It’s summer, and it seems we are jetting everywhere: to the pool, to swim lessons, to soccer class, to run errands, to go on vacations and long car trips…It’s easy to serve snacks at home, but when it comes to taking snacks to go, some work better than others. The snack has to fit in your purse, pool bag, backpack, or diaper bag without much hassle. It has to be easy to prepare and require minimal cleanup. We tried to make it easy on you by compiling a list of healthy summer snacks to take to go!

Healthy Summer Fruit and Vegetables Snacks

• Watermelon: Few snacks say summertime! like fresh, juicy slices of watermelon. If you’re going to the pool or picnicking outside, bring triangle slices of watermelon in a plastic bag and watch your kids chomp with pleasure! If you have a younger toddler, dice the watermelon (or buy it pre-cut), place it in an airtight container, and let your little one enjoy it with a fork. If you’ll be out in the hot sun for hours before eating it, place it in an insulated lunch bag with an ice pack to keep it cool.
• Cucumber slices: Cucumbers are in season, and they are a tidy snack you can easily take to go. Cucumbers are obviously cool and refreshing, and they are high in fiber and water which help keep you hydrated in the summer heat. If you’ll be out in the hot sun for hours before eating it, place it in an insulated lunch bag with an ice pack to keep it cool.
• Baby carrots: Many grocery stores sell baby carrots ready in a bag. Just give them a quick rinse, place them in a plastic bag, and take them to go. There’s no mess or cleanup involved! If you’ll be out in the hot sun for hours before eating it, place it in an insulated lunch bag with an ice pack to keep it cool. Places like Sprouts and Trader Joes often sell baby rainbow carrots. We love these! They are extremely nutritious, very inexpensive, and so easy to take to go!
• Grape tomatoes: Many parents would not consider tomatoes as a snack for their kids, but why not? Grape tomatoes are in season. They are small like grapes, easy to eat, and naturally sweet. Once your child gets used to them, they’ll love them! If you’ll be out in the hot sun for hours before eating it, place it in an insulated lunch bag with an ice pack to keep it cool.

Healthy Dry Snacks to Take To Go

• Triscuits (Original or Rye with Caraway Seeds): When you need a cracker snack, Triscuits are one of the healthier options. They are minimally processed, high in fiber, and are a top product in the cracker category. We love that they don’t have a laundry list of unpronounceable ingredients! Place them in a plastic bag, and GO!
• Homemade Popcorn: Kids love popcorn, and it’s a blast for them to eat popcorn out of their own, personalized little plastic baggy! The healthiest kind of popcorn is organic, non-GMO popcorn kernels that you pop yourself at home, so that’s what we recommend if you’re going to make this snack.
• Unsalted almonds (even the generic brand is good!): Almonds are high in fiber and protein. They are dry, filling, and easily transportable. Nuts are best for kids 2 years plus due to choking hazards.
• Annie’s Bunny Grahams (Honey): We always recommend fruits and vegetables for snack time, but once in a while, it’s nice to have dry options and some variation for the kids. These Bunny Grahams get a Fooducate grade of B- because “natural flavors” are added to enhance the taste. As far as a cracker option goes, these are a nice snack for once in a while.
• Kashi bars (Chocolate Chip Chia Bars, Chewy Granola Bars Peanut Butter, or Honey Almond Flax): Bars are generally high in sugar (and many contain ingredients you cannot even pronounce!), but these Kashi bars are a top product in their category. Fooducate gives them a score of B+. They are OK to enjoy once in a while, and they’re certainly convenient to take to go!

We hope this list of healthy summer snacks to take to go is helpful! This of course is not a comprehensive list, but rather a few ideas to get your started. What summertime snacks do you like to take to go? Tell us in the comments section! Remember that snacks don’t ALWAYS have to come from a package to be enjoyable–fruits and vegetables make the best snacks for your kids (and us!). For more snack ideas to eat at home and to take to go, check out the What a Good Eater! cookbook. We even break down snack ideas by age!

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About Amy Godiwalla

Amy Godiwalla is co-author of the What a Good Eater! cookbook, available on Amazon. Amy and her husband, Shaun, live in Denver, Colorado, with their two little boys. When Amy is not feeding little mouths or inventing recipes, she enjoys hiking, yoga, snowboarding, cooking, entertaining, traveling to the mountains, sipping hot chocolate at ski resorts, and wine tasting.

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