I'm okay with real food on rides, except that I'd rather stop somewhere to eat rather than carry it with me--I only have so much pocket space! In summer, though, I have a harder time handling real food without taking a long time to digest it, which can be a real problem on rides longer than 40 miles because I need the protein. Clif bars are okay, provided that I eat them gradually.

I usually pack plain water and either a Clif bar or some shot blocks (margarita (if it's really hot), cran-ras, strawberry, lemon-lime or berry) or a combination if I plan on a long ride. If it's really hot/humid, I bring somewhat diluted Gatorade.