What food do you bring on the plane (or to the airport)?
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 2,920
What food do you bring on the plane (or to the airport)?
So with people travelling more but airports and airlines trying to ramp back up, here's a question for you all. Do you bring backup food and if so, what?
Example. The last trip I took was YYZ to SIN via TPE (EVA). YYZ to EVA leaves dead of night and arrives at roughly 4:30am (well ahead of schedule). Even after clearing security to be let back airside, most of the concessions hadn't opened yet (or were starting to but definitely not ready to take customers). If it wasn't for the fact that I had a 6" sub (pizza minus the sauce, not that it matters) handy, I would have been hungry for two hours.
Personally, I've tried big-chain burgers (never again) and pizzahut (also never again). Tried cup noodles (but can't always find hot water)... might try breakfast sandwiches next time... would love to have a decent salad if I can figure out how to get the dressing past screening...
But what have you (dear readers) brought to consume on the plane (eg, can't because of allergies or some other circumstance) or at the airport (before or after hours)?
Example. The last trip I took was YYZ to SIN via TPE (EVA). YYZ to EVA leaves dead of night and arrives at roughly 4:30am (well ahead of schedule). Even after clearing security to be let back airside, most of the concessions hadn't opened yet (or were starting to but definitely not ready to take customers). If it wasn't for the fact that I had a 6" sub (pizza minus the sauce, not that it matters) handy, I would have been hungry for two hours.
Personally, I've tried big-chain burgers (never again) and pizzahut (also never again). Tried cup noodles (but can't always find hot water)... might try breakfast sandwiches next time... would love to have a decent salad if I can figure out how to get the dressing past screening...
But what have you (dear readers) brought to consume on the plane (eg, can't because of allergies or some other circumstance) or at the airport (before or after hours)?
#4
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: BNA (Nashville)
Programs: HH Diamond
Posts: 6,229
I always pack granola bars and peanut butter cracker packs. Its more a diabetes thing than anything else. If my blood sugar crashes while we are stuck on the taxiway or sitting at the gate in a delay I can address it without having a FA intervention.
My suitcase always has some too since time zones mess up my sugar control and I will sometimes crash at 3 AM at a hotel and wake up and eat a snack. It's sometimes tough to find a 'quicky mart' type place, especially in a downtown area. So, I've learned to bring snacks.
Belvita bars, granola bars, Kind bars, etc. Easy to carry. I get the ones without chocolate so they won't melt. Surprisingly filling and somewhat healthy.
I have to remind myself to eat them all so I don't accidentally enter the country without declaring the snacks, get caught and lose my GE status.
My suitcase always has some too since time zones mess up my sugar control and I will sometimes crash at 3 AM at a hotel and wake up and eat a snack. It's sometimes tough to find a 'quicky mart' type place, especially in a downtown area. So, I've learned to bring snacks.
Belvita bars, granola bars, Kind bars, etc. Easy to carry. I get the ones without chocolate so they won't melt. Surprisingly filling and somewhat healthy.
I have to remind myself to eat them all so I don't accidentally enter the country without declaring the snacks, get caught and lose my GE status.
#5
Moderator: Information Desk, Women Travelers, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Chicago, IL, USA
Programs: AA Gold
Posts: 15,655
I used to poach chicken, cut it into bite size pieces and throw it in a plastic bag with a sauce that would be good at room temp -- tomato chutney was a fav for a while, salsa also works. I was comfortable with that at room temp for a couple hours. Apple and orange slices are another fav for eating on planes. In terms of less perishable things, RX bars live in my backpack. Trader Joe's sells single-serving trail mix and single-serving olive packs. If I don't need to worry about food restrictions crossing borders, turkey jerky is a good high-protein go-to.
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2008
Location: San Francisco
Programs: GM on VX, UA, AA, HA, AS, SY; Budget Fastbreak
Posts: 27,631
Packaged nuts and granola bars
I buy airport food for the plane. Sometimes I won’t like the plane meal so it’s good to have a food item that I’ll enjoy. I do try to eat ahead of my flight at the airport.
I buy airport food for the plane. Sometimes I won’t like the plane meal so it’s good to have a food item that I’ll enjoy. I do try to eat ahead of my flight at the airport.
#7
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: OSH
Programs: SWRR, HH, SM, TSA Pre
Posts: 758
I always have a big bag of Combos in my back pack. And usually something else either chips or peanuts or some other easy to eat snack food. If I don't need it on the plane it will make a great hotel snack.
