What foods for frequent flyers to pack on planes?

[MelissaH]

MelissaH - If you're flying United, you most likely will be in T1 (a very limited number of their flights arrive/depart out of T2). For caffeine, there's always Starbucks and numerous other vendors. Wolfgang Puck is OK for a quick bite or to grab something to carry on board.

A full list of the concessions in T1 can be found here. I assume that, with the exception of the bars, most will be open at the time you will be there.

Safe trip.

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Ah, it looks like I'm going to hit the jackpot. My United Express flight into ORD comes into Terminal 2 tomorrow, but my flight out leaves from Terminal 1. And my flight home (the connection from the redeye) also leaves from Terminal 2. (That's based on tracking the flights the last few days, and seeing what they have posted for tomorrow.) So I get to do a couple of mad dashes through the airport, and I'm guessing that I won't have much time to stop for anything.

I did, however, leave enough room in my luggage for a bottle of water, should I have the time to purchase one.

MelissaH

[Colgate]

In light of the liquid ban and overall poor quality/cost of airport food, what are your favorite foods to bring on planes these days? I often fly a few times per week and would like to keep a good stock of items at home that I can grab and throw in my carry-on bag for outbound and returning flights. So far, I've thought of:

Peanut butter

Energy bars

Vegetable sticks (but maybe just one-way, as they should stay cold)

Tins of tuna

Cheese (that doesn't need refrigeration)

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As someone who flys often, please please please please PLEASE do not bring 'tins of tuna' on the plane!

On a side note, I've actually flown next to someone recently who had their own little cheese and charcuterie plate, sliced bread, etc. with them. Was SOOOO jealous sitting there with my meager PB&J...

Edited September 7, 2006 by Colgate (log)

[NeilMalek]

I've been on about 30 flights since the new TSA regs went into effect. With O'Hare as my base, destinations have included most of the major airports on both coasts and to/through points in between. After clearing the TSA screening area, it appears to be "business as usual" at all locations. Not once have I seen additional screening at the gates I'm boarding through or the ones nearby. Several times I've witnessed individuals putting bottled water that they had purchased in the terminal into their carry on bag and zipping right on board. So much for the new regs.

My only experience so far was Columbus -> Dallas -> San Jose / San Jose -> O'Hare -> Columbus; they checked my bag at the gate in both Columbus and Dallas, but not San Jose or O'Hare.

I kinda wish we could count on standards of some kind. I would've loved to bring my own drink on the return flight.

[therese]

I'm flying to Italy tomorrow, direct from Atlanta to Milan on Delta. I've just called and requested a special meal (cold seafood) which isn't going to be anything particularly great, but will likely be somewhat less nauseating than the typical economy class hot food (the thought makes me queasy) and I can almost certainly get the flight attendant to retrieve it for me in advance of regular meal service. That way I'll be able to start my body's switch to local time as soon as possible, and also have a relatively empty stomach on which to take Ambien.

Meal requested for return flight as well, but I'll likely be rounding that out with something great from the trip.

[dls]

In light of the liquid ban and overall poor quality/cost of airport food, what are your favorite foods to bring on planes these days? I often fly a few times per week and would like to keep a good stock of items at home that I can grab and throw in my carry-on bag for outbound and returning flights. So far, I've thought of:

Peanut butter

Energy bars

Vegetable sticks (but maybe just one-way, as they should stay cold)

Tins of tuna

Cheese (that doesn't need refrigeration)

←

As someone who flys often, please please please please PLEASE do not bring 'tins of tuna' on the plane!

On a side note, I've actually flown next to someone recently who had their own little cheese and charcuterie plate, sliced bread, etc. with them. Was SOOOO jealous sitting there with my meager PB&J...

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I ditto that. As much as I love good quality canned tuna, it does put off quite an odor in a confined space. Tried it once on a flight and it was really obnoxious.

Along those lines, nix the pastrami as mentioned upthread. I was flying SFO > ORD a few years ago, and even though I was upfront with a full meal service, I decided to pass on that and picked up a really big, fat, and juicy pastrami sandwich from David's Deli en route to the airport. When the meals were served, I opened my very fragrant sandwich and started devouring it. After a few minutes, I noticed heads looking around trying to figure out what the smell was. A few minutes later, a lady sitting a few rows ahead of me said to her travelling companion "Do you smell that? I think something is wrong with the plane. Are we going to crash?" Sheepishly, I rewrapped the remainder of the sandwich and carried it to the lavatory and threw it ito the trash container. Shortly thereafter, a gentleman exited the lavatory and told the FA that something was seriously wrong with it and that he would prefer to use the one in the economy section. Last of my airborne pastrami sandwiches.

