Packing Food for Disney

[ancestry]

Here is the deal. We have a surprise trip to Disney planned for the two youngest kids in December right before Christmas as a Christmas present for them. On this trip will be me, my 20 year old, and my 9 year old twins. DH and my 16 year old are staying at home due to commitments they can't get out of (college for DH and basketball for son).

Anyways we are flying Jet Blue which allows us to check four suitcases for free. We don't need four suitcases for clothes and toiletries. What we would like to do to keep costs down is pack one suitcase with food and snacks.

We have one TS dining reservation planned for each day -- actually for dinner. What can we pack food wise that would minimize or eliminate our out of pocket costs for breakfast and lunch for six days that isn't all junk? Any ideas?

 

[babyrich]

cereal, muffins, granola bars, pb&j (you can buy bread there)

If you are in a place that has a microwave you can take those meals you add water to and microwave.

Cant think of much else that isnt total junk.

 

[momof1princess]

when we go to wdw, we usually drive, and we pack a box with a loaf of bread, a jar of peanut butter, a bunch of bananas, a bag of apples, some red grapes, a box of pop tarts, a pan (not with the pan, of course, lol) of blueberry muffins, protein bars, granola bars, pringles, juice boxes, water, 1/2 gallon of milk (or gallon, depending on length of stay) and the necessary utensils, paper plates and a roll of paper towels. i toast the bread and pop tarts at the food court, and use the PB to eat with an apple in the mornings. you can also make sandwiches and take chips and fruit into the parks. water is free at any restaurant or stand that sells fountain drinks.
i also find that my DH doesn't eat a lot in the florida heat, so he and i usually split a meal. for example: at Pinocchio Village Haus (MK), TS Pizza Planet (DHS) or Pizzafari (AK), you can get a combo meal with a pizza, salad and drink. i don't drink with my meals, so DH will eat 3 pieces of the pizza and take the drink, and i eat one piece of pizza and the salad. DD13 usually just gets a pizza and drink.

 

[cheap traveler]

The ideas given pretty much cover what I bring. I also always bring one or two boxes of capri sun 100% juice - I don't let my kids drink soda very often. And if you are worried about the snacks getting crushed, pack them in one or more firm rubbermaid containers. I use the shoebox size that you can get for $1 at walmart, and remove all the snacks from thier boxes to save space. The capri sun boxes are very stiff, and I have never had them get crushed.

We bring: granola bars, breakfast bars, fruit snacks, fruit cups, cereal, candy (not chocolate), mini bagels, etc...

My goal is to have enough food for breakfast for our whole trip, and a little bit of fun-food to keep my girls from asking for a sweet treat every time we pass a cart. A pack of fruit snacks helps get them from breakfast to lunch.

My kids are younger (7 and 5 now) so you would have to adjust to your kid's tastes.

 

[frannn]

If you are staying on site and purchase the regular dining plan, you will have one TS, 1 CS, and one snack per day. Depending on where you were planning your dinners, the additional cost may be negligible. You could use the snack credit for a bagel or pastry for breakfast, and the CS would be lunch. That would be the best option if the cost runs about the same as what you would be spending OOP for just the TS dinners. If this doesn't work for you, I'd pack bagels (prepackaged), fruit snacks, peanut butter (jelly is free at the food courts), carrot sticks, tuna packets, etc. I would make sure none of this would pose a problem in your checked baggage. I thought I read posts here a while back that mentioned peanut butter in checked bags causing them to be searched by the airlines, so you may wish to double check. Or, you can forget packing the food, and make a quick stop at the Super Walmart and pick up some ready made stuff. Depending on where you're staying, there could be a fridge in the room. Have a great trip!

 

[crisi]

Tuna fish. We are also big on energy bars in the parks.

You can also do a grocery delivery rather than hauling it - they'll shop the same places people who live in Orlando shop - and I think the delivery fee is pretty reasonable - you'll probably save the difference because you'll want things that don't pack well or are too heavy to pack. Especially if you have a fridge because then you'll want things like milk.

 

[ancestry]

If you are staying on site and purchase the regular dining plan, you will have one TS, 1 CS, and one snack per day.
!

No dining plan this time. We have (or will have) APs with a TIW card. We go to the World frequently and it isn't that I can't buy food for all of our meals it just gets so expense to do so. So it isn't a case of can't but rather of case of I don't want to -- if that makes sense.

I will have gone to WDW 3 times in 2011 with various combinations of family members. It just makes me sick to my stomach when I think about how much money we spend on food during out trips. It would make me happy to be able to not spend so much on food (i.e. dining out) this time.

 

[ancestry]

Tuna fish. We are also big on energy bars in the parks.

You can also do a grocery delivery rather than hauling it - they'll shop the same places people who live in Orlando shop - and I think the delivery fee is pretty reasonable - you'll probably save the difference because you'll want things that don't pack well or are too heavy to pack. Especially if you have a fridge because then you'll want things like milk.

