The Best Snacks for Summer

It took me a long time to become a snack mom.

I just wasn’t good at it and it always felt like a hassle and I never thought about it until it was too late and then my children were the ones unsubtly begging for some stranger’s goldfish crackers at the playground.

But now? I’m almost never without snacks. They make an outing smoother, keep meltdowns at bay and don’t mean we have to call our adventure early because someone is just too hungry to go on.

I’m always on the lookout for portable, delicious snacks, especially ones that can handle a little sunshine or sit in my purse of the car for a while.

Here are the best snacks our family has found, whether we’re headed to the playground, on a hike or on a road trip.

The Best Snacks for Summer

1. G2G Bars. These are my personal #1 snack. I have one of these protein bars nearly every single day as part of my lunch or an afternoon snack and even after two years, I never get tired of them. My girls love them too, and if I’m in too much of a hurry to have my normal breakfast at home, I’ll eat one of these on the go. They taste like cookie dough and the very best flavor is Peanut Butter Coconut Chocolate (I strongly prefer any of the peanut butter flavors to the almond flavors, which I feel like don’t have as good of a texture). My code is READ for 15% off.
2. Skout Bars. The box these come in fits perfectly in my minivan center console and I ALWAYS have one in there. These are the perfect on-the-go snack and my two youngest girls especially love them. They’re the perfect size for a child to actually eat the whole thing (instead of a bar that’s way too big for them to actually finish), they are made with real ingredients you’ll recognize and they come in a million great flavors (and they’re always launching small batches of new, interesting flavors). It’s an almost 100% guarantee that no matter what purse I have with me, there will be a couple of these Skout Bars in them. Use the code EVERYDAYREADING for 20% off.
3. Paleovalley Beef Sticks. I’m pretty sure I’ve NEVER shared a snack that has been as wildly popular as this one. I’ve gotten near daily requests for my codes since I first mentioned them in January and I can’t blame anyone for it – they are so good! I could never quite get on board with Chomps, due to the texture, especially, and these are 10000x better. I always had a few of these in my ski backpack and now they’ve taken up residence in my purse or our soccer gear. The perfect high-protein, non-sugary snack! Use the code EVERYDAYREADING for 15% off your order.
4. YumEarth Fruit Snacks. My excitement level over fruit snacks is basically zero, but these fruit snacks blew me away when I got them as a free add-on for one of my Thrive Market orders and I’ve kept buying them ever since. They are SO good.
5. PumpkinTree Organics Paw Patrol Squeeze Pouches. My older girls won’t even touch most applesauce pouches these days, but this brand is a win for every single member of the family. They are so delicious and my girls pack them year round in their lunches and then I always have them for road trips. (I also get these from Thrive Market).
6. SkinnyDipped Nuts. This is the only snack on this list that might have trouble with real heat, but we love them so much I can’t leave them off this list. These sweetened nuts are a hit for the whole family. Our favorite is the Salted Caramel Cashews and I also love the sour pop of the Lemon Almonds. Skip the dark chocolate and cocoa ones which will get dark brown cocoa dust on EVERYTHING. You’re welcome.
7. Yes Bars. These are another staple in my Thrive Market orders and while I don’t eat them nearly as much as G2G bars, they’re super delicious – kind of like a grown-up no bake cookie and I often take one along for a hearty snack for me (my girls love them too).

What are the best snacks at your house? I’d love to hear – I’m always looking for new ideas.

if you liked this post about the best snacks, you might also like these other posts:

• My Favorite Hummus Recipe
• 70+ easy lunch ideas for kids (+ a printable list!)
• Healthy No Bake Cookies (that are better than the regular version!)