SNACKS FOR THE PARKS

[Tinkl0ver66]

Just wondering what everyone brings as snacks for the parks. I was planning on bringing a separate smaller suit case with snacks. I know some order from the Garden Grocer, and coming from Illinois that is a good idea for the heavier items like water and fruit. Just wanted to get some ideas as to what would be good to bring with.

 

[scrapquitler]

When my kids were little I used to buy those little individual boxes of all the sweet cereals that I never normally buy.

 

[loves to dive]

I don't bring anything since we rarely snack and you can get free water at any QS location. When on a strict diet and I had to eat every 3 hours, I brought things like trail mix in a ziplock and freeze dried fruit. I never had to worry about it when my son was little, again he rarely snacked between meals and we would often go back to our resort mid-day so if he wanted something, he'd get it then.

 

[DisneyRegulars]

We've learned to concentrate on snacks that you can easily split up into small quantities, and that don't get you sticky. Pretzels, gold fish, and granola bars work well. Fruit snacks can be okay, but they can sometimes be sticky depending on the brand and the heat. Dry roasted nuts work well for adults. Don't bring snacks that can easily get crushed like chips and those freeze dried fruits.

The main thing to remember about snacks is to keep them small. Pretty much the worst thing in the world is to have to take an unfinished snack away from a toddler in order to board a ride. It's a sure recipe for a meltdown that I learned the hard way. Keep snacks small, so they can be finished quickly.

 

[worm761]

Depends on the age of the kids involved. When DD was a toddler we took things like those Gerber puffs and Cheerio's. DD is 6 now. We just went out and bought her trip snacks last weekend. She will have gummy fruit snacks (Inside Out), the small boxes of Craisins and raisins, and the snack bags of Oreo's, Nutter Butters, Ritz Bits, and Teddy Grahams.

 

[UncleMike101]

My Wife (diabetic) and Daughter (soy allergy) carry snacks that fit in with their dietary needs.
My Granddaughter gets whatever her mom packs for her.
My Son In Law and I grab whatever looks/sounds good if we get snacky hungry.

 

[DisneyOma]

Depends on the age of the kids involved. When DD was a toddler we took things like those Gerber puffs and Cheerio's. DD is 6 now. We just went out and bought her trip snacks last weekend. She will have gummy fruit snacks (Inside Out), the small boxes of Craisins and raisins, and the snack bags of Oreo's, Nutter Butters, Ritz Bits, and Teddy Grahams.

How do you brush her teeth in the queue after she eats? Most of those snacks are high level cavity creators, according to our pediatrician and dentist. They especially warned about craisins - always brush after eating craisins, as they stick in the crevices and have tons of sugar in them. If we couldn't brush, we'd have the kids chew some gum as the saliva would build up and break down the sugars to prevent cavities.

 

[Meshell2002]

Dependent on the heat I like to make my own trail mix with nuts, pretzels, m&m, goldfish, cheerios...we also like cliff bars, kind bars, and we do carry fruit as well as juice boxes in the lunch box cooler...one year I had cheese cubes and frozen grapes, blueberries & cubed watermelon those were great in the heat. We tend to carry snacks and one juice box per kid in the lunch cooler....get water at QS and buy lunch later (instead of carrying lunch around...the snacks go before lunch and we stow the empty cooler in the bottom of the stroller)....I prefer those snacks to fruit gummies or raisins. I do freeze the juice boxes so I don't need ice packs. Since we don't drink juice at home its a big treat for the kids. This year my non cold snacks will probably be freeze dried fruit, veggie straws, and pirate booty.

 

[Cajun_country]

We bring some of the applesauce type pouches (some with veggies too), goldfish, cheerios, veggie sticks, raisins or the yogurt raisins, peanut butter crackers (I bring like the mini ones, and put them in a ziploc bag for the day). I might be grapes and bananas this year too.

