Snacks to keep in the car for your toddler

[2timestrouble]

We are trying to stay in a budget and eat healthier. So when we are out and the kids get hungry is not an option to stop to a restaurant or fast food.
I am trying to think in small snacks to have in the car for those time that we stay longer then what I was thinking and I can give them something to calm their hungry until we get home.
It has to be something that stays ok in this hot weather and for a 2 year old (my 12 year old would eat anything).
Thanks

[rightkindofme]

I keep nuts (ok Cashews aren't really nuts...), dried fruit, and crackers in the vehicle. Be warned that it does get messy sometimes.

[jenfl]

We keep Goldfish (well, Target's house brand called Chickadees) and Archer Farms (also Target house brand) strawberry fruit leathers (they're made with juice and such instead of sugar). Both have survived weeks in the car in the Florida heat.

[katmann]

We usually take a little tupperware of dried fruit (raisins, costco blueberries, apricots) and cheerios in the car for DS (19mos), and it survives the heat pretty well. I'm not thrilled about the sugar content, but it's a lifesaver when I need to reach back to give him something. I've also been known to feed him fig newtons - either the healthy version (like Newman's own) or the real thing, depending what's handy.

I make up for it at home by feeding him lots of beans, yogurt and okra (seriously, the only veggie he likes . I'd love to hear others' (healthier) on-the-go foods.

[Drummer's Wife]

I keep almonds and dried fruit in my bag. Mostly they're for me, though. But it helps to have something if one of the kids is hungry.

[lach]

Various companies make basically purees in little foil pouches. We usually buy the Trader Joe's ones, which they call Crushers. I've also seen them at Babies R Us and Whole Foods. They probably have them at regular supermarkets too.

My kids love them and consider them a huge treat. And they're very portable, keep for as long as stuff vacuum packed in foil pouches keep (a long time), don't require refrigeration, make no mess (as long as you don't squirt them) and require no cleanup. I always keep a few in my diaper bag for snack emergencies. They're also good for quenching thirst if I don't have any drink handy.

Here is what the Plum Organic ones look like, which I've seen at Whole Foods. They have a separate baby food and toddler food line, but there's no difference that I can tell. The Trader Joe's ones only come in applesauce and apple-carrot, but they're much cheaper than any of the other brands. I believe you can buy a few different brands on Amazon, too.

Basically, they are just baby food fruit and veggie purees, packaged as snack foods for toddlers.

[SomedayMaybe3]

keep em coming! i could really use this:0 I never thought of the plum organics for toddlers..I've got a 3 hour drive tomorrow and am def. going to go get some of those..The only thing i have to contribute is pretzels..lol

[allical1284]

I ALWAYS keep homemade Larabars in my bag (for me and DD). You could also just buy Larabars, but at over $1 a piece, it starts to add up.
I make a big batch every week in the food processor. They are Unprocessed - Raw - Non-GMO - Gluten Free - Dairy Free - Soy Free - Vegan - Kosher. The ingredients are simple: dates, various nuts (almonds, walnuts, pecans), and dried fruit. Here is an instructional link for making them at home:
http://enlightenedcooking.blogspot.c...rs-part-3.html

[2timestrouble]

Originally Posted by lach

Various companies make basically purees in little foil pouches. We usually buy the Trader Joe's ones, which they call Crushers. I've also seen them at Babies R Us and Whole Foods. They probably have them at regular supermarkets too.
.

Oh yeahh! I give those to my kid sometimes (they do add up, lol) but I never thought on using them for car snack.

[2timestrouble]

Originally Posted by allical1284

I ALWAYS keep homemade Larabars in my bag (for me and DD). You could also just buy Larabars, but at over $1 a piece, it starts to add up.
I make a big batch every week in the food processor. They are Unprocessed - Raw - Non-GMO - Gluten Free - Dairy Free - Soy Free - Vegan - Kosher. The ingredients are simple: dates, various nuts (almonds, walnuts, pecans), and dried fruit. Here is an instructional link for making them at home:
http://enlightenedcooking.blogspot.c...rs-part-3.html

Thanks for the website and those bars look yummy!

[missdawn25]

We have a snack pouch in the car it usually has: fruit leathers, raisens, freeze dried fruit (costco sells them), peanuts, and sometimes dry cereal, pretzles. If we know we are out and about and ds will need something we pack a small cooler and freeze yogurt tubes and a juice box for him too.