Lunch on airplane

[mombg20062009]

Our flight on the way down will be during lunch. We have a 14 month old, 4, 11, and 15 year old. I'm trying to save a little money and time, so I'd like to pack a lunch for the plane. I know that Pb&J is out, but I'm not sure what else to pack. Any suggestions? I guess I could do turkey and cheese but I won't have anything to keep it cold. Thanks.

 

[sam_gordon]

I don't believe unsealed (factory sealed) food is allowed through security (with the exception of infant formula). You've got to purchase it in the concourse ($$$)

 

[Terrie..]

We bring food through security all the time without a problem. It's just the drinks they don't allow.

 

[Pembo]

We brought an entire bag of food through security with no problem. I just packed lunches (inc. pb&J) like I do every other day for school and work. We purchased our drinks once we got through security.

 

[pixidustmom]

What if you made the sandwiches and kept it cool in a soft lunch bag and a little ice pack. Once at the airport remove the ice pack and it should stay cool in the little lunch bag (just like packing a lunch and taking it to school).

 

[Alesia]

a ziploc bag of frozen grapes will keep the sandwich cold.

 

[mytripsandraces]

Frozen peas will work, too, if you're worried about the grapes getting crushed from being in a plastic bag.

 

[heatherleigh]

I didn't even know food of any kind was allowed until our last flight, a few days ago. I packed some pre-packaged and regular snacks (packaged by me in ziplocs) w/out incident. It helped w/ the three kids I had w/ me.

 

[tigger51276]

Because you have a little one, if you do bring a small cooler bag with an ice pack in it, if you tell them it's to keep the "baby's" milk and food cold, they should let you through security with it. I didn't even think of that when I brought my small cooler bag with ice pack with me. I had planned on using it at the parks to keep DD1's milk cold during the day and had put the ice pack and some bananas in the bag. When I got to security they asked me what it was and I said it's an ice pack and they asked what it was for and I said "Oh, it's keeping the bananas cold". They said they wouldn't be able to let me take it through unless it was there to keep the baby's milk cold, wink wink. It took me a second to get it as I was a little stressed being at the airport with my two DD's by myself and then got it and said "Oh yeah, that's what I meant it's to keep the milk cold". No problems taking it through then. Granted I'm sure different airports may have different policies.

 

[brymolmom]

I always bring bagels - easy to pack and eat on the plane. I bring a bag from the Bagel shop - and put cream cheese or butter on as the family likes it. I throw in some clementines, goldfish and a treat of some sort. We get drinks after security.

 

[tjmw2727]

I pack a typical lunch for us and use frozen grapes or carrot sticks as an "ice pack". You can bring just about any food item except maybe jello/pudding type things. You can bring a bagel with cream cheese on it but if you bring a tub of cream cheese to spread on a bagel it has to be 3oz or less and go in the 3-1-1 baggie.

Purchase drinks after security and add them to the lunch cooler and this way we have what we like and don't have to wait on the FA's to serve us.

For the 14mo bring and empty sippie or bottle and you can then fill it with what you need.

There are exceptions for traveling with babies so can bring through some milk/formula if necessary but IMHO its easier to just buy it after.

 

[ML_LovesDisney]

Food can go through, not liquids unless its the water you are going to use to make your baby's formula or baby formula.

 

[bookgirl]

I don't believe unsealed (factory sealed) food is allowed through security (with the exception of infant formula). You've got to purchase it in the concourse ($$$)

I've taken food through when I was going to be in the airport over a meal including a pb&j. No problem. Just no liquids.

 

[Kanga+2Roos]

Uncrustables work wonderful! I pull them out of the freezer just before we leave & they are the perfect temperature when we eat them on the plane. I just pack some goldfish crackers to go with them & we're good to go. If you need to keep things cold for a bit longer I would freeze a bottle of water & pitch it just before you go through security.

 

[HermanTriplets+1]

Make your sandwiches, but don't bring a jar of PB - trust me on this Also, no yogurts or "GoGurts" or other such tubes of semi liquids. We had a nice breakfast confiscated by Jet Blue last trip. Oh well. Also, ice packs are a no - no though the idea of saying it's for baby's milk or medication might work. We've done well with the vacuum packed bags of tuna, too. There is a bigger family size, very reasonable and good for a few sandwiches. Nuts, dried fruits, pretzels... a good lunch!

 

[darthspud]

i brought a soft sided cooler as my carry on with fruit as my ice pack.. the night before I cut up cantelop and watermelon and made kinda like a fruit salad but put it in the freezer over night, then i just brought cold cuts (im not much into bread) and fruit roll ups I had no problems getting any of it thru security. Also just bring an empty water bottle and powdered juice mix then once thru security went to the bathroom filled the water bottle in the sink mixed my juice and voila lunch is served!

then on the flip side coming home use your cooler go to Earl of sandwich order your meals and put them in your cooler and by the time you get to MCO your sandwiches will still be warm (mine always are) and voila lunch or dinner to go home.. dont forget if you have AAA you get a discount at eos! Unless you are on the DDP which we generally are

 

[sritter78]

I appreciate those that are saying no PB&J. My cousin's son is deathly allergic to PB and plane rides are super scary for her. She has to get on the plane and completely clean everything in their row and get the airline to not serve peanuts on that flight.

If only everyone was so courteous.

 

[bumbershoot]

I too appreciate those who know it's best to NOT bring PB onto the plane! It's just the nice, good thing to do.

We've brought PB through security, but we eat it at the gate area. If someone needs to get away, they can. Once we're on that plane, they can't.

I have no interest in causing problems for others. And in another thread I read that actual peanut butter doesn't cause the dust that most are allergic to, so it's actually not as scary, BUT BUT BUT, I don't want someone to have to deal with smelling something, and let them be scared because they don't know if it's the pbutter or airborne particles...



sritter78, your cousin lets the airline poeple know ahead of time, right? And when they get to the gate they mention it again, so that the gate agents can announce *before* boarding that it's a no peanut flight? Because even though we now have changed our ways, and eat PB before the flight just in case, not everyone knows, and it would be better to have the knowledge BEFORE getting on that plane that snacks/sandwiches might not be able to be eaten.



Bananas need to be kept cold? I've always found that they are better when room temperature.

 

[Marthasor]

Our flight on the way down will be during lunch. We have a 14 month old, 4, 11, and 15 year old. I'm trying to save a little money and time, so I'd like to pack a lunch for the plane. I know that Pb&J is out, but I'm not sure what else to pack. Any suggestions? I guess I could do turkey and cheese but I won't have anything to keep it cold. Thanks.

Up until my son was 18 months old, I had no problems with taking ice packs on the plane to carry his milk, water and ,when he was younger, pumped breast milk.

 

[tigger51276]

Bananas need to be kept cold? I've always found that they are better when room temperature.

If this was for me, no I don't normally keep bananas cold, the soft sided cooler was just a good place to put them so that they hopefully wouldn't get smushed at the time.