summer supply bin for car - snacks?

[CloudBee]

We've been going to the skate park a lot since it's warmed up, and today we were there so long that I really should have packed snacks. I just didn't realize we would be out of the house more than an hour. 

About this time ever year I put together a bag or bin for my car with snacks, baby wipes (for hands), sunscreen, bug spray, etc.

If you keep a similar bin in the car throughout the summer, what do you pack for snacks? What stays fresh even in hot weather? My son really likes dried fruit, but I'm not sure if that would do well in the car for days on end?

I feel like pretzels (salt and carbs) and applesauce pouches (hydration and quick energy boost) are good choices for summer car snacks, but my son doesn't love either. Throw other ideas at me.

[gastro]

Granola bars and goldfish & pretzel snack packs are always in my car.

[pugz]

Pirate's Booty

[CloudBee]

Apr 13, 2021 15:46:52 GMT -5 @hiphopanonymous said:

We keep That's It mini bars, Bare apple chips, or Whisps. The apple chips and whisps come in single serve pouches. We like Nick's Stix for a bigger protein option, and I also keep tuna packets in the car. The tuna packets are not consumed in the car, they're just there for if we're at the park or whatever longer than expected.

We also like Larabars and Justin's nut butter in the single serve packets.

Apple chips are a great idea! There's zero moisture in those compared to something like dried mango slices. I'm going to order Bare chips. Thank you!

We keep a container of peanut butter in the trunk year-round, along with a pack of plastic spoons. Lifesaver in a pinch when DS is hangry and we need protein. I usually keep a few granola bars in the glove compartment, but summer is different. He goes through so many snacks when we're out during the summer.

Great idea on the apple chips. I should also see if he likes tuna. 

[arehopsveggies]

Single serve boxes of cereal are my favorite summer snack. Nothing to melt or get icky in the car

We also do applesauce pouches, granola bars that don’t have chocolate, raisins, craisins, almonds

We often have dried fruit (homemade) but they eat it quick enough that it doesn’t get gross

[186momx]

DD had a friend who's grandma had a box of car snacks. I'm pretty sure she just went down the Costco snack food isle and grab anything that wouldn't melt. Cheez Its, Pirate Booty, chips, juice boxes, bags of pretzels, trail mix, and granola bars seemed like the stuff she had all the time.

[aspentosh]

This is really brilliant. Why have I not discovered this cheat after 9 years of parenting?!

[expectantsteelerfan]

So I keep water, wipes, one of the dog's towels, kleenex, sunscreen, and bug spray in my car. But snacks I throw in my purse that I bring in from the car. I tend to keep protein bars for myself and the kids in my purse now, because at my kids' ages, if they really need a snack, it's gotta be something filling to tide them over for some reason. They do get squished if they are in there for a while, but if a kid is desperate enough, they will eat a totally squished protein bar anyway.

[mrsjrd23]

We keep granola bars, z bars, fig bars, applesauce pouches, and belvita breakfast biscuits.

I have a reuseable 6 pack wine bottle carrier that I use to hold all the snacks in individual slots. Then I can just carry it in when it needs refilled.

[Deleted]

I don’t keep it in the car because I’m weird about heat and plastics and food, but we have a “snack bag” that hangs by the door where I hang my purse. It’s just a reusable tote and usually has stuff like pouches, jerky, goldfish, kids think bars, kids cliff bars, a water bottle, dried strawberries and raspberries, raisins or craisins, and some juice boxes.

In the trunk, I have a box with wipes, 2-3 beach towels, sunscreen,
a roll of paper towels, and a first aid kit (I should probably restock this...).

[wizardressofoz]

This is the best thing I've read in a long time. Some great ideas here!!

[ohgillian]

Does no one else have a kid obsessed with snacks? One of my children is food obsessed. All he would do daily is obsess about what's in the snack box, when he would be allowed to have a snack, what snack he would get, etc. It would be relentless. I already keep sweettarts in my car (for me) and he is constantly talking about them. We do feed him and we are not super strict about his food in weird ways that would cause this.

[dontlook]

Apr 14, 2021 7:50:29 GMT -5 ohgillian said:

Does no one else have a kid obsessed with snacks? One of my children is food obsessed. All he would do daily is obsess about what's in the snack box, when he would be allowed to have a snack, what snack he would get, etc. It would be relentless. I already keep sweettarts in my car (for me) and he is constantly talking about them. We do feed him and we are not super strict about his food in weird ways that would cause this.

Not alone. My 7 year old will eat everything in sight. I usually just pack snacks daily for the diaper bag. Even though I’m not leaving snacks in the car I try to pack things that won’t melt and get gross. That ends up being cracker snacks or fruit pouches. Pretzels, goldfish, animal crackers, pirate booty, popcorn, dry cereal, applesauce pouches, rice cakes, and jerky.

