Healthy Food Ideas for Travelling with Kids

One of the most challenging things about travelling with little ones is feeding them fresh healthy food on the go. Steer clear of buying processed and sugary snacks and let us inspire you with some healthier options below:

Food you can eat on the go:

• Hummus and wrap bread – No preparation needed. We simply pack these and ‘rip and dip’ the bread into the hummus. The kids think it is so much fun and it’s an easy snack on the go.
• Dry cereal – Plain corn puffs or cheerios are great. You could even create a snack necklace before your adventure by threading any ‘O’ cereal on to some string.
• Hummus and veggie sticks – Simply cut up some carrots, cucumber, capsicum and even tomatoes to dip into the hummus. If you need softer veggies for little bubs simply use steamed carrots and zucchini.
• Muesli Cups – Grab a cup, any type of muesli (we like Bircher muesli) and Greek yoghurt. Mix together in a cup and voilà, a muesli cup! This is a big hit for us.
• Avocado and a spoon – The novelty of giving your toddler a spoon to dig out the avocado flesh will keep them quiet and busy for ages! Simply cut in half and remove the seed.
• Mini cans of baked beans – If feeding to small babies wash off the red sauce first.
• Canned Tuna – A great snack to offer bubs on the go. We like to mix it with a little avocado so it’s not too dry.
• Popcorn – this is a great healthy snack the kids will love. Just keep an eye on your little ones while eating as it can be a choking hazard.
• Fruit cups – Sold in the supermarket these little handy cups of fruit in natural juice are also easy to travel with as they do not need refrigeration.
• Nuts, trail mix and muesli bars – These are a ‘good to go’ snack item but with the rise of nut allergies we try not to have nuts when travelling in public places.

Small preparation needed:

• Celery Sticks – with peanut butter or hummus.
• Mini pancakes – Simply mix one cup of milk, one egg and one cup flour. You can then add in anything else you like sweet or savoury. Bananas and berries are a hit, or even some left over spaghetti bolognese for a savoury snack. Pancakes freeze well with some baking paper placed between each pancake.
• Fresh fruit – You can never go past fruit. Bananas are great to travel with if you are careful not to squash them! Fruit salad is great as well and what we call ‘Apple Chips which are small slices of apple cut like chips, it is so simple and the kids love them! You can also steam the apples for younger babies.
• Chia Cups – These need to be made the night before. Simply whisk/mix a tablespoon of chia seeds with 1/2 cup of coconut milk into a little container with a lid and put in the fridge to set over night. You can add in loads of other things like blended/mashed banana etc. but we are keeping it simple. The Chia seeds will expand and absorb the milk and end up a thick jelly consistency. You can also freeze these for an icy treat!
• Edamame beans – Steam up a batch of frozen edamame beans (available from supermarkets) and store in an airtight container (for up to three days). Before you serve them sprinkle with a touch of salt and watch the kids have a blast popping them from the shells right into their mouths!
• Falafels – We buy these ready to go from the supermarket. They just need to be heated/lightly fried. The kids love them served with hummus and salad. Open and put them in wraps  for an easy dinner and serve any left overs in their snack boxes the next day.
• Plain pasta spirals – Keep a few path spirals from dinner and pop into the kids lunch box the next day.

Fridge/ Freezer required: 

• Yoghurt pouch – If you have access to a fridge you can purchase some Greek yoghurt travel pouches to give your little ones on the go. If you are heading out for a big day you could even freeze them to keep the rest of your food cool and eat once it is defrosted.
• Cheese sticks – these are a great size for travelling.
• Frozen grated cheese or frozen peas and corn – these are great to keep little hands busy while you are preparing dinner if you have access to a freezer while travelling.

We always travel with some handy zip lock bags, small containers and our stainless steel ‘Lunchbots’ Snack box. If you are staying in a hotel take a few extra pieces of fruit, dry pancakes, muffins or dry cereal from the breakfast buffet to help feed your hungry travellers. We love using the reusable bee’s wax wraps for this.

Do you have any other healthy snack ideas? Please share them with us in the comments below.

Planning an adventure with your little ones? Check out our family travel tips.

Pin this post to Pinterest –

You may also like:

SaveSave