[jsmeeker]

TSA did search every bag again at the gate for my flight from Buffalo to BWI.

I assumed it was because we were flying to DC.

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I saw National Guard troops doing the same at LAX two weeks ago. I was actually surprised that my flight back to DFW was NOT screened by them at boarding time.

[Rebecca263]

Gee, you guys have iron constitutions! I can't eat ANYTHING even remotely salty when I fly. I always pack fruit, fruit, fruit and carrots.

[Pookie]

Flying back from Dublin to Toronto last week we were allowed to have liquid on the plane. I had both duty free and a water bottle in my carryon.

I mostly take granola bars when I fly. Keep forever and of they get squished they are still good.

[ned]

No duty free alchohol?  Oh dear, I'm going to Jamaica in a few months...  This makes me very unhappy.

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Never fear, you can still buy duty free in Jamaica. I was just there a couple of weeks ago.

BTW on that same trip we "accidentally" managed to import some fantastic roasted chicken from Boston Bay. OOPS.

. . .  "Do you smell that? I think something is wrong with the plane. Are we going to crash?" Sheepishly, I rewrapped the remainder of the sandwich and carried it to the lavatory and threw it ito the trash container. Shortly thereafter, a gentleman exited the lavatory and told the FA that something was seriously wrong with it and that he would prefer to use the one in the economy section. Last of my airborne pastrami sandwiches.

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I can just see the headline "Flight 101 escorted by fighter jets and forced to land beecause sad man threw away pastrami sandwich in 1st class lavatory."

Edited September 8, 2006 by ned (log)

[Pam R]

I just saw a story about what's allowed on the news yesterday (I think). The rules are different in Canada and the US so it's always good to check with the airline or airport.

[fodgycakes]

No duty free alchohol?  Oh dear, I'm going to Jamaica in a few months...  This makes me very unhappy.

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Never fear, you can still buy duty free in Jamaica. I was just there a couple of weeks ago.

BTW on that same trip we "accidentally" managed to import some fantastic roasted chicken from Boston Bay. OOPS.

I think the poster refers to being able to take it back on the plane since it's liquid. You couldn't carry on the alcohol, but you can bring it back in your checked luggage.

[ned]

There's a duty free past the baggage check in the Kingston airport. It's up and running. They have a weird system where you buy booze then surrender it as you board and then they give it back at some point later on.

[Soupcon]

For those who need to keep medicines or anything else cool in flight...take vac packed frozen vegetables to use instead of ice packs.... the powers that be can see what is inside... so they can't be confiscated.... and they keep frozen just as long as icepacks or jell packs.

[jdtofbna]

Flew home yesterday after 10 days in England. On the flight over, thanks to eGulleteers on a thread I started some time back, I took a grilled veggie sandwich on whole grain baguette: spread the baguette with herbed chevre, added some Provolone, roasted red peppers, grilled zuke, yellow squash, red onion, red peppers, wrapped very tightly overnight so it all smushed together nicely. The only trouble I encountered was the bag searchers at Dulles wanted to confiscate it for themselves! Also took granola bars, a couple of bananas and some trail mix. And, if I might add, 12 hours is a damn long time to go without brushing your teeth....

[SheenaGreena]

Along those lines, nix the pastrami as mentioned upthread. I was flying SFO > ORD a few years ago, and even though I was upfront with a full meal service, I decided to pass on that and picked up a really big, fat, and juicy pastrami sandwich from David's Deli en route to the airport. When the meals were served, I opened my very fragrant sandwich and started devouring it. After a few minutes, I noticed heads looking around trying to figure out what the smell was. A few minutes later, a lady sitting a few rows ahead of me said to her travelling companion "Do you smell that? I think something is wrong with the plane. Are we going to crash?" Sheepishly, I rewrapped the remainder of the sandwich and carried it to the lavatory and threw it ito the trash container. Shortly thereafter, a gentleman exited the lavatory and told the FA that something was seriously wrong with it and that he would prefer to use the one in the economy section. Last of my airborne pastrami sandwiches.

best thing ever!!!!!!!

