Packing food in suitcase

[Nancy for Disney]

My plan is to pack food in my suitcase so we can eat breakfast in our room. I have a whole suitcase designated for this and this way we will have room for souviners when we return. We are flying on Southwest so we can bring an extra bag with no problems.

Here are some of the things I am bringing:

A package of single serve boxes of cereal
A package of juice boxes
A package of fruit cups
A couple of packages of instant oatmeal
Granola Bars
Pop Tarts
a can of peanuts
a couple of packages of microwave popcorn (my households favorite snack)
pudding cups
bottled water
disposible coffe cups with lids so we can take our drinks with us while we wait for the bus
plastic bowls
plastic forks and spoos (i don't want to feel like I always have to go to swipe some for the food court)


My plan for the bottled water is just to put a few bottles in everyone's suitcase so that I don't weigh down one bag since there is a weight limit.
(Edited 08/04: I changed my mind and ordered H2O from Cosco)
Has anyone brought food like this before? If you have any tips I should would appreciate it. I am a little worried about things getting smashed with all the shaking.

Thanks for your help.

 

[writersblock42]

Don't bring anything with chocolate in it as it will melt and don't bring anything that crumbles easily like chips. Popcorn is a good option if the room has a microwave-good idea. I would also suggest some drink packets like kool aid or the Crystal Light ones. For us they disguised the taste of the water and were light weight to carry. That way we could pack a few water bottles and fill them up at the water fountains. I would also turn the temperature of the fridge down all the way (if you have a room) and freeze the water bottles or just buy a plastic water bottle and fill it with ice each day.

 

[DonnaL]

Rather than bringing bottled water.....just order from Staples and have it delivered to your resort in your name/with your check in date. I do it all the time and then ask for it at the desk when I check in. The order page on the Staples website gives you a pretty accurate idea of when it will be delivered so I time it so that it gets there no more than two days before us (preferably the same day or day before). The delivery charge is about $7.00 (it may be less for one case, but, I always order two) so my cost is always about $21 since the 24 bottle case is $7.00. I would much rather do this and not have to lug all that heavy water thru the airport packed in suitcases. I also either UPS or FedEx a box addressed to myself with food and miscellaneous rather than lugging it all in a suitcase.......I put cereal, coffee, sugar, plastic utensils, snack stuff, small jar of peanut butter, etc. My box usually weighs about 25 lbs and runs about $15/$17 to ship........saves us a ton on breakfasts and snack stuff.

 

[Nancy for Disney]

Rather than bringing bottled water.....just order from Staples and have it delivered to your resort in your name/with your check in date. I do it all the time and then ask for it at the desk when I check in. The order page on the Staples website gives you a pretty accurate idea of when it will be delivered so I time it so that it gets there no more than two days before us (preferably the same day or day before). The delivery charge is about $7.00 (it may be less for one case, but, I always order two) so my cost is always about $21 since the 24 bottle case is $7.00. I would much rather do this and not have to lug all that heavy water thru the airport packed in suitcases.

I mentioned purchasing water from Cosco to DH he thought I was crazy! Thanks though. I meant to put that in my OP that I do not plan on using Garden Grocer or any other delivery type service.

I also either UPS or FedEx a box addressed to myself with food and miscellaneous rather than lugging it all in a suitcase.......I put cereal, coffee, sugar, plastic utensils, snack stuff, small jar of peanut butter, etc. My box usually weighs about 25 lbs and runs about $15/$17 to ship........saves us a ton on breakfasts and snack stuff.

Why would I spend $17 to ship something when it only means one more suitcase and ME will deliver it to me when I get to WDW? I will need the extra suitcase for all the stuff we will be bringing back anyway. I would do it if I flew an airline that only allows one bag or charges for each bag but God Bless Southwest Airlines they dont!

 

[cglaura]

We do the exact same thing. Not sure if your room will have a coffee maker or if you were planning on food court for the hot water, but I always pack an electric hotpot and a cone coffee filter thing...I don't know what they are called? It comes with those whistler type glass pots...a plastic shaped cone you use with cone paper filters that fits on top and drips water into the pot / mug.

That way I can make coffee in the a.m. in my jammies (I stay at values...no coffee maker). I still buy the souvie mug for soda refills. I find the coffee filter plastic cone fits perfectly on the souvie mug, so that works out well, then I if I'm still finishing the coffee, I rinse at the park and use that for water...otherwise I bring a plastic water bottle. The hot pot is also good for the oatmeal, instant soup, tea, hot cocoa, etc. If you have room in the suitcase, I've read of people bringing a brita water pitcher to fill up the water bottles instead of lugging down a bunch of full water bottles. I guess though, that pitcher you can stuff with snacks and would probably take up as much if not less room that water bottles?

