Food on planes?
 

I have to take my first trip with the kids since the regulations about no liquids and since the airlines stopped serving meals on long flights. What do most people do? Can I pack something like a peanut butter sandwich or will that be confiscated? We will be carrying dry snacks like crackers and cookies, but I am wondering about packing lunch. The flight departs at 11:15 so too early to eat before and it goes right across lunch time. I don't think I want to buy what they're selling on the plane because I'd rather have a "real" meal.

Go on the airport's web site and see what restaurants are available after security. Many have "food courts" with fast food options like McDonalds, BK, etc. Some have some lovely sit-down options, but that propbably wouldn't be best with your kids.

Leaving Maine on Saturday, we had a whoopie pie left in our bag...I was wondering if it would be confiscated at Logan, but although their security folks were the strictest I've seen, the whoopie pie got through.

Don't know about pnut butter, but the best bet is to buy something after you clear security. Check the TSA website.

TSA has no food rules, only liquids. You can bring food from home. You can bring liquids on board the plane (not through TSA). So, if you want drinks the airline won't offer and can find them in a gate area convenience store, fair game. The airline's web site should indicate if they are offering beverages, meal or nothing. If they are serving a meal, you should be able to call and ask what's on the menu this month.

Not all airlines quit serving food on all flights. Check with your airline on whether your flight is one that still has regular meal service. If not as others have said you can bring food from home you can even pack a small cooler. Still has to fit under the seat and don't use the freezer packs ( blue ice ) they'll confiscate those.

Yeah, definitely no food on this flight. Just a "snack box" option. Sounds like I would be okay with Nutella sandwiches and bagels & cream cheese at least. Fast food would be cold and yucky by the time we ate it, but there are sandwich options past security for the adults.

There's lots of things that you can take on the plane that both adults and kids will eat and still get through security.

Fruit, nuts, cookies, yogurt less than 3 oz etc are all allowed. Veggie sticks, juice boxes if less than 3 oz., crackers, cheese, dried fruits, pepperoni, fruit rollups, goldfish are just some. Sandwiches are ok too. Peanut butter is fine, but we have done deli meat with mustard and those survived just fine too.

One more thought - be nice to those around you and do not bring any food that is highly odorific. Nothing is worse than having to smell an onion and garlic sandwich [or the after effects] the whole plane ride.

Debi

What ever food you bring past the security check point has to comply with the prohibition on liquids and gels. For instance, you cannot bring a stick of butter, a pack of cream cheese or similar products but you can bring a ham sandwich, a burger, or fruit for instance.

I doubt you'd be allowed to bring on a jar of peanut butter or jelly but whether or not they let a peanut butter & jelly sandwhich through would probably be up the the individual screener. Chances are it a PB&J sandwich will get through but anything we say on this forum would only be guesing or based on anecdotal experiences and as everyone know the screener has the last word. If they say NO, telling them that you read that it was OK on the Fodors travel forum isn't going to make them change their mind.

You have several choices, pack foods you thing will comply with the regulations (check them at TSA website: www.tsa.gov) or purchase your food in one of the concession stands afyer you pass through security and before you board the plane - depending on your airport you may be ablre to have quite a choice in food items.

UGGH!! Sorry for all the spelling mistakes - fingers had trouble typing.

Just an FYI, my Mom always travels with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich (not sure why, but she feels she will be cover in case of a delay). I usually travel with peanut butter crackers and/or granola bars in my briefcase. If I am starting out from home, I usually bring a snack bag filled with little carrots (they travel well, and I feel like I am eating healthy). Trail mix and dried fruit, also work well.
When I first started traveling with my niece, she was too little to chew gum, so I brought marshmallows, in case her ears got backed up. She is now almost six, has flown a dozen times, and when she sits down on the plane, she says "my ears hurt, do you have the marshmallows?". Seems alittle odd, as we usually have not yet left the gate. LOL. Bring healthy stuff, put it in little poly bags and you should be fine. Remeber, you are asking the kids to put up with alot while traveling, so give them a little treat, something you normally would not allow them to eat at home, just for a special treat.

