All I want to say is that I think the name of this thread is wonderfully original!<BR><BR>Bon Appetit,<BR>BC

I always order the fruit plate (which reminds me - I must phone my travel agent tomorrow about that). Sometimes I get lovely fruit, sometimes, not so lovely. The most bizarre---on El Al (a 12 hour flight) I received a peach, a nectarine and one other fruit which I have forgotten...whole..on a platter (I kid you not) for dinner and then again the same thing for breakfast. That was unbelievable. Usually it is not too bad.

Burritos smell good, what is the matter with you? There are plenty of other smells on a plane besides a can of tuna or a burrito to worry about. Sweat, dirty diapers, bad breath, perfume, general unwashed person stench, etc.

Yeah, I love the smell of tuna in the morning. Smells like . . . victory!

Smells, that is funny. <BR><BR>I was going to come back with a retort about smelly breakfast food, but I can't think of any.<BR><BR>You win.

Very little smell from the tuna in a pouch.

Maybe you could just poke a little hole in the pouch and suck up the tuna?

The food section in the San Francisco Chronicle today ran an article about bringing your own food on the plane:<BR><BR>www.sfgate.com/eguide/food/ <BR>

the couple sitting beside me in a recent flight kept me amused by wondering what was coming out of the tupperwear containers next. They spent their entire time unwrapping and eating food- cornish pasties, cheese sandwiches, salmon salad, cake, nuts, chocolate and drinks. Much more intersting than airline food!! However, it takes me long enough to pack my suitcases, let alone prepare feasts!

thanks leilani I bought $35 dollars worth of common British candy bars for kids on a 10 hour flight Newark to Honolulu last year. They were three kids two adults (they never had these bars before), we were still pimply faced and sick at the sight of chocolate by the end of our trip.<BR><BR>Too much trouble for me to pack food. I am only now wondering how I will get my rollerblades and Snorkle gear on this year.

Leilani I cannot find the article went to the right link just can't find article. HELP?

Took my kids on a 10 hour flight from Newark to Honolulu and upgraded to First class even--however, my kids wanted Lunchables (ugh) and bagels as well as some candy, and other misc snacks. They were the only people in first class not enjoying what was actually a very tasty meal! They kept the 'food' backpack with them and were happy the whole way. Flight attendants remarked how smart I was to bring the stuff for the kids!!

The meals really are poor quality nutrition our 8 year old asked for 3 salads it was all she ate apart from the cheese and fresh fruit.<BR><BR>I wonder how many of us would buy that food if we could read ingridients and nutritional info. Kind of like having 2-3 high sodium frozen meals. Still the packing the packing keeps me from bring my own.

just take a european carrier and they will feed and service you a lot better than the american ones. and if you order vegetarian you get served first (at least on air france).

Robert, the article ran a week ago, so it's now in the Chron's archives. Try<BR><BR>www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2002/04/03/FD102580.DTL<BR>

I always bring water and some snacks for the flight. Last year, when returning from France, I bought some french pastry, tied ever so perfectly in a pink box. It was the envy of all around us. Kept a bit of our holiday alive on the flight, and shared some with fellow passengers. Needless to say, I made instant friends!

First Prize: Best Thread Title

This is more of an add on question, but of the special order food in coach on American Airlines to Europe, what is the best option. I have read the comments on kosher option, what about vegetarian, low fat... Does anyone know where one can get specific menu items that would be served. Or is someone has recently flown American Airline to Europe, I would appreciate the food items that have been served in coach. Thanks

Ruth,<BR><BR>The only airline that I have seen where you can order the actual food by item is Singapore Airlines (am flying them next week) in business (raffles) or First Class. If you are flying American to Europe (where I live) I would order the low fat - less salty and heavy mystery "sauces". Usually in coach they have the standard chicken with red sauce and pasta or beef with veggies and potatoes for the regular meals.<BR><BR>I second the opinion of flying European carriers - much better variety and quality, even in coach. Be aware though, low fat over here is NOT no fat - you will see cheese on your plate, etc... I think last time I flew Virgin from Newark - London they had 3 selections in coach - fab food.<BR><BR>As for smelly food - there is nothing that compares to the miso soup smell at the crack of dawn they serve with the "japanese breakfast" when you are going to Japan or Thailand. UUUUGH. I think I was the only one on the plane who had not ordered it!

Re smelly food<BR>Nothing could beat the smell of chicken curry at 6am on Malaysian airways!! Abd boy did it make me feel ill!

Going back to original message. I found the service and food on International flights to be much better than on domestic flights. Has that changed since September, or not. <BR>With the length of most flights to Europe, they have to feed you something

I tried to order the fruit plate for our international flight to Paris but was informed that Air France doesn't do that. Good thing because the food was EXCELLENT (for airline food). We started with a chicken caesar salad followed by an entree of Beef Burgundy and steamed veggies. I think dessert was Black Forest cake or some version thereof?? I was impressed.