 

[ElenaRN]

We rent a car and take a quick trip to the grocery store on our first night.
We usually buy applesauce, cheerios, pretzels, fresh fruit and a box of uncrustables.

 

[dubo]

Going for the 1st time next month & I have a 2 & 4 year old, do the parks have healthy options for snacks available?

 

[Pesky]

I would take a box of cheerios and put a bunch of cheerios in a quart sized bag. I figured the kids would want popcorn and churros and ice cream. Nope, they wanted those cheerios! So the next day I started carrying more snacks and they ate them all. I mix it up -- craisins as an emergency snack, wasabi peas (DS and DH loves them), dried chickpeas, apples, cheese nips, pretzels, squeeze pouches of applesauce (for DD -- DS can't stand applesauce), kind bars. I usually look for something hardy that is most likely to survive for at least part of the day without getting crushed into oblivion. I've nixed bananas for now because DH was the only one eating them and the kids are really hot or cold on bananas.

 

[worm761]

How do you brush her teeth in the queue after she eats? Most of those snacks are high level cavity creators, according to our pediatrician and dentist. They especially warned about craisins - always brush after eating craisins, as they stick in the crevices and have tons of sugar in them. If we couldn't brush, we'd have the kids chew some gum as the saliva would build up and break down the sugars to prevent cavities.

Honestly, it's vacation and I don't sweat it. One week of bad eating won't really impact her teeth or health overall. These aren't things she normally gets so I find it's not really a big deal.

Going for the 1st time next month & I have a 2 & 4 year old, do the parks have healthy options for snacks available?

Yes, there are plenty of healthy options in the parks. Fruit and veggies are available at all the parks.

 

[monorailsilver]

Not much. We bring water and extra water bottles to refill our thermos containers.

i will buy the little packages of Oreos etc...100 calorie packs and maybe bring them.

 

[keepswimming76]

We bring a few granola bars, nuts and fruit snacks. Plus our water bottles. Sometimes I will bring lollipops for a treat.

My advice is to not overdo it, especially if you plan on eating in the park. Our first couple of trips I always returned to the room after a park day with leftover snacks that were crushed in my bag.

 

[Minnesota!]

How do you brush her teeth in the queue after she eats? Most of those snacks are high level cavity creators, according to our pediatrician and dentist. They especially warned about craisins - always brush after eating craisins, as they stick in the crevices and have tons of sugar in them. If we couldn't brush, we'd have the kids chew some gum as the saliva would build up and break down the sugars to prevent cavities.

Not something to worry about on vacation. Have them swish with water if you are that concerned about it. I have always eaten craisins....haven't had a single cavity in adulthood. The last thing I think about on vacation (or, truly, in my daily life) is dental health.

OP - we make a big gallon sized bag of trail mix and then dole it out into smaller ziplock bags. Everyone gets their own and eats it whenever the need arises.

 

[jeepnjudy]

We bring the typical goldfish, peanut butter crackers, fruit, and also almonds/pecans as our kids love them and no allergies for us. Also easy to pack into the parks!

 

[noahdove]

Going for the 1st time next month & I have a 2 & 4 year old, do the parks have healthy options for snacks available?

Yes, they do, fruit and veggies are available as snack credits...

 

[Keyneky]

Crackers, raisins, apple slices, granola bars and applesauce are on our list.

 

[Betty_Baylor99]

Just wondering what everyone brings as snacks for the parks. I was planning on bringing a separate smaller suit case with snacks. I know some order from the Garden Grocer, and coming from Illinois that is a good idea for the heavier items like water and fruit. Just wanted to get some ideas as to what would be good to bring with.

I plan on bringing individual packs of freeze dried apples, goldfish crackers, cutie oranges (easy to peel), veggie sticks, granola bars, organic lollipops, with frozen juice boxes and applesauce pouches (used as an ice pack) for my 4 year old. Water bottles will be stored in stroller cup holders so they're readily accessible.