Packing food in luggage

[Blondiex46]

Am trying to decide whether to pack cereal, bowls, spoons, paper plates, napkins,etc into the luggage that is going on the plane since we all can take 2 pieces of luggage in the plane and 1 carry on, instead of buying it their, what are your thought, thanks

 

[swilshire]

It's a good way to have an empty bag to bring back all those souvenirs you'll buy. Go for it.

Sheila

 

[disneyjunkie]

I'm doing the same thing. Since we're using Mears or a cab from the airport, I won't be able to make a grocery stop.

 

[marcyinPA]

I always do that too, plus we make a grocery stop with Tiffany Town Car for fresh fruit, water bottles and juice. I always have a stash of that stuff at home, so I figure why buy it when I can just bring it with me. I also pack things like Nutrigrain bars, granola bars, peanut butter, packs of crackers, Goldfish (stuff like that). I buy these things on sale with coupons before our trip and just store them until we go. I found that the prices in Orlando (Publix) were a little higher than here in PA, plus I didn't want to be bothered to hunt for the best price w/ a coupon when I only had 30 min. to run through the store down there!

Just be sure to pack things in ziploc bags, and pack "fragile items" carefully...I ended up with a box of squished Nutrigrain bars on our last trip

 

[CEDmom]

We've done this on many trips. I've included juice boxes and fruit cups as well as cereal, crackers etc. Just make sure you put everything in ziploc bags. I also use ziploc containers for squishable/crushable things.

 

[KIS]

We are having a grocery stop so that we can get fresh fruit, cheese, milk and salami which we plan to stash in a fridge we're renting.

Given that, I was weighing bringing nonperishable snacks, cutlery, etc. in a suitcase or simply adding on to the grocery stop in Florida.

I'd be interested in hearing people's ideas of such a scenario.

KIS

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by KIS
We are having a grocery stop so that we can get fresh fruit, cheese, milk and salami which we plan to stash in a fridge we're renting.

Given that, I was weighing bringing nonperishable snacks, cutlery, etc. in a suitcase or simply adding on to the grocery stop in Florida.

I'd be interested in hearing people's ideas of such a scenario.

KIS

They have those snacks at the grocery stores in FL.
What bringing your own does is add weight to your luggage which can cost you money if you go over the weight limit for baggage.
These snacks can turn out to be pretty expensive this way.

 

[summerrluvv]

I always bring an extra suitcase with just snacks in it. That way we have an empty suitcase for souviniors to bring back. Most airlines have a weight limit of 50lbs per piece of luggage, and I've never went over, even when we packed water and juice. Between DS and I, we are allowed four checked bags and 2 carry on's. We don't pack THAT much stuff, so we just check the snacks

 

[Blondiex46]

thanks, I plan on stopping at Walmart ( if I can find one b/t Jax and orlando (DW) thanks think I will not a big suitcase just enough for the above, thanks again!! Getting very excited and the weather is definately better then here, lol

 

[KIS]

I guess it's a matter of choice -- carrying the suitcase full and risking the poundage on the luggage v. the price of the extra snacks. Either way, we have to bring an empty suitcase.

KIS

 

[ceecee]

One year we took a lot of snacks and ended up leaving a lot of them down there. We just didn't spend enough time in the rooms and we usually got snacks while we were out. Now I pack only some juice boxes and a few other small things (like Atkins bars for DH to snack on) and a few apples to eat at the airport in between connections.

 

[kimberlyp02]

I was wondering about checking versus carry-on? Which is better to do? If I pack a bag with snacks do I carry on? Or do I check it with my other luggage?

I guess the plus to carrying it on would be that my snacks would be more protected against damage, but the minus would be that I'd have to carry it to the plane with my child, other carry-ons, stroller, carseat, etc.....YIKES!

I've read that people said not to check snacks because of them searching your bags, but if you put only snacks in a suitcase would this be less likely to be searched? And in my opinion, I would think they would worry more about carry-ons, right? I assume they meant that it would set off a bomb detector?

Anyway, I don't want to check them and have them really damaged or have problems with it, but I also don't want to have to carry it with me, I will need all the help I can get as it is.

 

[goodferry]

I posted before that in Frommers guide to Disney World it says to pack food items in your carry on because some food items, especially chocolate, can cause the detection equiptment to go off. I have no idea if this is true or not, since we haven't flown since our last trip in 2000 and we usually just stop at a grocery store on the way to our resort.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

I pack everything in my checked luggage. The only exception is if I have eggs left over and those I do put in my one carry on.
If there is something in your checked baggage that causes concern, they will inspect it. Snacks or not.
You are limited to what and how many items you can carry on,
I would suggest you check that out and pack accordingly.

