Food for flying - Suggestions?

[dreiwhit]

When I used to fly for business, I would take along a bag of Combos, pretzals, or snacks like that. I would also buy a 20 ounce drink from the airport vending machine or vendors before boarding the plane. For a full meal, I would time my flights so that I could either eat before departure or during my lay over. If the flights were at a weird time, the snacks would tide me over.

 

[hsmamato2]

I always bring snacks...just in case. I like bagged almonds or walnuts, maybe some granola bars etc. We just get gross peanuts on the plane anyway and I never eat them (or sometimes cheezits) My fave food to buy in the airport (if it's morning) is oatmeal from McDonalds (after security) it's simple,and it's about the only Mcdonalds food I eat! Sometimes if we have a dinnertime flight home I'll buy a salad from somewhere in the airport before boarding plane.... my ds1 likes to bring a giant chipotle burito on evening flights..... and break it out when he gets bored it always smells so good - when my kids were little I always packed food, but my DH LOVES McD's (ewwww) and he insists on getting it every time we fly!

 

[marcyleecorgan]

Salty snacks and cheese... oh yeah! Also if we can find olives... I LOOOOOOOOOOVE eating olives on a plane...

 

[Princess Disney Mom]

I bring hard boiled eggs and sandwiches. I freeze the sandwiches overnight so they last.

 

[RedK]

A suggestion - whatever you pack, pack it in something clear like a ziploc bag or saran wrap. If you pack it in aluminum foil, the xray machine will detect a solid block and your luggage and lunch will get searched. That will delay you and possibly contaminate your lunch.

 

[NotUrsula]

Try to avoid things that have strong odors and things like chicken pieces that leave bones as residue, because they smell pretty strong in the trash, unless you make it a point to seal your trash in ziplocs before throwing it away. Personally, I'd have to get up and go loiter by the rear WC if someone seated next to me pulled out a boiled egg or a baggie of broccoli -- the smell of either of those makes me quite nauseous. (Not a threat of anaphylaxis, so I wouldn't ask you not to eat it, but I'd have to get as far away as I could until it was gone.)

In order to pass through security, condiments must either be already on the food, or carried in your 3-1-1 baggie in packets smaller than 3.4 oz. You may carry an empty water bottle through security to be filled airside, or buy your drinks airside; liquid drinks other than baby formula won't make it through the checkpoint.

Situations like the ATL power failure today illustrate why it is always a good idea to carry some kind of food and some water with you on flights. Closed restaurants aside, landing delays or tarmac delays can often mean that you are on your own for munchies.

 

[Starwind]

I'm wondering what people like to bring to eat on the plane, on a long flight (5.5 hrs) with unreliable and rather unappetizing food service (according to review sites.)

I figure peanut butter and jelly is out, because of the smell and possibility of sitting next to an allergic passenger.

I don't like canned tuna, chicken salad, etc.

Is it safe to bring a sandwich with meat from the fridge at home, when I'm likely to be at the airport 2-3 hours before the flight? Or to pick up a turkey sandwich at some place like Panera on the way to the airport, and just have it sitting at room temp for a few hours? The TSA site says ice packs are only allowed if completely frozen; can I put ice cubes in a Ziploc and dump the melted water out before going thru security, or would they balk at the tiny bit of water around the ice?

TIA.

I have multiple food allergies, so cannot eat airplane food.

Wowbutter is a peanut butter substitute made from soy butter. It looks and tastes pretty much like PB and is an excellent safe choice for sandwiches. They also make individual portion cups, but those would be subject to the 3-1-1 rules. I bring wowbutter portion cups and some 4 packs of saltine crackers, plus some granola bars.

SW