Most kids are pretty hungry by the time they get out of school. You can keep them all occupied and happy during the carpool ride home with some healthy and fun snacks. Here are some carpool snack hacks you can put together before picking up the kids.
Use Takeout Containers
Fun takeout containers such as cardboard Chinese style boxes are easy to fill and easy to carry. Fill them up with a mixture of whole wheat cereal, yogurt covered almonds or raisins, roasted pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds, and any other mixture of dried fruits that your kids like. Fold the tops and carry them to the car to hand out as the kids take their seats.
The Go Bag
Use a large gallon Ziploc bag and fill it with a variety of choices. You can keep a couple of these in the front with you and let the kids choose what they want, or pack up one for each child. You can put anything you want in the bags from individual applesauce containers to small bags of cereal and granola bars. You can also put in some raw baby carrots for a crunchy treat or some mixed berries for something sweet and healthy.
The Snack Bin
Use a medium sized storage bin to hold a variety of snack options for the kids. Use smaller sandwich bags and cups to organize the different foods. Fill some small snack or sandwich size individual bags with pretzels, popcorn, and crackers, and use a plastic cup filled with granola bars or other snack bars so the kids can just pull one out. Put some individual snack size cups of peanut butter such as Skippy singles in the bin for the kids to grab.
Fill A Cooler
When the weather turns warmer you can fill a cooler with refreshing snacks. Fill the bottom with cold packs and then add drinks, cheese sticks, yogurt, some crisp veggies, and cups of fruit salad or mixed berries. You could also add juice boxes and even freeze some yogurt sticks so they have some time to thaw before the kids get in.
Kid-Friendly Trail Mix
Pop up some popcorn and add pretzels, some Cheerios, and your favorite Chex for an easy trail mix. Add some M&M’s to the mix and then divide it up into individual bags for the kids to snack on while they ride. They’ll love the mix of salt and sweet, and the bite size pieces will keep them busy and quiet until they get home.
Dried Fruit
Dried fruit is a good option when you don’t have a cooler to keep things cool and you have limited space. These are a nice sweet treat while still providing the healthy nutrients from fruit.
Whether your carpool ride is a long one with lots of kids and many stops, or just a short drive down the road, having a healthy assortment of snacks will make it a better experience for everyone.
This photo, “after school snacks” by Nicole used under CC BY-NC 2.o. “after school snacks” is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0 by Gay Family Kia.
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