Anyone ever try to pack food in your luggage?

[lauralong81]

I was thinking of shipping some snacks down, or doing GardenGrocer.... but now I'm thinking we can put some juice boxes, breakfast bars and snacks in a suitcase. Has anyone done this? Had any problems? We are flying southwest, so we have two checked bags per person - and the kiddos will only need one back each. So i'm thinking we can do one with snacks and what not. I'm assuming this is allowed as long as it's not perishable?

Any input would be appreciated!
Laura
36 days left until our 1st stay at the POP! :banana:

[Mousemom]

We do this every time we go. I pack cereal, granola bars, bagels, etc and then use the suit case room for souvineers when we come home. We also rent a car so head to Wallmart for yogurt, milk, fruit, etc.. If we stay at a value we buy a small styrofome cooler for around $5.00 and then leave it when we check out. We always eat breakfast in the room and this saves us money as well as time.

[M5ward]

In October I took oatmeal, baby juices, and baby snacks for my grandson. I bagged (double bagged) the juice in freezer bags so if anything leaked it wouldn't get on any clothes it that suitcase. Everything arrived intact.

[poohfriend77]

I packed goldfish crackers, granola bars, and baggies or pretzels in a plastic shoe box in our suitcase. The box prevented everything from getting crushed (it would probably be good for juice boxes, as well!), and the box was handy to have in our room for receipts, park maps, brochures, napkins, and all the other things I collected for my scrapbook.

[carlbarry]

I pack food for religious dietary reasons. I have packed plastic jars of frozen milk and juice, bags of cereal, oranges, apples, bananas (actually too fragile), snacks, cookies, cooked meat items, canned sardines, peanut butter, bread, etc. I put the frozen and refrigerated items in one of those metallic-looking cooling bags with a freezer pack, and pack it in with the rest of the stuff in my check-in bag. I have never had a problem.

[Brer Shay]

I do as well, packing them in Tupperware/Rubbermaid boxes so they don't get crushed or melt on anything. Works great!

[BridgetBordeaux]

I have flown with a box of 10 Capri Sun's and had no problems.

[momof2forever]

Does anyone know if food can be packed in a carry on to eat on the plane? Would I have to lay it out on the security belt?

Thanks so much.

[BellesFavoriteBook]

I'd like to know this too (if you can bring some things to eat in your carry on). I plan to put things like packs of peanuts (since the airlines no longer give them away for free) and Kelloggs Fiber Plus bars. I'll probably pack them in see thru zip loc bags and stack them inside my carry on that has clothes and such. I won't be bringing drinks, though.

[GBShorts]

I have always packed in my checked bags as well as taken food in my carry on!

I'm a big snacker so when I get bored on the plane i look for something tasty to chew on! You can bring anything on, including a drink if you get it inside security.

[Millie12591]

I was thinking of shipping some snacks down, or doing GardenGrocer.... but now I'm thinking we can put some juice boxes, breakfast bars and snacks in a suitcase. Has anyone done this? Had any problems? We are flying southwest, so we have two checked bags per person - and the kiddos will only need one back each. So i'm thinking we can do one with snacks and what not. I'm assuming this is allowed as long as it's not perishable?

Any input would be appreciated!
Laura
36 days left until our 1st stay at the POP! :banana:

I've seen people post on the DIS that they've packed a cooler with sodas that you can't buy in WDW and just taped the cooler shut and checked it just like baggage. :laughing: I think what ever your allowed and feel you need to do, do it! :) They also used the cooler to pack their souvies to go home with. As for us, we did the garden grocer thing, we ordered bread, peanutbutter, some snack crackers, some fruit, milk, and cereal, and most importantly Mt. Dew for my husband. LOL Oh and I forgot I ordered a case of water bottles so we could take them into the park, we didn't want to spend out of of pocket for breakfast (back when you could get the DDP and not have to pay gratuity out of pocket) or anything else except for souvies.
To keep the milk cold or drinks I brought a rolling soft sided cooler that I folded down flat, laid in the bottom of the suitcase and then packed everything else on top of it. Worked like a charm! You get ice for free (we stayed value)so my teen ds would go down and get ice every morning and every evening before we would go to bed, he would roll it out of the room and dump in the grass and filler up again! :)
You can order with garden grocer a styro foam cooler to be brought with your groceries if you don't want to pack something, personally we liked the fact that you could roll the one we had since it made it easier to get the ice, so we will do that again. :upsidedow
This saved a lot of money eating in the room in the morning and eating snacks and water from what we had rather than using the snack credits for water, this way we could get the amazing snacks that we found out about besides, popcorn, water and sodas and the famous mickey head icecreams.:)

[momof2forever]

I have always packed in my checked bags as well as taken food in my carry on!

