lunch on the plane ride

[kaytieeldr]

My MIL and my 2 year old both have epi-pens for allergic reactions (not from peanuts though) that have caused caused ER trips for obstructed airways so I'm not unsympathetic to folks that need to deal with this on a daily basis. But if I could prevent the reaction I'd much rather do that than try to isolate my kiddo from the environmental source of the allergen...

Agreed; just as I'd rather do what I could to prevent the reaction than get the world to adapt to my child's needs...

 

[ccgirl]

You mentioned that your kids like Ritz crackers. you can bring those with block cheese and pepperoni. As PP stated, use frozen grapes for ice and a nutritous snack once they though. I find the roll up sandwiches hold well. I like the idea of bringing an empty water bottle and filling it with fountain water and a lemonade pack. I am going to do that this time. I was on a flight once where they didn't serve drinks due to turbulence so I now always purchase one when I am past security. I made my own trail mix the last time and put it in a gallon ziploc bag. We had plenty for a snack while we were in the parks too. I used pretzels, mini bagel chips, goldfish, and M&M's.

Good luck.

As to PP posts regarding the allergies. Unfortunately, we can't control what others do - only what we do. Friends of mine that have a child with a severe peanut allergy drive to Disney due to the allergy. The PP suggestion of wearing gloves is a great tip I think. I can't imagine having a child with a peanut allergy. It must be very difficult. I would think a lot of the restaurants have peanut products as well.

 

[KLAIT]

I completely agree with you about believeing science as I am a scientist in a research field so everything in my life is always directed at "the science" of it...however, when you see it happen with your own eyes, it makes you really a believer. I tell you, when you see a child not be able to breathe, it gives you a whole new perspective on a lot of things. I also think now how substituting something else for a peanut butter sandwich is a very small sacrafice for me when it potentially deadly for others.

 

[brymolmom]

My vote is for bagels too - whether we travel at breakfast or lunchtime this is what I bring.

Bagels with either butter or cream cheese (I cut and spread them beforehand), goldfish or chips, some sort of fruit - it was clementines last time, string cheese and then some sort of treat (chocolate or cookies).

We always get drinks after security - hate waiting for the service on the plane.

Dont' forget that most airlines won't count a 'food bag' toward your carry-on allotment. Instead of trying to fit it into my carry-ons I go to Bruegger's and get the bagels and ask for the big bag - go home and pack it with everything else and just carry this separately through the airport.

 

[LilyWDW]

Respectfully, the little particles would be from peanut dust from fresh peanuts - not from processed peanut butter. While the airline can choose not to serve peanuts on a flight and can ask passengers not to eat peanuts, they can't force a passenger to not eat peanut products.

Equally respectfully, it's the responsibility of the allergic person to take precaution - e.g. not touch surfuces that could be contaminated from that or an earlier flight - much more than the responsibility of a few random passengers.

Agreed on the particles of the peanut allergen would not cause a reaction from something like peanut butter. I have, with my own eyes, seen someone go into a sever reaction from the smell of peanuts... which had been chemically manufactured and contained 0 actual peanuts in it. Psychological reactions can cause physical reactions and those reactions can be every bit as deadly.

Now, saying that, I think a lot more people would be fine with the "no peanuts on this flight" ruling IF the dang airlines would announce it BEFORE boarding. This would allow people to go and grab another snack if they need to. We have even had people tell us on these boards that they ASKED them to announce it ahead of time and were ignored (their child had a peanut allergy).

I will also say though... it is up to the person with the allergy (or their parents in the case of a minor child) to make sure things are safe. This might mean wiping the seat and tables down. This might mean not flying. The world can not always accommodate to the person with the allergy. There is no way to 100% be sure that the plane will be free of contamination.

 

[branv]

I think the point has been made about the different perspectives about allergies, can we try to bring this back on topic before it gets closed like most of these seem to? I'd hate for the OP to have her thread closed when this discussion could be continued in its own thread.

OP: a PP poster mentioned frozen grapes, which worked very well for us in keeping things cold. I will add, though that they got quite squished and messy, so seal them up well, and don't necessarily expect to eat them as a food item I'm still a little nervous about mayo, so we tend to do sandwiches with roast beef, cheddar and mustard, but I made sure to toast the bread to keep it from getting soggy or squished during travel. I also brought some Kashi granola bars and some pretzels for snacking. We were going to eat the grapes..but well, you see how that turned out, so maybe opt for an apple. Don't forget the napkins

Though the funny thing is that on our last trip, after we arrived at the airport we were offered a really cheap upgrade to first class, so our food was completely wasted. We put it into the fridge when we got to the resort, but by then we were off and running with WDW food. C'est la vie!

 

[Shleedogg]

I vote for the cheese, pepperoni, hummus too!

