Sunday, April 3, 2022

AROUND THE KITCHEN TABLE: Road Trip Food! Plus 6 Book #Giveaway!




LESLIE KARST: I’m on the road right now, on my way by car from Santa Cruz, CA to Albuquerque, NM to attend the fabulous Left Coast Crime mystery writers convention. So what better topic for today’s Around the Kitchen Table discussion than ROAD TRIP FOOD? 


No matter how healthy an eater you may be during the majority of your daily life, I’m guessing that most of us have a little fun and break some of our usual rules when on a road trip: Forget that leafy green salad for lunch; let’s gorge on Cheetos, Little Debbie mini donuts and beef jerky! And if I feel a slight pang of guilt, there’s always that oh, so healthy-sounding trail mix (with its nutritious blend of nuts, raisins, and yes—the all-important M&Ms!).

As for me, I’m especially looking forward to stopping at road-side diners along the way to Albuquerque and feasting on fry bread (pictured below), chicken fried steak, and French fries. (Notice any pattern there?) I’ll diet when I return home.

 


HOW ABOUT YOU? What snacks are absolute necessities when you head out on a road trip, and what sorts of items do you love to order at a roadside diner? 

 

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VICKI DELANY: OMG, a road trip. How I've missed you. In the past I've done a heck of a lot of driving. I've driven across Canada, twice, and from Anchorage to San Diego. When I'm not in a particular hurry, I like to turn off the highway at lunch time and find a small restaurant in a small town, just to see what the town's like and the locals are eating.  When I've travelled with my Canadian mystery writing friends to conventions in the US, we usually stop at an Applebee's. Not that we love Applebee's all that much, but we know what we're getting and they are usually situated quite close to the highway. 


As for snacks, I don't eat in the car, but if I'm on a highway, I usually stop mid-afternoon at a Starbucks for a Tall Skinny Caramel Macchiato to drink on the road. When I'm on smaller highways, in British Columbia in particular where there are so many small independent coffee shops, I'll try to find a locally owned coffee shop for my afternoon latte.

Ok, now I want to go on a road trip!

 

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LESLIE BUDEWITZ:  Oh, road trips, we love road trips! Mr. Right and I seriously thought about driving to Left Coast Crime, but didn't get our act together in time to make plans, so I'm flying solo. But we're determined to make a drive through north-central Montana this May, and in every little town, we'll poke around for a tasty local spot.  


Like the brewpub in the classic redbrick in downtown Wallace, ID, an old mining town, where you can chow down under the watchful eyes of a moose (head) wearing a miner's hat. The Spokane diner in an old railroad dining car. Mr. Right and I have fond memories of childhood railroad trips and bumping our knees together under the tiny but beautiful wooden tables brings them all back. I created a montage of classic Montana diners, with prints of paintings by Frederick Remington and CM Russell on the wall, patrons who interrupt each other's conversations to set the record straight, and waitresses who call you "hon" and "dear" and remember your favorite pie even though you only stop in twice a year, in last year's Bitterroot Lake. Writing it was like taking a mini road trip, without shoes.

And then back to our little town and the Echo Lake Cafe, a lunch-and-breakfast all day joint where everything on the menu from Eggs Benedict to stuffed omelets to Reubens and patty melts and Cobb salads is just about perfect. Because much as we enjoy a good road trip, at the end of the day, all roads lead to home.

 

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LUCY BURDETTE: We usually drive from Connecticut to Key West and back, not all that much fun with pets on board! When we were in between pets, we bought a copy of Jane and Michael Stern's ROAD FOOD, and ate all the way up and down the eastern seaboard. Many, many servings of barbecued pork and beef, and fried chicken were happily consumed. One of our favorite finds was Sally Bell's Kitchen in Richmond--they serve the most amazing Southern box lunches! Sandwich, potato salad, cheese wafer, deviled egg, and a cupcake. Now my mouth is watering...


