What foods do you make when you fly?

[MEmama]

I have to keep the new teen fed...

 

I have egg and tempeh wraps for second breakfast, for lunch I'll make cheese and tofurkey wraps, tortellini with homemade walnut pesto and smoked salmon, apples and cheese and nuts, hard boiled eggs, a Ritter bar for a bit of sweet...

 

What is your go-to airplane food?

[Stacia]

I just want to travel on a plane with you! Your ideas sound delicious!

 

I like to carry hummus w/ carrot sticks (or other veggie sticks), as well as nuts. I also carry an empty water bottle, then fill it up at a water fountain before boarding.

 

In Seattle, I bought a great quinoa salad type mix to carry on the plane. It had quinoa, diced tomatoes & other veggies, nice seasoning. Tasty & held up well for traveling.

 

ETA: Deleted nuts as a suggestion per Spryte's post.

Edited February 8, 2016 by Stacia

[MEmama]

Mmmm..yes! I thought about making a quinoa salad but then we ate up all the fresh ingredients...

[AK_Mom4]

only foods with little odor.  I had to sit next to the guy eating smoked oysters on one flight  :thumbdown:  :ack2:

 

Spring rolls with lots of veggies (fresh not fried). Cheese sticks and carrots for nibbling.  Nuts and hummus with naan.

 

[Spryte]

Nothing with nuts. I don't carry on food that could potentially make other passengers ill.

 

Please don't hate me.

 

DH travels all the time, multiple flights per week. Now that we have a son with life threatening allergies, who has had anaphylaxis on a plane due to another passenger eating nuts, DH doesn't pack them.

 

So while your food sounds delicious, I'm going to respectfully suggest that avoiding potentially life threatening allergens, the obvious ones, is a kind thing to do.

 

Airlines serve nuts. On a case by case basis they will opt not to serve nuts on a flight if a passenger is allergic. We depend on their goodwill. Sometimes they will ask that the people within three rows of us refrain from eating nuts during the flight. That is also kind. But there is no guarantee that they'll do that, or that people will comply.

 

It's a closed air system. Nuts get in the air. People can and do get sick. My son is one of them, and it was scary, after early boarding, wiping down all surfaces, and using a special sheet to cover his seat... He was still ill. I'm glad it wasn't worse.

 

Again, please don't hate me, and if you feel nuts are essential - then of course, go ahead. Allergic people will deal, because they have to. :)

[Guest]

Quesadillas.

[MEmama]

Nothing with nuts. I don't carry on food that could potentially make other passengers ill.

 

Please don't hate me.

 

DH travels all the time, multiple flights per week. Now that we have a son with life threatening allergies, who has had anaphylaxis on a plane due to another passenger eating nuts, DH doesn't pack them.

 

So while your food sounds delicious, I'm going to respectfully suggest that avoiding potentially life threatening allergens, the obvious ones, is a kind thing to do.

 

Airlines serve nuts. On a case by case basis they will opt not to serve nuts on a flight if a passenger is allergic. We depend on their goodwill. Sometimes they will ask that the people within three rows of us refrain from eating nuts during the flight. That is also kind. But there is no guarantee that they'll do that, or that people will comply.

 

It's a closed air system. Nuts get in the air. People can and do get sick. My son is one of them, and it was scary, after early boarding, wiping down all surfaces, and using a special sheet to cover his seat... He was still ill. I'm glad it wasn't worse.

 

Again, please don't hate me, and if you feel nuts are essential - then of course, go ahead. Allergic people will deal, because they have to. :)

Oh, right. We sometimes avoid peanuts when flying but I didn't realize others could be an issue? Honestly this isn't something on my radar at all, so I'm glad you mentioned it. *Never* feel bad for advocating! :)

 

Eta: obviously all nuts are now off our menu :)

Edited February 8, 2016 by MEmama

[Spryte]

Oh, right. We sometimes avoid peanuts when flying but I didn't realize others could be an issue? Honestly this isn't something on my radar at all, so I'm glad you mentioned it. *Never* feel bad for advocating! :)

Thanks! I sometimes feel like the crazy food lady. :) I hate to infringe on other people's diets.

