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Road Trips: Feeding Kids

By , About.com Guide

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Everyone's piled in the minivan, the miles are flying by... and somebody's hungry. What to do? Check out five strategies for feeding kids on the road.

  • Bring along lots of snacks and drinks. You'll have much more control over when and where to stop if you can quench a thirst on the spot, or postpone a meal until it's convenient.
  • Stop at a fast-food place with a ball-room / indoor playground. Let the kids play around and burn off some steam; then take their half-eaten, or untouched meals, to the car so they can eat later. (Tip: bring along some plastic food containers from home.)
  • Stop at a grocery store and head to the deli to buy fixings for a picnic. Then find a park, and let the kiddies run around while everyone takes a break. (And bring along a frisbee or ball, to play with in the park.)
  • If you really have no time to stop, do a drive-through at a fast-food restaurant and pick the non-messy items. This has actually been studied! Click for best picks.
Remember: just as an army marches on its stomach (- it was Napoleon who said that), the family road trip only goes forward when tummies are filled.

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