I'm a big snacker so when I get bored on the plane i look for something tasty to chew on! You can bring anything on, including a drink if you get it inside security.

Do you mean past the security point I should buy items to take on the plane or can I pack in my carry on and take it through the security check? I was wondeirng if I woudl have to take it out and lay on the security belt.

[GBShorts]

Do you mean past the security point I should buy items to take on the plane or can I pack in my carry on and take it through the security check? I was wondeirng if I woudl have to take it out and lay on the security belt.

You can take anything dry through security. The only thing you will have to buy once you get through is liquids such as sodas or water. You don't have to take it out of your bag! The only things you have to remove from bags are laptops and your 1-1-3 bag. (one bag, one quart size, 3oz or smaller bottles for toiletry liquids)

[momof2forever]

Thank you.

[Justsyd2]

This is from the TSA Website:

When it comes to bringing items through checkpoints, we've seen just about everything. Traveling with food or gifts is an even bigger challenge. Everyone has favorite foods from home that they want to bring to holiday dinners, or items from their destination that they want to bring back home.

Not sure about what you can and can't bring through the checkpoint? Here's a list of liquid, aerosol and gel items that you should put in your checked bag, ship ahead, or leave at home.

Cranberry sauce
Cologne
Creamy dips and spreads
(cheeses, peanut butter, etc.)
Gift baskets with food items
(salsa, jams and salad dressings)
Gravy
Jams
Jellies
Lotions
Maple syrup
Oils and vinegars
Perfume
Salad dressing
Salsa
Sauces
Snowglobes
Soups
Wine, liquor and beer


Note: You can bring pies and cakes through the security checkpoint, but please be advised that they are subject to additional screening.

* Items purchased after the security checkpoint have been pre-screened and can be taken on the plane.

[mom2meiko]

we did that last year when we went. dd was only 6.5 months and we needed formula, baby food, etc. we actually used diapers (2 or 3) on anything that could be breakable (figuring it would provide cushioning and soak up any liquid should be there be an issue) and it worked great!

[carlbarry]

Here is the link to the above list. Oddly, this particular page is difficult to find on the site. Easy to find is the list of non-food items you can't bring on, like spear guns, bazookas, etc.--thanks, I was wondering LOL. But the info we really need, they have buried.
http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/holiday.shtm

[Cruz91]

Since SWA allows 2 checked bags per person, we always end up taking along a whole suitcase full of all groceries we'll need that are non-perrishable (hmm - spell check that one). Anyway - we don't just do it for cost, we do it to save time at the grocery store when we're on vacation. We usually stay offsite at a condo and eat breakfast there every morning (unless doing a character breaky), pack about 1/2 our lunches, and eat about 1/2 our dinners at the condo as well. We never have problems with food getting too squished (at least haven't in our previous trips).

[gypsydoodlebug]

When staying at Fort Wilderness in one of the cabins, one of my girlfriends pulled groceries out of her bag, including a box of cake mix, chips, crackers, alcohol, and even a bottle of vanilla. I can't remember what else but it was like Mary Poppins' carpet bag. She just kept pulling stuff out.

[LlamaMamaof2]

I alway pack food in our suitcases! I double bag some things and I bring a lot of extra ziploc bags to use for leftovers or to bag up stuff to take into the parks. I pack goldfish and crackers in the rubbermaid containers so they don't get crushed during the ride. For breakfast I take the individual bowls of cereal they have at Target, a buck a piece here, and the kids get to pick whatever ones they want on vacation. All the kids snack stuff packs well and saves a lot of money. In my carry on, I ususally take fruit snacks, lunchables (freeze first to keep cool longer), can of pringles, candy, goldfish, gum! I pack some in each of the kids backpacks so they can get it out. They both (ages 3 and 7) have a squirt bottle in their backpacks as I have had too many drinks spilled on me on the plane:) Happy travels..

[HGD24]

In the past, we used a very inexpensive small suitcase from WalMart and packed it full of bottles of Pepsi & water. It held up perfectly so we were able to get our Pepsi fix while at WDW! We usually pack some dry snacks in our carry ons and in our regular checked luggage too.

[BiancaBernard&Penny]

I had to pack all my own food when I went to work in MS after Katrina. Among the things I took were fruit cups and juice boxes, they were fine. The only thing I had trouble (besides the flattened loaf of bread) with was 2 or 3 of my bottled waters that sprung pinpoint leaks and dampened some of my clothes and bedding. They were generic brand and flimsier than soda bottles but just be aware that it can happen.