 

Tree nuts - walnuts, especially - are big for lots of people.

 

The most common fatal reactions are from peanuts and tree nuts, per our allergist (so I don't have a link, just her word). Basically, I'd avoid anything that can easily go airborne with little particles, and get breathed in. Or smeared on a seat. :)

[MEmama]

Thanks! I sometimes feel like the crazy food lady. :) I hate to infringe on other people's diets.

 

Tree nuts - walnuts, especially - are big for lots of people.

 

The most common fatal reactions are from peanuts and tree nuts, per our allergist (so I don't have a link, just her word). Basically, I'd avoid anything that can easily go airborne with little particles, and get breathed in. Or smeared on a seat. :)

No! You should never feel bad for educating people. I thank you for letting me know--honestly. :)

[Spryte]

No! You should never feel bad for educating people. I thank you for letting me know--honestly. :)

 

Oh my goodness, thank you!  I wish everyone cared the way you do!  

[raptor_dad]

Baked potatoes travel well and you can just eat them like an apple. Apples. Hardboiled eggs are great or we do scotch eggs if we plan ahead. Tortilla chips. Cold grilled chicken. Carrots. We've never done hummus but we've had nut butters get seized by TSA sometimes, so I would worry about hummus also being arbitrarily banned as a "liquid" on occasion. 

[SparklyUnicorn]

listening in....

 

 

[QueenCat]

I had no idea people made food for flying......... I've packed little packaged snacks before but meals we buy in the airport during layovers. I'm trying to figure out how that would work with what I'd have to carry. But as far as nuts go, I've been on several flights where it's been announced that no foods with nuts could be consumed during the flight.

[MEmama]

Baked potatoes travel well and you can just eat them like an apple. Apples. Hardboiled eggs are great or we do scotch eggs if we plan ahead. Tortilla chips. Cold grilled chicken. Carrots. We've never done hummus but we've had nut butters get seized by TSA sometimes, so I would worry about hummus also being arbitrarily banned as a "liquid" on occasion.

Good point about hummus. I wouldn't have thought of that. I did once have a gift container of maple cream eyed verrrrry suspiciously, until another TSA agent checked it out and started oohing and ahhing about how much she loves it. :)

[gingersmom]

Subway or Jimmy Johns

Falafel

Pizza

Chinese

Bagels

 

I always pack pretzels and some Swedish fish :)

[wendy not in HI]

Please don't send the hard boiled eggs - too smelly! Also no smoked fish. I sat behind a couple tearing into a whole smoked salmon on a flight one time. Not pleasant. And I like both eggs and salmon, just not in the close quarters of an airplane cabin.

 

Maybe also discuss polite eating habits - keep it tidy, chew with your mouth closed, don't lick your fingers and/or the baggie. Just last week I sat next to a woman eating a bagel sandwich on a flight. It was so gross. I had earphones on and could still hear her sucking and chewing and slurping with her mouth open...and I thought a bagel was a pretty safe meal.

 

Maybe just try to eat between flights... unless the flight is more than 6 hours, a granola bar and some pretzels should get you through.

[Shellydon]

Food for flying?  Never heard of that.  We just buy lunch/dinner at the airport.

[J-rap]

We just get protein bars to tide us over!

[mom2samlibby]

I've never taken food for flying.  As a passenger, I'd find that really annoying.  The smell would bother me.

 

I'd eat before boarding or after the flight.  If necessary, a small, non-smelly snack would be ok.

[SparklyUnicorn]

I once took cold pizza on a long train ride.  That was good. 

[SparklyUnicorn]

I've never taken food for flying.  As a passenger, I'd find that really annoying.  The smell would bother me.

 

I'd eat before boarding or after the flight.  If necessary, a small, non-smelly snack would be ok.