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MADDIE DAY: I love me a road trip! And I've made a few, criss-crossing the United States, plus many a trip back and forth from the Boston area to visit my sister, first in Quebec and now in Ottawa. But I usually don't take the time to stop in diners, especially if I'm driving solo. Back in my grad school days, when I did a lot of that criss-crossing, I always kept a jar of instant coffee in the car. In the afternoon I'd pop into a Dairy Queen or fast food place and order a tall chocolate milkshake. Stir some coffee crystals into that baby and I'd be set for hours more driving. 

These days I tend more toward water, mixed nuts, and Cheezits. Chewing keeps you awake! Maybe a bag of ready-to-eat baby carrots. And I do look forward to sampling local cuisine after I arrive.

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MOLLY MACRAE: Yes, Leslie, fry bread! I look forward to having that in Albuquerque during Left Coast Crime, too. I also look forward to it before my husband and I hit the road. We’re making fry bread with black beans, chipotles, cheese, and avocados for supper later this week. That way I can do a compare and contrast between midwestern homemade and the honest to goodness stuff. I plan to enjoy lots of southwestern road trip food while we’re there, including biscochitos, the buttery cinnamon and anise flavored state cookie of New Mexico, and sopapillas. What will we eat on the way to and from New Mexico? That’s a mystery waiting to be solved.

 

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TINA KASHIAN: Thank you for a fun topic, Leslie! Every summer we drive from South Jersey to Boston. I have family in Watertown, MA, but the main reason for our trip is to drop our daughter off at an Armenian summer camp for two weeks. NJ is long and it takes us almost two hours to travel from South Jersey to North Jersey (there’s always traffic, too!). We stop at the same diner before crossing the George Washington Bridge. I order corned beef special with Russian dressing and coleslaw on rye bread. I’m not a fan of a Reuben that is served hot, but cold, lean corned beef is a favorite. My girls order blueberry pancakes. Now I’m hungry! 

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PEG COCHRAN/MARGARET LOUDON: Okay, I hate road trips. There. I've said it. Most of our trips have been back and forth from Michigan where we now live to our home state of New Jersey. Then there was a horrendous trip to Boston to take my daughter to BU. I had had a torn retina and still couldn't see out of my left eye so hubby was stuck with all the driving. On the way out, I always pack bagels with cream cheese and sandwiches for lunch along with grapes or apples. In case you think we're completely healthy, I also throw in a bag of Sunchips and potato chips to nosh on. And we often stopped at a Burger King in Maumee, OH for an order of fries! On the return trip if we'd been to NJ, we'd pick up "sloppy Joes" at the local deli. These are NJ sloppy Joes made only in a handful of delis: three pieces of rye bread; Thousand Island dressing; ham, turkey or roast beef; Cole slaw and Swiss cheese. Those alone are worth the trip!


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MAYA CORRIGAN: Like Peg, I hate road trips. In recent years all our trips have been up and down I-95, from Virginia to New England or Virginia to South Carolina/Florida. Either way the traffic's a bear and the trucks are everywhere. Before COVID, we'd stop for a break at a local restaurant or have a picnic of food we've brought along. But since 2020 we snack in the car on anything we can hold in our hands, like peanut butter crackers, granola bars, cookies, grapes, apples, and carrots. We also take sandwiches for our "big meal"--cheese with ham or turkey. I look forward to stopping for barbecue on my next road trip.


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CLEO COYLE: We are road trip lovers, Leslie! Marc and I have great memories from childhood, and we still enjoy packing up the car and driving America’s highways. Combos are my happy driving snack along with Kit Kats. Marc’s top trekking treat is a "HUGE breakfast" (direct quote!) of pancakes, eggs, bacon, sausage, the works. When he was young, his family spent summers at a lake near Elsinore, Ontario. North of Niagara Falls, the diners featured Canadian bacon, rolled in cornmeal and fried. Marc still remembers the taste of that toasted cornmeal and ham. 