I am of the opinion that no one should get on a plane these days without something to eat with them - between airport delays, tarmac parking, close connections. When going with kids, even if the flight is short, bring food they will eat.

Think non-perishable, not fragile, not stinky and you will be fine. Buy drinks inside security. With kids, forget healthy - flying is trying enough without trying to get a 5 year old to eat Brussel sprouts in flight, no matter how travel-related the Brussels part may be.

Let the kids bring snacks in their own carry-ons. You bring a few more substantial items - like sandwiches.

Remember to restock for the trip home.

I pack a sandwich and fruit. No problem.

Thanks for all of the help. I also agree traveling without food would be madness. And don't worry, there will be plenty of junk in the food bags for the kids, I'm a big believer in "whatever works" for plane travel!

There are no restrictions around stuff like sandwiches, chips, cookies, etc. No one will confiscate your lunch.

The only thing to be careful around is things that could by any stretch be construed as gels or liquids.

Flights still offer beverage service even when they don't serve meals.

You can carry food through security. Just not drinks.

Good advice from everyone else. I travel a lot and always look in advance to see if there are any new restrictions or rules. The snack packs on the plane aren't too bad really. The last flight I had offered 4 different options ranging from healthy/organic to pure junk/comfort food to a kid friendly option. Also, can bring on items last others have suggested. I often bring fruit, trail mix, or a sandwich. Most planes still offer drinks and the traditional small bag of peanuts or pretzels. If you're in a rush, lots of last minute options after you get through security. No worries, you have a lot of choices.

Don't know age of your kids, but we always take a trip to the store a few days before travel - kids buy gum, snacks, stupid magazines - they pick it, they carry it, they use it.

I don't know how old your kids are, but I like to take sausage kolaches. They travel well and I don't have to worry about keeping meat sandwiches cold or whether they will be confiscated because of condiments. I don't think they are odorous and they have a little meat to tide the kids over.

Based on this you may want to avoid block cheese:

http://www.star-telegram.com/nationa...ry/180065.html

Follow_Your_Bliss - Can you provide a recipe for your Sausage Kolaches? It sounds like a great idea.

The last few times we have flown, I have made sandwiches the night before and frozen them. By the time we're ready to eat, they're thawed. We've never been questioned about the food we carry on. We just buy drinks after security. We've also packed blue ice packs in our checked baggage to use for picnics later.

That's a great idea about letting the kids pick out their snacks themselves. If I have time to get them to the store before we go I will definitely do that. Oh, they are four and six years old. The six year old in particular is getting quite like a big kid and likes what big kids like. The four year old has her baby moments. The problem with counting on the snack packs is I've heard that sometimes they run out! Ack, can you imagine not having food with kids when a flight runs right across lunch time? Disaster!

I don't know about a PB sandwich, but I had a half-eaten jar of Skippy confiscated at the Lihue airport a couple of months ago. They said it was a "liquid."

Ssndwiches are fine to bring on.

Also, we bought those snack boxes United sells and thought they were quite good. I had one with hummus, pita chips, a little can of tuna salad made with oil and lemon, crackers, gouda cheese, raisins, toblerone chocolate... It was $5 and quite filling. Plus everything is individually wrapped so you can save some if you want. I much preferred it to the airline food they used to serve!

I had a block of Irish cheddar cheese, 3 apples, a box of crackers, 5 large texas shaped peanut brittle patties, 2 starbucks biscotti, a box of tea bags, a box of sweet and low. All leftovers from a week in Boston. I did not want to throw the stuff away, so I just shoved it in a bag to carry on.
The TSA has never hassled me about food and I almost always carry a couple of sliced apples, sliced cheddar and chicken salad. I have never even had them take a second look at it, no matter how much I take.

PS... I carried all that food in a carry on bag BOS to DFW, yesterday.