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 2,920
I used to poach chicken, cut it into bite size pieces and throw it in a plastic bag with a sauce that would be good at room temp -- tomato chutney was a fav for a while, salsa also works. I was comfortable with that at room temp for a couple hours. Apple and orange slices are another fav for eating on planes.
My suitcase always has some too since time zones mess up my sugar control and I will sometimes crash at 3 AM at a hotel and wake up and eat a snack. It's sometimes tough to find a 'quicky mart' type place, especially in a downtown area. So, I've learned to bring snacks.
Belvita bars, granola bars, Kind bars, etc. Easy to carry. I get the ones without chocolate so they won't melt. Surprisingly filling and somewhat healthy.
I have to remind myself to eat them all so I don't accidentally enter the country without declaring the snacks, get caught and lose my GE status.
Belvita bars, granola bars, Kind bars, etc. Easy to carry. I get the ones without chocolate so they won't melt. Surprisingly filling and somewhat healthy.
I have to remind myself to eat them all so I don't accidentally enter the country without declaring the snacks, get caught and lose my GE status.
#9
Join Date: Mar 2005
Programs: AE, used to be E, Skymiles
Posts: 61
A few years ago I packed few bananas in my backpack, planning to have them eaten before going through US preclearance in Toronto. I slept well on my flight to Toronto, declared them at the immigration checkpoint, expecting to abandon them. The officer asked if I had kept the stickers on it, and I had. I was surprised, and allowed to keep the bananas as the sticker showed the country of origin. Can't remember which country the bananas were from, but the USA imports bananas from there.
#11
Moderator: Information Desk, Women Travelers, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Chicago, IL, USA
Programs: AA Gold
Posts: 15,655
That's something I haven't considered. I assume since the sauces are acidic (at least the ones you listed) that they should last a while. As 99% of my flights are/were border-crossing I try to avoid bringing fresh fruits in case I forget to eat it. I suspect border controls are even tighter now.
A few years ago I packed few bananas in my backpack, planning to have them eaten before going through US preclearance in Toronto. I slept well on my flight to Toronto, declared them at the immigration checkpoint, expecting to abandon them. The officer asked if I had kept the stickers on it, and I had. I was surprised, and allowed to keep the bananas as the sticker showed the country of origin. Can't remember which country the bananas were from, but the USA imports bananas from there.
#12
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: ORD
Programs: UA Silver, Marriott Platinum/LT Platinum, Hilton Gold
Posts: 5,594
This is my standard approach, usually either a sub or a wrap. I haven't flown much in the last two years, but if UA still sells the snack boxes, I would occasionally buy one of those on the plane. I never bring food from home. For domestic flights, it's pretty rare that I can't plan meals around flights, so my preference would be not to eat on the plane at all. Nice thing about ORD is that my average domestic flight time is about 2.5 hours and pretty much never more than 4.
For long haul, I usually try to find a way into business class (much harder now that I'm not 1K) through purchase or upgrade, but if I can't, I'll buy a couple bags of chips in the airport just in case the meal isn't enough, or isn't edible.
For long haul, I usually try to find a way into business class (much harder now that I'm not 1K) through purchase or upgrade, but if I can't, I'll buy a couple bags of chips in the airport just in case the meal isn't enough, or isn't edible.
#13
Join Date: Jul 2021
Programs: AAdvantage
Posts: 150
Grapes, cut up apples, cheese, crackers, sandwich...
Bitterproffitt: Most packaged food is OK to bring back into the US. It's raw fruits/meat/vegetables/unpasteurized dairy that are not allowed. You can look up the exact rules, but I almost always return with a bag full of all manner of edible treats. If I'm at all in doubt about whether something is allowed, I ask at Customs and they either wave me through or take it away.
Bitterproffitt: Most packaged food is OK to bring back into the US. It's raw fruits/meat/vegetables/unpasteurized dairy that are not allowed. You can look up the exact rules, but I almost always return with a bag full of all manner of edible treats. If I'm at all in doubt about whether something is allowed, I ask at Customs and they either wave me through or take it away.
#14
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 2,920
This is my standard approach, usually either a sub or a wrap. I haven't flown much in the last two years, but if UA still sells the snack boxes, I would occasionally buy one of those on the plane. I never bring food from home. For domestic flights, it's pretty rare that I can't plan meals around flights, so my preference would be not to eat on the plane at all. Nice thing about ORD is that my average domestic flight time is about 2.5 hours and pretty much never more than 4.
I'm tempted to try the meat chunks idea. Sauce might be an issue, but it's worth a shot if I can find something in a less than 100ml amount.