Road trips - Don't forget the food

If you're going to eat, you're going to want a drink, right little mouse? And that means you'll have to stop, probably before you want to... so factor that time into your itinerary. Here's my advice for food on a road trip:

• Sometimes snacks are good diversions on a road trip in themselves.
• A small, soft-sided cooler comes in handy for drinks, the healthy refridgerated snacks, and those unexpected delays
• Snacks will tide kids (or you) over until you're ready to stop in twenty more miles at the better exit
• When picking/packing snacks - individual servings are best and I use ziplock bags to make individual servings
• Raid the pantry & fridge - the stuff is going to go bad while you're gone anyway, so bring it! This is also a great time for CREATIVE TRAIL MIX
  
• Take the last bowls of cereal from the boxes the kids think are empty and won't finish
• Use the remnants of crackers, popcorn, pretzels, chips, cookies, even granola bars - just break them up, use what you have!
• That's the beauty of Trail Mix - it doesn't really have to go together because none of the pieces lose their flavor so picky eaters can pick out what they like!
• And if you want to make above healthier, throw in some granola, raisins, or nuts
• Bringing healthy snacks is super smart - they have limited options in the car (and hotel) - if they're hungry, they'll eventually eat the healthy stuff!
• Pack drinks w/lids - nuff said
• Don't give kids easy access to snacks and drinks or you'll be stopping every thirty minutes. Take heart - they're bladders do get bigger as they grow and so do their appetites, but so does the ability to suppress it - trips have become quite easy with teens. (one thing in their favor!)

Well, I hope this helps on your next road trip!

What do you recommend for road trip snacks?