(BPT) - Summer is a great time of year - full of new activities, outings, road trips and all kinds of adventures. As your family gears up for a season full of fun, one of the top items on your must-have list is portable snacks to fuel them all day long. Fortunately, there are plenty of options for wholesome, tasty and easy-to-pack snacks the entire family will love - and great tools to help you keep those snacks safe and secure, wherever you and your kids are headed next.
Here are some snack ideas to help you keep everyone happy and full of energy through this busy, sun-filled season.
Choose food bags designed for busy families
Whether you're packing hearty sandwiches, cut-up fruits and veggies or a variety of other foods your kids need to get them through their busy day, choose easy-to-use, durable food bags that not only seal reliably, but are large and strong enough to contain generous portions of food - and keep summer essentials like travel-sized containers of sunscreen, bug spray, wipes and napkins organized.
For example, Hefty Press to Close Food Bags have a unique double zipper that seals with a single press and slide across the closure. They are available in a variety of sizes, including a convenient XL Sandwich size that can easily fit fruit salads, sub sandwiches or watermelon slices. Hefty Press to Close Food Bags also have an expandable bottom that makes them easier to fill. Best yet, they're budget-friendly, as they cost less than the leading brand.
Recruit the kids
Help ensure that your kids will enjoy their snacks by involving them in making and/or packing them. You can set up a build-your-own trail mix station in the kitchen, providing options including a variety of nuts and seeds, raisins and other dried fruits, chocolate chips, granola or their favorite cereals, etc. Provide scoops and let kids fill their own Hefty Press to Close food bags with customized trail mix they can bring along with them, wherever they're headed. Your kids can write their names on their trail mix bags using the convenient write-on label area of the bag.
Keep everybody hydrated and stay cool
You can also provide extra hydration through foods with high water content, like fresh fruits and veggies. The best options for on-the-go snacking include cut-up pieces of celery, carrots, cucumber, apples and melons. Even easier are items that don't need cutting up, like cherry tomatoes, snow peas and mandarin oranges. Include a container of dipping sauce, hummus, cream cheese, dressing or nut butter to make these snacks extra tasty.
Another effective hack is to pack along a few fruits that are frozen ahead of time, like grapes, bananas or melon slices, plus some yogurt tubes.
Best on-the-road snacks
For road trips - or trips back and forth from summer activities - you may want to bring along several snacks that aren't too messy for kids to eat in the car. For example, you could fill your Hefty Press to Close Food Bags with options like string cheese, whole grain crackers and pretzels.
Stocking up on plenty of easy-to-pack snacks and food bags ahead of time will help you feel ready for everything summer has to offer, from impromptu trips to the beach and picnics, to playdates and soccer games - and any other adventures that come your way.
Be sure to check out Hefty Press to Close Food Bags at your nearest Walmart and at Walmart.com.
