Nick

There has been lost of discussion about food on planes on this site.

So I throw these questions out for discussion:
1. What is the best meal you have ever carried on to a plane? (ie. Made your seat mates green with envy.)

2. When did bringing on your own food REALLY save you?

Huh?

2. Are you charged extra for a meal on a plane? Thought it was part of the ticket price. What would it save you????

Caitlin

Duh, it would save you from going hungry because you couldn't possibly stomach the inedible dreck that passes for airplane food.

joan

1. The CRUELEST meal we ever carried onto a plane: a fresh-made Muffeletta from Central Grocer in New Orleans. When we unwrapped that baby, all smellin' of herbs and olives and dripping with juicy goodness, there was very nearly a mutiny on that plane. Yes, sir, the peanuts were flyin'! everywhere...teeeheee...

2. See 1. above

John

I've flown alot on business and pleasure this year, on eight different airlines. All of them have lousy food. I suggest bringing your own. Salads, sandwiches, cheese cubes, fresh fruit, and snacks are all great carry-ons. I'm on the Atkins diet, and most of the airlines provide high-carbohydrate items that I'm trying to avoid. The worst example of airline food? Soft breadsticks served with cold marinara dipping sauce! The flight attendents handed them out like they were serving filet mignon! Airline food is there for one reason -- to keep you occupied and distracted. If you want fine cuisine, stay home or bring your own.

curious

We were going on a business junket with my husbands company flying out of JFK. One of the guys in his office shows up with 2 grocery bags from his cousins Italian Deli in on Arthur Avenue in the Bronx. While everyone else was unwrapping there cubes from the Airline, they were looking longingly at those delicious sandwiches we were all enjoying! Proscuitto with fresh mozzarella and roasted peppers on Focaccia bread, ummm, they were wonderful!

Mike

I like to bring just about anything ... shrimp cocktail, sushi rolls, nice sandwiches, etc. But the fun part is that I carry it in one of those Delta "Sky Deli" bags. When everybody else opens theirs to the usual dry turkey hidden somewhere within a stale roll, mine always evokes an envious question or two. "Why? What did *you* get??"

laura

Not a meal, but when my 21-year old daughter and her girlfriend were going to England, I sent them off at the airport with a bag of "doughnut holes" and two bottles of lemonade. It was a night flight and they were anticipating a dinner. Well, they boarded the plane around 9 p.m. (starving) and the plane was delayed there at the gate for three more hours and the meal wasn't served until about 1 a.m. So they really appreciated those doughnut holes and that lemonade!

James Michalek

Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. YUM!!! I made it ALL!!! Whole wheat bread, jelly (strawberry, in the same bread machine, although I used frozen strawberries) and even peanut butter (paid $10 for that nut grinder, and it's easily the best investment I ever made except my slow cooker).

Of course, no one was jealous until I passed a couple out, but I loved them.

The meal that got the biggest response was a Pizzeria Uno pizza (the original Chicago Style), which I had to bust up so it would fit in my carry on, which was a small sacrifice, and eat half of before the trip, but that was NO sacrifice.

Owen O'Neill

It was actually on a traion rather than a plane. Left Chicasgo at about 6 PM bound of rNYC and bought dinner to go at a nice little Thai place near the station - heads turned when I opened the container - everyone on my car could smell it and most within earshiot leaned out to ask "Where did you get that?!"

L.T.

Homemade brownies wrapped in foil!! This is a wonderful comfort food which can be enjoyed at the airport, on the plane, in the hotel.

Mary

When we fly Southwest home from Las Vegas, its usually a 6:30pm flight that doesn't get in till midnight. I know it sounds strange but we always get corned beef sandwiches with pickles from the Stage Deli at the Forum shops. You can smell that garlic from the overhead compartment and I always feel a little guilty, but not enough to not eat it and really enjoy it. Even if Southwest served meals I doubt anything could compare with those!

GatorGirl

Joan, you are so right about the Muffeletta! Our uncle was flying back from New Orleans through Hartsfield and we made the trek to spend two hours with him at the airport just to get a jar of the Muffeletta he brought for us! He also brought a sandwich on the plane and he said the stewardess offered him (in jest I think) free drinks if she could have half of the sandwich! Everyone visiting New Orleans should bring one home with them!

Catherine

I always travel with my own food because I never know how long I will be on the plane. I can't tell you how many times I get on a flight and just sit on the runway without drink or food. Now, I always pack something, even if it is just a power bar or large bag of mixed nuts.
My best meal, the one that drew the most attention, was a pesto and goat cheese pizza I picked up at Spago's in Chicago's OHare Airport. The pizza was hot and the smell wafted through the cabin attracting all sorts of attention. Garlic seems to get the taste buds going.

Terri

Can you believe this? A few years ago we were taking a trip to Mexico using a charter service (Apple or Fun Trips, don't remember). Well we were starving so we bought some French fries at a fast food joint in the airport before boarding. As we were boarding a flight attendant took our fries and said we couldn't have them because they were going to serve us a meal later. But she was kind enough to keep our fries in a safe place and returned them to us upon our arrival to our destination! Yum!

this is

So the flight attendant stole your real food and replaced it with airline food? This is what causes air rage! I've had flight attendants practically insist I eat their food and they appear shocked when I repeatedly refuse to allow them to put any of it on my tray table. Are they kidding?

Kristen

My mom and I have flown Sun Country airlines a few times to Orlando for our Disney World visits. Sun Country is super cheap and it really shows in the food they serve. (Can you really call it food???) Anyway, the other passengers were very envious of the fresh, chocolate chip cookies that were practically the size of a human head! We bought them at Dixie Landings, our hotel at Disney, and I swear everyone's mouths were watering around us!! Hee-Hee! It really saved us. We didn't have to suffer throught the nuked pepperoni on a roll. Ewwww. What were they thinking serving something like that? I will always fly with cookies!

Annie

I always bring my own food on flights - a salad or a sandwich, something that's easy to pack and not too messy to eat. However, when I choose food for a flight I always try to be conscientious of the people around me - I think it's incredibly rude to bring something like a garlic pizza on a plane. It's an enclosed space! I can pretty much guarantee you that the people sitting near you don't particularly want to smell whatever it is you've brought to munch on. That's disgusting. I find that just as offensive as someone sitting next to me wearing really strong perfume, or kicking the back of my seat.

American Woman

I always have a few granola bars on hand. One trip I peeled an orange before I left home and put it in a Ziploc bag. When I sectioned and ate it, the orange gave off a great scent. I don't think other passengers were jealous -- I think they just liked having a burst of pleasant fragrance.

Joy

Annie - you are so right! All these "scent" infiltrating the space of many, many people. I agree, it is inconsiderate to subject others to food odors, some of which may cause sensitive people problems. Bring your own food, but at least be thoughtful about it.