You can go old-school with Power Bars unwrapped, cut into pieces and stuck to your top tube. If the race is windy and dusty you can get a nice extra crunch. I think the grit also helps prevent tarter build-up on your teeth.

Is that all you take in (store-bought Gatorade)? I'm not questioning your methods. I'm hoping your answer is "yes" :)

Gatorade & water.

ETA: Generally Gatorade only on the bike. On the run, since the Gatorade is mixed differently from aid station to aid station, sometimes a water chaser is needed to wash down the stronger Gatorade mixes.

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Pink? Maybe. Maybe not. You decide.

There is unlikely to be a performance benefit or cost from a well planned food and water approach.

The advantages of a real food approach would thus be cost and general health.
The disadvantage is convenience.