The best road food

As we're wont to do here at the track, a discussion came up during lunch as to what is the best food to eat (or attempt to eat) when you're on the road. Certainly, we all know that we shouldn't multitask when driving. But there are times when you've only got 15 minutes in between after-school art class for your eight-year-old and the start of soccer practice. Hence, you need to eat on the run.

In an informal poll of the folks here at Auto Test, we came up with our own list of successful road eats. Use the "Comments" feature below and let us know what you think.

Jake Fisher: Whoppers and McD Snack Wraps fail miserably, but a simple cheeseburger does quite well. I haven't figured out how to drive and have chips and dip (my favorite) at the same time, though.

Joe Veselak: When I have to eat on the go, a dry sandwich without veggies works best. It's not greasy or messy, and it can be eaten with one hand. If the food you chose meets these criteria then you may also have found a great road snack.

Jennifer Stockburger: It's worth mentioning that it's nearly impossible to eat healthy and drive. Healthier alternatives like salads, Subway sandwiches, yogurt etc. are completely impossible. Only grab-and-go stuff like Jake says works. You can't even manage a chicken nugget if you want to dip them. For drinks, the "tip factor" of a cup holder becomes very important for maintaining the height of even a medium Diet Coke.

The key - especially with kids - is to only allow foods that are "vacuumable." That is, they maintain enough shape and consistency that they don't mar the interior or the people eating them when they are inevitably dumped all over the vehicle's floor. Good examples are Goldfish, McDonald's french fries, Cheerios, potato chips, etc. Sippy cups are a requirement, and they're still helpful even for kids who are way over the age of when they're suppose to give them up.

Mike Quincy: A McDonald's single, no-frills cheeseburger is an easy hand-held way to get some quick calories on the go and not wind up wearing it on your lap. I love eating trail mix, but for some reason my kids can't manage to get the raisins, nuts, and chocolate chips from the bag to their mouths; the seats always fill with sunflower seeds. Now I wait until we're actually hiking on the trail before the trail mix comes out...

Rick Small: We sometimes use granola bars--the soft type, not hard crumbly ones--and homemade sandwiches on bread cut in half for easy handling. I also have had gum and peanuts in a jar on hand for snacks. I agree with Jake: Whoppers are very sloppy; they fall apart and make a mess.

Gene Petersen: I usually go for large fries and a simple hamburger. Also, a thick shake is nearly spill proof. I've done the messy sub, Whopper, and Filet-O-Fish with secret sauce --it all ends up in your lap.

Tom Mutchler: A long road trip is a good excuse to eat things you wouldn't eat otherwise. Case in point: Combos. It is hard to fathom why anyone would have the initial thought that putting processed cheese spread inside a hollow pretzel log is a good idea. But what they created is road food par excellence: easily managed with one hand, hard to crush, inert to spoilage, salty, and crunchy.

Only problem is that the last few times I've bought Combos on the road, all they've had available was a three-serving bag. I like Combos, but I know my limits...

Donna Johnson: The food I eat most while driving is a bagel with cream cheese. Second would be the top of a muffin.

David Champion: Beef jerky and Red Bull!

Keep in mind that even with your favorites laid out across the console, seats and every other surface than can hold food, take care to remain attentive to the road and avoid meals that prompt distractions, such as looking down or chasing the latest spill. In a perfect world, we should all try to fill up before we leave or wait to eat until we come home.

What are your favorites?

--Mike Quincy