The 25 best gas station snacks you need to stop for on your next road trip

They’re kind of addictive, these sweet little individually wrapped fruit chews. Look at the bag carefully so you know which assorted fruits are inside. We prefer the pineapple, mango and kiwi fruit bag. The kiwi fruit has chia seeds in it to represent the seeds: so cute! Each nugget has a fruit-flavored core with an outer white coating, which gives a little bit of a sushi vibe—and in fact, this is a Japanese candy. It originated as an edible chewing gum since there is a cultural taboo against taking food out of your mouth while eating. It’s gluten-free but not vegetarian (gelatin is an ingredient).

In days of yore, parents carefully crafted these at home, melting marshmallow fluff and measuring out Rice Krispies cereal. Today, you can buy them in a bright blue bag and they taste almost as good as homemade. They are crunchy, chewy, and not overly sweet. Some bags have an empty space where you can Sharpie in your name and make sure nobody steals your treat.

A favorite, this no-nonsense peanut caramel bar has peanuts studded into caramel surrounding a nougat core. There’s no chocolate here, so this appeals to more salty-minded folks. Why the name? Apparently, it was payday at the plant the day the 1932 inventors were trying to name it. Bonus: gluten-free.

There’s a mild entertainment value to getting a f’real shake, since you select the kind of shake cup you want from the refrigerated case, decide among three levels of thickness, and put it in the machine. Loud noises transpire as you wonder what’s going on inside, and then a few minutes later you get a delicious creamy shake. Don’t be intimidated; the machine’s screen walks you through the process. And the resulting drink is just as good a shake as you’d get from a fast food window, at a fraction of the cost.

What we love about this snack is how crispy it is. It’s a great stress-reducer (did you miss that left turn at Albuquerque?) to grind through big handfuls of it, with its dark and light (wheat and corn) cereal pieces, rye chips, mini pretzels and mini breadsticks, all covered in a savory seasoning. Last year, Chex teamed with Sir Mix-A-Lot to release a video, “Bagel Is Back,” riffing on his hit “Baby Got Back,” to let people know that bagel chips are once again returned to the mix.

Even though this delicious chocolate bar is straight from Switzerland, it can be found in pretty much any candy aisle. It’s a bit of European elegance, and the subtle crackle of embedded almond nougat makes this a delicious choice. Inside the wrapper, the triangular shapes make it easy to break off individual pieces to share around the car—the little pyramids may remind you of the Matterhorn on the packaging.

These are spicy—just enough to get you sitting with better posture in your car—but not crazy hot; they’re perfect. Miss Vickie’s a real person who started making chips in 1987 with potatoes from her family’s third-generation farm. There are no artificial flavors or preservatives in these, so munch away without regrets.

We know toddlers love plain goldfish, but when you choose the flavor-blasted variety, you’re showing how open you are to dramatic experiences and how very grown-up you are. These are fun to hold individually between thumb and index finger, which maybe slows down our voracious devouring of this cute little seafood. As Dory would say, just keep driving.

These pungent honey mustard and onion-flavored pretzel chunks aren't great for a romantic road trip with a new love interest. But for all other travel circumstances, they'll do just fine. Do yourself (and your car-mate) a favor and grab a pack of gum as a palate cleanser.

Admittedly not the sexiest snack on this list, honey-roasted peanuts are more of a sleeper hit that you should stash away in your glove compartment for a long stretch of freeway driving. Equal parts savory and sweet, these dressed-up nuts hit the spot when you're fresh out of podcasts and miles from your destination.

You'll giggle like a pre-teen when you see it: a full pickle floating in brine packed inside a clear plastic bag. You're going to want to open this sucker before hopping back in the car—be sure to drain the juice and hang onto the bag for handling purposes.

We're not trying to pick a fight, but Mambas beat Starbursts any day of the week. The chew is a bit more satisfying, and the flavors are slightly creamy. Each pack contains 18 individually wrapped fruit chews in four flavors (lemon, orange, raspberry, and strawberry), so it's easy to make them last for a few days if you have the willpower.

Sugary worms coated in even more lip-puckering sour sugar? They're nutritionally null, but these neon-hued creepy crawlers will provide the short-lived energy boost you need to make it through the final slog of your journey.

Repeat after us; you are not above gas station taquitos. These cylindrical handheld treats beckon from the roller grill near the register. Go ahead and give in—whether you like 'em stuffed with cheese and chicken or laced with jalapeño cream cheese.

Gas stations aren't exactly known for their breakfast options unless you delight in green bananas and sugary lattes (and if you do, no judgment!). But if you venture into the snack aisle, you might find a little blue packet of hope in the form of Pop-Tarts—s'mores are the way to go, sunshine!

Worried that you're dulling your taste buds on bland fast food burgers? Bring them back to life with Takis Fuego, which boasts the terrifying tagline "A bite of lava." These addictive rolled tortilla chips are seasoned with hot chili pepper and a hint of lime, so grab a drink from the cold case to tame the heat.

The open road is the perfect place to rediscover an old favorite, and who doesn't have a soft spot for salt and vinegar chips? Whether you like the kettle variety or the good old-fashioned oil-dappled kind, the allure of tongue-puckering vinegar is irresistible. Pair it with something chocolatey for the ultimate match.

The happy medium between butter-drenched movie theater popcorn and dried-out "health" popcorn, Smartfood's white cheddar variety tastes indulgent (cheese powder for the win!) without the caloric overload.

Combos are quite possibly the ideal savory snack for the road. They're not greasy like chips, and they wear their flavor on the inside, so your fingers won't be coated in cheese powder after devouring a bag. You'll find them in a variety of flavors—from pepperoni pizza to buffalo blue cheese—but cheddar cracker is an untouchable favorite.

Can't decide between salty and sweet? Chocolate-coated roasted peanuts should do the trick. Easy to pop on the go and perfectly sized to stash in the cupholder, peanut M&M's are a classic car pleaser—no matter who you're traveling with.

Sorry, drivers; this one is for co-pilots only—unless you're cool with coating your steering wheel in bright red Cheeto dust. The mess factor of consuming these cheesy puffs is balanced out only by the tongue-tingling reward that comes with them. Here's hoping you packed some Wet Naps!

If the last time you saw or tasted a Cosmic Brownie was in the school lunchroom circa 1990, it's time to change that. These fudgy, sprinkle-topped morsels live up to the hype your 6-year-old self remembers. Plus, they'll be gone too fast to make a mess of your car.

For the practical and responsible traveler, jerky is absolutely clutch. High in protein and low in calories, these lean strips of dried meat are easy to devour on the go and leave you feeling full until you pull off the road for lunch. And if beef isn't your jam, most gas stations now carry alternatives like turkey, pork, and bison. And for vegetarians: broccoli jerky. JK!

When you boil it down, Snickers might just be the world's perfect candy bar. Nougat, caramel, peanuts and chocolate combine to create a mélange of texture and flavor. Plus, you're bound to spot those iconic blue letters no matter where you're pulling over.

If we could choose just one road trip snack for the rest of our lives, we'd have to go with a big bag of Doritos. And when it comes to these flavor-dusted, triangle-shaped chips, Nacho Cheese is boss (sorry, Cool Ranchers). Every morsel delivers a bold, cheesy flavor to light up your taste buds. And no, we'd never judge you for licking your fingers clean after plowing through a bag.