It's that time of year where you pack up your family or friends and hit the road to make memories and find adventure. We all know that driving is by far the best way to see this great nation, but hitting the road can be filled with hangry passengers and greasy fast food.
Not anymore because with these 15 make ahead meals, you can keep your family and friends well fed while on the road. From trail mix cookies to Rice Krispie treats made with toasted marshmallows, these snack recipes are easy to make and guaranteed to be delicious. So, pack up your car, because it is time to hit the road.
1. Trail Mix Cookies
Forego the usual bag of trail mix and opt for a more hand-held, driver-friendly version with this recipe.
Crunchy, crispy, and laced with pepitas, sunflower seeds, and raisins, these snacks have all the delight of trail mix made into a cookie, so you can combat hunger and stay on the road longer.
2. Mini Pepperoni Calzones
All the deliciousness of pizza wrapped up in a pastry package so you can fill your family's tummies with protein-packed pepperoni and cheesy goodness.
Wrap this recipe in foil to keep it warm or opt to eat it cold out of the ice chest just like you would at home.
3. Baked Banana Chips
This recipe has all the crunch your travel buddies crave, but made with more health-conscious bananas.
With just two ingredients, bananas and fresh lemon juice, this easy recipe will have you on the road and well-fed in no time.
4. Homemade Cool Ranch Doritos
Show off while on your next road trip by making everyone's favorite snack-time chip from scratch with this easy recipe.
With a base of store-bought tortilla chips and assorted spices you already have in your pantry, these chips can be made in about ten minutes and eaten in about two, so be sure to double the batch to ensure you and your friends have enough to make it through the long drive.
5. Soft Pretzels
Who doesn't love a jumbo, salty soft pretzel? Salty, soft carbo-loaded deliciousness in every bite, these pretzels will satisfy any craving while on the road.
With this recipe, you can bring the fun of the ballpark right to your car and have everyone smacking their lips with delight as you travel to your next fun-filled destination.
6. Salt and Vinegar Zucchini Chips
While traveling, everyone loves the salty crunch of a good chip, so why not exchange your usual pre-packaged fare for these healthier zucchini chips.
This recipe is sure to find its place in your arsenal of ways to get veggies in your family's mouths while making their taste buds smile.
7. Roasted Rosemary and Thyme Cashews
Pop a couple of these rosemary and thyme seasoned cashews into your mouth to keep the hunger pangs at bay as you hit the road on your next trip.
This snack only takes about 10 minutes to make and will have the whole car hootin' and hollerin' as they fill their bellies with these flavorful morsels.
8. Cheddar and Herb Twists
Everyone's favorite, cheddar cheese, gets a road trip makeover in this recipe laced with sage, thyme, and black pepper.
Starting with thawed puff pastry, this recipe is as easy to make as it is delicious and its hand-held quality makes it ideal to bring on any trip.
9. Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars
This cheap and easy recipe will feed a car full of your friends as you travel to your final destination.
A spin on everyone's childhood favorite, but without the potential for jelly drippage, this hand-held bar is topped with crunchy peanuts and healthy rolled oats, and is ideal for channeling your inner child as you ride the roads.
10. Brooke's Best Bombshell Brownies
Any road trip requires a little indulgence and this recipe delivers on both chocolate-y flavor and rich, dense texture.
If you have a car full of chocolate-lovers, this recipe is a must-make for your next car-bound adventure.
11. Toasted Marshmallow Krispie Treats
This classic after school snack has been perfected by toasting the marshmallows to allow that crème-brûlée-burnt-sugar flavor to permeate through these crunchy treats.
This recipe will tackle that sweet tooth and satisfy children and adults alike, which its chewy texture and sweet flavors.
12. Healthy No Bake Cookies
No need for an oven or even a microwave for these cookies, just fire up a bowl and mix them together.
In about 10 minutes you can make two dozen cookies to feed your whole family while you hit the road. Bananas, coconut oil, dark chocolate, peanut butter, and vanilla extract team up to keep bellies full and the health-conscious happy on any trip.
13. Curried Chicken Tea Sandwiches
All the flavor of chicken salad pumped up a notch with the addition of spicy curry powder, crunchy pecans, zesty lime juice, and sweet dried cranberries.
Serve as petite-sized tea sandwiches or go big with onion rolls, either way with this recipe guarantees to keep hunger away.
14. No Bake Peanut Butter Chia Healthy Granola Bars
All the flavor of the perfect bowl of granola, but made in an easy to eat bar-form. Packed with antioxidants and omega-3s, these bars are filled with healthy delights like crunchy chia seeds, rich peanut butter, sweet vanilla, spicy cinnamon, and toasted nuts.
So, pack up your family and the car, and avoid unhealthy fast food with this scrumptious snacks.
15. Three Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies
You heard right, this recipe only has three ingredients and takes no time to make. With just peanut butter, sugar, and an egg, you can make a yummy snack to quell you family's hunger while on the road.
Peanut butter cookies are everyone's favorite sweet treat, so be sure to pack up these cookies to munch on, on your next road trip.
