"If you’ve scrolled TikTok recently—and if your algorithm is anything like mine—chances are you’ve seen a “snackle box” or two. If you’re unfamiliar, snackle boxes look like tackle boxes (yes, those boxes people take with them when they go fishing). But in this case, instead of storing fishing tackle, these boxes house—you guessed it—snacks. Which is why you’ll also hear them called tackle box snacks.
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The rectangular boxes are typically made of clear plastic with lots of dividers, which makes them perfect for containing an assortment of small, snacky things. Typically, on TikTok, you’ll see people building snackle boxes full of candy, often ahead of traveling by car or plane. And yes, I can confirm: Stashing an array of colorful candy inside these boxes for a long plane ride is absolutely a worthy travel hack.
But in my humble opinion, what you see on social media simply scratches the surface of snackle box ideas. These items have so many purposes for moms, especially during the summer. Here’s how I’m using my own snackle boxes with my kids.
Snackle Box Ideas for Travel
A few months ago, I packed up snackle boxes for my two children ahead of a cross-country flight. Was I extremely nervous that a bout of turbulence would knock the boxes off of their tray tables, sending snacks flying (no pun intended) all over the plane? Yes. But did this fun assortment of snacks keep my kids entertained for a good chunk of our travel time? Also yes. (And somehow, we managed to avoid any spills).
I packed their snackles up with an assortment of fun bite-sized snacks (think fruit snacks, cereal, dried fruit, nuts, and popcorn), and my kids really enjoyed the variety of it all. It definitely kept them more engaged on the plane than, say, a granola bar snack.
I can attest: These boxes are amazing to take on an airplane or a road trip when traveling with little ones.
Snackle Boxes For Outdoor Play
If you’re a parent, you can probably relate to this: Your kids play outside for a few hours but constantly need to run inside for a quick snack. This is all well and good… aside from the fact that they’re bringing grass and mud in with them every time they decide they want something new.
Enter the snackle box: Pack it up full of an assortment of snacks before heading outside and let the kids graze on a variety of little things. That way, when they decide they no longer want chips from the bag you’ve brought outside, they can move on to another option without having to run into the house.
The snackle boxes I have are on the smaller side and don’t fit a ton of food, but I’ve found that my kids are still pretty satiated by the sheer variety of snacks offered in these boxes.
On-the-Go Snackles
Here’s the thing about the summer: Even those of us who have little kids embrace spontaneity during the sunny season. You may leave the house in the morning and not return until late afternoon: A quick trip to the park has a way of bleeding into a zoo outing, a day at the pool, an outdoor lunch… you get the picture.
That’s why packing a snackle box before you head out is such a good idea. You can either stash it full of shelf-stable items and throw it in your purse or pop it into a cooler in your car. Either way, having lots of little snack options is so nice in the summer.
School and Summer Camp Lunches
My absolute favorite way to utilize our snackle boxes is by packing school or summer camp lunches for my kids—these honestly make great alternatives to bento boxes. And don’t we all love a good snack lunch on a hot day?
The nice thing about the snackle boxes I have is that they are customizable. I can move the dividers around as I see fit, which gives me more flexibility than I get from the bento boxes I own. As a result, I can pack items that take up more room, like cheese sticks, cut-up sandwiches, or pinwheels, as well as a larger assortment of small items (think cucumber rounds, nuts, and fruit snacks).
My kids absolutely love it when I pack their lunches in these, and they always do a great job eating whatever I pack (yes, even raw veggies!).
I stash their snackle box lunches in freezable lunch boxes to keep things at a safe temperature, and I’ll typically include something like a granola bar, beef stick, a bag of chips, or yogurt alongside it if I feel like they’ll need more food.
What to Pack in a Snackle Box for Kids
I really enjoy getting creative with what I put in my kids’ snackle boxes—and they love to help me fill them up, too. Truly, the sky’s the limit here, and you can have a lot of fun with packing all sorts of things. Feel free to play around with the sizes of your compartments, mix and match items, and experiment with other uses. Here are over 20 snackle box ideas and my favorite snack boxes to use:
Snackle Box Containers
Snackle Box Snack Ideas
- Mini sandwiches
- Cut-up beef sticks
- Turkey-and-cheese skewers on toothpicks
- Mini salami
- Hummus
- Veggies (cucumbers and carrot sticks are our favorites)
- Cheese cubes, slices, or a cut-up cheese stick
- Fruit (blueberries and grapes work especially well)
- Crackers
- Popcorn
- Cheez-Its
- Goldfish
- Pretzels
- Chocolate-covered fruit (we love TruFru)
- Miniature granola bars (or a larger bar cut into pieces)
- Energy bites
- Peanut butter-stuffed dates
- Dry cereal
- Nuts
- Candy (fruit snacks, gummies, M&Ms, etc.)
- Mini cookies
