Not long ago we told you how to organize yourself with travel snacks for children, giving you some advice on which ones to choose and how to transport them to always have with you, especially during a bike trip or when moving with means, something healthy and energetic that also meets the tastes of the little ones.

Today we decided to take action and give you 5 recipes designed specifically for children to make them eat healthy outside the home. Before leaving for a bike vacation with the family or even just a simple trip, it can be nice and useful to prepare our snacks at home instead of buying them at the supermarket. So here is a collection of simple and quick recipes for family-sized travel snacks.

Riding a bicycle with children is a great activity to spend time outdoors and enjoy a pleasant family adventure. However, one of the important things to remember is to keep the energy of children at their maximum, especially when it comes to their snacks.

Another key point, when it comes to snacks for children on the road, the keyword is "quick". Before we get going we must make sure that the recipes are easy to prepare and easy to transport, just like the ones we are proposing here. Cooking these snacks together will be even more fun. So, put on your apron and let's get started!

Crispy Chickpeas

First, rinse 550 g of cooked chickpeas under water and dry them well with a clean cloth.

In a bowl, mix the chickpeas with:

• 2 tablespoons of flour of your choice

• 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

• fresh rosemary

• salt and pepper

• 1 teaspoon of powdered paprika (optional)

Then distribute the chickpeas on a baking tray lined with parchment paper in a single layer and bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for about 25-30 minutes, or until the chickpeas become golden and crispy. Stir the chickpeas halfway through cooking to ensure even cooking.

Finally, remove from the oven and let cool completely. Transfer to an airtight container, where they keep for several days. They are a fantastic snack!

Bliss Balls

These sweet and healthy spheres are easily prepared and without cooking. They make a great snack and an energy bomb during a nice bike ride.

For 15 bliss balls you need:

• 100 grams of dried plums (or dates)

• 50 grams of hazelnuts

• 1 teaspoon of bitter cocoa

• 1 tablespoon of dried coconut

• 2 tablespoons of chocolate chips

In a mixer chop the plums with the hazelnuts and bitter cocoa to obtain a smooth and homogeneous ball. With clean hands form balls and cover them with coconut or with chocolate chips, pressing gently to make them adhere well to the dough.

Let rest in the fridge at least 30 minutes. They are transported in a low airtight steel container like a lunch box.

Oatmeal Cookies

These cookies are very simple to prepare and only need two ingredients. They are compact (suitable for transport) but not so dry or sweet to make you too thirsty on the road.

For about 12 cookies the ingredients are:

• 2 ripe bananas

• 80 grams of oat flakes (smaller ones are better)

In a bowl crush the bananas with a fork, then mix them together with the oat flakes. Once a homogeneous mixture is obtained, form balls with your hands (to help you can use the ice cream portioner), then arrange the balls on the oven tray, spacing them from each other. Press the balls lightly with your hands to obtain round and flat cookies. Bake in a hot oven at 180° for 10 minutes.

These cookies can be customized by adding one or more of the following ingredients to the banana and oat mixture: chocolate chips, vanilla extract, chopped dried fruit (walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts), dried coconut, raisins, cinnamon, powdered ginger, oily seeds.

Legume breadsticks with pizza flavor

To fill up on proteins on the road, these breadsticks contain chickpea flour (which can be replaced with any other legume flour, such as lentil or pea flour).

For about 10 breadsticks the ingredients are:

• 130 grams of chickpea flour

• 25 g extra virgin olive oil

• salt

• 1 tablespoon of dried oregano

• 1 tablespoon of tomato concentrate

• 50 ml water

• 1 teaspoon of instant yeast for savory recipes.

This recipe, like the previous ones, requires a very simple procedure: first of all, turn on the oven at 180°.

In a bowl mix the liquid ingredients: water, tomato concentrate and EVO oil. Then add the flour, oregano, yeast and salt. Mix with a fork, then knead briefly with your hands, until you obtain a homogeneous dough.

Divide the dough into 10 equal parts and form the breadsticks with your hands. Bake for 15 minutes. Just out of the oven the breadsticks will be slightly soft, but cooling down they will become nice and crisp. These breadsticks preserve and transport in an airtight container like lunch box for up to 7 days.

Baked falafel

They are delicious, they are rich in vegetable proteins, they are meatballs (always appreciated by children!). These falafel are ideal for a bike picnic and should be consumed in a couple of days. They are kept in an airtight container, in a cool place.

Ingredients:

• 300 grams of dried chickpeas (soaked for 12 hours and drained)

• 50 grams of onion

• 1 clove of garlic

• 1 bunch of chopped parsley

• cumin powder

• 2 tablespoons of chickpea flour

• extra virgin olive oil.

Put the chickpeas, onion, garlic, parsley, cumin, and salt in a food processor and chop until you obtain a homogeneous mixture. Add the chickpea flour to the mixture and mix well.

Preheat the oven to 190°C and in the meantime, with the chickpea mixture, form small slightly flattened balls. Arrange the balls on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Sprinkle each pattie with a bit of oil. Bake and cook for 20 minutes, turning the falafel halfway through cooking to brown on both sides.

Managing the children's snack during a bike trip requires careful planning, healthy and balanced snacks and a good dose of fun. Carefully preparing snacks, providing a variety of nutritious foods and ensuring proper hydration will make the travel experience even more enjoyable for the entire family. Also remember to involve children in choosing food and educating them about the importance of a balanced diet and environmentally friendly diet.

With these recipes we really hope to have given you the right inspiration for your next family trip or simply for a bike picnic in nature. Now all you have to do is choose your destination and jump in the saddle for a wonderful adventure!