[ssmjlm]

It's too hot where I am to keep food in the car like that. I'll either grab one of our insulated lunchboxes or I bought one of the freezable coolers and will throw some drinks/snacks in there.

Also, I don't like to pack a ton of food because I'm trying to get back to meals and not grazing all day since school is back to 4x week hybrid.

[ohgillian]

dontlook thanks. Yes. This kid will eat everything in sight, and it's an ongoing issue. Still, this thread is giving me some ideas of things I can have on hand hidden away for throwing in my bag.

[cosmowife]

You all must have garages? A water bottle wouldn’t last two hours in my car in the summer without getting nasty and burning hot. Maybe a grab and go bag would work for me instead? Although who am I kidding, we never actually leave the house

[icedcoffee]

Apr 14, 2021 7:50:29 GMT -5 ohgillian said:

Does no one else have a kid obsessed with snacks? One of my children is food obsessed. All he would do daily is obsess about what's in the snack box, when he would be allowed to have a snack, what snack he would get, etc. It would be relentless. I already keep sweettarts in my car (for me) and he is constantly talking about them. We do feed him and we are not super strict about his food in weird ways that would cause this.

Yep.  I really try to discourage snacks in general because they get relentless about it.  When they know I have snacks it's all they want to do.  It gets super annoying.  I keep a cheerio cup in my diaper bag and some emergency pouches, but I really only try to offer snacks if I know for certain they are hungry.  They're a last resort for us.  And it's not because I'm some sort of super health freak.  It's because I find it annoying.

[janegold]

After spending literally all day Saturday cleaning my car and our carseats, I have implemented a no eating in the car rule. OMG it is the grossest task EVER and it makes me feel like we are absolutely filthy beasts. We're only on day 5 of this rule, so we'll see how it goes...we aren't often in the car longer than 10-20 minutes at a time so theoretically it shouldn't be an issue, but my kids are also eating machines so I'm sure we'll end up bending the rule on longer drives.

[timorousbeastie]

You already got good suggestions, but I’d also suggest for anyone keeping snacks in their car, to keep them in a plastic bin with a closed lid on it. I tried keeping granola bars in the car when DD was younger, and I wound up with mice in the car. Apparently the granola bars made a good snack for the mice, too.

[noodleoo]

Apr 13, 2021 22:20:47 GMT -5 @akswartz85 said:

I don’t keep it in the car because I’m weird about heat and plastics and food, but we have a “snack bag” that hangs by the door where I hang my purse. It’s just a reusable tote and usually has stuff like pouches, jerky, goldfish, kids think bars, kids cliff bars, a water bottle, dried strawberries and raspberries, raisins or craisins, and some juice boxes.

In the trunk, I have a box with wipes, 2-3 beach towels, sunscreen, a roll of paper towels, and a first aid kit (I should probably restock this...).

I always forget to add this kind of stuff to the car!  I remember several times wishing I had towels or a blanket to sit on in the car. 

I always have a diaper bag with wipes and I throw snacks and water in it before we go anywhere.  Usually pouches, fig bars and fruit.  The kids always want more tho!  It is nice to be able to say "sorry I ran out!". 

[shauni27]

Apr 13, 2021 19:07:47 GMT -5 aspentosh said:

This is really brilliant. Why have I not discovered this cheat after 9 years of parenting?!

I know, I have not either. I feel proud that I have a potty training toilet thing and plastic bags to line it, should we ever have a poop emergency while driving somewhere. But I should really add a small tote with snacks, first aid shit, paper towels, etc.

(I do have an emergency kit with like flares, a thing to break my window, blankets...)

[lemoncupcake]

Apr 14, 2021 8:54:04 GMT -5 icedcoffee said:

Apr 14, 2021 7:50:29 GMT -5 ohgillian said:

Does no one else have a kid obsessed with snacks? One of my children is food obsessed. All he would do daily is obsess about what's in the snack box, when he would be allowed to have a snack, what snack he would get, etc. It would be relentless. I already keep sweettarts in my car (for me) and he is constantly talking about them. We do feed him and we are not super strict about his food in weird ways that would cause this.

Yep.  I really try to discourage snacks in general because they get relentless about it.  When they know I have snacks it's all they want to do.  It gets super annoying.  I keep a cheerio cup in my diaper bag and some emergency pouches, but I really only try to offer snacks if I know for certain they are hungry.  They're a last resort for us.  And it's not because I'm some sort of super health freak.  It's because I find it annoying.

Are we going to get into another *snack culture* debate?

If my kids are going to a park for an extended period of time to play like the OP of course they’re going to need/want a snack. There’s nothing wrong with eating or getting hungry after an outing like that.