As for me, my longest (and best!) road trip took place when I was eleven. My dad and mom wanted my sister and I to see America, so they packed us into our green station wagon (Mr. Green Jeans), and we drove west from Pittsburgh PA to California by way of St. Louis' Gateway Arch, sampling (for the first time ever) authentic Southern fried chicken, Texas BBQ, and Navajo fry bread along the way. We visited my aunt in Anaheim (where I tasted my first artichoke and picked my first orange), and returned via Yellowstone National Park, the Great Plains, and the Windy City. Like Marc, breakfast was my favorite road trip meal. I loved those little grape jellies on buttered toast and the smell of frying bacon in the chilly, fresh air that began a day with endless blue skies and an open road that seemed to roll on forever...




GIVEAWAY!

To be entered in this week's drawing
for the 6 terrific mysteries below,
join us in the comments.

What snacks are must-haves when 
you're on a road trip? 

What do you love to order at road-side diners?


Join the
conversation!

Include your email address,
so we can contact the winner!

 



> DYING FOR A TASTE by Leslie Karst

> S'MORE MURDERS by Maya Corrigan

> ON THE LAMB by Tina Kashian

> ASSAULT AND PEPPER by Leslie Budewitz

> NACHO AVERAGE MURDER by Maddie Day

> BREWED AWAKENING by Cleo Coyle


Comments Open through
Wednesday, April 6

Don't forget to include
your email address.

📚

 

90 comments:

  1. Haven’t been a road trip is a long time. We usually have a selection of snack to choose from will farmers cheese and rice cracker being the main snack.
    I love to order a cheeseburger and fries at road side diners or whatever specialty they have to order.
    Kitten143 (at) Verizon (dot) net

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  2. We usually pick crackers and fruit snacks for a road trip. And if we stop off to eat I like to try different dishes that sound interesting. bmedrano34 (at) yahoo (dot) com

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    1. That's one of the best things about a road, trip--trying new things along the way, right, Beth?

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  3. Road trips for us now as retired, carefree seniors are a lot different than years before. Instead of just getting from point A to point B because of time and money limitations, we now can detour if we see something of interest or stay an extra day if we can't get what we want to do squeezed in the days we thought we could. That being said, it means that taking snacks is a must for us. After all, one has to keep the energy up to do all the things we wish to do.

    Before a trip, I do some baking which usually always includes my Ozark Honey Oatmeal Cookie. Not only do we love them, but they are the type of cookie that don't get crumbly or stale with age meaning they will last forever - well until devoured. I also make a big batch of homemade party mix. That way I can add our favorite cereals, nuts and decadent candies that we love so much. The bought mixes never seen to have all we want in them. Since we both love jerky, that's a must too - for me teriyaki beef and for hubby bacon. We also buy individual servings of things like apple sauce, fruit and puddings because you know late at night in a motel room you want just that little bit of sweet. I must admit that our goodie bag resembles more like a picnic basket. We learned while traveling in some of our national parks that grocery stores are often miles away and the convenient stores in the park are VERY expensive which means we have learned to go prepared. We have been know before a trip to go to our local grocery store and go up and down the aisles with the trip in mind. I've even picked up the little individual servings of sweet pickles which on the road can make even a regular cheeseburger or sandwich seem even better.

    In traveling, we search our Mom and Pop diners. We check out the specials, what the locals are eating (checking out what's on plates on the way to our table), and even ask the waitress for suggestions of what's good. We also learned to ask details questions because what you think something is in Arkansas is completely something else in Maine. Example - years ago before mozzarella sticks were found everywhere, they were often called cheese fries. While traveling, I bought cheese fries only to get French fries with cheese sauce on them. Both good, but when you are wanting one and get the other it can be very disappointing. So I would say my favorite would depend on what state we are in. In Texas it would probably be Tex-Mex anything but on the east coast it's going to be lobster or fried cod.

    Thank you for the fabulous chance to win some amazing books! Shared and hoping.
    2clowns at arkansas dot net

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    1. That's a good idea to have snacks on hand. Motel vending machines are iffy at best (if they even work) and the gas station/convenience stores along the highway charge way too much!

