Whether you advance directly to McDonald's or opt to make your own pit-stop picnics, snacks must be on hand. Candy and bribery are two necessary evils of road trips, so don't bet on bringing just fruit. These snacks are big on convenience but short on crumbs: chewy granola bars, string cheese, mini bagels. Fruit Roll-Ups, fruit leather, dried fruit, nuts, and bite-size pretzels.

If you have a child who tends to get car-sick, avoid milk. A perfect portable drink is Vruit — one juice box amounts to one serving of vegetables and fruit, which are hard to get when you're miles from your crisper, www.americansoy.com.