see, I couldn’t even get a picture before most of the bag was eaten. These are my all time favorite dried fruit. Sweet and chewy, they are surprisingly yummy and reminiscent of a fruit leather. I hadn’t had a persimmon until we moved to Louisiana in 2014 and a local chef I knew had a tree in his backyard. They are kind of a mix between an orange and a nectarine, and I was smitten at first bite. They take my toddler a while to eat, because they are so chewy, which is great if you’re looking for a distraction during a long plane ride. If you don’t live near a Trader Joe’s, I have seen similar ones at several health food stores or you can get them on Amazon here

Seaweed Snacks

I try and incorporate as many immunity boosting foods into our diet when we travel as possible. Seaweed is one of those that packs well and is loved by my toddler. I was first introduced to seaweed as a snack by my father-in-law. He grew up in Hawaii and spent several years teaching English in Japan, hence his love of seaweed. If you’re not a fan of the plain version, there are more options these days, including teriyaki flavor. Here is another brand we have loved from Amazon.

Dried Figs

I am a huge fan of figs. The best is fresh, right off the tree. I still remember eating them at my grandmother’s house plucked before the birds could steal them. If you’ve never had a fresh fig, look for them at the store and farmer’s markets in the fall. When I can’t get fresh, I go for the dried variety. Figs are loaded with soluble fiber, vitamin A, vitamin K, potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, and copper. These powerhouses are a great resource for travel and help keep immunity high. Their natural sweetness make them an easy snack for a toddler that is on the picky side.  Their fiber will help keep a toddler going to the bathroom regular, which can be a problem when they are taken out of their routine. Speaking of fiber…

Prunes

We never go anywhere without at least one prune a day for my little one. The stress of travel, lack of her usual routine, and often less water than normal due to sporadic bathroom availability, often leads to missed bowel movements. This is where prunes come in handy. If your kiddo hasn’t had them before, try them out while you are still home to see how they react to them. Sometimes they can have an immediate bathroom response that you’d need to be prepared for. As you can see, we buy our prunes in bulk. When traveling with a toddler who has digestive allergies, it is always good to have some on hand. You can also find them here individually wrapped from Amazon.

Dehydrated Carrots

This was a new find at Trader Joe’s. Chock full of antioxidants, fiber, and other nutrients, these carrots make a great alternative to the standard chip. They have a sweet flavor and a nice crunch. These were the most husband approved of our snacks this time around, and he is on the picky side.

Dried Coconut Strips

These make such an interesting addition to a mixed bag of dried fruit. They are sturdy and take a while to eat, which is good for airport distraction activities. They are lightly sweetened, so I like to mix them with other non-sweetened fruit, veg, or cereal.

Fruit and Vegetable Pouches

Oldie but a goodie. We used these all the time when my daughter was an infant. Because she was just starting solids when our home was flooded by Harvey and we lived in various locations for the next year or so, these were a lifesaver. Even though she is 2.5 now, we still use them as travel snacks. I don’t know about your children, but mine isn’t in the habit of guzzling kale, so the added variety to their diet is an extra bonus. Fruits and veggies are crucial to maintaining immune health and digestive health while traveling, and these are chock full. We will use them as readily available, relatively inexpensive, healthy snacks as long as she isn’t bothered by the texture. So far, so good. Most airlines will let you bring them in your carry-on sealed in a Ziploc for a baby, and we haven’t had anyone say she is too old yet.

Freeze Dried Raspberries

This was a fun new find! They are tart and sour, reminiscent of a Warhead sour candy (for all you late 80’s kids). This is the only way my husband will eat raspberries. This is another one that will leave red dust on the hands, so have the wet wipes ready.

Freeze Dried Pineapple

Jam-packed with vitamins and minerals, this is a great addition to a dried fruit mix.

Protein Snacks

Jerky and Sausage Sticks

We love a variety of snacks, and these just happen to be the ones we had on hand for this trip. The main thing I look for in a packaged meat snack like this is no nitrates or nitrites. Our family is particular sensitive to these, and they are to be avoided by the general population when possible. The Duke’s brand can be found at a variety of stores, and we found it at Sam’s Club in a 3 pack. The Chomp’s can be found at Trader Joe’s and many health food stores. We have done the beef and turkey Chomps. They are a little on the spicy side, but my kiddo still eats them. She usually eats about half at a time, so we get the mini, half-sized sticksand they are perfect for tiny snacking stomachs. They have so many flavors including jalapeno and Italian style beef that we are looking forward to eating. We also love EPIC bars. My favorites are the Bison and Uncured Bacon and Cranberry and the Almond Lemon Bars. These are all great options when your flight is delayed, you hit traffic, etc, and didn’t plan on pushing lunch a few hours. It keeps me and my toddler from getting hangry.

Hope these non-perishable, gluten free, dairy free snack ideas help with your upcoming travel plans this summer!

Add your favorite high quality travel snack ideas in the comments and happy travels!