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While summer road trips are extra rough on the ol’ petrol budget right now, some of you road warriors will press on. Save a buck (not to mention health in general and a lot of wasteful crinkly packages) by making some of your own road trip snacks.

With some healthier options at the ready, you really will be less likely to exit for drive-thrus, convenience stores and other snackeries. Go into the trip with eyes wide open. Gas will cost approximately one million dollars. You don’t want to spend more on garbage food, plus your summer bod will thank you. The healthier car foods will be there to quench boredom, hunger and whatever else ails you as you head out on the highway looking for adventure.

Don’t misunderstand. I fully support stopping for fare that puts a place on the map, such as deep dish pizza in Chicago, Philly cheesesteaks or fudge in Uranus. I’m not a monster. Healthy car snacks are there to bridge the gap between the vacation foods.

When considering the car-snack options and the inevitable mess that will come, I lean toward crumbly messy; sticky messy, not so much. A quick vacuum will remove wayward granola, but a precious container of say, caramel apple dip, once upended can possibly never be undone, plus cause discomfort for the remainder of said road trip. Let’s just not.

After a recent impromptu Branson trip where I held a real live baby kangaroo in my arms, I found myself reminiscing about schlepping a diaper bag and stroller everywhere. Simply put, they were a place to carry precious cargo. Like toddlers. and snacks. Instead of grazing on stroller snacks throughout the day, on the drive home my teenager and I found ourselves throwing fistfuls of Honey Nut Cheerios into our waiting open mouths like baby birds. If I’d been just a teensy bit more prepared, we could have eaten like warriors. Road warriors.

Try these recipes to set yourself up for success on your summer adventures.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large zip-top bag, combine olive oil and chickpeas. Seal top and shake until all chickpeas are coated. Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Add spice mixture to bag; reseal and shake until all chickpeas are coated. Spread chickpeas in one layer on a large baking sheet. Roast in preheated oven for 35-45 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until crunchy and browned.

1 cups pitted Medjool dates (about 10 dates)

Add dates to food processor. Pulse until dates form a paste.

Add peanuts and salt, pulsing until peanuts are finely chopped. Using damp hands, form mixture into 1-inch balls. Store in an airtight container.

¼ cup pure maple syrup or honey

¼ cup creamy, salted natural peanut butter

Process dates in a food processor until only small bits remain. Optional step: Toast oats in a 350-degree oven for 10-15 minutes or until slightly golden brown.

Place oats, almonds and dates in a mixing bowl and set aside. Warm maple syrup and peanut butter in a small sauce pan over low heat. Stir and pour over oat mixture and mix, breaking up the dates to disperse throughout.

Once thoroughly mixed, transfer to an 8-inch-by-8-inch baking dish lined with parchment paper or plastic wrap. Press mixture down firmly until uniformly flat. The bottom of a drinking glass helps really pack them down. Place in fridge or freezer for about 20 minutes, them remove bars from pan and slice into 9 squares.

Amanda Stone is a food and gardening columnist for The Joplin Globe. Email questions to amandastone31@gmail.com or mail her c/o The Joplin Globe, P.O. Box 7, Joplin, MO 64802.

Amanda Stone is a food and gardening columnist for The Joplin Globe. Email questions to amandastone31@gmail.com or mail her c/o The Joplin Globe, P.O. Box 7, Joplin, MO 64802.

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