Everything smells funny on a plane, although I heard that your sense of smell and taste is diminished when you are airborne. I usually eat kimbop on the plane and it consists of: seaweed, sushi rice, carrot, omelette, and takuan. You wouldn't think that it would smell, but it always reeks. Oh well, I still eat it.

[CaliPoutine]

For those who need to keep medicines or anything else cool in flight...take vac packed frozen vegetables to use instead of ice packs.... the powers that be can see what is inside... so they can't be confiscated.... and they keep frozen just as long as icepacks or jell packs.

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I'm happy to report that I had no problems with my ice packs. My medicine clearly states that it needs to be refridgerated so the ice packs were no problem. I was able to hold a sandwich in there as well.

[Lilija]

No duty free alchohol?  Oh dear, I'm going to Jamaica in a few months...  This makes me very unhappy.

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Never fear, you can still buy duty free in Jamaica. I was just there a couple of weeks ago.

BTW on that same trip we "accidentally" managed to import some fantastic roasted chicken from Boston Bay. OOPS.

. . .  "Do you smell that? I think something is wrong with the plane. Are we going to crash?" Sheepishly, I rewrapped the remainder of the sandwich and carried it to the lavatory and threw it ito the trash container. Shortly thereafter, a gentleman exited the lavatory and told the FA that something was seriously wrong with it and that he would prefer to use the one in the economy section. Last of my airborne pastrami sandwiches.

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Thank God, and thank you for the info. I figured you still could, somehow..some way. You buy the duty free in the airport, after your stuff is checked and they give you the anal probing at the security gate, so it's all legit.

My condolences about the sammich...

Edited September 21, 2006 by Lilija (log)

[shellfishfiend]

Just got back form a trip to California and was suprised by the number of people I saw pulling liquids out of their bags once on board. I did see a few people have their drinks confiscated at the gate, but the "no liquid" rule did not appear to be strictly enforced.

As for me, I always carry fruit and either french bread or pita chips. Onigiri, if I could buy it, would be my number one choice.

[memesuze]

Just as for most other security measures, I am not comforted by the results of my having been randomly selected at the gate for a closer look at my carry-on luggage: the TSA screener dug around, but failed to open the large tube of leftover dinner from the night before that was wrapped in a white plastic bag. The wrapping prevented her from ascertaining what was rolled up - could have been Semtex, could have been a giant tube of gel, who knows....and they're still using wands at the initial screening - only pat-downs would find tubes of material or liquid secreted under clothing or in pockets. Once again, form over substance.

[MelissaH]

As of a couple of weeks ago, when I changed planes in O'Hare we got many announcements to the effect of no liquids and no gels, but there was no apparent enforcement either. I didn't see anyone actually try to get their boarding pass checked and head down the jetway with a drink in hand, but the bottle of water I'd bought while waiting and then stashed in my carry-on bag got no notice from any employees or fellow travelers. I never saw anyone being randomly selected for additional screening on any of the four flights.

My dad tells me that in Denver, they no longer sell bottled water or other drinks on the concourses. I think that's what they'll have to do if they want to keep people from carrying contraband on board. Of course, that will make for some mighty unhappy travelers....

My first leg of my flight home was a redeye. I wish I'd had the nerve to stuff a small tube of toothpaste down my pants, or into a sock, or something. I'm beginning to wonder if they still make old-fashioned tooth powder!

MelissaH

[CaliPoutine]

Don't know if they still are making them, but Oral-B makes something called a brush up. You slip it over your finger and rub it on your teeth. It's not a brush, but rather like a peppermint flavored wipe for your teeth.

They work great.

[memesuze]

check with your dentist or othodontist for 3-use brushes that have some sort of powder in the bristles which foam up when wet. There is tooth powder out there - but I've only found it at my local food coop, not at any grocery store or drugstore. - it's also available online - try googling if you're really serious.

I tend to get crankier about not being able to carry handlotion or lipstick on my daytrips - I hate looking washed out during a hearing and I want to be able to keep my hands hydrated after the number of times I might wash my hands during a typical travel day.

Edited September 24, 2006 by memesuze (log)

[MelissaH]

Well, at least for now, I think we're all off the hook about toothpaste. A small tube should fit into a quart-size ziplock bag without a problem...along with a tiny bottle of hand sanitizer, a smidge of lotion, and all the other comforts of home. And at least for now, those water bottles purchased on the concourse don't need to be hidden in the carry-on bag either!

MelissaH