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A display of three flavors of Chomps at Trader Joe's.
As a mom of three, I think Chomps are one of the best Trader Joe's snacks for a long trip.

Nicole Prince

  • Every summer, my husband and I drive 12 hours from Pennsylvania to Michigan with our three kids.
  • Carefully timed Trader Joe's snacks help keep meltdowns to a minimum.
  • Some of my kids' favorites include Cosmic Crisp apples, PB&C packs, and Chomps.

Every summer, my family and I take a 12-hour road trip to Michigan, where we trade the East Coast humidity and Jersey Shore traffic for 9 p.m. sunsets and Lake Michigan beaches.

Of course, 12 hours in the car with three kids (ages 1, 2, and 7) is ... long. No amount of screen time or curated playlists can distract from the inevitable cries of "Are we there yet?"

Instead, the real secret to surviving this trip is having an endless supply of snacks.

I've been shopping at Trader Joe's since 2010 and like to think I've achieved connoisseur status by now. Here's everything I grab at the store for our annual trek.

My husband and I like to start the trip with La Colombe draft lattes.
The author holding a La Colombe Coffee Workshop draft latte.
Our trip starts around 8 a.m. with much-needed coffee in hand.

Nicole Prince

Our espresso machine is usually already in the car, so these cold, creamy, canned lattes are gold.

Each one delivers 6 grams of protein and just enough caffeine to help me wake up as we finish loading the car.

When the kids wake up, their first snack of choice is Trader Joe's organic fruit-sauce pouches.
Trader Joe's organic apple carrot fruit sauce crushers.
My kids start the day with these fruit-sauce pouches.

Nicole Prince

I like that these fruit-sauce pouches are made with fruit and veggies and have no added sugar.

I toss one back to my second grader in the third row and open two more for the babies.

For breakfast, I pass around nut butter and oat RXBars.
The author holding a nut butter and oat RX Bar.
My whole family enjoys these RXBars.

Nicole Prince

Everyone gets a nut butter and oat RXBar for breakfast. It's our favorite flavor, and I like that they're less sticky than traditional RXBars.

They're packed with whole ingredients, like oats, peanuts, and egg whites, and have 10 grams of protein, which buys us at least an hour or two before the next snack request.

Along the way, I make mini "car-cuterie" with Citterio salami-and-cheese packs and pretzel slims.
Split Image: Citterio Genoa Salame and provolone cheese, and a bag of pretzel slims.
These salami and cheese packs are perfect for car-friendly charcuterie.

Nicole Prince

One of my favorite finds this year is these peppery salami-and-cheese packs, which have 8 grams of protein and make the perfect accoutrement for pretzel slims.

I throw a pack to the back for my 7-year-old, then hand the 2-year-old the meat, and the 1-year-old the provolone cheese.

In the front seat, I like to build tiny stacks of salami, cheese, and pretzels for myself, too.

Bananas help us hold off on the sweets — for now.
A display of organic bananas at Trader Joe's for $0.29 each.
Bananas are a great, affordable snack option for my three kids.

Nicole Prince

At my local Trader Joe's, bananas cost just $0.30 each, which means I can get three for under $1.

They're a great, no-mess snack option for my second grader, and only mildly messy for my toddler and baby (if I pass them back in small chunks).

After we stop for lunch, I pass out Cosmic Crisp apple slices.
A display of Cosmic Crisp Apples at Trader Joe's for $1.19 each.
My pro-tip is to cut up the apples the night before our trip.

Nicole Prince

After a nice break to grab lunch, stretch our legs, and fill up at the gas station, I pass out apple slices to end our break with something sweet.

These apples are crunchy, juicy, and the perfect combination of tart and sweet.

While the kids take a nap, my husband and I snack on some chocolate-covered espresso beans.
The author holding a pack of Trader Joe's coffee lover's espresso beans.
These espresso beans make the best parent-only snack.

Nicole Prince

Rich, crunchy espresso beans generously covered in different types of chocolate — say less.

It's exactly what we need as the kids nap and we settle into an episode of the "SmartLess" podcast.

Once the kids are up, the "fun snacks" begin, starting with Trader Joe's PB&C packs.
Boxes of Trader Joe's
My two older kids love these chocolate-filled wafers with peanut butter.

Nicole Prince

The bigger kids cheer when I hand them the PB&C snack duos. They love dipping the cocoa-creme-stuffed wafer tubes into peanut butter.

Although it's arguably the messiest snack I pack, it brings the most joy.

Chomps come everywhere with us, and this trip is no exception.
A display of three flavors of Chomps at Trader Joe's.
My kids love the original beef flavor, while my husband and I like jalapeño.

Nicole Prince

These Chomps meat sticks are made from grass-fed beef (or antibiotic-free turkey) and pack up to 12 grams of protein each.

They're portable, flavorful, and easy to toss in the back seat.

We love Trader Joe's sea-salted saddle potato crisps.
A display of Trader Joe's sea salted saddle potato crisps.
All three of my kids like to snack on these salted potato crisps.

Nicole Prince

About halfway through our trip, the reality of being in the car for so long starts to set in.

I hand stacks of the sea-salted saddle potato crisps to my little ones and the rest of the container to my oldest — there's something really novel about eating chips out of a tube.

As the witching hour approaches, it's time for some watermelon freeze-dried candies.
The author holding a bag of Trader Joe's watermelon freeze-dried candies.
Trader Joe's watermelon-flavored freeze-dried candies tasted like crunchy Sour Patch Kids.

Nicole Prince

Trader Joe's watermelon-flavored freeze-dried candies have a similar texture to freeze-dried fruit. However, they taste more like Sour Patch Kids, which my husband and oldest love.

I also enjoy some ranch-seasoned cashews.
The author holding a bag of Trader Joe's ranch seasoned cashews.
These cashews can be a bit messy, so I recommend having some napkins (or diaper wipes) available.

Nicole Prince

Each cashew is coated in a salty, creamy, dilly ranch seasoning that's incredibly delicious.

However, they can be a little messy, so I recommend having some napkins (or diaper wipes) readily available.

To finish the journey, we enjoy some Daelmans Dutch stroopwafels.
A display of Stroopwafels minis.
Stoopwafels are the perfect sweet treat to end our road trip.

Nicole Prince

Our final destination is a city called Holland, so we wrap the drive up with Dutch stroopwafels.

These chewy, caramel-filled wafer cookies are the perfect way to end our road trip on a sweet note.

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Food, Freelancer, freelancer-le, trader-joes, Snacks, road-trip, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Groceries, Families, Kids
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My family goes on a 12-hour road trip every year. These 13 snacks from Trader J…