Very true. I was considering grocery delivery but thought if we have a "free" suitcase that we aren't using perhaps I could make it work this way. Of course that means no perishables, like milk though.....

 

[crisi]

Very true. I was considering grocery delivery but thought if we have a "free" suitcase that we aren't using perhaps I could make it work this way. Of course that means no perishables, like milk though.....

We've done it two ways over the years....

Pack the non-perishables and non-squishables, pay through the nose at a DVC resort for milk, eggs, etc (we have a kitchen, so we are looking at things like milk and eggs).

Use a delivery service.

I think its a wash either way in terms of money and convenience. Where I waste money is getting too much food that we don't bother to eat.

 

[#1hoosierfan]

Did anybody mention prepackaged cheese/peanut butter crackers and nuts? Both are high in protein and are a great snack. I like to buy a can of smoked almonds (my favorite) and then portion them out into snack bags for on the go snacks.

 

[pjlla]

I don't have time to read all of the responses, so sorry if this is all repeats.

Homemade muffins (freeze solid and then pack in checked luggage just as you are leaving.... put in a box if you are afraid of them getting squashed). I've done this twice with excellent results.

Instant oatmeal, instant grits, instant cream of wheat, cocoa mix, instant coffee/tea bags, individual canned fruit, granola bars, bagels (hold up better than loaf bread), peanut butter, Nutella, dried fruit, trail mix (homemade or store bought), nuts, tuna salad/chicken salad kits, juice boxes, shelf stable milk boxes, jerky (we find it very digusting, but some folks love it), Poptarts (nothing I normally allow my kids to eat, but okay for the occasional treat), individual soup cups that take hot water (again, nothing I can vouch for, as we don't eat it, but just a though).

If your room will not have a coffee maker for the hot water, you could bring along a small kettle. Again, this is something I just did last month. I found a kettle at Target for about $15. I brought that along with the muffins, instant oatmeal, individual canned fruit in juice, instant cocoa and tea bags, etc. DD and I had a (reasonably) healthy and filling breakfast every morning in our hotel room before our crazy day in the parks. I figure it saved us about $20/day plus lots of time. Once the kettle was out of its box, I filled the inside with the oatmeal packets (etc). It took up less than a 1/6 of a regular full-sized suitcase. Plus I figured if we were desperate for souvenir space on the return trip, we could always ditch the kettle! Thankfully that wasn't necessary and so I still own the kettle for the next trip!

Don't forget the important stuff like paper napkins, paper plates, paper bowls, paper hot/cold cups (with lids if you want to take your morning tea with you) and plastic utensils. When DD and I traveled last month, I counted out exactly the number of each of these items we would need for the trip and added one more of each for "just in case". I used the cheapest "plain white" paper plates and napkins and cups. I usually keep a stash of these on hand for picnics and such, so no biggie buying these.

If you will have a fridge available, there are MANY more options open to you.

I was careful to unplug the kettle every day, so as not to create any unnecessary fire hazard. Plus I made sure I emptied the leftover hot water every morning so that housekeeping would accidentally get burned if they bumped it.

Anyhow.... have a WONDERFUL trip!.........................P

 

[GraysMom]

If your kids like dried fruit (raisins, apricots, blueberries, etc) they are much easier to travel with then fresh fruit. DH likes to put raisins on his peanut butter toast for a touch of sweetness.

 

[tink15823]

Some of the things we bring, Dried fruit, crackers ,wheat thins, unsweetened cereal (my kids have never had sweetened cereal until they went on asleep over they don't care for it) . Yogurt raisins homemade muffins and cookies( we have egg and nut allergies) oatmeal , bagels. Tea , Juice boxes , Jelly , Gram Crackers Pudding cups, fruit cups, pop tarts, applesauce ,granola bars , Jello cups . Paper plates bowls cups plastic silver wear. Potato chips in individual bags ( again because OF ALLERGIES NO CORN OR PEANUTS).

 

[Ratpack]

Something we do to save on drinks- we ask for cups of water (free at any counter) and take the single drink mixes to add flavor. Most of these are sugar free, about $1 for 10- Hawaiian Punch, etc, and have great flavors to choose.

We take breakfast bars to eat on our way to the parks. We split meals for lunch or dinner- we usually only eat one meal out a day.

 

[sissy_ib]

Where are you staying? If you are at a value with no fridge or microwave your options are very limited. If you are in a villa with a full kitchen you can go crazy! My next trip I am going to order from a grocery service and make a full breakfast each morning. Pancakes, french toast, eggs, bacon, hash browns, etc.

On our last trip after a few days my DFH was tired of park food and we went to the store in AKV and bought a bunch of sandwich stuff and chips. Lunch meat, bread, cheese, condiments. It was more expensive than at home but cheaper than eating in the parks and we ate that for lunch a few days. So at least at the deluxe resorts they have about the same food selection as a convenience store.