Softsided Lunch Box
 

Not that I ride coach very often but if you bring a softsided lunch box with food on a plane will the TSA count it as an extra bag considering the airlines do not provide adaquate meals if any meal at all?

I've brought three bags on...nobody really checks! (Of course, one of the bags had a large plastic bag inside so just in case, I could stuff it in the plastic bag and claim that it was food or something!)
IMHO, even with my 3 bags, I didn't take up much overhead space compared to annoying pax who hauled in really large suitcases!

At LAX they bug me about a small handbag with 2 other bags. They make me stuff it in one of the other bags or tell me I have to check on.