Inside: Favorite healthy on-the-go toddler snacks, plus how to pack a snack box, and my favorite snack boxes on Amazon!
Whether you need snack ideas for daycare, preschool or just while you’re out and about with your toddler throughout the week, I’ve got some simple ideas for you!
Let’s chat healthy snacks for toddlers and preschoolers…
Why a snack box?
Whenever I head out, I feel like I have to bring approximately 812.5 things with me, so the last thing I want is a bunch of snacks in separate bags for each kid.
The snack box is helpful because it’s just 1 box for each kid, rather than 4 or 5 different baggies or snacks for each kid.
There are some individual containers I use (and like), but I’ve found it’s much easier to pack the snack box!
These have come in handy for my toddler while my older kids have their after school activities, or when I bring her with me to appointments or other errands throughout the week.
It’s become a predictable routine that she looks forward to!
She knows she can sit and eat her snack box while her sisters do gymnastics, while we’re waiting in the carpool line at school, or while I’m at an appointment!
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What food is good for toddlers on the go?
I like to think of snacks as mini meals for my kids, especially for my toddler.
It’s not always guaranteed that she’ll eat well at mealtime, so I like to pack snacks that are filling and nutritious.
I also include “fun” things and snacks that I know she’ll eat or that will keep her happy while we’re out and about with her older sisters 🙂
I try to include:
- Protein: cheese, peanut butter, or hummus
- Fruit/Veg: strawberries, blueberries, cucumbers, apples, or oranges
- Crunchy: crackers, pretzels, or goldfish crackers
- Fun: fruit snacks or cookies
Generally I do prefer individually-wrapped snacks while on-the-go, but since packing the snack boxes I’ve also found that there’s less need for individual snacks.
Of course I still like to have them on hand because there’s always that crazy day where I’m flying out the door and need to grab some prepackaged bags of goldfish and fruit snacks and get to afternoon pickup on time!
These are my 2 go-to snack box containers:
You’ll also find my go-to insulated lunch bags and ice packs to keep things cold, saved to my Amazon store.
Mom-to-Mom Tip:
When making something part of your routine, it’s helpful to have a dedicated organizational system to go along with it.
I keep the snack boxes stored in the same cabinet as our Bento boxes for school lunches, with insulated lunch bags in the drawer below.
For example: If I’m going to pack a snack box for my toddler 5 days a week, where am I keeping them in my kitchen? Is there easy access to grab a snack box to pack each morning? Where are the insulated lunch bags and ice packs stored?
To recap:
- Instead of packing individual snacks, try packing a snack box for your toddler
- Keep all packing supplies organized and stored together in your kitchen
Healthy On the Go Toddler Snacks (Snack Boxes)
1. Muffin Snack Box
- Pumpkin chocolate chip muffins
- Simple Mills crackers
- String cheese
- Freeze-dried strawberries
2. Muffin Snack Box 2
- Muffins (from the store)
- Snap pea puffs
- Raspberries
- Pipcorn cheese balls
3. Mini Lunch Toddler Snack Box
- Strawberries
- Cucumbers
- Cheese cubes
- Hummus
- Goldfish
- Pretzel sticks
- MadeGood cookies
4. Mini Lunch Toddler Snack Box 2
- Crackers
- Chicken Salad
- Trader Joe’s “oreos”
- Freeze-dried strawberries
5. Same Snack, Different Snack Box
- Pretzels
- String Cheese or Babybel cheese
- Raspberries
- Cucumbers
- Pumpkin muffins
Bonus: Halloween Snack Box Idea
- Halloween Oreos
- Cuties oranges
- Goldfish
- Cheese cubes
Shop all of my lunch and snack-packing favorites
What to Read Next:
- 40+ Store-bought Snacks for Preschool
- Grab-and-Go After School Snack Ideas
- Easy Daily Routine for a 2 Year Old
- Realistic 3 Year Old Feeding Schedule
- Lunchbox Ideas for Daycare & Preschool