'When Are We Going to Get There?'

Kid-friendly Culinary Solutions for Long Car Rides.

With more Americans than ever driving to their vacation destinations, long -- and sometimes boring -- car rides are back. But what to pack for a car load of kids that won't mean sticky fingers, food fights and sugar rushes?

The chef instructors of The Art Institutes suggest natural sugars are the way to go. According to Joseph Shilling, the Chef Director of The Art Institute of New York City, "Stay away from 'energy' snacks -- foods with high carbs. Instead, pack dried fruits, and your children's favorite low-sugar breakfast cereal." Pack individual portions in plastic bags, so kids can control their own snack intake.

For staying hydrated, chef Shilling says, "Water, water, water. It's more effective than fruit juices and sodas which just make kids thirstier." Another trick Shilling uses with his culinary students is to suck on natural sugar cane. "The unprocessed sugar helps you hydrate naturally. Raw sugar cane is available now in most supermarkets," he says.

Another approach for snack packing is to have kids participate in the snack making advises chef Peter Adams of The Illinois Institute of Art Chicago. Adams discourages food kids can throw around the car, like Cheerios, although he acknowledges the cereal is a healthy snack.

Instead, Adams suggests a peanut butter sandwich on healthy, whole wheat bread. "I like those great cookie cutters in dinosaur, car or shell shapes. I have children cut out shapes from their peanut butter sandwiches, and pack them in small sandwich bags," he says. When they're involved in the process, they are more likely to eat the snack and less likely to use it as a missile aimed at a sibling.

For another fun treat, Adams likes sugar-free Gummi Bears candies or even better, dried mangoes and bananas. The bigger the pieces the better, says the chef, "they take longer to chew, and therefore stay entertaining longer."

With two young daughters of his own, chef Bill Niemer of The Art Institutes International Minnesota believes he's found the perfect travel food for kids. "Flour Tortilla Roll Ups are a recipe I developed for my kids," says Niemer. "You can substitute any ingredient that they prefer. Give the kids choices and you will be a hero. But my daughters' favorite one is as follows," he says:

Flour Tortilla Rolls Ups

1 flour tortilla, 6 or 8 inch

1 tablespoon Ranch dressing

2 leaves romaine lettuce, finely chopped

1/4 cup grated carrots

2 slices smoked turkey breast

1/4 cup grated Swiss cheese

Heat tortilla for 35 seconds in the microwave to soften. Lay flat on the cutting board and place ranch dressing in center of the tortilla. Spread out dressing evenly over tortilla. Lay down the smoked turkey on top of the dressing. Sprinkle carrots, romaine and Swiss cheese evenly over turkey. Roll tortilla up like a burrito. Start by folding one side of tortilla half of the way to the other side. Fold in the opposite sides to the center, roll the tortilla over itself all the way to the other side.

EDITOR'S NOTE: The Art Institutes system of 24 educational institutions is located nationwide, providing an important source of design, media arts, fashion and culinary professionals. The Art Institutes system of schools has provided career-oriented education programs for 40 years with more than 125,000 graduates. For more information, visit The Art Institutes Web site at www.artinstitutes.edu/nz.