 

I always think, "I'll never see these people again."  LOL 

 

Going on a trip that'll take about 15 hours of travel and time in between waiting.  So I probably will bring some food.

[three4me]

We always bring bagels with cream cheese. Not too messy, no smell, enough to ride us over until the flight is done.

[mom2samlibby]

I always think, "I'll never see these people again."  LOL 

 

Going on a trip that'll take about 15 hours of travel and time in between waiting.  So I probably will bring some food.

 

Just because you'll never see them again doesn't mean you need to make their trip miserable.  

 

If you have time waiting in the airport, eat then.

[SparklyUnicorn]

Just because you'll never see them again doesn't mean you need to make their trip miserable.  

 

If you have time waiting in the airport, eat then.

 

It was a joke.

[TheReader]

My MIL always packed snack bags for our boys, and would include grapes, crackers, pretzels, hard candies, and gum. I like to take trail mix (purchased or home made), granola bars, and gum. Anything "meal" type we buy in the airport and eat between flights (if not an international flight with meal served). 

 

If I just really couldn't budget airport food, I'd stick with easy finger food type things. Maybe tortilla wraps, sandwiches, etc. Be careful of anything "liquid or paste" -- hummus may get confiscated, as someone mentioned. I had an unopened jar of peanut butter taken by TSA once (traveling from US to Brazil, where we couldn't buy peanut butter; I was not planning to eat it on the plane, but it had made my checked bag too heavy). I would then stick with cheese, crackers, pretzels, fruit (although, not international, you can't take produce from country to country). 

 

And like others said, nothing too stinky, unless you'll be eating in the time between flights and can eat in less cramped quarters than an airplane seat. Of course nothing needing refrigeration, either....this is why it's just usually easier to buy there vs pack with you. Your carry-on will end up nothing but food almost. 

[SKL]

I used to pack snacks, but not so much any more.  I found that I ended up eating the snacks plus the plane food and it was way too much.  Of course nowadays some airlines don't feed you any more, so in that case I'd probably just pack fruit and cereal bars and maybe a treat like chips.

 

Be careful that whatever you pack will make it through the security line.  It would suck to do all that work and then have to throw it out.

[Um_2_4]

Currently preparing this for DH. 27+ hours of flights with short layovers at large airports and unreliable airplane food (since we only eat halal meat, we request vege meals, but many times they goof) mean I am currently preparing a list for DH. 

I called TSA and they told me no ice packs and no pastes, sauces(dips), gels, puddings, or custard type stuff.

So I am thinking:

egg bagel sandwich he can eat while waiting to board his 7am flight,

whole wheat crackers, cheese slices/sticks, some veges (cucs, carrots), banana, and ???

I make a cream cheese/avocado wrap, but am concerned because of the "spread" it might be confiscated???

His flight to Europe, I expect, might be ok food wise, they usually at least have salad, bread, cheeses, ice cream LOL.

 

[Anne]

If the spread is on a wrap or in a sandwich, it shouldn't trigger a confiscation. If the spread is in a container, that occasionally triggers a confiscation

 

Anne

[MEmama]

Well not traveling without a bag of food just isn't going to happen. I don't leave the house any more without at least sandwiches, etc-my poor boy would starve by the time we got to airport. Lol. And we don't like to be at the mercy of airport food--too many close connections and too hard to find healthy food. Much easier for me to go prepared.

 

Funny how many people take exception to other people eating on a plane. I love how Europeans enjoy their picnic spreads on trains--complete with beer, of course. It's just so lovely and social and makes good use of time. :). I love having yummy homemade food to look forward to while traveling. I didn't realize that's unusual.

Edited February 9, 2016 by MEmama

[Laura Corin]

I don't take food on planes; I haven't since the children were small.  For short-haul I eat in the airport (or occasionally buy a sandwich in the airport to take on the plane); for long-haul I eat what is provided.

[HomeAgain]

I don't take food on planes; I haven't since the children were small.  For short-haul I eat in the airport (or occasionally buy a sandwich in the airport to take on the plane); for long-haul I eat what is provided.

