Does anyone pack a food suitcase?

[twinnersmama]

I am planning on packing a carry-on size suitcase with some snacks (to be checked) -- Snack pack size cereal, applesauce, dried fruit, nuts, fruit snacks, Jif to Go, crackers ... we are staying at POP and won't have a fridge, but my kids love to eat the cereal dry out of the box for breakfast.

I am also having a case of water shipped from Costco.

just wondering if anyone else packs a food suitcase and what do you take?

I don't want to take too much and have to haul it all back home. We are on the DDP.
Only 19 more days !!!

 

[DiSZYme]

I took a ton of snacks for the plane and like you picked mini boxes of cereal and fruit snacks. I also packed apple slices, granola bars, cheese crackers, those things with cracker sticks and cheese dip, pretzels and H20 (I bring a large drink bottle and then fill it out of a fountain once we're through security).
For the room, we brought various dried snacks and cereal and fruit. And we did eat most of it, but in retrospect I wish I hadn't bothered with that with stuff for the room. We weren't really in the mood for 'that stuff', and we mostly ate out anyway. Also, it just wasn't a problem to stop by a store now and then.
I did however have my mom (who winters in Florida) pick us up a case of bottled water. Honestly, we could have easily done that ourselves once there but I'm really glad we had it. I took a few of them to the park everyday and they were wonderful to have.

 

[Mousemom]

We always pack a suitcase with food. It not only gives us food while there but we end up with extra room for all those Disney items we accumulate while there. I take down some single size box cereal, bagels, chips, snack bars, water, small bottles of cranberry grape juice. Anything that I think that my kids and husband might eat in the room to save a few dollars. Mostly breakfast foods.

 

[EverythingDisney]

We took an entire suitcase full of food. We ate every bit of it also.
Pop tarts, dry cereal, milk & juice boxes, special k bars, fruit snacks, crackers n cheese.
We ended up using the empty suitcase for souveniors to bring home.

 

[Cdnmommy]

These are great ideas, thanks!

 

[10_Kyle_10]

We do the same thing and as someone else stated we pack mostly breakfast foods. We also pack nalgean bottles with crystal light packages to use while we are at the park sto save on the cost of water/drinks. Cant say the same for epcot. LOL

 

[JerseyMamaBear]

we pack one almost every time we go however for our next trip we will be mailing it down since we will be having diapers and more babystuff in it. 1 less thing to clutter up the room

 

[GinCar]

I actually posted this idea on the Budget Board earlier. Here are some items that we have packed in a "hard" suitcase: bread, goober grape, crackers, gummies, juice pouches, puddings, granola bars, paper bowls and plastic ware, water, etc.

I bought the suitcase at a thrift store and left it in Disney!

Since the Dining Plan, we only bring waters and a few snacks. We put a little in everyone's suticase.

I think the key to this working is your family's ages and needs. At the time we did this, my children were much younger and it was priceless to me to not have to stand in line to order food and/or snacks. Now, they understand "waiting" a little bit better and we don't have melt downs if they are not immediately fed.

 

[IHEARTNY]

WAIIIIIITTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!! If you're on the DDP, you really DO NOT need a suitcase of food. There is already enough food to eat on the DDP, trust me. We have NEVER managed to use up ALL the points, there's always something left over usually about 2-3 QS per person and 3-6 snacks per person. And my DH is an eater! He's 6'5" and 200 pounds and he can eat four 1/4 hamburgers when we have BBQs and still have roome for dessert. But he may just be making up for my lack of eating as everyone I know says I eat like a bird, lol.

The only thing I'd recommend is the water of course because nothing against Florida but the drinking water there is some of the worst in the nation... and light snacks for late night munching or a snack to keep around with you to much on in line or something. I usually bring enough for everyone in the categories: something sweet, something salty and something with protein (to fight off hunger a little longer waiting for ADR time). And don't forget to bring gum!

Anyway, so you're having your water shipped, good
I always get gold fish, fruit snacks or roll ups and jerky.

The food on the DDP is a lot of food. I felt like sometimes that it was a burden to have to cram MORE food into my body. I really don't recommend bringing a suitcase of food if you're on the DDP- you will end up having to take almost all of it back. We made that mistake in Sept 06 because we were always used to just staying in a BCV and bringing/purchasing a bunch of food for the two weeks for us.