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    2. Okay, you've now succeeding in making me completely hungry, Libby! I'm in a motel in Bakersfield as I write this, and I can tell you the "breakfast" is not much to write home about.

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  4. I haven't been on a road trip or any vacations, but when I went to Germany on an exchange trip I ate ice cream almost every day. They have so much variety in flavors and lots of odd ones we wouldn't find here. I had to try something at each new town we stopped in.
    kozo8989(at)hotmail(dot)com

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    1. We did that with gelato in Italy!

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    2. Yes, the Europeans do love their ice cream and gelato--and it's SOOOO good!

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  5. I'm not too crazy about road trips anymore. To get me through one nowadays it would take a giant bag of Peanut M&M's and a six pack of Diet Pepsi. Thanks for the giveaway. ckmbeg (at) gmail (dot) com

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    1. Great idea--I'll have to pack M&Ms for our next trip!

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    2. They melt in your mouth, not in your hand!

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  6. What a fun blog, where we can find out about all the road trips and snack preferences from our favorite authors!!! As for me, I prefer flying, but for the almost 3 hour drive to my son's home, I map out where Thai restaurants are located, research reviews and the menu, and am always finding a new ma and pa Thai restaurant somewhere near the many route options available. I select two. One for the 'going' trip, and one for the 'return' route. Such fun!!! Thank you for the opportunity to win such a generous goldmine of cozies!!!! Luis at ole dot travel

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    1. Thai food--yum! And yes, it is good to research the reviews, but so often on a road trip it's not possible, 'cause you have no idea where or when your next meal will be.

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    2. INFINITE THANKS to Leslie, Maya, Tina, Leslie, Maya and Tina for your most generous prize!!!! You are providing me with hours and hours of fun. god bless you all, and may the writing be easy and fun for you as well!!! Luis at ole dot travel

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  7. Getting ready for a 7 hour road trip this weekend north Jersey to Martinsville Va. always have tea and some kind of cookies in the car. snickerdoodle’s or my favorite. We usually stop in a local mom and pop if we can find one and try the local specials! Marimej@optonline.net

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    1. Ooooo...snickerdoodles! And yes to mom and pop restaurants!

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  8. I love a good egg salad sandwich, so I expect it would be a good idea to stock up your car with egg salad sandwiches, and to order them at every diner you go to! Of course, egg salad sandwiches can be a bit of a gamble--they can be dry (weirdly), or the bread can be mushy or squished, or the consistency can be so sort of weirdly gritty (like it's made of little spoiled lumps?), and I personally abjure anything green or crunchy.

    But a good egg salad sandwich can be great! --the same with fried-egg sandwiches with runny yolks and mayonnaise and mustard!

    Let's make things easy--fill your car from top to bottom with deviled eggs!

    jsmith[delete brackets]3may[delete brackets]2011

    [at symbol]

    yahoo[dot]com

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    1. Lol, John! You made me go from drooling over the thought of an egg salad sandwich, to being disgusted by the idea, and then back to jonesing for one. Ha!

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  9. I love road trips - as long as I’m not the one driving! I’ll happily plan the snacks though. This is probably the only time when I’ll get things like gummy bears, pizza combo, beef jerky, etc. Things that won’t melt or make too much of a mess. I also have a cooler filled to the brim with water, soda, and juice.

    At dinners, I’m a fan of omelets. Ham & cheese with a side of hash browns loaded with onions. Yum!

    Michelle.L.Mabry(at)gmail.com

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    1. I'm with you, Michelle--happy to pack but don't want to drive! (And I did indeed buy some beef jerky to bring on our trip.)

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  10. Haven’t been on a road trip in YEARS however we always had fruit, chips, nuts and a cooler of drinks. Never really stopped at any cafés unless my dad was familiar with it and the food. Luvs2read4fun(at)gmail(dot)com

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    1. Fruit, chips, nuts, and drinks--all the essential food groups!

