Whether it’s school or extracurriculars, being on pickup carpool duty usually means a car full of hungry kids and/or teens who need a little food and drink pick-me-up before making their way home. This kind of on-the-go snacking creates its own special set of demands, though, so some forethought and planning are in order. These tips will make it easy:

Beware of allergies!

Many kids suffer from a number of different allergies, one specifically being Peanut Butter or nut products. It’s often best to avoid these types of snacks altogether. Some of the most common food allergies include:

• Milk
• Eggs
• Peanuts
• Soy
• Wheat
• Tree nuts

Some of our favorite healthy snacks include:

• Homemade Granola Bars – Easy to make and a kid favorite!
• Beef Jerky – We love Laura’s Organic Lean Beef Jerky
• Sting cheese and crackers
• Hummus with Carrot Sticks
• Annie’s Natural and Organic Snack Products
• Fresh Fruit like Apple Slices, Tangerines or Oranges (already peeled), and grapes

Fill Up Before Heading Out

Juice and other colored liquid beverages can be bad news if they’re spilled in the car, and easily spoiled things like milk aren’t ideal for carpooling either. Water really is the best option, but if you’re trying to go green, those little kid-sized plastic water bottles aren’t a great idea either. Bottled water actually has a major negative impact on the environment, and not in a good way, so if you want to stay green, try to make sure the kids fill up their reusable water bottles before getting in the car. When this isn’t possible, go ahead and use the plastic bottles and put them in the recycling bin when carpool is over.

All About the Packaging!

Speaking of containers, as you shop for the right gear for your carpool snacks, look out for glass or plastics that don’t contain harmful elements like BPA, a synthetic chemical element that is research-proven to seep into food and beverages through plastic. Many small, kid-friendly food storage containers these days are made with safe materials such as BPA-free plastic or recycled glass, making it easy to find the right pieces for your carpool collection. Also, on most items that come in bags and boxes, condensing into smaller stackable containers allows for easy storage and cleanup.

Keep a Box in the Car for Easy Storage

Source: https://wholefully.com/44-healthy-road-trip-snack-ideas/ Instead of putting all of your carpool snacks into a bag time after time, go over to the dollar store and pick up a reusable storage bin that can be kept in the car. Makes for easy packing and travel! We want to hear from you!   Do you have a go-to tip that you use when packing up your carpool snacks? Share it in the comments section below!