You could also make a big bowl of pasta salad with an oil and vingar base. Toss in garlic (I always saute the garlic in the oil), basil, chick peas, tomatoes, red pepper, etc. This can be eaten room temp. Just bring paper/plastic bowls and forks.

This sounds delicious and is one of my favorite things in the world to eat - balsamic pasta salad. However, it may not be plane friendly. Think about the smells. Same goes for tuna.

I would either do a lot of snacks or bring a soft sided cooler and do sandwiches/subs.

 

[hambirg]

This is just a question. . .I'm curious. As far as peanut butter and airborne particles. . .what if somebody was eating or had just eaten something with peanut butter and sneezed or coughed. Wouldn't that send some particles airborne?

I would not take peanuts or peanut products onto a flight. . .I think it would just be easier to avoid a potential hassle. I am also a firm believer in desensitizing. I rarely use hand sanitizer; I don't buy anti-bacterial soap; and I encourage my kids to play in the dirt. They rarely get sick. . . maybe once every 2-3yrs and then it's usually sinitus from the darn hay fever. My kids and I all have pretty bad hay fever. I have been buying local raw honey and it's been helping. I feel for parents of kids with these severe allergies. It must be very scary.

As a side note, I'm allergic to latex. . .please dispose of those gloves properly.

ETA- Back to the topic. My kids like bagels with cream cheese, crackers and string cheese, dry cereal, beef jerky, and sub sandwiches.

 

[mjkacmom]

Bagels. They don't need to be kept cold, are neat, and not smelly.

 

[sookie]

An you of course make sure your seatmate is not going to have an allergic reaction to the wipes you are using right?

I can't tell you the number of times we have run into "I can use whatever wipe I want".

That would be classified as a contact allergy. Different mechanism. Not life threatening.
NOT all allergies are the same. And peanut/nut allergies are some of the deadliest known.

 

[sookie]

Bagels. They don't need to be kept cold, are neat, and not smelly.

Those seem like a great idea. I will be doing that on our next flight!

 

[Dizneydaz]

We usually pack some home made sandwiches in a soft sided cooler. And while I like mayo on some sandwiches, I will do without on the plane.

We usually seem to make sandwiches with Roast Beef, Ham, and/or Turkey. I will make DD11 a plain Ham and cheese. For my DM and myself I will use 2 or 3 different meats, and some lightly applied Italian dressing. We like Bernstein's. If you apply it to the meat instead of the bread it wont' get soggy. I use deli type rolls and wrap them up individually. This works great for us. We will be in the air for a little over 4-1/2 hours from Vegas to MCO (we are connecting in Vegas from ONT). SW so nothing but snacks on our flight.

I will also bring some chips like Ruffles, Doritos, or Cheetos. And something sweet, like cookies.

I don't really worry about keeping the meats cold as anything kept on the floor of the plane (especially under a window seat) gets pretty cold!

One thing I did last year and plan on doing this year is to bring an empty styrofoam cup with lid (usually from Sam's Club). I will buy a drink at Carl's in the terminal but then empty my soda into the cup once I'm on the plane. I prefer to drink my Diet Coke from a straw and this way I don't have to worry about one of those glasses they serve spilling. Plus I don't have to wait for beverage service. During the time when you were not allowed to bring any beverages on board we had 2 legs of our flights were we had no beverage service due to turbulence. It's surprising how thirsty you can get when you are told you won't be getting any drinks. I won't let that happen again so I bring my terminal purchased beverages on board.

When we fly home from WDW we pick up a few sandwiches at a food court or Earl of Sandwich (along with snacks) and eat them on the plane. It's how we use up the last of our CS and snack credits.

It's surprising how hungry you can get just sitting on a plane! And with a long flight it breaks up the monotony of it by having a few little meals to eat.

The PP who posted the tip about putting PB on both sides of the bread is right on. That's why the Uncrustables don't get soggy. The put the jelly between 2 layers of PB.

 

[sookie]

This is just a question. . .I'm curious. As far as peanut butter and airborne particles. . .what if somebody was eating or had just eaten something with peanut butter and sneezed or coughed. Wouldn't that send some particles airborne?

I would not take peanuts or peanut products onto a flight. . .I think it would just be easier to avoid a potential hassle. I am also a firm believer in desensitizing. I rarely use hand sanitizer; I don't buy anti-bacterial soap; and I encourage my kids to play in the dirt. They rarely get sick. . . maybe once every 2-3yrs and then it's usually sinitus from the darn hay fever. My kids and I all have pretty bad hay fever. I have been buying local raw honey and it's been helping. I feel for parents of kids with these severe allergies. It must be very scary.

As a side note, I'm allergic to latex. . .please dispose of those gloves properly.