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  11. My usual order at diners is cheese omelet, home fries (no onions) and rye toast. Occasionally I’ll get a side of pork roll. Kuzlin (at) aol (dot) com

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    1. Oooo...love me some rye toast with lots of butter!

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  12. We don’t tend to eat in the car but I usually take some fruit - something easy like grapes or clementines. Usually we’ll stop at a local coffee shop or bakery.
    sgiden at verizon (.)net

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  13. I’m not a fan of road trips but a good snack is pistachios to nosh ona d some water. Diner I’ll do breakfast usually biscuits and gravy.
    idlivru1 (at) gmail (at) com

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  14. My family went on road trips every summer. My father was a commercial airline pilot so when his vacation time ran out, we'd get him to an airport and he'd "deadhead" back home. The next time he had 3-4 days off, we'd pick him up at an airport and head on from there.
    I remember a stash of comics under the front seat. They were passed out one by one, to make them last.
    We are heading out this summer with the two of us plus my daughter and almost 6 year old granddaughter. With an iPad, things should go ok, but we're planning extended stops for lunch each day to give the youngster time to run around. Me? I'd just drive on through.
    We're going from southern Florida to Maine!
    libbydodd at comcast dot net

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    1. The stash of comics under the front seat--I remember that!

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    2. Where in Maine? My stepson lives in Camden and my daughter went to summer camp around there.

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    3. We have a house in Ellsworth. Lovely town. Apparently it is one of the most popular towns in Maine right now. Close enough to Bar Harbor (c. 1/2 hour) but not actually on Mt. Desert Island where the prices have gone totally through the roof!
      We were picking our daughter up from camp outside Bangor and remembered how much we love Maine. Much to our amazement (totally impractical with our living in southern Florida), we bought a house!
      Camden is a bit too high end for us. We have friends who live just inland from there in Searsmont.

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  15. "On the road again! I just can't wait to get on the road again!" Love all these comments! Stay safe out there!

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  16. We really don't snack in the car but hard candy or mints are a must.
    We usually don't stop at dinners either but at parks or rest areas and eat sandwiches.
    NANCYMARIE1210 at AOL dot COM

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  17. If I am going on a long trip, usually I will bring a bottle of water and corn chips or pistachios. We usually do fast food for lunch. cherierj(at)yahoo(dot)com

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    1. We usually do fast food too if I haven't brought sandwiches. If we're traveling back to NJ, the trip is 12 hours as it is so we don't want to waste time.

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  18. I am not sure I have any go to road trip snacks. I have not been on one in over 12 years. Light Pringles, corn nuts, 🤷🏼‍♀️.

    Since I am a bit picky I would probably eat something I would eat when not traveling. A grilled chicken sandwich, but I am willing to consider trying something outside of the norm if it sounds good.

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  19. On the road I definitely have fruit, and ginger chews. A dinner has to have my favorite items. Delectable omelettes, bagels and lox and muffins. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

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  20. Well, your Blogspot handle is certainly perfect for a road trip, Traveler! :)

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  21. I usually get a Fountain Diet Coke, Dots, and Combos.

    Our road trips usually are going back home to Nebraska to see friends and family, so a stop at Runza is a must!

    aellis534 at Gmail dot com

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  22. I enjoy road trips and think that they are so memorable and special. I bring sparkling water, cut up fruit, and thin, light crackers. If we stop at a diner then I am happy to order a light lunch consisting of soup, and sandwich. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  24. For me road trip snacks are water, fruit & nuts - and a travel mug of tea at the start of the trip. I like to find interesting places on the way. Some of my favorites have been a diner where I had my first bison burger in PA, the Daily Planet American Diner in NY complete with a phone booth with Superman inside & surprisingly good food and Nutty's Junkyard Grill in WA with a vintage gas station decor & delicious bbq.

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    1. A phone booth with Superman inside! That diner is worth visiting.

