# Snacking while driving **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 14, 2015, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snacking-while-driving/714984 "2015-03-14T13:17:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2015, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snacking-while-driving/714984/21 "2015-03-15T20:08:54Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > Yeah, and dressing a wild boar and tending a BBQ grill is out, too. Damn. Once you get his pants on the rest is easy. ---
**Author:** ![Lee\_Q](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/aeb1de/32.png) [@Lee\_Q](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lee_Q)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2015, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snacking-while-driving/714984/22 "2015-03-15T21:54:03Z")
I don’t even want to say what I snack on during a long drive! You people are insanely healthy snackers. /surreptitiously shoves empty Doritos bag under the seat… ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2015, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snacking-while-driving/714984/23 "2015-03-15T22:05:18Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > My son and I got a good chuckle from the last batch of jerky we bought. I can’t remember the name of the jerky but it came with a tooth pick. 😃 > > Only one though. Not good when you have three people eating from the bag. It has two ends, doesn’t it? Chicharrones. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2015, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snacking-while-driving/714984/24 "2015-03-15T22:27:25Z")
Learn to drive with your knees and free up a second hand. Carry a role of paper towels and you now can eat anything. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2015, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snacking-while-driving/714984/25 "2015-03-15T23:41:18Z")
A bottle of soda, pork pies, fruit, Mars Bars, and the like. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2015, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snacking-while-driving/714984/26 "2015-03-16T00:26:31Z")
OK – you lost me in part at #4 but I love sunflower seeds on drives/rides. Or Copenhagen. But not at the same time. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2015, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snacking-while-driving/714984/27 "2015-03-16T01:06:18Z")
7-11’s line of “Go-Go Taquitos.” By heaven, they’re yummy! And they can be eaten perfectly well with only one hand. I almost live on these things! ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2015, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snacking-while-driving/714984/28 "2015-03-16T01:50:15Z")
Goldfish. But only certain flavors as some are too messy for the car. ::glares at Flavor Blasted Pizza flavor:: ---
**Author:** ![Missy2U](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@Missy2U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Missy2U)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2015, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snacking-while-driving/714984/29 "2015-03-16T04:21:54Z")
Sour patch kids Jolly ranchers (picked thru previously so I don’t get the ones I don’t like) Good and plenty Life savers Healthy stuff like that. EYA - fresh made McDonalds fries if I can get that lucky. ---
**Author:** ![Missy2U](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@Missy2U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Missy2U)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2015, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snacking-while-driving/714984/30 "2015-03-16T14:47:26Z")
Oh. And I forgot my mainstay when I was working over 30 miles from home. Dunkin Donuts Munchkins. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2015, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snacking-while-driving/714984/31 "2015-03-16T18:21:12Z")
Peanut butter filled pretzel nuggets (preferably HK Anderson brand in the large plastic tub, purchased at a truck stop) and diet Coke. ---
**Author:** ![Winston\_Smith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e95f7d/32.png) [@Winston\_Smith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Winston_Smith)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2015, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snacking-while-driving/714984/32 "2015-03-16T20:06:47Z")
Lobster and steamed clams ---
**Author:** ![Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8c91f0/32.png) [@Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bam_Boo_Gut)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2015, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snacking-while-driving/714984/33 "2015-03-17T13:21:02Z")
Another vote for sunflower seeds. You can nibble them one by one! ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2015, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snacking-while-driving/714984/34 "2015-03-17T14:33:13Z")
Twizzlers are the ultimate road food. I can’t imagine a long trip without them. But jerky and baby carrots work as well for me. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2015, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snacking-while-driving/714984/35 "2015-03-17T14:49:55Z")
McDonald’s. And for a longer trip, chips. ---
**Author:** ![Honey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honey/32/5074_2.png) [@Honey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Honey)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2015, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snacking-while-driving/714984/36 "2015-03-17T15:23:41Z")
> [@Missy2U](#): > > Sour patch kids > Jolly ranchers (picked thru previously so I don’t get the ones I don’t like) > Good and plenty > Life savers > > Healthy stuff like that. > > EYA - fresh made McDonalds fries if I can get that lucky. You don’t need to get lucky. I always ask to wait for the fresh fries. Hot, fresh and salty. Horrible for you, but so yummy. I like to snack on Slim Jims also. ---
**Author:** ![TheFaerie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c57346/32.png) [@TheFaerie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheFaerie)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2015, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snacking-while-driving/714984/37 "2015-03-17T17:24:07Z")
Sunflower seeds and jerky. Sometime cheese and/or fruit, but those two are my go-tos. ---
**Author:** ![epbrown01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ba0ec/32.png) [@epbrown01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/epbrown01)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2015, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snacking-while-driving/714984/38 "2015-03-17T20:10:01Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > During my longer commutes I sometimes like to snack on something while driving. > > As for the type of food, I have these requirements: > > 1. It should be nutritious. (Or pretend to be. 😉 ). > 2. Does not require a utensil of any kind (strictly fingers). > 3. Requires right hand only (left hand stays on steering wheel). > 4. Is not messy. > > The best food I’ve found that meets all of the above requirements is **grapes**. > > Do you snack while driving? What type of food? I’ve got nothing, due to #1. My priority is #4, usually. The food can’t leave crumbs (crackers, pastries, trail mixes), melt when handled (chocolate), leave a residue on the fingers (cheese puffs, Doritos) , require an optimum temperature to enjoy (fries), or get lost easily and irretrievably in the interior if dropped. It should not have a lot of wrapping to create waste and complicate eating one-handed but can comfortably be shared by even the squeamish, and should be readily available most anywhere. So licorice. The inexperienced often think gummies but when dropped they invariably find that small area you can’t reach with the seat all the way forward or all the way back, while licorice’s length provides purchase from _some_ direction. Even gummy worms are unreliable in this regard, being too malleable. ---
**Author:** ![Newtosite](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/newtosite/32/8623_2.png) [@Newtosite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Newtosite)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2015, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snacking-while-driving/714984/39 "2015-03-18T04:06:20Z")
Dark chocolate wedges. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2015, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snacking-while-driving/714984/40 "2015-03-18T04:17:32Z")
After several thousand-mile jaunts with the kids, we’ve gotten to be somewhat pros at this. Grapes are excellent for healthy snacks. Pull them off the stems, rinse, and portion out into individual baggies. Peeled and sectioned oranges. Precut apple slices from the grocery store (since home cut apples would have to be dredged in something to keep them from going brown). Assorted veggies - pepper strips, baby carrots, celery. All portioned out into individual servings. It’s too easy to eat junky stuff, and between that and sitting in a car for 20 hours, it has an unfortunate effect on the digestion… Plus this way we don’t feel (as) guilty about stopping for something artery-clogging on the second day of the drive 😃 We also pack sandwiches - this way, we can stop at rest stops versus having to find restaurants. Sandwiches are a huge time saver, and can easily be eaten one-handed. If I’m driving alone, I just set the cooler on the passenger seat. Crunchy stuff is also excellent - pretzels are a huge hit. An open bag, and you can reach in and grab a few any time you like. I find the act of reaching / grabbing / crunching also helps improve alertness. And this is the only time I buy individually-portioned cookies (lunchbox sized packages) and the like - lets us get a variety of stuff, while providing a small measure of portion control. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snacking-while-driving/714984.md?page=1)