This post about on-the-go snacks for the summer is sponsored by Target but all thoughts and opinions are my own.
Summertime around here means being on the go all the time. Our summertime schedule may be different than our school year schedule…but in our case, different does not mean easier. We just trade textbooks and backpacks and school busses for goggles and sunscreen and minivans.
Whether we’re heading to swim practice or swim meets, day camps or park visits with friends, we’ve always got to pack snacks and lunches to eat on our trips away from the house.
The biggest difference between packing school-time lunches (and stocking the kitchen throughout the school year) is that we tend to be on the go a whole lot more during the summer. There’s no sitting at a desk and eating lunch when the bell rings.
Instead, we’ve got road trips and camps and swim meets that require that we pack snacks and lunches to eat on the run.
Summer also has its share of unexpected adventures. You never want to be unprepared for a spur of the moment outing with friends or family. I hate scrambling around to get ready for an outing. I find it much easier to prepare ahead of time – even for those things that aren’t on the schedule.
This past week, I made a Target run to pick up a few summer snacking essentials…and they’ve already come in handy several times as we’ve run out the door for all of our activities this week. I love that I can pick up all my summer essentials in one place.
On-The-Go Snacking Tips for Summertime
Here are a handful of things that we keep stocked up as well as a few tips for packing wisely for your summer days on-the-go.
Find foods that won’t melt or spoil – Nuts and raisins, crackers and dry cereal portioned into bags are perfect for snacks that won’t spoil in the heat.
Don’t forget your fresh fruits and veggies – Apples and bananas don’t require any extra preparation. Just throw them in your bag for a ready-to-eat snack. My kids also love to eat celery sticks dipped in peanut butter, and with on-the-go peanut butter packets, celery and peanut butter is a great sandwich alternative.
Bring plenty of water – We like bringing along a reusable water bottle for each person, but since we never know where we’re going to be able to refill, it’s handy to have a pack of water bottles in the car. You never want to be without water!
Pack your own baggies – To avoid germ-sharing (think dirty hands reaching into a bag of chips…) and to help with portion control, we split snacks up into small baggies. I like to throw several baggies into my bag for the day so that we can split things up and share at any time.
Find snacks that will fill your belly – Yes, I bring “treats” on our outings, but I like to concentrate on filling our lunch and snack bags with foods that will actually fill our bellies so we won’t feel like eating again in 30 minutes.
Breakfast foods are great all day – Dry cereals, bagels, and English muffins are hearty foods that tend to do better on the go for us compared to sandwich bread. Try making a sandwich on a bagel or an English muffin!
Use reusable ice packs – Even if we’re not packing meats and cheeses or foods that spoil, it’s nice to keep our food cool while we’re outside and away from the fridge. I prefer bringing a collapsible fabric cooler so that it’s lighter to carry around. For longer days, a wheeled cooler is a great option!
Bring your own garbage bags – Snacking on-the-go tends to leave lots of mess. I throw in a few plastic grocery bags for collecting our trash. That way, if we can’t find a garbage can, we can still clean up after ourselves.
Bring baby wipes – Whether or not you’ve got little ones who need baby wipes for the traditional use, wipes are so handy for kids and adults of all ages – before eating, after eating, etc. They make great hand and face cleaners!
What are your favorite summer snacking essentials to pack when you’re on the run?
What’s your #Targetrun?
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I think it’s the stage we’re all in! Sometimes I wish we didn’t have to be all over the place all the time, but it keeps life interesting!
Right?? My kids complain if I eat them in the car on road trips, though. lol
I love those little tuna cups. They are great protein and so easy to carry
It’s like this post is written for me because my kids LOVE snacking (sigh) and we’re always on the go!
So many great summer snacking tips here! I love that you mention taking extra plastic bags for trash. I always remember the snacks, but never anything to put the trash in!
These are some great quick snack ideas that I will have to keep in mind!
These are great ideas for on the go snacks. I want to get some of the Jif to go containers for the kids and wipes are a must have! :)
Target has great deals on snacks for on the go. We like the fruit bars, trail mix and so many other items. We were just there on Friday and got a lot of snack items to take to the Lake on the 4th!
All great tips here! Thank you for sharing them. One I didn’t think of is to Use reusable ice packs. I will try that.
I’m in love with the applesauce squeezers for my toddler and my eight year old always loves granola bars. The baby wipes are essential!!!