Just came back from domestic flights at mealtime with no food. I usually make my own or buy a Subway sandwich, take yougurt, fruit and a cookie or two. Never had a problem taking food on. Power bars, pb crackers, whatever.

Notice to everyone taking their own food, please don't open cans of tuna or the like on an airplane. My goodness, can't you people get by for 8 or 10 hrs. on just bringing snacks or eating the food that they give you. Its not like you will be starving in just a few hrs. Grow up people and have some consideration for the people around you, open cans of tuna, how rude can you get? Buck

Oh, Buck, we can get alot ruder. A whole lot ruder than tuna.

I usually bring my Coleman battery powered stove (it's allowed through security surprisingly) and set up a made-to-order omlette station in the aft portion of the aircraft.<BR><BR>I set out a tip jar and can usually make back my airfare. I've been to Athens and Toronto for free this year!

......I've got the chicken coops in<BR>seats 65,66 & 67 and I'm makin' a <BR>killing supplying Cliff with his <BR>oeufs frais!

I tried to start a thread on bringing your own wine on a flight but the "hackers" evidentally didn't like it. Is it ok to bring on your own wine to drink in flight? I have put wine in 7-up bottles and brought it on prior to 9/11 but never tried to bring on a small bottle of wine.

Rhonda Rhonda, *sigh*<BR>Just do what you want to do. When checking in, if they don't allow it, just drink it before the flight or something. Have a party in the lounge. Bribe the flight attendent for the wine in business class.<BR>And what does "hacking" have to do with posting on a board? By "hacking" away at the keyboard? Just curious.

I have bratwurst and bread and mustard with a beer on my flights. Works out fine with me and I don't have to beg the attendants for decent food. I am self sufficient. I have whatever I need in my bag.

The papers regarding you don't have food with you is when you are ENTERING a new country as part of the agricultural/immigration rules not getting onto a plane.<BR><BR>European carriers do better with the meal service than American carriers do.<BR><BR>At the risk of sounding boring... how about ye ole standbuys, good bread or rolls, crackers, cheese, fruit, nuts, snack bars. Or make a nice (non smelly) sandwich and don't wait 10 hours to eat it. Licorice or chocolates for dessert.

Wine is harder to sneak on a plane. But if you buy a few of those "airline size" bottles at a liquor store ahead of time (for $1US instead of $4US on the plane) and use them discretely, well let's just say I've never had a problem.

ttt

I agree that the European carriers feed you better-we went to London last month on Virgin and while they have done away with the menus (nice souvenirs) the food service is the same and it's good. We did notice that the man nest to us ordered a halal meal (like kosher only Moslem) and was served a lovely meal first!

ttt

I think it is better to take your own food which can be healthy and fresh and what you like. Why take a chance on airline food, it is a lottery to whether you get decent food you can eat and finish it and feel good afterwards. <BR>Usually people get stomach distress after the meals on planes.

A few notes:<BR><BR>I flew to the Ireland last April (post 9/11) from Orlando, with stops in Atlanta, JFK and London. We arrived at the airport at 10am, and had no idea that there would be only biscuits/pretzels offered on each of the flights until the overnight one into London. We didn't prepare, and I'm hypoglycemic... and each stop was not a plane change, just a stop... they weren't letting us off in between. <BR><BR>We were let off in JFK... after circling a storm for an hour AND a late takeoff in Atlanta... to get to JFK around 11pm. We had to go directly to rerouting to find a new connecting flight (we had missed our original one) and stayed in line about 2 hours... still no food. By the time we got our connecting information, and had time to look around for food, everything was closed... I was about to pass out. ALWAYS bring at LEAST some snack food, as plans change...<BR><BR>I will say the pizza-in-a-bag I received on AA flight to London was much worse than the British Airways meal I got several years ago... that one was actually beef tips with noodles...<BR><BR>Also, bring water with you, keeps you hydrated through the very dry cabin air on the flight...<BR><BR>It is illegal to bring your own alcohol onto the flight, but food items are fine. I was quite happy on my last trip to Las Vegas with a big bag of sunflower seeds (preshelled). I have also brought a small quizno's sub on board, and got lots of envious looks :D

Great title! but why IS the food so bad?<BR><BR>Wouldn't it make sense if we could have some fresh fruit, good bread, great cheese instead? I think Julia Child once advised people to take that with them......and wouldn't it be nice if Starbucks put a little box lunch like that together and price ofair tickets include a no meal option....sigh if Fodorites ran the airlines....<BR>.b