Stay-sane reminders for this season of life

• Keep a sense of adventure: Consider renaming your meals-on-the-go something like “dance dinner” or “volleyball dinner.” It’s an easy way to set expectations right up front that although we won’t always have PBJ sandwiches and orange slices for dinner, it’s all part of going with the flow of a busy season. 
• Be prepared: Pack plenty of non-food items like napkins, utensils, wipes, and drinks. A designated trash bag helps make cleanup easy–or else you might end up vacuuming pistachio shells out of your cup holders.
• Lean on comfort foods: Rely on foods you know your family loves, rather than trying something new when patience might already be sort of thin.
• Be flexible: Different things work for different families. Try one strategy and adjust as needed. And give yourself lots of grace while you figure it out.
• Remember yourself: It should go without saying, but don’t forget to feed YOURSELF when you’re on a long journey of errands and appointments, too. Pack foods that work for your kids AND for you.

Option 1: Pack mix-and-match healthy choices

Best for: When you don’t have time to put something together

Sometimes a grab bag of portable, filling, low-mess food items fits the bill better than anything else.

Remember the arsenal of snacks you’d carry around when you had little kids? We’re giving that concept an energy-sustaining, quick-dinner upgrade.

You know what you and your crew like best, and you should definitely lean on those things first. But in case you’re drawing a blank, below are some reminders of foods that travel well, with and without cooler packs. 

Remember: If this isn’t enough to satisfy everyone, you can grab a second dinner or filling snack when you return home.

Foods that keep at room temperature for a long time:

GRAINS

• Bread, sandwich rolls, or pita bread
• Whole grain crackers
• Soft tortillas
• Bagels
• Rice cakes
• Pretzels
• Graham crackers
• Homemade muffins and quick breads
• Tortilla chips
• Dry cereal
• Popcorn

FRUITS & VEGGIES

• Dried fruit
• Whole fruits in the peel
• Cherry tomatoes
• Fruit cups in 100% juice
• Mini sweet peppers
• Grapes
• Unsweetened applesauce cups
• Jarred olives (unopened)
• Pickles (unopened)

PROTEIN FOODS

• Peanut butter and seed butter
• Nuts
• Pouches of tuna
• Beef jerky
• Pepperoni
• Pre-cooked bacon
• Shelf-stable cartons of flavored milk (dairy or non-dairy)
• Trail mix
• Energy bars

Foods to pack in a cooler or insulated bag with ice packs:

FRUITS & VEGGIES

• Celery sticks
• Carrot sticks or baby carrots
• Cucumber slices
• Sliced or mini peppers 
• Cut raw broccoli and cauliflower
• Melon balls
• Pineapple chunks
• Cherries 
• Berries
• Orange and apple slices (pour a splash of orange juice over the apple slices to prevent browning and give them a flavor boost)
• Green salad (dressing on the side)
• Store-bought bottled smoothies (or homemade in a thermos)
• Salsa

PROTEIN FOODS

• Cheese sticks, string cheese & cheese cubes
• Cups of hummus
• Yogurt cups and yogurt drinks
• Edamame
• Hard-boiled eggs
• Deli-meat sandwiches & wraps
• Take-out sushi rolls
• Pasta, tuna, or chicken salad
• Cold, grilled chicken (our store sells cooked rotisserie chicken pulled off the bone)
• Cups of cottage cheese
• Energy bites

Here’s how to put them together for easy dinner in the car ideas:

• Hummus cups + pita bread + baby carrots and cucumbers + olives
• Turkey sandwich wrap + celery sticks + peanut butter + raisins + popcorn
• Pasta salad + cold chicken + applesauce cups
• Homemade quick bread spread with nut or seed butter + cheese sticks + chocolate milk
• Sushi rolls + edamame + fruit
• Cottage cheese + berries + homemade muffin
• Hard-boiled egg + bagel with nut or seed butter + bottled smoothie

Option 2: Assemble dinner boxes

Best for: When your kids need to eat in a hurry (bonus: they can eat while you’re driving)

If you know you’ve got a hectic night ahead, pack a few dinner boxes at the same time you’re assembling lunch boxes.

As opposed to the giant grab bag of snacky foods, a dinner box can be passed out to a hungry kiddo as a complete package, like a mobile dinner plate. These might be larger and heartier than what you pack for lunch. And don’t forget to pack one for yourself!

