This is our first time traveling overseas. I have seen many posts on surviving the plane ride over. On these post many people suggest bringing your own food. Please give suggestions on what foods to pack for the plane ride over. Should I pack a true meal or snacks or both? Please help! I am not a troll, just cluelss. Thank you for your help!

I think it depends on your airline, as some provide you with more snacks. However, I always take crackers or granola bars and candy to munch on. We've gotten stuck before thinking that we will get a breakfast on the plane, and then end up with just peanuts. So it's smart to eat a full meal ahead of time, or you can call the airline to find out what meals will be served. You can also ask for an extra roll or muffin during a meal for example and then save it for later. Northwest is probably the only airlines I've ended up hungry, though!

You want something satisfying, non-smelly, easy to handle, and that doesn't create a lot of trash.<BR>I usually get a great sandwich<BR>with a side in plastic (cole slaw, etc). I also bring <BR>an apple, and a sweet if I want it.<BR>And lots of water for the whole flight.<BR>Also bring napkins large enough for your lap, some moist towelettes for your hands, and a plastic bag for the trash. I do this not just because I hate airline food, which I do, but because I want to try to sleep if I possibly can, rather than waiting for the airplane meal to be served. If you like, order a special meal for the plane food like a fruit plate--it's a nice snack or supplement.

I've only flown Northwest and KLM from the U.S. to Europe so I can't speak for other airlines. My opinion is that there's plenty of food provided by these airlines; the only question is whether or not you like it and will eat it. The less exacting you are with food, the less likely you are to need any other food to supplement what they provide. However, you can certainly bring other food if you want, especially something you particularly enjoy.<BR><BR>For example, we just arrived back in Seattle from Amsterdam on Northwest. They provided us with: a dinner of chicken or pasta, a rice & corn salad, a roll, a piece of fruit cake, and beverages (we had red wine and coffee); a "pizza roll" and a dessert; and a small ice cream snack and a three cookies. In addition to that, more wine, coffee and other beverages. <BR><BR>Now, Michelin certainly wouldn't have given any of the food a two-star (or probably even a quarter-star) rating, but it was certainly edible and we didn't need anything else.

I agree with Capo, there is usually plenty of food on board, but I always take something with me - I've been on flights where no food was served due to medical emergencies, weather, etc.<BR><BR>Granola Bars are easy to pack. And always, always, take water. If you like it cold, try freezing half a bottle and then filling it up before leaving home.<BR><BR>I do agree to try to avoid smelly food.

The only time I bring food on the plane is when it's clear that it's a "snack only" flight that is longer than 3 hours, no stopovers, and I'll be on the plane during mealtime (if I leave at 6pm and arrive at 9:30pm, I have dinner BEFORE I get on the plane; the airplane snack will suffice). For international flights, I deal with whatever the airline serves (British Air and Air France have good food; Royal Air Maroc also had great food!) or order a special meal (usually a fruit plate; TWA used to have a great cold seafood platter).<BR><BR>I've gotten to the point where I don't like to haul anything - my 22" rollaboard has no appliances, no haircare products other than a teeny shampoo bottle, and no "just in case" stuff. My totebag has a paperback, a pencil, a pen, 1/2 dozen NYTimes Sunday crossword puzzles ripped out of a book, and a little kit with eyeshade, Excedrin PM and a couple of throat lozenges. I am not ever going to haul around bottles of water or "just in case" food. Maybe I've just been smacked in the head too many times by giant backpacks/totebags filled with "just in case" stuff to be rational on this subject.

I fall into Elvira's camp, and take the minimum as far as food (and pretty much everything else) goes: one non-perishable snack bar like a Luna bar or a Power Bar or something. Water's too heavy, and I've never gone lacking on a flight (and I REALLY hydrate). I do occasionally bring a meal on a long-ish domestic flight (without meal service), usually a sandwich.<BR><BR>I find that if I do bring my own meal I'll often decide to eat BOTH (because I am an idiot), and there's no point in that. The food is icky, yes, but I don't usually want to eat too much on a plane anyway.<BR><BR>Delta's domestic small meals/snacks, by the way, have been great recently. Very good salad and fruit, non-soggy sandwiches. Almost like real food...

why bring water..I've never been on a flight that you couldn't get all the bottled water you wanted from the cabin crew. I may bring a pkg of crackers to have with my drink since I don't like peanuts but other than that I'm in elvira's camp...no excess of anything..I even tear relevant pages out of guide booke rather than carrying the whole thing then toss them when I've finished..those books go out of date anyway .