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  25. When we go on a road trip we usually have snacks in the car along with water bottles. We usually have M&M's, licorice and other snacks. We usually try to eat at local places that we don't have at home.
    diannekc8(at)gmail(dot)com

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  26. It has been a long time since we were on a road trip. As for snacks in the car, I lean towards Diet Pepsi and a non-messy variety of chocolate candy. I like to eat at local diners and restaurants when we are traveling. I will order their regional specialties. I remember one time in far West Texas, we both ordered chicken fried steak and cream gravy. The serving plates were oval and huge and our chicken fried steaks covered the platter from edge to edge! Eat seasonally and locally!

    Nancy
    allibrary (at) aol (dot) com

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  27. Snacks are mixed nuts, granola bars and sparkling water. I f we stop for a meal, it's usually a place recommended by family or friends.
    jtcgc at yahoo dot com

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  28. Roadtrips require mixed nuts, cheezits, or beef sticks. While traveling, I like locally owned roadside places. One of my favorites was a Cajun buffet I discovered while in Louisiana. 3labsmom(at)gmail(dot)com

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  29. Bags of Goldfish Pretzel's. Small mom and pop roadside places. cheetahthecat1986ATgmailDOTcom

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  30. I love road trips. Always have. I enjoy stopping at unexpected gems along the way (like the Spam Museum in Minnesota, the Tom Sawyer display in Hannibal Missouri, or the Merideth Wilson exhibits in Mason City Iowa.
    I usually make some cookies for snacking, but they don't last long. We also bring a supply of nuts, hard candy, and pretzels. We try to eat at what look like "local" places when possible, but when we want something known it's Dairy Queen for an ice cream lunch or dinner or Chick-fil-a. lroth(at)pcext(dot)com

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  31. We love road tripping. I always pack a cooler with a variety of things - mostly protein (hard cooked eggs, sliced meats, peanut butter tubs, cheese slices), hand veggies (carrots, celery sticks, cucumber sticks, broccoli and cauliflower florets) and fresh fruit (apples, oranges and bananas). There will be cookies or blondies, and for salty gluten free pretzels or potato chips. I do like rice cakes with cheese or peanut butter. We try and eat at local restaurants/diners - hamburgers are usual fare or a local/regional specialty. The best hamburger we've eaten is at a small diner in Moab, Utah. Thick, juicy and definitely a two-hander! Thank you for the chance to win - madamhawk at g mail dot com.

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  32. We always have beef jerky and chips/salty snacks in the car. The whole family loves beef jerky. At a diner I don't think there is anything you can go wrong ordering. Diner food is great! I love a grilled cheese and bacon with gravy fries!
    hsdh1525@gmail.com

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  33. We’ll, we have the treat bag with popcorn, trail mix, oranges, crackers with cheese, crackers with peanut butter, Whoppers, and Milk Duds! Then our cold bag has, cheese sticks, candy (dark chocolate mostly), flavored water, and plain water, and cokes.
    We only stop for breakfast and usually make it waffles and pancakes. And we always have to have one all beef hot dog at one of the gas stops.

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  34. these were fun to read. when our kids lived at home, every vacation started out with dunkin doughnuts and chocolate milk. we allowed ourselves to kinda go a little crazy when we ate out on vacation. we enjoyed foods we didnt normally eat. I always took fruit and nuts and snacks for eating in the car along with water and other drinks and lots of paper towels (lol) quilting dash lady at comcast dot net

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  35. Having something salty is a must. I love to stop at mom and pops diners to try their specials. karden45@comcast.net, karen harris

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  36. My favorite roadside delight is the bacon and tomato sandwich on toast with mayo. You would be surprised how different they are uniquely made across the country! lindalou64(@)live(dot)com

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  37. What a fun post! Enjoyed reading everyone's comments. When we take road trips I usually pack water, different types of nuts, fruit and some soft of chips and chocolate!! LOL. My favorite roadside food is burgers, fries and a chocolate milkshake! Junk food at it's best!

    Thank you for the chance to this lovely book giveaway!

    jarjm1980(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  38. On a road trip, we usually take a variety of chips , sodas and bottled water, . At a diner, I might get country fried steak or an open-faced sandwich with gravy and mashed potatoes…depends on what they offer.

