There is just something about a road trip that makes you stock up on strange, quickie-mart foods. Things that we do not buy at the grocery store on a regular day is now coveted when you are on the road and making a pit stop at some divey gas/mart. We peruse the aisles like it's some gourmet buffet, when in reality it's just crap food that you wouldn't touch if you were at home. But it's so enticing when you are on the open road, with no rules or healthy food to hold you back.
Foods like Tangy Taffy, Corn Nuts (that nearly break your teeth), PayDay candy bars, and Powerade have all been known to find their way to our car, but there is just one treat that is the staple of vacation car rides in our family-----Twizzlers. And they have to be the red rope variety--none of those bite-size kinds or twisty-peel-away kind. We are connoisseurs of Twizzlers, this family.
I'm not sure who started the Twizzler thing for road trips, but it isn't a trip until whoever is driving makes the call: "Got any of dem dere Twizzler sticks?" And you have to say it like that for some reason. It's part of the history that is our family road trip snack-o-rama. So, we roll our eyes, and hand over the bag of Twizzlers, and then proceed to inhale those suckers like we have never eaten before.
While we all laugh about the stupid Twizzlers/vacation connection, I can remember my mom stocking up on Snaps when we were kids. We never bought Snaps the rest of the year--it was only for vacation, and only for the car ride. We didn't eat the Snaps the rest of vacation if I remember right. Nope--we had PayDays and Bugles for the actual vacation part.
PayDay candy bars were for the beach and the pool wherever we went on vacation. It was a huge treat to sit in the sunshine on your beach towel and snarf down that delectable combination of sweet and salty. To this day, we buy PayDay candy bars for the pool and the beach for my own family. It's kinda a history thing.
I think all of this trip/candy thing started with my grandpa, he used to pass out candy to all the kids in the car whenever we went somewhere with him. Oh, what a kick it was to hear him laugh as he passed out candies to us. We never got in the car with him without it. I'd like to think he started the craze, but then I read the article in the paper today. Apparently other people have "Traveling Candy" too.
Ms. Brotman wrote about her addiction (Hostess orange cupcakes) because Hostess just filed bankruptcy and the future of all HoHos, Ding Dongs, Twinkies (No more Twinkie Casserole????! GASP!), and fruit pies is uncertain. Imagine your traveling food gone forever? What?! No Twizzlers??! I don't want to imagine. Vacation would be ruined, I suspect.
It's one thing to have the kids grow up and leave us to take vacations alone. But it is a whole other thing to be Twizzler-less.
24 comments:
I'm right there with you on the Twizzlers and the Paydays. Oh, and I drink those Starbucks bottled coffees too when on a road trip and eat all kinds of crap potato chippy stuff too!
Our travel food is apples and peanuts to munch on and water from our own well to drink. I love those giant Corn Nuts. Must be the salt.
Nice new commenting form! Woohoo!
I don't think we ever had or have a special travel food. And we travel a LOT (I have a hungry travel blog that I must feed constantly, lol). Maybe the only treat I get is bottled water or juices.
When I was a kid, we NEVER got sweets for traveling. There were 6 of us kids. All that sugar would have made us into 6 little tasmanian devils, and my parents already thought we were crazed as it was...
I SO totally get this! I can't travel without my supply of food. It's an essential part of the road trip. (And I consider a road trip as, you know, like driving to work.) Love you blog pal! Thanks for your support and love!
I have to chuckle because the first thing that popped into my mind when I read your first sentence was, mmmmm Twizzlers.
heh
Haha...it's sad, but true...I think when you are stuck in the car for so long you have to have something to be excited about! Junk food is really one of the only things that fills this space!
P.S.- Have you read this blog? Thought it might inspire you....http://www.redpepperquilts.com/
Shhhhhhhhhhhshhh...if the cops get ahold of this eating candy and driving will be out too! Great Post! Fran's Dad
When I was a kid it was always lemon lifesavers. We ALWAYS had lemon lifesavers on long car rides.
When Wade and I went on our first long car trip I said I had to get snacks for the ride and he looked at my like I was nuts. Apparently this is something he missed out on all these years.
My Mommeh wants to go on a trip and eat Twizzlers now!
You may not like me after this but I think Twizzlers tasste like crayons! But, I do like Red Vines. I remember when I was a kid, eating hot dogs from A&W rootbear, eating Bell brand potato chips and other other things that we wouldn't be able to have normally.
Hostess is bankrupt??? Noooooo!!! I love their Cherry pies. I may have to grab a few and freeze them.
I can't remember the last time I've had Twizzlers but now I'm craving them! When we go on road trips we just make sure to pack Sadie's treats for her but ours tends to get forgotten. I think we'll need to change that!
Oooh, I like those bottled coffees on the road too! I just had one when I was driving Col back to college. :)
But see, that's the beauty of it--you can just pull into a gas station quick mart for YOUR snack!
Everybody has their own poison, Simone. Ours is Twizzlers, yours is Hostess Cherry pies! I'm not sure they are closing up, but they did file for bankruptcy. :( Imagine no Twinkie Casserole! NOOOOOO!
Oh yeah! And she's gotta say it like this: "Hey! Got any of dem dere Twizzler sticks back there?" (Kinda like a cowboy) It makes 'em taste better. ;)
Wade. Wade. Wade. I guess that speaks volumes about Wade, doesn't it? Poor Wade. I think there is time for an intervention.
Thanks, Mike--I had the cops at my house today because the cat was crying by the side door! I think you whammied me! Sheesh. And yes, I think Twizzlin' and driving is gonna be next on the illegal list. :(
No. No. No. That is all too healthy, Chuck. Sheesh. You gotta have BAD stuff--you know, the stuff you would never dream of eating on a regular day?! Well, the corn nuts qualify..
I think you need to start this, pally. No trip is without some sort of crap to eat on the road. Pull into a gas station quick mart on your next trip and surprise the family--junk food for everyone!! I want a full report.
Betty, I'm so glad you are back. I was thinking and thinking of you all through the holidays. I think you have made it through the worst, my friend. I hope so.
So, what is your poison, Betty? Twizzlers? SnoBalls? Twinkies?
They are clean, not messy, not sticky, but sweet enough to be candy. And if you drop them between the seats, they just get hard and stale! It's like the most perfect traveling food EVER.
It just makes the long ride more enjoyable. And you have to fill up on gas, so why not your stomach too??
Damn you, NANCY!!! I'm gonna kill you for showing me that!!! Now I want to dig out my machine, all my fabric, and get into quilting again. aarrrrggghhhhh!!
I'd LOVE to make that quilt that she just finished! It's adorable! (And easy)
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