 

This is us, although our sandwiches used to be bought outside the airport at our favorite (and cheap!) deli.  $1.75 per sandwich with all the fixings. :)  And that only started because Charles De Gaulle (I think?) had terrible food once you got past security.  I think we paid about $15 for a small sandwich that tasted a week old and a water.  At least at our deli we knew the quality and watched them make it right there.

[Serenade]

I wish airlines would just charge a few more dollars and include food again.  

[T'smom]

Oh my! Can I keep my homeschool mom cred if I admit that I take the kids to the dollar store and they each pick out a movie theater size box of candy? We fly fairly regularly, but it is not a long flight. There is a travel plaza near the airport where we always stop- because it has a Panda Express and a McDonald's Playland, so we can eat orange chicken and the kids can get some energy out before we get to the airport.

[TechWife]

Well not traveling without a bag of food just isn't going to happen. I don't leave the house any more without at least sandwiches, etc-my poor boy would starve by the time we got to airport. Lol. And we don't like to be at the mercy of airport food--too many close connections and too hard to find healthy food. Much easier for me to go prepared.

 

Funny how many people take exception to other people eating on a plane. I love how Europeans enjoy their picnic spreads on trains--complete with beer, of course. It's just so lovely and social and makes good use of time. :). I love having yummy homemade food to look forward to while traveling. I didn't realize that's unusual.

There is a big difference between an airplane and a train. Space and air quality are two of the biggest that come to mind. On an airplane, you will be sitting less than two feet from at least four total strangers. Depending on the layout of the plane, you could be even closer, if you share a row, you will be at most, two inches from them. In other words, these people are already in your personal space and you are in theirs. Flying is uncomfortable enough without being exposed to unpleasant food smells and the constant sound of food wrappers, chewing, etc.. Then, he is going to need to go to the bathroom. How many people will he have to climb over to get out of your row? Is he going to wake them up if they are sleeping? What if he isn't allowed out of the seat due to turbulence? He will be very uncomfortable.

 

Your 13 year old will not starve. Starving is when there is no food available. You have ready access to food. Your child isn't starving.

 

FWIW, yes, I do think about these things when preparing to fly. Thinking of others is just the right thing to do. My husband takes long flights and often is flying for 24 hours at a time. Plan your schedule so that you get meals, either in flight or in the airport. Dh eats an extremely healthy diet and can always find something to eat. It may not be ideal, cereal for dinner for example, but what he chooses is healthy. Seeing as he runs an average of four miles a day, and then walks enough during the day until he gets to ten miles total, I doubt your son could be any hungrier than my husband is.

 

At most, pack a box of protein bars and call it good.

[SparklyUnicorn]

Well not traveling without a bag of food just isn't going to happen. I don't leave the house any more without at least sandwiches, etc-my poor boy would starve by the time we got to airport. Lol. And we don't like to be at the mercy of airport food--too many close connections and too hard to find healthy food. Much easier for me to go prepared.

 

Funny how many people take exception to other people eating on a plane. I love how Europeans enjoy their picnic spreads on trains--complete with beer, of course. It's just so lovely and social and makes good use of time. :). I love having yummy homemade food to look forward to while traveling. I didn't realize that's unusual.

 

I hear you.

 

And the food in the airport is so expensive and often not very good.

[SparklyUnicorn]

There is a big difference between an airplane and a train. Space and air quality are two of the biggest that come to mind. On an airplane, you will be sitting less than two feet from at least four total strangers. Depending on the layout of the plane, you could be even closer, if you share a row, you will be at most, two inches from them. In other words, these people are already in your personal space and you are in theirs. Flying is uncomfortable enough without being exposed to unpleasant food smells and the constant sound of food wrappers, chewing, etc.. Then, he is going to need to go to the bathroom. How many people will he have to climb over to get out of your row? Is he going to wake them up if they are sleeping? What if he isn't allowed out of the seat due to turbulence? He will be very uncomfortable.