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    1. Forgot my email. smurphy(at)macados(dot)net

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  39. My husband always insists on leaving EARLYso we get breakfast on the road. Usually right off the highway. I enjoy oatmeal if it's homemade. It stays with you longer as we never know when hubby will decide to stop again! We have LifeSavers in the car becase he claims they keep him awake. Sometime we use Jolly Ranchers instead. We have seen much of the country this way. A good coffee shop is always special for me.
    bobntoni@aol.com

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  40. Chips are an absolute necessity on road trips especially the snack size. My favorite item to order at diner is chicken croquettes. Thanks for the chance!
    Jess
    maceoindo(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  41. We don't go on road trips often. simple treats sandwiches HB eggs cheese sticks. Dtop at McDonalds or other fast food o we can get on the road faster. Lynn Anderson frandly76@gmail.com

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  42. Dr Pepper is a must-have when I'm in the car - preferably a cherry vanilla Dr Pepper from Sonic with tater tots. When we're in NM always I have a Navajo taco (love the fry bread!) when we stop for a meal. We've traveled enough that I have favorite foods to order at roadside diners in most of the states & Canada. When in doubt I order a cheeseburger, onion rings & iced tea.

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  43. Dr Pepper is a must-have when I'm in the car - preferably a cherry vanilla Dr Pepper from Sonic with tater tots. When we're in NM always I have a Navajo taco (love the fry bread!) when we stop for a meal. We've traveled enough that I have favorite foods to order at roadside diners in most of the states & Canada. When in doubt I order a cheeseburger, onion rings & iced tea. lnchudej@yahoo.com

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  44. My hubby likes beef jerky which I can't stand. I usually get red licorice (Twizzlers). We both like a small can of Pringles and bananas. I love to have breakfast at a roadside dinner any time of the day! We love to play travel games I've printed off while on a road trip! Heidi

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    1. forgot my email ... slowthorp(at)iowatelecom(dot)net

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  45. We just got back from a road trip last night and I just had protein drinks for me and Sprite for my husband. We don't eat in the car. We stopped for a quick breakfast and lunch and were home for dinner. Thank you so much for a chance at your giveaway. pgenest57 at aol com

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  46. I absolutely love road trips. I am taking one in June. 😁 We usually pack sandwiches , chips etc to satisfy our growing kids for a few hours. I have to have beef jerky and some yummy sweet and salty snacks. I will stop anywhere that has Indian tacos. Love trying new things as well. Thanks so much angelagillooley@gmail.com

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  47. I haven't been on a road trip for quite a while, but we would take water and chips or nuts. we usually stopped at fast food places for lunch so burgers and fries/onion rings.
    wskwared(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  48. When I have driven from WA to MN, I usually take water, nuts, chips and fruit in the car. I like to get on the road early, stop for a brunch meal around 11am and then off the road by 4 or 5pm. Dinner is usually whatever restaurant I can find in whatever town I'm staying in that night. I also need trail mix with nuts and candy. Fun topic!! ljbonkoski@yahoo.com

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  49. Peanut butter crackers are great for a road trip. I like ordering burgers and fries from diners. Thanks for the chance! JL_Minter@Hotmail.com

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  50. Haven't been on a road trip in quite a while but we would stop at a place like fastrip and get Captains cream cheese and chives crackers, a package of mini donuts an iced coffee drink and hit the road. At a diner, usually cheeseburger and fries.

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  51. On road trips I love to have pop chips, pretzels, and skittles! I also love the colored mentos that my boyfriend and I call mens toes haha.

    At a road side diner, give me a greasy burger and some homemade chili!

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    1. The name should be Tricia Victor and I have no idea why my google account is using my old married last name when that is no longer on my profile. :/

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  52. We always pack a cooler with water, sodas and frozen Hershey’s Almond Candy bars when we go on road trips. Twizzlers and popcorn are also part of our snack pack.
    Roadside diners are iffy. Some have great food, others not so much! I worked at one as a waitress and our menu was pretty standard fare.

