Non-messy afternoon snacks

[annethcz]

Once a week I drive my kids straight from school to gymnastics class. We spend about a half hour in the car. Once we arrive at the class, the kids only have time enough to change clothes. So this means that they eat their after-school snack in the car. I don't want crackers squished into seats or little pieces of food rolling around on the floor.

Does anyone have any good ideas for non-messy, car-friendly snacks?

Fruit is usually a good one, but any fruit that is juicy (such as apples and pears) result in sticky hands.

Cheese slices are GREAT, but DS2 hates cheese. Usually I'll offer him nuts when the other kids are having cheese, but it's so easy to drop nuts all over the car.

Any thoughts? I'm expecially interested in ideas that have plenty of protein.

[luv-my-boys]

I have "car eaters" as well due to our schedules. Some of the things I do are we ended up buying those smaller reusable containers (4 oz) from rubbermaid/tupperware. They are small kid sized portions that help to contain things inside of. We have also used these as well

http://www.snacktrap.com/Categories....The+Snack-Trap

they are available at babiesrus and toysrus as well. They work wonderfully and even with my oldest it helps cut down on the rolling raisins and crackers in the car.

I also carry a small container of wipes, Which ironically I never used when the boys were in diapers as we did cloth, but use them to clean messy faces/sticky hands. We keep them int he back seat pocket and the boys know to grab one on the way out of the car for cleanup. I let the boys have pretty much whatever we have on hand. Have you considered smoothies? They are easily totable in a good straw type container and are pretty filling. We make them with milk and whatever frozen/fresh fruit we have on hand.

[Knittin' in the Shade]

I think with any car eating, you have to just accept that you'll wind up with some food on the floor and needing to wipe hands after - realzinign that has certainly made car-snak-time less stressful for me

We have to run directly to piano lessons once a week from school, and on that day I usually pack one of the following:

small pretzels with veggie cream cheese in a container for dipping
celery with cream cheese or peanut butter inside (packed in a tupperware container)
hummus dip with baby carrots/celery
yogurt smoothies (usually made with banana,plain yogurt, honey, and peanut butter; packed in a reusable drink container)
oatmeal "power bars" (baked; there's tons of recipes online)
deli wraps -flatbread with turkey slices and avocado, or sliced ham and swiss. I wrap them in wax paper so they can tear the paper down further as they eat

[annethcz]

Off to google oatmeal power bar recipes. If I start baking *right now* I may just get them made before I have to pick up the kids from school.

Do you have a favorite recipe?