Now that I've done my emergency ration for the car, what about snacks? I mean non-emergency food that you can eat in small amounts. It also needs to survive heat, too, during the summer months. What snacks do you keep in the car?

Beef jerky is the big one for me. Certain brands of protein bar do okay if it doesn't get real hot -- they're usually good for short-term or cooler weather. Nut mix also does well.

Skittles,M&M's,GORP and beef jerkeyAlso Tootsie Rolls hold up quite well....

BOATMAN
John

I've mixed an inexpensive EGR for use during hot pistol matches the last couple of years that is titrated for 1/2 liter bottles of water....while I've vacuum sealed some pouches for my remain overnight bag, it is more convenient to just repurpose pill vials, and throw them in with the water to be mixed as needed.. I alternate EGR to water, depending on how I feel

1/8 teaspoon Morton's lite salt ... about 1/2 potassium chloride and 1/2 sodium chloride

1/8 teaspoon Morton's regular salt... sodium chloride

3 teaspoon (one tablespoon) sugar... the sugar helps the absorption of potassium and sodium

water, peanuts, protein bars, trail mix/gorp, dried fruit.

Tanka bars(essentially pemmican),Clif bars,and raisin and nut mix plus water. Jerky is nice too.

For a long road trip (over 100 miles), I put food in a cooler with ice. The last road trip was to the snow near Lake Tahoe. I had enough food and water for at least three days. The food doesn't require warming, and is good enough that I'm not craving the expensive food inside the base lodge at the ski resort. Last trip, my cooler included boiled eggs, mixed nuts, cooked sausages (taste good cold), PB&J sandwiches, granola bars, dark chocolate, bananas, homemade smoothies, soy milk, protein shake, and bottled water. Most of these things would be fine if they got warm for whatever reason.

For a short road trip (less than 100 miles), I'll just pack some granola bars, mixed nuts, bananas, and water. I can leave the granola bars and mixed nuts in the car, but I'll try to take the bananas and water out of the car with me if it's a hot day.

Good thread!

In the cold months I have a box of protein bars in the car. In the non-cold months I have a few in my "car bag" that I take everywhere I drive (in my car or someone else's).

By the way, this is the bag I referenced. Virtually invisible in cars with tinted windows (my SUV has tinted windows in the back).

http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/38534?feat=677-GN1&page=hunter-s-tote-bag-zip-top


.

I was going to add to your SOS Emergency Food Bar taste test but here is a list of possibles from dollars stores (or cheaper), in no particular sort order



if you wanted sorted, interactive table/spreadsheet, sort by price/protein/... here with links to the items

For road trips I take a box of cerial. I prefer Capt'n Crunch Crunch Berries or Corn Pops.wash it down with coffee or pop/soda. It keeps me going and so does the coffee and soda(right too the next bathroom down the road).I need to find a cure for that......

BOATMAN
John

On my way home tonight, while famished and stuck in rush hour construction frustration, I came to the sad realization that we've eaten all the snacks in the car. (sad face emoticon) The only thing I had was what was in my day hike pack, which was WAAAAAAY in the back of the wagon. Thinking to myself that the only thing worse than being stuck in traffic is trying to get back into the ant-line after you've pulled over, I decided that it's time to re-stock and started making a mental list.

This thread is a perfect kick-starter. Thanks, Bing, and everyone for the suggestions!

Peanut M&Ms are a must for us, along with Clif bars, sesame snaps, crackers and/or cookies, dried fruit and nuts. There's always lots of water stashed in the vehicles, but it's time to add in some extra cold drink crystals, to go with the hot chocolate that's in there now. Tang, Kool-Aid and lemonade are the most popular with the family, and I get the just add water kind.

EDIT as I'm packing: I also usually throw in a few juice boxes/pouches too, in case someone forgets or loses their EDC water bottle.

If you have small children, make very sure to sweep through your vehicle carefully after issuing these. Before we caught on, our then-two-year-old would stash a half-full juice box in the car to drink a week or so later. This would be followed by projectile vomiting.

I keep Cinnamon granola bars in my car. I often eat them for lunch. They are essentially modern day hardtack, and keep for a long time in all sorts of temperature extremes. Since my job involves driving all over 3 states many days, having supplies in my vehicle is a no-brainer. The cinnamon almonds from Walmart are really awesome too. Too bad they started making the bags smaller (for the same price of course).

Greg

badpacjac,
I would vote against the juice boxes in favor of the powdered mixes.

Even sealed, the juices can ferment. I have never seen a tube of kool-aid mix go bad.

I need to confess, I am a Dollar Store Junkie.

In my car I keep pop-tarts, granola bars, Rice Krispy Bars (the sealed ones) a 6 pack of water, and 20 or 30 individual drink mixes, all from the Dollar Store, totally maybe 10.00 per car. I feed the snacks to my kids the week I restock the car.

I keep a few longer term items, Clif Bars, 2 mainstay bars, and some really disgusting hardtack, but most other stuff gets swapped every few months.

I've been there, my friend. UGH!! There's always a bucket and rags at the ready. WE only get 6 or 8 weeks of hot weather here and it can make things raunchy so I don't take many chances. LOL!

If I'm on a road trip I'll take stuff to eat along for that trip, but once I reach my destination they are tossed (or they've been consumed ). Are Tanka Bites/Bars and quality Jerky considered snacks or are they actually food. They are convenient and easy to eat behind the wheel, but I have trouble putting them in the same category as potato chips and candy.

I keep emergency food in the truck's 96 hr kit -- a few MRE's, Datrex bars et al -- but no snacks. I'm planning a switch from MRE's to more generic canned food (more of it and less expensive). I have a camp stove, pots and utensils already so switching to something other than MRE's kinda makes sense.

M & Ms, Cliff Bars, sucking candies, energy shot packets, & Extra Sugarless Bubble Gum