 

Your 13 year old will not starve. Starving is when there is no food available. You have ready access to food. Your child isn't starving.

 

FWIW, yes, I do think about these things when preparing to fly. Thinking of others is just the right thing to do. My husband takes long flights and often is flying for 24 hours at a time. Plan your schedule so that you get meals, either in flight or in the airport. Dh eats an extremely healthy diet and can always find something to eat. It may not be ideal, cereal for dinner for example, but what he chooses is healthy. Seeing as he runs an average of four miles a day, and then walks enough during the day until he gets to ten miles total, I doubt your son could be any hungrier than my husband is.

 

At most, pack a box of protein bars and call it good.

 

Although, come on.  If someone is on a very long flight or trip they are going to get hungry.  They can't eat?!  I wouldn't have a problem with any of that as a fellow passenger.

Edited February 9, 2016 by SparklyUnicorn

[SparklyUnicorn]

I don't take food on planes; I haven't since the children were small.  For short-haul I eat in the airport (or occasionally buy a sandwich in the airport to take on the plane); for long-haul I eat what is provided.

 

I'm taking a long haul flight where they actually don't provide food!

 

Crazy I know. 

[ondreeuh]

We just took several 5-6 hour flights with a 14 yr old boy and he survived on protein bars and cheese & crackers without any problem. He certainly didn't need any gourmet meals! All airports have coffee shops where you can pick up a cup of fruit or a fruit/cheese/bread plate. It's one less thing to haul on/off the plane and worry about getting smashed.

[TechWife]

Although, come on.  If someone is on a very long flight or trip they are going to get hungry.  They can't eat?!  I wouldn't have a problem with any of that as a fellow passenger.

 

I didn't say they couldn't eat. Just be polite and think of others before yourself. The food situation isn't as dire as the OP makes it out to be. It just isn't. 

[Amira]

We've been that family who was eating on domestic flights quite a few times. When we have to get five people through customs after an international flight with no food, sometimes we run out of time to eat before we board for our next 3-hour flight. I wish we didn't have to do things that way, but there's really not any way around it. I never used to bring food on the plane except for a small snack. But with the way many airlines have changed their policies about providing meals on airplanes, we bring food on the plane, especially on US flights at the end of 36 hours of travel. I agree that it would be nice if airlines added food back in because it reduces stress on many levels.

 

I think it's okay for a teenager to take nice food with him on a flight. He doesn't require it, but I don't think there's anything wrong with doing it and I don't think it's necessarily selfish to do so.

Edited July 1, 2016 by Amira

[StephanieZ]

We fly infrequently enough that I don't mind spending $$ at the airports for tasty junk like ice cream, pretzels, fast food, whatever, or I'll even pay $$ for the overpriced hummus&pretzels in the to go containers.

 

Besides over paying for mediocre food at the airport, I usually just jam the carry-ons with an empty wide mouth bottle (to fill with ice + water and/or lemonade after getting though security), granola bars, dried fruit leathers, and candy. :) 

 

 

[fraidycat]

There is a big difference between an airplane and a train. Space and air quality are two of the biggest that come to mind. On an airplane, you will be sitting less than two feet from at least four total strangers. Depending on the layout of the plane, you could be even closer, if you share a row, you will be at most, two inches from them. In other words, these people are already in your personal space and you are in theirs. Flying is uncomfortable enough without being exposed to unpleasant food smells and the constant sound of food wrappers, chewing, etc.. Then, he is going to need to go to the bathroom. How many people will he have to climb over to get out of your row? Is he going to wake them up if they are sleeping? What if he isn't allowed out of the seat due to turbulence? He will be very uncomfortable.

 

Your 13 year old will not starve. Starving is when there is no food available. You have ready access to food. Your child isn't starving.

