Traveling with kids…one of the biggest tests of mental fortitude in all of parenthood. 

If you’ve ever been the adult in charge of a tiny tornado screaming at the top of their lungs (thrilling fellow passengers) and writhing out of your arms to run toward the cockpit all because you wanted to go to the beach, I see you. I am you. I have been you many times.

And while traveling with kids is never as easy as traveling…without kids…there are certainly ways to make it easier. And one of the tried and true ways I’ve found to keep children entertained and happy on the airplane is with snacks. So. Many. Snacks.

And parents everywhere said, “Amen.”

Traveling with kids can totally be fun and rewarding, but we all know it comes with a fair amount of stress, especially when it comes to food. Kids sometimes don’t eat as well when they’re out of their normal rhythm (travel hunger strikes, anyone?). Airplane snacks are at least 4 times the price of non-airport snacks, and sometimes there aren’t good options for toddlers and younger kids. 

So today I’m sharing a roundup of plane snacks that are both nutritious and convenient for your toddlers and kids. You can grab these snacks if you see them at the airport snack kiosk, but if you want to save a few bucks, jot down this list in the grocery store before your trip! 

13 Toddler Snacks for Plane 

Plane Snack #1: Clementines

Pre-packaged by nature? Yes, please! I love packing clementines because they’re easy to throw in a bag, older kids can usually peel them on their own, and they’re minimally sticky- they come apart pretty easily! Fruit is always a win in my book, because it’s fresh and packed with micronutrients and fiber. If your kids tend to get a case of constipation on the road (common!), then fiber is a great way to help keep them regular. Not all fruit is as portable as clementines, so these are a staple in my travel snack bag!

Plane Snack #2: Bananas

While we’re on the topic of snacks that are pre-packaged by nature, we’ve gotta talk about bananas! For most of the same reasons as clementines, I love packing bananas for travel. They’re also a great constipation-fighter. Make sure that you can pack bananas in a bag that won’t get squished so you can avoid the drama offering your picky toddler a mushy, misshapen banana.  

Plane Snack #3: Plain Cheerios

Cheerios are a favorite travel snack of mine because they’re the perfect, no-mess finger food. (If you’ve caught wind of the Cheerios drama and wonder why I’m recommending them, I address it here!)

Cheerios also have a good amount of protein for a cereal, as well as iron and several other micronutrients. My kids loved Cheerios as babies and still do now!

If you prefer other cereals, many dry cereals can be great options for the plane. I like to steer clear of tons of added sugar (which most kids cereals, unfortunately, have). Some other options my family likes are Three Wishes cereal and Kix. 

Plane Snack #4: Freeze-dried fruit and unsweetened dried fruit

Freeze-dried fruit including apples, strawberries, bananas, or pears are some of my favorite packable snacks. Less messy than fresh fruit and easy to throw in a bag, my kids and I all love snacking on freeze-dried fruit. It retains a good amount of fiber and still has a ton of micronutrients like fresh fruit does.

Dried fruit like raisins and dried mango are favorites for us, too. Make sure you opt for the unsweetened ones as they’re plenty sweet on their own. 

I also include “fruit snacks” in this category. I love Solely brand mango fruit snacks which are made of 1 or 2 ingredients only and have no added sugar. They’re a bit sticky and chewy for young toddlers, so I usually recommend these Bear snacks instead- also no added sugar!

Plane Snack #5: Harvest Snaps pea crisps

Not all crunchy snacks are created equal! While many chips and crunchy bites are not much more than carbohydrates and sodium, these Harvest Snaps pea crisps always make my list because they actually have a good amount of protein since they’re made from real peas! I like the lightly salted version to keep the sodium content to a minimum.

I’d also include other high-ish protein snacks like Hippeas, which are made from chickpeas. Snacking on what I call “crunchy air”- like many crackers and potato chips- won’t keep kids full and satisfied for long. I love a crunchy snack that also packs a protein punch to keep little travelers fueled for the journey. 

Plane Snack #6: Cut up peanut butter sandwich

If you’ve got bread and peanut butter at home, make a peanut butter sandwich and cut it up into bite-sized pieces. For whatever reason, my kids are way more likely to eat it on the plane when it feels like a snack in little pieces. I stick mine in these Stasher bags for easy traveling and feel great about my kids getting a mix of protein, fat, and carbohydrates in this snack.  

Peanut butter crackers are another good option for the airplane. They often come pre-packaged and are easy for kids to eat on their own without much adult interaction. (Don’t get me wrong, I love a good kids pouch, but I didn’t always love squeezing pouches into my toddler’s mouth little by little so as not to make a huge mess). It feels like a great parenting milestone when kids can feed themselves snacks without looking like a hurricane blew through. 

Plane Snack #7: Packaged granola bars

Who doesn’t love a good granola bar? Arguably the most no-brainer snack item on this list, you will find me with an array of packaged granola bars in my purse at almost all times. There are so many good ones out there for all ages. I reviewed tons of my favorite granola bars for kids in this post and this post. 

For toddlers, a few of my favorites are Skout bars, Dino bars, Happy Wolf bars (good on the go for 3 days, and use code KACIE20 for 20% off!), and Cerebelly bars. For older kids, I like Once Upon a Farm oat bars (they come refrigerated but can be taken on the go to eat that day), Clif Nut Butter bars, and RX bars. 

Plane Snack #8: Banana bread cubes

If you like getting in the kitchen and want to make it part of your pre-trip prep, then I love to throw together a quick batch of banana bread for snacking. I cut them up into bite sized chunks and usually throw in a few chocolate chips and they don’t last long with my kids! 

