Souvenir Road Trip Box

This souvenir road trip box was created as part of a sponsored post for NACS.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Do you road trip with your family during the holiday season?  Do you pack the kids into the car, load the luggage to the roof, and hit the road with Christmas songs playing and kids squabbling in the back seat?  If a holiday road trip is one of your family’s traditions, make the kids a souvenir road trip box to collect some memorabilia along the way … and make the whole experience easier with convenience store stops!

To make a souvenir road trip box, you’ll need a small plastic box with compartments {you can find these at your local craft store or dollar store}.  Depending on what you think the kids will collect, you may want some compartments to vary in size.  

You’ll also need coordinating scrapbook paper, a paper trimmer, adhesive dots, and vinyl.

Cut the paper to fit into the bottom of each compartment …

… and use adhesive dots or a glue gun to adhere them in place.

Using a cutting machine, personalize the top with vinyl.  If you don’t have a cutting machine, you could also use letter stickers to customize the souvenir box and help the kids tell their boxes apart.

As the road trip progresses, let the kids collect memorabilia from each stop, placing the items into the individual compartments for safe keeping.

Some of the things my kids love to collect include bits of nature like leaves, pinecones, or rocks with interesting shapes, ticket stubs or receipts, pressed pennies, colorful bottlecaps, random coins, tourist pamphlets, magnets, and keychains.

And while you’re trekking along the freeway, collecting souvenirs, stop for gas and make a pit stop at the convenience stores to see what’s new!

While we all know that we can get our favorite road trip snacks at convenience stores, did you know that convenience stores have jumped on the merging flavors trend?  Whether you want sweet and spicy, sweet and sour, or sweet and salty, you’ll find just the thing on the shelves of your local convenience store.

But there are healthy snacks too.  Convenience stores offer healthy options like yogurt, fresh fruits and vegetables, and nuts and dried fruit, thanks in part to a program with Partnership for a Healthier America.  You can also find alternative snacks like protein- and energy-rich items that’ll keep your mind and your body moving …

… and many convenience stores offer a foodservice counter where you can get fresh bakery items, sandwiches, and pizza.

Looking for drinks instead?  Convenience stores sell approximately 50% of the country’s single-serve bottled water but you can also find functional beverages that quench thirst while packing protein, vitamins, or other nutrients.  Nothing’s worse than traveling with a sick kiddo but c-stores can help out, even carrying Pedialyte Powder Packets to help prevent dehydration.

They’ve even jumped on the cold brew coffee trend {which gets a big thumbs up from me!} …

… and hit the gourmet market with gourmet snacks for those customers seeking a little indulgence.  And who doesn’t need a little indulgence on hour three of that full-day road trip {wink}?

Convenience stores are so much more than just a gas station.  Check them out on your next road trip and let me know some of your favorite road trip snacks!