“This post was developed in partnership with Similac. All opinions are my own.
As moms, we all know that our kids are going to get hungry in between meal times and want to have a snack to hold them over. Especially as summer rolls around and families begin to start taking vacations all over and spending more time on the road.
And while there are numerous convenient snack options available for kids almost anywhere, they are not necessarily the most healthy choices out there. In fact, most of the snacks that are marketed towards our children today are loaded with chemicals, unnecessary sugars, and dyes that can harm our kids.
So now you’re thinking,”Well, I can bring my kids some fruit or some dry cereal that I know is wholesome and healthy for them.” But wait! how can I keep the fruit fresh? And what about drinks? How can I offer my kids healthy snacks while keeping everything clean?
(THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS HOWEVER, I WILL NEVER RECOMMEND ANYTHING THAT I DO NOT BELIEVE IN OR USE MYSELF. YOU CAN READ MORE ABOUT MY DISCLOSURE POLICY HERE)
WHAT ABOUT THE MESS?
Although giving your kids a snack now and then on long car rides this summer break doesn’t seem like a big deal at first, having to get down and clean the horribly time-consuming mess does. But I’ve got news for you. On the go snacking doesn’t have to turn into a war zone in the back seat of the minivan.
You can easily provide your children with plenty of healthy snacks while also saving yourself from cleaning up various spills. In fact here are 5 simple tips that I use every day for my kids when taking healthy snacks on the go.
1. FRUIT & VEGGIE POUCHES
Food Pouches have made a huge impression in the last few years and have also become a favorite among many moms with small children. Especially since now instead of having to spoon feed your baby or toddler, you can simply hand them a food pouch that they can squeeze or suck the food out of. Easy Peasy, right?
And not only do food pouches make parenting a little easier, they also help prevent some of the mess you would normally have when spoon feeding. So now the question is,”Which food pouches are actually healthy for my child?”
As a semi-crunchy mom, I had the same question. For our family, we try our best to feed our children as much wholesome and organic food as we possibly can. And that is why I love the Go & Grow by Similac food pouches that can be found at Walmart. And although my 18-month-old son is not a huge fan of food pouches he did love the flavors including the sweet potato, apple and carrot pouch. Even my 5-year-old daughter loved the delicious purees.
The Go & Grow by Similac Pouches are the only fruit and vegetable puree toddler pouches that contain DHA, Lutein, Vitamin E, and 3-4 servings of fruits and veggies for your toddler. They are also Certified USDA Organic, Non-GMO, gluten-free, and contain no fillers and artificial flavors or colors. Talk about healthy!
But it gets even better because there is also an Ibotta offer for a $0.50 rebate when you buy Go & Grow by Similac Pouches. And SheSpeaks is also running a Giveaway for one lucky commenter or tweeter to win a FREE $50 Walmart Gift card here. You don’t want to miss this so don’t forget to enter to win a $50 Walmart Gift Card from now until June 15th, 2017.
2. SNACK CONTAINER
When packing up snacks for my kids, I always like to include a snack cup or snack catcher. I love to keep dry snacks in here such as cereal or dried fruits. The best part about these snack cups is that they keep all of the food where it is supposed to be and off of the floor.
For my kids, I prefer these stainless steel snack catchers because they are BPA-free and top rack dishwasher safe. They are also extremely durable and include silicone flaps that are soft enough for my kids to reach through and grab their snacks without hurting their hands. The flip-top lid also keeps their snacks fresh if they don’t finish their snacks all at once.
3. DRINK CUP
The second thing moms always hear from the back seat is, “I’m thirsty!” Especially after eating all of those healthy snacks. But giving your toddler or any child for that matter an open cup or bottle of water can be a recipe for disaster while on the go.
That’s why my kids love these easy to use stainless steel sippy cups that are BPA-free, phthalate-free, durable, and top rack dishwasher safe. They also keep drinks cold for up to 6 hours and come in a sports water bottle option too. You gotta love that!
4. COOLER BAGS
What about foods that need to be kept cold or fresh? That’s where these reusable cooler snack bags come in. They are easy to use snack pouches with a velcro closure and also dishwasher safe, FDA Approved, BPA, LEAD, and Phthalate Free. I also love that these snack coolers come in a variety of designs that everyone will appreciate.
5. FOOD WRAP
I didn’t know about this product until recently when I was looking for a more natural replacement for plastic wrap and parchment paper. And then one day I received this reusable food storage wrap in one of my monthly subscriptions. I started off just using it cover our leftovers and then it dawned on me to try it with produce when I only use half.
I even use it with my kids leftover snacks to keep them fresh and prevent waste. Perfect for a long trip!
The benefits of using this reusable food storage wrap are that it is made with beeswax, GOTS certified cotton, organic jojoba oil, and tree resin. You can also use the wrap for storing homemade baked goods, such as bread and cookies or even for covering a bowl or dish at an event, storing leftovers and more. And lastly, this wrap is extremely cost effective since with proper care and regular use it is said to last up to 1 year. Just imagine all of the money you will save on plastic wrap.
*So did I miss anything? What type of snacks do you pack for your kids? TELL ME IN THE COMMENTS. I ALWAYS LOVE TO HEAR FROM MY READERS!