[starburst604]

Apr 14, 2021 9:39:31 GMT -5 shauni27 said:

Apr 13, 2021 19:07:47 GMT -5 aspentosh said:

This is really brilliant. Why have I not discovered this cheat after 9 years of parenting?!

I know, I have not either. I feel proud that I have a potty training toilet thing and plastic bags to line it, should we ever have a poop emergency while driving somewhere. But I should really add a small tote with snacks, first aid shit, paper towels, etc.

(I do have an emergency kit with like flares, a thing to break my window, blankets...)

We started with the emergency kit once DD started getting carsick. In each car we have: a puke bag in arms reach to hand to her, then a separate bag with a change of clothes, disposable gloves, wipes, towel and water. You have no idea how this has saved me a couple of times!! This summer I'm definitely going to add stuff like sunblock, bug spray and snacks though! I do have a first aid kit in my car which I should replenish. I also think I'll add a swimsuit and towel. It seems like we randomly end up needing these things unplanned in the summer, like go to a friends house and she wants to run through the sprinkler or something. 

[icedcoffee]

Apr 14, 2021 9:41:14 GMT -5 lemoncupcake said:

Apr 14, 2021 8:54:04 GMT -5 icedcoffee said:

Yep.  I really try to discourage snacks in general because they get relentless about it.  When they know I have snacks it's all they want to do.  It gets super annoying.  I keep a cheerio cup in my diaper bag and some emergency pouches, but I really only try to offer snacks if I know for certain they are hungry.  They're a last resort for us.  And it's not because I'm some sort of super health freak.  It's because I find it annoying.

Are we going to get into another *snack culture* debate?

If my kids are going to a park for an extended period of time to play like the OP of course they’re going to need/want a snack. There’s nothing wrong with eating or getting hungry after an outing like that.

No--I honestly don't care what snacks other people give their kids or even if a 30 minute activity does snacks at the end (though I do tend to think it's unnecessary).  I just know my kids are annoying AF about snacks.  Everyone needs to do what works for them.

[preppy]

My "car kit" has the antibacterial boogie wipes for hands, the car potty with inserts and wipes for emergencies, PB crackers, apple sauce pouches, mini lara bars, animal crackers and nutrigrain bars. Summer we go to the beach almost every day so once its summer we keep all the beach stuff in the car all the time and my beach bag is well stocked with sunscreen, hats, towels etc at all times.

[mbcdefg]

I have a few bags of Pirate Booty in my trunk. I also have a bag with a change of clothes, wipes, and a diaper for DD. (I also have a bag with a change of clothes and a toothbrush for myself.)

Otherwise I keep snacks in DD’s backpack, which we take with us on car rides that extend beyond a quick errand. Change of clothes, pajamas, a couple Diapers and pull ups, wipes, a few small toys/coloring books, and a small first aid kit.

I usually have a couple snacks for her in my purse, like Grahams or Goldfish. Also a Ziplock bag with a few wipes, and an extra pair of underwear.

I’d like to find a better water bottle for her - we have a plastic Nalgene and a metal Contigo that both leak badly when they’re not perfectly upright. I just want something I can toss in her bag without it soaking everything.

[ssmjlm]

mbcdefg , the bigger thermos or a kid's yeti are both good at keeping things cold and not spilling.

My only issue is neither are really big enough for how much water my kid drinks. I wish I could find a 28oz bottle that's slim and light for her.

[ellipses84]

Zbars do pretty well in the car, better than regular granola bars. My kids love pretzels and applesauce, so I’m not much help! Pirates booty in the individual bags. My sister is always so good about packing an insulated lunch box with ice pack and cheese / meat sticks / fruit.

[ellipses84]

I also keep a plastic bin in between the boys’ seats with small books and toys (nothing heavy that they could throw and hurt someone, a lot of free / happy meal type toys and books that could get lost or ruined). My older car sick prone son knows to dump it out and use it as a bucket if he feels sick.

[ohgillian]

Apr 14, 2021 9:41:14 GMT -5 lemoncupcake said:

Apr 14, 2021 8:54:04 GMT -5 icedcoffee said:

Yep.  I really try to discourage snacks in general because they get relentless about it.  When they know I have snacks it's all they want to do.  It gets super annoying.  I keep a cheerio cup in my diaper bag and some emergency pouches, but I really only try to offer snacks if I know for certain they are hungry.  They're a last resort for us.  And it's not because I'm some sort of super health freak.  It's because I find it annoying.

Are we going to get into another *snack culture* debate?

If my kids are going to a park for an extended period of time to play like the OP of course they’re going to need/want a snack. There’s nothing wrong with eating or getting hungry after an outing like that.

That’s not where I was going at all. Saying my kid is difficult and obsessive about snacks isn’t trying to start a snack debate, and my post is what she was responding to.