Also, make sure you double zip lock bag anything that would leak. Nothing is worse that grape juice soaked snacks don't ask me how I know

Have a great trip!

 

[debbieandroo]

We do the exact same thing. Not sure if your room will have a coffee maker or if you were planning on food court for the hot water, but I always pack an electric hotpot and a cone coffee filter thing...I don't know what they are called? It comes with those whistler type glass pots...a plastic shaped cone you use with cone paper filters that fits on top and drips water into the pot / mug.

That way I can make coffee in the a.m. in my jammies (I stay at values...no coffee maker). I still buy the souvie mug for soda refills. I find the coffee filter plastic cone fits perfectly on the souvie mug, so that works out well, then I if I'm still finishing the coffee, I rinse at the park and use that for water...otherwise I bring a plastic water bottle. The hot pot is also good for the oatmeal, instant soup, tea, hot cocoa, etc. If you have room in the suitcase, I've read of people bringing a brita water pitcher to fill up the water bottles instead of lugging down a bunch of full water bottles. I guess though, that pitcher you can stuff with snacks and would probably take up as much if not less room that water bottles?

Also, make sure you double zip lock bag anything that would leak. Nothing is worse that grape juice soaked snacks don't ask me how I know

Have a great trip!

So the Brita pitcher idea works? Being from a city that has really good-tasting water, I know the gross Orlando water will be quite a shock to my system. I was thinking of bringing the empty pitcher, some empty water bottles and a new filter, then filling up the water bottles for the parks and also using the cold water for coffee in the room.

 

[rosiejo]

Buy some large tupperware boxes to store anything that could get crushed - chips/cereal/cookies etc - you can then use them to store breakable souvenirs on the way home.

 

[nicki.momof3]

I do the same thing. One thing I always do is ship 2 cases of water - costco has them for $7.49 a case with free shipping. Ship it 4 days before and it will be waiting for you to arrive. I put all my food in disposible tupperware containers - won't smash and if something leaks like apple sauce it is not everywhere. Have fun.

 

[chartle]

So the Brita pitcher idea works? Being from a city that has really good-tasting water, I know the gross Orlando water will be quite a shock to my system. I was thinking of bringing the empty pitcher, some empty water bottles and a new filter, then filling up the water bottles for the parks and also using the cold water for coffee in the room.

Brita Pitcher worked great in 1999. So unless the water is worse it should be ok.

 

[Native NYer]

It seems like a lot of trouble to try to pack water. Wouldn't just ordering water and some breakfast foods be much easier?

 

[churchpilot]

I do the same thing. One thing I always do is ship 2 cases of water - costco has them for $7.49 a case with free shipping. Ship it 4 days before and it will be waiting for you to arrive. I put all my food in disposible tupperware containers - won't smash and if something leaks like apple sauce it is not everywhere. Have fun.

Excellent idea...I also have some delicate things to bring back and end up wrapping them in t-shirts and praying they get back home. Thanks!

 

[goNsoon2WDW]

We usually take some of the same foods and buy water when we get there. One of my kids favorites is applesauce. I take the individual servings of whatever variety of applesauce they want for the kids to take into the parks with them. I put them in the freezer of the room fridge the night before so they are really cold.

One hint that has saved us... Put the items that can leak (such as our applesauce) in a ziploc baggies before putting them into your luggage. If by chance one gets smashed, punctured, or leaks, there are no other items that get dirty.

 

[dcherry]

If you're checking the bag make sure the juice boxes and anything else that can get crushed is packed inside plastic containers (the juice boxes with bbe a messif you simply put them in a ziplock. If you're not checking the bag you won't be able to take the juice boxes (remember the limits on liquids on borad flights).

 

[nicki.momof3]

I jsut finished packing for our trip on Wednesday. I have ordered my water from Costco (2 cases) and I used my 4 large disposible tupperware containers to pack tons of snacks. I thinks I got at least 10 boxes of snacks into 4 containers (huge space saver). It is always amazing how much extra space is in a box of snacks. I have the disposible silverware and bowls, oatmeal, and a mini soft cooler to put in the bottom of the stroller for water. I am bringing 4 boxes of capri sun roaring waters for the kids. I put them in a plastic bags and rolled them up in a large shirt. I think I am ready to go.

Thanks for all the great tips. I feel 100% prepared for this trip.

 

[Nancy for Disney]

Just thought I would share that I am going against DH and I ordered water from Cosco. I figure the worst that can happen is they loose the order and I am out $8.