And while we’re on the topic of homemade snacks, all my muffin recipes can be made into mini-muffins or you can just cut them up for easy snacking! My kids love a baked good snack and I love that I can provide a low sugar, still yummy option for the plane. 

Plane Snack #9: Applesauce pouches

Alright, pouches. They definitely make my list because you can’t beat them in terms of convenience and nutritional value. However, the big fat caveat is that a 2 year old or under cannot be trusted with a pouch on an airplane solo unless you want every flight attendant to hate you. If you don’t mind helping them slurp down a pouch, there are some with stellar nutrition that don’t need to be refrigerated and can be taken on the go! (Some people may choose to pack cold ones with ice packs, but I don’t usually like taking on more things that I have to keep track of.)

You can do applesauce for all ages (choose the ones with no sugar added), and I also want to mention some of my other favorites for babies and young toddlers: Cerebelly and Serenity Kids. Those are great if you’re looking for a more substantial snack or even a meal-on-the-go for younger eaters and won’t have a spot to sit down and eat solids. For older kids, I also like the Noka smoothie pouches which have 5 grams of protein- a great airplane snack! 

Plane Snack #10: Chia Smash bites

My kids absolutely love these Chia Smash bites, and I am pretty thrilled with them, too. They come in a variety of flavors and are extremely low in added sugar while packing a great fat and protein punch to keep kids satisfied. For toddlers, I’d recommend tearing them into bite sized pieces, but they’re low mess and super satisfying- dare I say a perfect plane snack. 

Plane Idea # 11: Once Upon a Farm coconut melts

These coconut melts are primarily for babies and toddlers, but I gotta be honest- my big kids like them, too! They’re easy to pack, lightweight, and mess free! If you have a baby or a toddler, these are a no brainer. And if you have a big kid, they still make a great travel snack, too! 

Plane Snack #12: Pretzels

Pretzels are another easy plane snack. On their own, they can be a little bit one-note (mainly carbs), but I like to serve them with a piece of fruit or a smoothie pouch and they’re a great addition! I also have packed peanut butter pretzels- which are a more nutritionally complete snack- and Kindling pretzels– which have a good bit of protein in them! 

Plane Snack #13: DIY trail-mix (for ages 4+)

If you’re feeling like getting your kids in on the trip preparation, giving them some ingredients to make a trail mix is a great way to entertain them while you fold one million pieces of tiny clothes into suitcases. Pretzels, nuts, chocolate chips, mini marshmallows, Chex cereal, Cheerios, dried fruit- the combinations are endless! My daughter loves making these mixes and you can actually get some pretty good nutrition in there! 

How To Pack Toddler Snacks For Airplane

You can find tons of my favorite snacks on my Amazon storefront and Target boards. I’ve gathered all these snacks plus a ton more ideas for easy, on-the-go, nutritious options to make your travel day go smoothly. 

Once you’ve sufficiently “added to cart”, let me give you my tips on packing snacks for the trip! 

Tip #1: Pack it in a fun container 

I really think that for kids, half of the magic of traveling is in the novelty of it all. There are some fun containers for snacks that can make the travel snacks feel fun and special! I like to pack my kids Bento boxes or snackle boxes. And I once saw a tip to even give each of your kids a snackle box to decorate/bejewel/bedazzle/paint before the trip so that it’s their own special box. 

I bought each of my kids a funky colored Stasher bag for snacks so that they knew which one was theirs and they got excited about some of the color combinations.

This snack spinner is another fun, interactive snack container.

But if you don’t want to bring snack boxes that you have to carry around and keep track of the rest of the trip, it’s okay to pack your snacks in foil or something else disposable, too! 

Tip #2: Pack it in their carry-on bag

Now that my kids are older, I basically adopt the rule that they get to pack their carry on bags. So whether that’s a backpack or a rolling bag, I’m cool with them sticking whatever they need in there. Stuffed animals, iPad, headphones, crafts, snacks- all the things they might want for the flight. The only time they won’t have access to it is during takeoff and landing, otherwise, they can more or less fend for themselves and I don’t have to be a snack dispenser. I find that it also gets them excited about the trip!   

Tip #3: Pack more than you think you need to

Whenever you think you’ve packed enough snacks, pack a few more. Especially if you’re traveling with younger kids, snacks are king. Trust me, I scoured the internet for ideas of toys and activities to bring on planes for babies and toddlers and none of them ever bought me more than….90 seconds? But, snacks! Snacks kept the mood light and the busy hands busy. More is more here, people! Don’t skimp on travel snacks. 

What to buy if you didn’t pack enough

If you didn’t read this article before you left for the airport and now you’ve frantically stumbled upon this post in a Google search to pick out airport snacks for your kids, I’ve got some ideas. 

(And don’t worry, you’ll never underpack snacks again!) 

Every airport differs a little bit in what it has available but I feel like there are generally some decent options. Usually they also have some things like cheese sticks, hummus + pretzel packs, yogurt smoothies, Fairlife milk, or kids pouches. I remember that Starbucks even has some great Peter Rabbit baby food pouches. Airports have really pleasantly surprised me in the recent past with some of their nutritious options- even if they do cost a bit more!

Happy travels to you

Travel teaches us (and our kids) flexibility, resiliency, and all about the world we live in. It can also be tiring, dysregulating, and downright hard at times. Traveling with kids never goes *perfectly*, but if I can help you in one category, it’s making sure that you’ve got fuel for the journey. Happy travels!