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  53. I haven't been on any trips in quite a while but had many as a child. Any road trips I've taken as an adult would have to include Tostitos and cheese or peanut butter crackers. I would love to take a road trip across Canada but alas, I've gotten too old for that. conney.parkhurst@gmail.com

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  54. Yikes,thought I'd already replied! I've been on road trips my entire life, until the past few years, of course. What surprised me most reading this was no one mentioned stopping at Stuckey's, where I always got a Pecan Log Roll. My mother taught me early to always pack coolers and bags of food like sandwiches,cheese & crackers,fruit,salty snacks of chips, nuts, sweets like candy,cookies,brownies etc. plus water, juice and soft drinks. Dh & I also like jerky and so did our dogs when they came along. We also enjoy eating local foods when we stop at a diner,or mom & pop joint, whether recommended or a happy unexpected surprise! Yay for road trips! lola777_22 at hotmail dot com

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  55. I grew up on road trips with camping and national parks. My mom always packed M&ms, plenty of water, pretzels, string cheese and some cookies. Today, I prefer to fly but loved those road trips! I don't like M&Ms or string cheese now in my 50s - perhaps too much then.

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  56. I haven't been on a road trip in years. Unfortunately I get car sick and cannot eat while we are on the road. When we do stop I usually order a breakfast item. I'm never disappointed. However, we have to wait a while before I can get back in the car so we stop somewhere that has places we can visit. Thank you for the giveaway! mittens0831@aol.com

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  57. The plot line of S'More Murders sounds great. My nephew is 11 & is fascinated by the ill-fated adventure of the Titantic so we've done quite a bit of research into the clothes, the meals, the captain, the passengers, etc. My nephew got a captain's uniform like the Captain of the Titantic wore for his birthday and of course he had a cake shaped & decorated like the Titantic. Looking forward to reading S'More Murders! lnchudej@yahoo.com

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  58. Give me black coffee or unsweet tea to drink and kettle chips, gummy bears or starbursts.

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    1. oops-hit send too soon. Love to try places that are different and I can't get at home. Never can go wrong with a rare steak and salad if all else fails, but game for almost anything. ambersalley@msn.com

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  59. I enjoy road trips and usually take salty snacks (popcorn, chips, pretzels) and chocolate treats (M&Ms, Hershey Kisses). Twizzlers are a favorite too! We don’t eat at roadside diners.

    Meljprincess AT aol DOT com

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  60. Road trips call for sugar and chips but no drinks because I would have to pee way to many times and diner food would be a burger. Mama2bulls AT gmail Dot COM

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  61. I gotta have the little cheesy cracker sandwiches and slim Jims on road trips. And from diners I love getting breakfast: corned beef hash, eggs over easy, and has browns!

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  62. When I was young it was Pepsi, beef jerky and raspberry filled powdered donuts. My kids aren't as fortunate, lol. We still have the jerky, but we also travel with water, sliced fruit and veggies. I usually have a couple bags of Beanfield's chips and we sometimes stop for a sugary treat. I do miss road trips, though not all have been great, they still make fun memories. Looking forward to trips to come! I really wanted to go to LCC. I lived in NM as a very young child and remember a place near our home where we would go for fry bread frequently. The more air bubbles the better, more places to fill with honey! YUM! konecny7(at)gmail(dot)com

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  63. Road trip car food means coffee, milkshakes and donuts. Mom and pop diners are the best. Love their chicken fried steak, burgers, mashed potatoes and fries. Homemade New England clamp chowder is a must if on the east coast.
    bonniejdavis@ptd.net

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  64. It depends on who I am traveling with. One friend is always looking for a good hamburger. I like to look for local places to eat. As my uncle told me “Look for places with local license plates” (when traveling out of state.) I like to at foods that are known for a particular area. So lobster in New England, salmon in the Northwest, cornbread in the south (no sugar) etc.

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