ETA- Back to the topic. My kids like bagels with cream cheese, crackers and string cheese, dry cereal, beef jerky, and sub sandwiches.

hi!
yes, it could be airborne in that situation too. however, peanut allergy is one that unless you are enrolled in a clinical trial / research, they cannot even try to be desensitized. its just too deadly at this time. there was a study last year that showed some promise that was done in england, but a number of the subjects still had severe and life threatening reactions - they had to administer the peanut products in the hospital even. that's how serious it is.
my daughter has a peanut and tree nut allergy - and has had serious medical events two times in her life. i'm a nazi about the stuff now. i don't want her to die. thankfully most people are very understanding.

latex allergies are awful. mine has progressed over the years. i'm a nurse and had to stop using the gloves - switched to nitrile - after I was diagnosed - but I didn't even realize all the stuff latex as in as mine has progressed. it started out as a contact allergy. the last straw was when i blew up balloons for a birthday party (it honestly slipped my mind - duh!) and i ended up getting really sick and it affected my breathing. i was a sick puppy for a few days! oops.

 

[sookie]

I don't love peanut butter but even if I did, I would never take a chance on potentially killing just so I could have my peanut butter on an 8 hour flight or less.

I know people that have kids with allergies and they don't expect the world to come to a close because of their child, but in an airplane if you did cause a reaction, you are really endangering that persons life and also messing up everyone else's because if that plane has to make an emergency landing, you are really going to have a lot of people ticked off at you for not giving up your peanut better. I wouldn't want to deal with the masses on that one not to mention the more important thing of really hurting someone.

exactly. this is exactly why! we're not talking about making life peanut free - a two or three hour span of time in a closed off space.

 

[sookie]

Respectfully, the little particles would be from peanut dust from fresh peanuts - not from processed peanut butter. While the airline can choose not to serve peanuts on a flight and can ask passengers not to eat peanuts, they can't force a passenger to not eat peanut products.

Equally respectfully, it's the responsibility of the allergic person to take precaution - e.g. not touch surfuces that could be contaminated from that or an earlier flight - much more than the responsibility of a few random passengers.

but then you have people coughing, touching, sneezing - it get spread very easily. and you can't just land a plane and call 911 - you are stuck up there, with an epi-pen and hopefully some luck to get you where you need to be asap. With an epi-pen even, a child can rebound in about 15 minutes.

your second point - that is why most of us mothers who deal with this, especially on planes where it is a closed in space - where many people use the area and especially eat - we go in and wipe the area down where the child will be sitting to ensure there won't be any potientially left over food rubbed all over the areas. some of the trays are gross!
its one thing to be irritated that you can't eat your pb, but its another thing to kill someone unintentionally (or intentionally if you don't listen to the requests) - especially when the person is a child. people can go home and eat their PB. but the kid can't just never leave the house. what quality of life would that be?

 

[kmvand1]

actually - you are wrong.
some people can be so sensitive that the little particles in the air can set them off into an anaphylactic attack.
a nut allergy is life threatening. with these allergies, a person can DIE within less than 2 minutes. It's not - oh - they get an upset stomach, puke, get diarrhea - it is DEAD.
not a good situation. so - lets say you are sitting next to someone or even the seat behind - and they pull out their sandwhich. there is a chance - depending on how allergic the person is - that if they are in close proximety to the person eating the food, they can begin to have an allergic reaction.

if you would be eating your peanut butter anyway, you are an insensitive person who would be putting the LIFE of another person at risk. i'd rethink that if i were you!

Oh geeze....... should have known it would take a turn this way!

 

[livndisney]

That would be classified as a contact allergy. Different mechanism. Not life threatening.
NOT all allergies are the same. And peanut/nut allergies are some of the deadliest known.

You are incorrect. This allergy is not a contact allergy and is life threatening as it impacts breathing. You are correct that all allergies are not the same and there ARE other allergies that are life threatening despite what the peanut allergy people believe.

 

[cluvsdisney]

I would bring bagels or sandwiches and some snacks like crackers or pretzels. I love the idea to use frozen grapes as ice to keep the sandwiches cool. You could probably go to concession stands and ask to purchase little mayo or mustard packs to put on your sandwich when you are ready to eat. I can't imagine they would charge more then a quarter a piece but I suspect they might say help yourself.

 

[Dizneydaz]

OP, hope these suggestions helped! As for the rest, I'm out!

 

[pezheadmeg]

The muffins are trickier because you have to be kind of careful they don't crush. But blueberry muffins and fruit are a nice light lunch too.

If you go the muffing route, just pack it into a container. It does wonders to prevent crushing. Even going to work, I work on a muffin most of the day, the container keeps it from crushing.


For the OP:The Laughing Cow wedges can keep for a few hours without the fridge. I've done cereal too, I can eat it dry. Just run out and get the little bowls and get milk at drink service. And if you can always go with dried fruit. You just have to think non-traditional meal ideas.

And I am a huge fan of the Starkist to go lunch packs. They come with everything in tow.