Grilled chicken + guacamole cup + pretzels + raw veggies + berries + Nut-Free Snack Bites

Half deli meat sandwich + pretzel chips + Snack Bite + broccoli w/ dip + berries

Here are the best strategies for keeping hot foods hot:

• Wrap hot food items tightly in foil
• Fill containers as much as possible (air pockets can cool foods faster)
• Use a clean kitchen towel for an extra layer of warmth protection
• Pack wrapped food in an insulated bag, such as insulated grocery bag, lunch bag, or casserole bag (affiliate link)
• Invest in a few quality thermoses (see my two favorite thermoses here)
• Keep hot foods away from cold foods when transporting them together

Option 4: Find food while you’re out and about

Best for: When you don’t have the time or groceries to pack in advance–and want to let the kids choose

If you decide not to bring your own food, you’ll need to buy dinner. And rather than wait your turn in a long line of traffic for French fries, you could opt for something even quicker.

Plenty of gas stations, truck stops and rest stops have stepped up their snack game way beyond potato chips and soda. There’s plenty of great food available: lean proteins, healthy fats, and lots of easy things with natural ingredients.

Some of their healthy car-ride-friendly foods to look for include:

GRAIN FOODS

• Quick oatmeal cups (use their hot water)
• Cereal to go cups
• Muffins
• Bagels
• Pretzels
• Crackers

FRUITS & VEGGIES

• Whole fruits like bananas or apples
• Dried fruit
• Salad kits
• Cut fresh veggies and dip
• Cups of fresh fruit
• Kale chips
• Seaweed snacks
• Guacamole

PROTEIN FOODS

• Yogurt cups
• Beef jerky (or turkey jerky)
• Packs of cheese cubes, crackers, and fruit
• Cheese sticks
• Nuts
• Sunflower seeds
• Hard boiled eggs
• Trail mix
• Nut butter packets
• Heat-and-go soups
• Hummus cups
• Pre-made sandwiches
• Energy bars

Bonus Option: Eat at home but tinker with the timing

Best for: When you just want to eat at home and have time to prep ahead earlier in the day

Eating dinner in the car might not be the perfect fit for you, for plenty of reasons. Your kitchen can still be a home base for family dinner, even if everyone’s eating at different times. Here are some options:

• Dinners that can be held on “warm” in the slow cooker and eaten in shifts
• Dinners that can be easily reheated on demand
• Cold dinners that kids and spouses can grab from the fridge and assemble themselves

Some of our favorite Slow Cooker & Instant Pot meals:

• Slow Cooker Lasagna
• Slow Cooker “Roasted” Chicken
• Slow Cooker Pot Roast
• Slow Cooker pulled pork or pulled chicken with barbecue sauce (cook pork roast or chicken breasts in slow cooker, shred, then stir in barbecue sauce and serve on rolls)
• Slow Cooker Taco Meat
• Italian shredded beef
• Chili
• Soup
• Instant Pot Spaghetti Sauce
• Instant Pot Beef & Bowtie Pasta
• Instant Pot Mac & Cheese
• Instant Pot Beef Stroganoff
• Instant Pot Butter Chicken

Ideas to make ahead & reheat:

• Baked potatoes with toppings (or try it with sweet potatoes)
• Sandwiches like Ham & Cheese Pinwheels (which taste good hot or not) and Ham & Cheese Sliders on Hawaiian rolls
• Beef & Bean Burritos
• Baked enchiladas
• Lasagna
• Soup
• Chili
• Stuffed peppers
• Taco filling (ground meat/veggies/beans)
• Cabbage Rolls/stuffed cabbage
• Casseroles
• Beef stew
• Meatball Subs
• Vegetable frittata
• Mini meatloaves baked in muffin tins  
• Breakfast sandwiches (repurposed for dinner!)

Also, keep some quick, convenience items stocked to serve with these hot meals such as:

• Cooked pasta and rice in pouches (just heat in microwave)
• Tortillas and taco shells
• Heat-and-serve dinner rolls
• Bagged salads and jarred dressing
• Steam-in-bag fresh veggies
• Frozen veggies

Cold dinner ideas:

• Mason Jar Salad: Pack these in mason jars and make a bunch at the beginning of the week, putting heavier toppings on the bottom and salad greens at the top, then dump into a bowl and top with dressing.
• Cold sesame noodles
• Chicken orzo salad
• Pasta salad
• Potato Salad
• Deli meat sandwiches/wraps
• Fresh/spring rolls with peanut sauce
• Chicken salad
• Tuna Salad
• BLT’s
• Snack Plate
• Cereal with milk (hey, it counts!) 

If all else fails…

You can always come together after the dust settles for a pre-bedtime snack or dessert so that you still get that “family dinner” feeling, which some kids (and parents) can feel like they miss when eating away from home.

Then, an exhausting day can end up feeling a little like a special occasion.