[Debbie-TN]

I've carried dry snacks in my carry-on lots of times. My cousin bought a jar of honey and a jar of peanut butter at a Walmart there. She didn't think about it and packed them in her carry-on. They made her throw them away. I can understand about the honey, but I don't understand about having to throw out the peanut butter. Oh well.:confused3

[carlbarry]

I've carried dry snacks in my carry-on lots of times. My cousin bought a jar of honey and a jar of peanut butter at a Walmart there. She didn't think about it and packed them in her carry-on. They made her throw them away. I can understand about the honey, but I don't understand about having to throw out the peanut butter. Oh well.:confused3
The TSA specifically mentions peanut butter:
http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/holiday.shtm
Weird, however, that PIES are OK, with a filling!

[lauralong81]

When staying at Fort Wilderness in one of the cabins, one of my girlfriends pulled groceries out of her bag, including a box of cake mix, chips, crackers, alcohol, and even a bottle of vanilla. I can't remember what else but it was like Mary Poppins' carpet bag. She just kept pulling stuff out.

:lmao:

[MAGGIED]

I always ship a box ahead of time... it costs about $15 and it is waiting there for us when we arrive. I send along cereal, plastic spoons, paper bowls, granola bars, shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, rice crispi treats, gum, etc.... then I order a case of water from Costco and it is waiting there for us.... I order/send things so they arrive the day before we do.... it has worked out very well in the past and saves us a ton of money on breakfast, snacks in the park and water!!

[angelsmith52]

I thought it was funny that you couldn't take cranberry sauce on a plane. Didn't know that was a problem!

[Tiki Room Fan]

I had always heard rumors that it wasn't "safe" to put food in checked luggage as it gets x-rayed...does anyone know if that's true? We always take granola bars with us and candy and bagels, etc., but we always carry it in our carry ons, even though those get x-rayed, too. But I heard that the carry on x-ray isn't as bad as the checked bags. ?? :confused3

[myramsy]

we always packed food in an empty suitcase for cereal, bowls and spoons, granols bars, juice boxes, bags of chips, crackers...we would get up in the am and have breafast in the rooms...a bowl of ceral and juice...just enough to get you kick started for your day and then we would have an early lunch which ia bonus because it beats the crowds. And at the end of your trip the food is gone and you have room to bring back all the stuff you bought!

[myramsy]

I had always heard rumors that it wasn't "safe" to put food in checked luggage as it gets x-rayed...does anyone know if that's true? We always take granola bars with us and candy and bagels, etc., but we always carry it in our carry ons, even though those get x-rayed, too. But I heard that the carry on x-ray isn't as bad as the checked bags. ?? :confused3

are you worried that tha xrays are harming your foods? I work in a hospital as an RN and wouldnt think that is enogh radiation to do any damage but if anyone else can add to this concern...I would love to know as well

[tam626]

I thought it was funny that you couldn't take cranberry sauce on a plane. Didn't know that was a problem!


I know, darn it, I can't take my cranberry sauce with me.:lmao:

[turtlebean]

what kind of suitcase worked best for packing food?

and why do i find this note from the tsa website hillarious :rotfl:

Note: You can bring pies and cakes through the security checkpoint, but please be advised that they are subject to additional screening.

[tlh0726]

If you are packing snack to eat while on the plane, just a little FYI that I never thought of before our flight.

Before we left the gate, the attendant came on the loud speaker and announced that this would be a peanut free flight. That there was a child on board that has a severe allergy to nuts and even peanut dust in the air would result in a severe reaction. So please do not open any packages/containers/etc that you are aware contain nuts.

We boarded fairly early (group A 16-21) and I noticed a woman wiping down an entire row of seats, tray tables, etc. I thought she was trying to cut down on catching a virus and ruining their vacation. (enough warning on DIS :rotfl:) I cannot imagine having to be that careful. Makes me count my blessings regarding my own kids.

So make sure you pack peanut items seperately or you may not have that snack you were counting on.

[Mufasa&Simba]

When I went last September I packed quite a few non-perishable snacks- granola bars, fruit snacks (a few more little snacks I can't remember) and also a 10 pack of little cereal variety packs to have cereal in our room every morning. My dad and I are big (especially my dad!) on saving money and he figured out one bowl of cereal cost us 31 cents vs. getting one for like 5 bucks in the food court. We bought our milk, juice, and water in the CSR convenience store (Panchito's)- which at times is cheaper than buying it in the food court. Saved us a lot of money. I never had any problems going through security with the food at the airport.

I also remembered I brought along packs of instant oatmeal to have and some tea bags to make tea. Of course I brought along styrofoam bowls and plastic spoons to have the cereal in too.