Snack Packs
“Mom! Sister has my snacks!” “Dad, you didn’t pack me goldfish like you did, brother!” “I only see one bag of crackers, and I don’t want to share.” Do any of those sound familiar from past road trips? I’m sure others could be added and be more entertaining than what my four-year-old son has said during trips when it comes to remembering how to share or rationing out one goldfish at a time like it’s his last meal. In a different post (Snack Staples), I shared with you which snacks we like to take on trips for the car ride and our hotel room. Now I will share with you what I do to make sure everyone has the same amount of snacks, how they know which one is theirs, and how to keep the kids involved.
When I pack lunches, snacks, or travel bags for the car, I make sure to match the containers or bags. Each person gets to pick a color, type of sticker, or character. Two of my favorite products to keep handy are Ball glass jars and Blender Bottles. These items last a long time, are reusable, and can be customized. What I like about Blender Bottles is you can buy all items in the same color and continue to add to your collection. They have more size options and do not leak, which makes them the perfect container to toss in your bags, backpack, or travel bag for your daily adventures.
The Ball glass jars are great to take on vacations and car rides as well. These jars are great for beach days because of the screw-on tops. It helps to keep sand and water out of the food as well as drinks. Ball jars come in different colors as well but minimal selection, so what I like to do is get a Sharpie marker (since they now come in a rainbow of colors) and let the kids decide which pen they want. They can color the tops of the jars to indicate which ones are theirs or put their initials. Ball jars also have tops which can change the jars into cups with lids and have different color straws as well. Being able to choose a color also helps to keep kids involved in the packing process, pick which snacks they like, and get them excited for the trip ahead. Bonus: this is a great way to help kids learn different colors and work on letters.
Stickers are another option if Sharpies and kids are not a great mix in your house. Since there are a plethora of stickers at any store, kids can have fun decoring with favorite characters. Choosing this type of decoration would also be a great way to surprise the family with a trip to Disney, Europe, New York, or any other destination if you place these types of stickers on the lids or bottles. The only drawback is stickers tend to come off if they get wet, so I would suggest putting packing tape over the stickers so you can reuse the different containers throughout your trip!
My last tidbit of information has to do with family hikes, day trips (such as fishing on boats), or knowing we will not be near places to eat. Packing a bunch of glass jars and multiple containers can become cumbersome and weigh down any bag or backpack. In this case, I pack lunches in lunch boxes with matching drink bottles. My son thinks superheroes are all the rage right now, so naturally, we pack his superhero lunch box and water bottle for when we know we will have a family picnic. Packing in lunch boxes or lunch bags helps to keep our backpack organized, all items contained, and help to keep food and liquids from spilling. I hope these tips help or give you some creative ideas for your next family vacation!
Margaritaville
