Best road trip food ideas: ultimate snacks guide

If you’re planning on loading up the kids and hitting the open road, then you’ve made the right choice. There’s nothing better than taking a road trip to truly see the sites and immerse yourself in the culture and experiences that crop up along the way. But before you go, it’s essential to make sure you’re stocked up with these best road trip food ideas.

Healthy snacks

Let’s face it, we all love snacking. And there’s nothing worse than getting halfway into your journey than needing a pit stop for food. Pit stops are best planned around toilet breaks and the need to stretch your legs – and not what your stomach tells you. So snacks are important. But so is having the right snacks. The ones that are easy-to-prepare, convenient, and won’t set your kids off on a sugar high!

Looking for some quick and easy healthy snacks that can be your go-to while you’re driving? Check out this selection:

1. Veggies and dip: this is the perfect go-to while you’re out on the open road. You can pick at it as you go, and don’t have to eat it all at once. Means you can keep coming back for more. Carrot, capsicum, tomato… the list is endless. Pick your favourite veggies and run with it.

2. Nut & seeds mix: another great one that you can pick at as you like. You can also mix in a lot of variety here. Choose some of your favourite nuts and seeds, and top it up with some dried fruits such as banana and apricot for an extra tasty treat.

3. Bliss balls: there are so many different recipes for these online. They make the perfect snack that will keep you satisfied.

4. Olives, tomatoes, deli meats: you can put together your very own tasting platter (in a container) and snack on this throughout the day.

Breakfast

When it comes to road-tripping, some mornings require an early start to beat the traffic and get well on your way. Here are some of our best road trip food ideas for breakfast you can have on the road (which means more sleep for you!):

1. Dry cereal: if you haven’t already tried this, you should! Cereal actually tastes really good when eaten dry.

2. Muffins, croissants and other pastries: an easy one to grab and pack the night before. Plus, everyone can pick and choose what they want to eat. Whatever they don’t eat for breakfast, use it as a snack later in the day.

3. Hard-boiled eggs: these travel really well.

4. Peanut butter & granola wrap: add a little breakfast into a traditional lunch meal.

5. Yoghurt with muesli: it’s best to pre-mix this before hitting the road.

Lunch

The lunchtime munchies are always guaranteed to set in at a different time for everyone. Keep the kids happy with these delicious lunchtime options that you can bring on the road for you.

1. Vegemite scrolls: everyone loves vegemite scrolls! They’re quick, easy and they can be prepared the night before. Grab some puff pastry, vegemite, and of course some grated cheese. Roll up each scroll and bake in the oven at 220°C for 15-20 minutes. They taste good both warm and cold.

2. Sandwiches: you can’t go past a good old, traditional sandwich. You can tailor to everyone’s tastes with an array of different toppings to choose from. Get them ready the night before and grab and run in the morning.

3. Salad in a jar: you can preassemble this before the trip with all the ingredients stacked on top of each other for freshness. Then mix together on the day, add some dressing and yum!

4. Pita pockets: just like the sandwich option, you can fill these with anything you like. It adds some good variation.

5. Tinned tuna: an easy one to grab and throw in the bag. But it can get messy!

Dinner

When it gets late and you’re on a mission to make it to your next stop, the last thing you want is to have to pull over for dinner. Instead, bring dinner with you. These tasty options will keep everyone happy, and you’ll find that next bed in no time.

1. Barbeque chicken: this is one of the best road trip food ideas. It’s a great option you can grab the day before. Pair it with some rolls or a salad jar.

2. Pasta: if you have a thermos, then you can even pack some warm options. Never mind if not, as cold pasta salad tastes just as amazing.

3. Savoury muffins or quiches: if you get a chance to cook, savoury muffins or quiches make a great lunch choice on the road.

4. Precooked roast: roast meat tastes great cold, and you can add them into wraps or simply enjoy them on their own.

Check out some more delicious camping food ideas in Australia!

Kids

Travelling with kids definitely adds a whole new dimension to the trip andlong road trips with kids can be challenging. When it comes to the best road trip foods for kids, you want the snacks to be easy to eat, but also time consuming. Snacking then becomes an activity that passes the time as you drive. A win-win for everyone, it’s one of those greatthings to do on a road trip!

1. DIY fruit cups: you could hand the kids an apple, but we can guarantee they’ll be much more likely to eat a selection of different fruits all put into their very own fruit cup. Kids hate sharing, so take it off the table and keep everyone happy (you included). It’s quick and easy and you can prepare it the night before.

2. Biscuits: buy a big pack of biscuits and hand them out one at a time as you go. They’re cheap, they keep well and they’ll keep the kids nice and full.

3. Cheese: there are so many great cheeses for kids, such as the Babybel, Laughing Cow, String Cheese and more. Pack their favourites in the cooler.

4. Popcorn: as long as the kids are old enough, popcorn is a great snack that will take them a while to eat – an added bonus.

Tips on preparation and storage

Now that you have all the best snacks on hand, you want to make sure you’re storing them correctly. There’s nothing worse than unwrapping that sandwich, only to find it’s gone soggy from sitting in the sun all day. Here are some great tips on preparation and storage:

• Start with the freshest food first: to avoid any food going warm or soggy along the way, start with your fresh food first.

• If you have a choice, opt for tortillas or wraps over sandwiches: they take up less space and there’s less risk of them getting squished along the way.

• Pack a cooler: this one is a given. It should live in your van for the duration of your trip! Make sure you only open it a couple of times a day to keep it as cool as possible.

• Pack into servings: you don’t want the kids eating all the snacks at once, so pack them down into single servings to make it easier (and less tempting).

• Make sure you have the essentials: think about what you’re going to need and make sure it’s packed. Forks, wipes, cups, bowls… these are all importantroad trip essentials to have on hand.

Hire your van today

Now that you have the best road trip food ideas at your fingertips, it’s time to hire that campervan with Camplify and hit the open road. We can guarantee that everyone (you included) will have a much more enjoyable trip with this tasty food up your sleeve. Now you can concentrate on what matters the most, making memories and seeing some amazing sites. Enjoy!