 

FWIW, yes, I do think about these things when preparing to fly. Thinking of others is just the right thing to do. My husband takes long flights and often is flying for 24 hours at a time. Plan your schedule so that you get meals, either in flight or in the airport. Dh eats an extremely healthy diet and can always find something to eat. It may not be ideal, cereal for dinner for example, but what he chooses is healthy. Seeing as he runs an average of four miles a day, and then walks enough during the day until he gets to ten miles total, I doubt your son could be any hungrier than my husband is.

 

At most, pack a box of protein bars and call it good.

Cereal and protein bars are not healthy, induce insulin rushes, and turn a hungry person from hungry to hangry. Not to mention the headache and stuffed sinuses from eating all the processed crap.

 

No thanks. I'll pack my real food, which incidentally, cannot be found in an airport quickly and for less than a zillion dollars.

[SparklyUnicorn]

I didn't say they couldn't eat. Just be polite and think of others before yourself. The food situation isn't as dire as the OP makes it out to be. It just isn't. 

 

Well I could understand not bringing canned herring, but a sandwich or whatnot? 

 

I think some are making this into a way bigger issue than necessary.  Who knew this would be such a contentious subject.

[SparklyUnicorn]

Cereal and protein bars are not healthy, induce insulin rushes, and turn a hungry person from hungry to hangry. Not to mention the headache and stuffed sinuses from eating all the processed crap.

 

No thanks. I'll pack my real food, which incidentally, cannot be found in an airport quickly and for less than a zillion dollars.

 

Yeah I can't eat that shi* either.  Don't get me wrong, I love cereal.  LOVE 

 

I had a bowl the other day as a treat and I paid for it. 

[Nan in Mass]

I,ve tried not-eating on the plane. It resulted in some of us throwing up during the landing. Motion sickness gets worse on an empty stomach. Some of us wind up queezy with unfamiliar airport food, either. I've tried restricting fluids so as not to disturb my neighbors. That resulted in a migraine, which caused me to throw up during the landing. I understand about the distastfulness of one's neighbor chewing their way though the flight, especially the problem of smelly foods which might make one's neighber even more motionsick, but for some people, it is better than the alternative. We do cheese sticks, cheese sandwiches, gorp, granola bars, and pretzls. And peppermints and ginger to settle stomachs.

 

Nan

[SparklyUnicorn]

Well I probably have a wanted sign somewhere out there.  I've eaten on flights.  I've taken babies on flights and they cried.  I talked.  I used the bathroom. 

 

 

[SKL]

Cereal and protein bars are not healthy, induce insulin rushes, and turn a hungry person from hungry to hangry. Not to mention the headache and stuffed sinuses from eating all the processed crap.

 

No thanks. I'll pack my real food, which incidentally, cannot be found in an airport quickly and for less than a zillion dollars.

 

LOL I survived on cereal bars back when I used to travel 50% for work.  You can actually buy healthy ones if that is a priority for you.

 

I don't bring food on planes unless it's a long flight without food service.  However, in the interest of full disclosure, my friends who usually travel with us often buy food and give it to my kids (and then 20 minutes later the plane food shows up, ugh).  If other people are offended, I am sorry.  I don't have a problem with other people eating on a plane.  People do a lot worse things, LOL.

[SKL]

Timing one's bathroom trips on a long flight is a whole nother topic.  Probably the most strategic part of flying, LOL.

[SparklyUnicorn]

LOL I survived on cereal bars back when I used to travel 50% for work.  You can actually buy healthy ones if that is a priority for you.

 

I don't bring food on planes unless it's a long flight without food service.  However, in the interest of full disclosure, my friends who usually travel with us often buy food and give it to my kids (and then 20 minutes later the plane food shows up, ugh).  If other people are offended, I am sorry.  I don't have a problem with other people eating on a plane.  People do a lot worse things, LOL.

 

Some people cannot eat cereal.  I feel like I'm going to pass out after.  My blood sugar just plummets.  It does not matter which cereal it is.

 

Obviously not everyone has this issue otherwise General Mills would have gone out of business a long time ago, but I do know what Fraidy is talking about. 

[SparklyUnicorn]

Oh and definitely.  I've been on flights where people got drunk.  That was interesting.