 

[Sarahsmom85]

I got a neat suitcase for xmas that has soft side ice bag that slides a storage space. I know this hard to describe but its called an Everything suitcase. Since we are renting a van and have a villa we are doing a grocery stop. But I am using the soft side bag to store shampoo and other things that could possibably break.
I thing a soft side bag filled with refrigable snacks would be great also you can take it to the waterparks.

 

[DisneyAddict_M]

I also heard that food in your checked luggage sets the detection equipment off and you're more likely to have your luggage searched. I'd pack it in my carry-on if it'll fit.

 

[KIS]

If this is true, I will buy everything down there. I want to save carry-on for toys, one set of clothing and some toiletries (just in case), and some reading material. The only snacks I planned to carry on where for the plane trip and may be a little extra for a "just incase".

I wonder what expert actually knows this sort of thing. Airports? Airlines? I think it would be worth a call to find out.

KIS

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by KIS
If this is true, I will buy everything down there. I want to save carry-on for toys, one set of clothing and some toiletries (just in case), and some reading material. The only snacks I planned to carry on where for the plane trip and may be a little extra for a "just incase".

I wonder what expert actually knows this sort of thing. Airports? Airlines? I think it would be worth a call to find out.

KIS

Kis, I am no expert, by any means, but, I can tell you that since 9/11 I have been packing food in my luggage and have had it inspected twice. The stuff is mostly when I am returning home.
I freeze everything perishable the night before (supposidly this is what sets the alarms off) and pack it with frozen water bottles.
It is all sealed, so, I am not worried about them inspecting, it is in a separate suit case.
Chocolate is another alarm tripper. I don't eat it, so, that is not an issue.
I would worry about snacks. I carry beer, soda and wine in my luggage also. No problems.
Until they ban it, I plan to keep on carrying it.

 

[disneymom3]

I had heard about the luggage searches if you had food in your suitcase, but knew we would not be able to get to a grocery store, so I packed stuff anyway. I got a set of plastic bowls at walmart at home for .87 and picked up some spoons in the food court. Then I just threw those out when we left the resort.

For food I brought little boxes of cereal (less likely to attract bugs than a big box) snack crackers and chips in the individual bags, cereal bars, fruit snacks and little bags of cookies. In the past I have also brought micro mac and cheese and instant oatmeal cups as well as cup o' soup/snack ramen cups. Yes, my bag did get searched (nothing frozen, no chocolate.) I had placed all of the snacks in the same bag, put all the toiletries in that bag too and all of those items were in clear ziploc bags. I figured I would make the searches job as easy as I could but I also needed to bring that stuff. I didn't bring juice boxes, but sure wish I would have after the fortune we spent on juice. ($2 for a 12oz bottle in the Poly gift shop!) We had a little tag on our one suitcase telling us it had been searched. Would that stop me in the future? No, definitely not.

 

[pjlla]

I am surprised no one had mentioned this, but have you considered shipping your snacks down to the hotel before you leave?? We did this last January. DH works for the "big brown" shipping company so he could tell me exactly how many days in advance to ship my package so that it would arrive the morning of our arrival. I needed to bring along some special foods for DS's food allergies and DH's Atkins diet. It really came in handy. I packed a medium sized box with wheat-free bread, 1 jar of Goober grape, chocolate rice milk(shelf stable), Atkins bars, juice boxes, and other assorted snacks and treats. It all came in handy. I packed my kids fanny pack with a juice box or two and a few snacks every morning. I also carried a few snacks for DH and myself. (But of course, there are times when nothing but a Mickey bar would do!!). I highly recommend that. Any UPS counter can tell you how many days it takes from your area to a certain zipcode. Just be sure to take into account that there is no Saturday or Sunday regular delivery. And call the hotel to be sure it is okay with them and to ask them to have it ready for you when you arrive.

ANOTHER THING..... I had no food packed in my checked luggage, but it got inspected on the return flight. I had food packed in my carry-on for both legs of the trip to FL and back and it go no more than a quick x-ray! So there goes that theory! YES, I packed an entire picnic dinner for my family of 4 for the trip down. I knew we wouldn't have time to eat during our connection in PA and didn't want to end up with a hungry, cranky family. So I packed a great picnic, including soda, juice boxes, etc in a soft-side cooler bag and used it as my carry-on bag. I just made sure that everything was in disposable containers, so I didn't have to worry about carrying dirty tupperware with me!! After we ate I just folded up the cooler bag and put it in my DH's carry-on!...P