Hi,

With airlines cutting cost like this, do you pack your meals or snack with you on the long flights? If so what do you pack and what is your advice on good pack meals? How do you pack it? Do you bring a soft cooler with you or just put it in a brown bag and stuff it in your carryon?

Another thing, how about on your way back? Do you do the same?

It depends on what time of day and how long the flight.

When leaving from home on a long flight I will usually pack my own brown bag lunch.

Yes: ham sandwich w/ little pkg of mayo or mustard from the deli. I have a tiny ice pack that keeps it cool.
No: PBJ.

Yes: pretzels (not greasy)
No: Cheetos, although I love them or Fritos (too greasy)

Yes: Apple
No: banana - always gets squished
Yes: carrots

Yes: chocolate
Yes: chocolate
Yes: power bars (I like Cliff bars)
Yes: bottle of water
Yes: did I mention chocolate?

Upon return, I'll try to have some of the same snacks & pick up a pre-made sandwich at the airport.

For shorter flights (2-3hr) I just make sure I eat before I get on plane & have a few snacks along if it's been a while.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Yes: chocolate
Yes: chocolate
Yes: power bars (I like Cliff bars)
Yes: bottle of water
Yes: did I mention chocolate?
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Too funny, J62!
and just say "yes" to that small soft sided cooler.
We have quit the collection of these
handy coolers-want to borrow one ?

R5

I mean "quite"...
Guess we better quit collecting them!
R5

Yes I always bring food of some sort. what I take depends on the length of the flight and if any food will be served complimentary by the airline.

Usually I bring a sandwich, candy bar or cookies, bottled water or juice box. If it's morning, a bagel cream cheese and drinkable yogurt. Just in a paper bag shoved in my carry-on.

I have also gotten more liberal with being willing to pay airport prices, either for a pastry or fast-food item before getting on the plane, or a ready-made sandwich bought from a vendor to take with.

I might begin using my soft-sided insulated lunch box, but so far my longest flights (Hawaii and Europe) still have decent free dependable meal service.

Same general idea for the return flight.

I have always packed my own snacks, airline food , ewwwwwwwwww!

Some of my fav's...

Fruit, yum!

Pistachios, very filling, and good for you!

Granola bars, Quaker chewy are my fav, many varities to suit all palates.

Goldfish, not just for kids!

Maybe a lil chocolate Sbr />
And here is how pathetically obsessed I am about my snacks, I always put the above in a carry-on, and then "extras" in my suitcase for the return flight, yikes what a freak!
(Husband use to tease me, now loves it.)

If it's a reallllly long flight, maybe a sandwich, or we usually have a bite to eat right before we go.

Happy travels, T.

Ooooooops!

That S:- was suppose to be

Ha!

I do pack food while traveling. I always freeze some juice boxes to keep my food cold and safe to eat. I also pack trail mix that I make myself, grain & granola bar snacks, as well as some slim jims or dried beef jerky.

I like to make a sandwich for the plane. Airplane food is just not that great, if you even get any food at all.

Tiff,
Did you mention chocolate?

Hey, chocolate is a food group in my book!

It's a mood altering drug for me. I don't think my husband would let me give it up, that's for sure.

I always put some granola bars in my carry on and some in my suitcase for the return flight,that is about it. On long flights (over 4 or 5 hours) I generally use my FF miles and upgrade to first class. Plenty of food there!

Just a lil, J62, hee

American Airlines allows you to carry-on a bag of food in addition to your one carry-on bag and personal item. When we fly coach, we pack place mats (those tray tables can be icky); our first course is mixed nuts, second course is a freshly-assembled sandwich of turkey and cheese with avocado on sour dough bread or croissant, dessert is home-made chocolate chip cookies. For a long flight, we also bring snacks of cheese, crackers, and fruit. Some of the FAs are amused by our place mats; others agree that it is a good idea.

If you are flying to or from Hawaii, you cannot bring in or take out fresh fruits and vegetables.

Even before the cut backs we always brought food if we don't get an upgrade. Packed a homemade sandwich in a softsided waterproof hand tote along with a "blue ice pak" to keep thing cool. Sometimes we'll take Italian Heros or overstuff deli sandwiches. Our most memorable "take-on" meal was on an AA flight to the Caribbean when we splurged and feasted on wedges of Brie and Roquefort (sp?) cheese, pate de frois gras, cavier, fresh grapes and a thinly sliced fresh baguette. We had many people around us offering to trade their Bistro Bags for a taste.

Our favourite meals to take on long flights are cheese and chutney sandwiches and apricot jam sandwiches. Really good potato chips. Sometimes some olives and parmesan cheese or a celery leaf,tomato and parmesan salad. Usually some ginger biscuits and dark choc for dessert.

If I will be flying during dinner time, I get a combo wrap at California Chicken Cafe (chicken, cheese, quacamole, tomoatoes, sprouts all wrapped in pita). I always bring some type of nuts, a bottle of water and sometimes something sweet like a chocolate bar or tootsie pops. Food won't go bad in a few hours due to the cabin being temperature controlled.

Even if I don't bring a full meal, I always carry meal bars or some sort of snack. Having been stranded many times after airport facilities were closed and too late to find anything open in the surrounding areas, my snacks are now on my permenant packing list.

We've carried on some memorable meals -probably the best was a dozen oysters on the half shell (opened in advance), crab louis (sauce packed separately), sourdough bread -picked up at SF's Swan Oyster Depot on the way to the airport and well-packaged with ice by them. Have carried on lobster salad in Boston, barbecue in Memphis, pastrami and corned beef sandwiches from Katz' and Second Ave delis in NY. Flying can be boring and a good meal helps pass the time. We started this before the airlines cut out the food service, mainly because what they did serve was so awful. Nobody ever has challenged us for carrying on extra stuff.By the way, thanks for the tip about the place mats.

Yes, depending on how long the flight is, I ALWAYS bring my own food because the food on airlines just sucks! I usually stop off at McDonalds or some other fast food place and buy a few burgers or something. I don't mind eating them cold! I NEVER buy food at airports because of the outrageous prices. Sometimes, I'll eat my meal while I'm waiting for my flight (it's a good way to kill time) and then I'll eat the rest of it on the flight. Occasionally, I'll pack a sandwich from home, but most of the time, I stop off somewhere on the way to the airport.