It from what I have read, all the PPs did not mention that they have brought a suitcase of food while they were on the DDP and are therefore in a different sitution than the OP!

 

[d's do disney]

We pack food too. My two boys are always hungry. They burn it off really quickly. So, I need to make sure I have some relatively healthy options for them from the moment they open their eyes until they close them again at night. Even if they only eat one granola bar and one bowl of cereal, it is worth it to me to have it packed because I promise you this, they are going to want it AFTER I've already gotten my PJ's on and settled in for the evening.

 

[missesdisney]

Food packers beware - airlines are starting to charge for a second bag per person and there are already charges for weight overages so CHECK WITH YOUR AIRLINE! No good to save money on snacks and then spend $25 for the bag check!

 

[chessie2008]

We packed a bunch of food last year (cereal, granola bars, fruit bars, pop tarts, crackers, etc) We had the meal plan but didn't want to wanted to get going every morning so we something in our room and then we could use our plan for lunch and dinner. We may not pack as much and order from Garden Grocer this year so we can get some fruits, bread, cheese, water, pop, etc.

 

[d's do disney]

I should have added that we always use the DDP and pack food too. The issue isn't always the amount of food on the plan, with 2 growing boys the issue is more about WHEN they want to eat something (in addition to everything they've eaten all day). My kids usually eat smaller meals throughout the day, so packing extra food in the suitcase gives us more flexibility. I guess that's why we do it. It doesn't take much effort and it gives us more options!!! OP: I'm sure you'll figure out what will work best for your family. If you aren't sure, add a couple of small items to your bag and you will have it if you need it. Just my 2 cents, which isn't worth 1 cent in this economy.

 

[boo2you]

This is the best idea! Then when the suitcase is empty, you can fill it with all the junk you bought.

We always bring mini-cans of Pringles (they can't be crushed in that can), and boxes of Poptarts, so we don't have to buy breakfast!

 

[belle41379]

I always bring food. With the new DDP, you can't get a box of donuts as your snack (which is what we use to do for breakfast), so we now bring "easy" breakfast items to have in our room. These also come in handy later at night when you just need a snack! Yumm!

 

[GinCar]

WAIIIIIITTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!!
It from what I have read, all the PPs did not mention that they have brought a suitcase of food while they were on the DDP and are therefore in a different sitution than the OP!

Good point. Somehow I missed the fact that they are on the DP. I still think a few snack and drinks would be great, but I know my family of 5 didn't need much extra with the DP.

 

[sunnyday123]

WAIIIIIITTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!! If you're on the DDP, you really DO NOT need a suitcase of food. There is already enough food to eat on the DDP, trust me. We have NEVER managed to use up ALL the points, there's always something left over usually about 2-3 QS per person and 3-6 snacks per person. And my DH is an eater! He's 6'5" and 200 pounds and he can eat four 1/4 hamburgers when we have BBQs and still have roome for dessert. But he may just be making up for my lack of eating as everyone I know says I eat like a bird, lol.

I agree. I went with my friend and her kids, and we mailed a package of food down, and had the DDP. She refused to leave uneaten food, and lugged back cereal and oranges. ( We didn't even buy oranges and still can't figure out where they came from!) It was the heaviest bag she had, kept breaking ( oranges rolled on the plane from orlando to baltimore!) and she ended up losing it somewhere in baltimore anyway.

 

[All About The Mouse]

Food packers beware - airlines are starting to charge for a second bag per person and there are already charges for weight overages so CHECK WITH YOUR AIRLINE! No good to save money on snacks and then spend $25 for the bag check!

That is why we go to the Grocery Store when we get there. But if you don't have a car I guess this won't work.

 

[anniegsu]

We brought food even when we were on the DDP. It's nice to have some breakfast food in the room for the mornings and food for late night snacks. You may not need a whole suitcase full, the DDP does give you a lot of food!!

 

[IHEARTNY]

Good point. Somehow I missed the fact that they are on the DP. I still think a few snack and drinks would be great, but I know my family of 5 didn't need much extra with the DP.

Definitely. We still bring snacks but in no way is it going to fill a suitcase. Like I said, something salty and something sweet for tastes. Then something with a bit of protein, like jerky or nuts, that curves hunger when you have something like an hour until ADR time.

We're also late morning waker-upers so by the time we get to the park, ride a ride, it's lunch. We're never awake early enough for it to be a good idea to eat breakfast.