I bring my own water (a liter bottle for an overnight trip) because<BR>I want to drink a lot of it to stay hydrated, I don't want to keep asking for it every 15 minutes, and I know the taste of the water I prefer. If I run out, then I drink their no-name water.<BR>Even their bottled water is preferable to what airlines used to offer, tap (?) water from a pitcher that usually passed on the taste of old coffee grounds.

I take my own water because I don't want to have to keep nagging and asking the attendants for one more, more please, one more glass please, etc. It is "just in case", yes, but I leave what I dont drink on the plane so I dont have to carry it with me on the trip! And I know the bottle has been with me the whole time too. Same with light food, I leave what I dont eat on the plane wrapped up nicely for trash.<BR>This has saved me many times when the plane is delayed on the tarmac, etc. and they can't serve food. I don't like to depend on the overworked or snippy flight crew for my food and drink. Have you looked at their faces after the fourth time you ask for water?

I always take a small snack. You never know when...<BR>Weather delays takeoff for 3 hours, but you are stuck on the runway and eat at midnight.<BR>They run out of the meal choice you wanted and the other choice is not something you would eat.<BR>You just get hungry.<BR>I take a small water bottle just in case the service is bad and then I can use it later too.<BR>

Heavens, you don´t need extra food on plane! They feed you there, and if for some reason they would not, you would not starve during 13 hours. I always take a large bottle of water, because I drink a lot, and don´t want to bother the cabin crew with constant "May I have a glass of water" requests. But why take food? If you don´t like what they serve you, just don´t eat it.<BR><BR>Take a big bottle of water, maybe an apple or nuts if you are very dependent on constant eating, but leave the rest home and eat well in your destination.<BR><BR>I know I sound nasty now, but no wonder so many Americans are overweight.

For European --- Obviously you have not flown lately on U.S. owned airlines recently. No, they do not necessarily "feed you there".

I take some sort of power bar, some raisins,grapes and a small sandwich.<BR>I also take some mints and a ton of water.

They just hand you a bottle of water , what's the big deal, it's their job

I find it harder to NOT eat everything they serve on an international flight. It's way more calories than I burn sitting in one place for 12 hours or more. But it's so boring that eating is something to do.<BR><BR>Capo, you're back! And on Eurpoean time I see by your posting time. Welcome back.

I'm with the camp that agrees -- bring your own! To the person who wrote, "what's the big deal, they just hand you a bottle" -- I've flown a lot, and in my experience, the flight attendants either pour water into a cup from a big bottle (and no, they won't give you that bottle!), or you get a 4 oz. cup of water with a lid -- not exactly enough to keep hydrated. <BR><BR>Case in point: on a plane leaving Trinidad 3 years ago, sat on the tarmac in the sweltering heat for over 2 hours -- kept asking for water, and people were almost passed out by the time water was brought out! I will NEVER be in a situation like that again -- even if I have to shlep another very small bag, I will always have my own food / water!

Don't get an attitude European poster, just because you read here that we worry about being overweight in the US.<BR>You don't need to jump on the bandwagon, as we say here. Mind your own business about what we eat, we are talking about when we need food on a plane that may get delayed, we may not have had time to eat before boarding, we may be running between plane connections, we may have been flying for over 12 hours, etc. And many, many, many Europeans are overweight too, just not the chic city ones. <BR>

If you have room in your carryon luggage, I'd agree that carrying some extra water isn't a bad idea. <BR><BR>Yep, back from a fantastic trip, Grasshopper. Went to bed at 6:00 pm yesterday, knowing I shouldn't have, and woke up at 2:30 am. We LOVED Vernazza! More crowded than I remember from 15 years ago, but still very picturesque. I'd forgotten about all the cats; they were so cool. We loved our room (looking out on the piazza and the church); the weather was great; we hiked all the trails south of Vernazza; took the boat ride to Portovenere; and had two great dinners, at Gianni & Belforte.

They do feed you on long haul flights, usually twice, but it's always a good idea to have a few granola bars or something like that in your bag. With carryon limited I don't think it is wise to haul on a major meal, but a few cookies, bars or some kind are fine.<BR>Water is OK - but they will give you plenty if you ask, and even if you don't. We just few British Airways from London-LA and they were up and down the aisles with water constantly. I had a small water bottle with me and never need to open it.