Packing food to take with us....

[snowwhitesmom]

We are packing Crystal Light packets, granola bars, crackers - what does everyone else bring to save a little?

 

[Amyg]

I'm bringing most of our breakfast food such as hot cocoa mix, oatmeal (get water and microwave @ food court so I'm bringing bowls as well), bagels. Thinking of making my own rice krispy treats too.

 

[Rebeccapaige!]

ok I remember wanting to take food to save a little money. Turns out it was still a great idea, but more because it actually saved us time, probably money too anyhow I took bottled water along, but found it got too warm, so we'd each take one in the morning, then would buy them as the day went on, the water from the bubblers tastes funny, so crystal light is a necessity if you are drinking from there, but I found the water in them to be quite warm, so I ended up buying water anyhow, we were too busy to need a ton though, and it was feb. so not hot. otherwise the crystal light will save you a ton. We stayed in a moderate, so we took yogurt and pudding for our breakfasts! they have fridges in the moderates if your room does not ask for it, its included. I also brought some soda for when we were at the hotel, I didn't need to buy the refillable cup--which since were were rarely at the hotel wouldn't have saved me anything, my one soda a night was quenched with the small bottles I brought I also brought those milk chugs for the kids. Some snacks like pretzels are a necessity for the parks. we got stuck in a line for ariel and were suddenly noticing our hunger for supper at like 9pm, hadn't noticed it prior, but the pretzels we had got us through!! If you are staying value bring fast breakfast items you don't need a fridge for, snacks and soda/water you can keep on ice!
Becky, Paige and Hailey
POR Feb. 2005
POP or CSR Feb 2007

 

[ADisneygirl]

At all the parks you can get a free cup of ice water so you never have to drink warm fountain water. The water here in Fl. tastes pretty bad to me, so we drink bottled at home, but if you are looking to save money bringing ice tea packets or crystal light would mask the water taste quite well.

 

[fakereadhed]

Next time around I'm bringing a pack of hamburger buns for splitting double cheeseburgers. Don't want the hassle of ordering the extra bun and having CM look at me like they never heard of it. And the usual: oatmeal(coffee maker water), cereal and powdered milk, breakfast bars, trail mix, and munchies.

 

[gianna2006]

We also tend to spend a lot of time at the resorts, so I pack some boxed items for the kids for a quick lunch or dinner. Usually just mac and cheese and lipton "ring o noodles". We stay in timeshare usually (except this time when we go home for the first time to DVC ) so I have a kitchen to work out of. I also pack breakfast items (granola bars, cereal, pop tarts) and some snacks. We go to the grocery store for the rest.

 

[Chickysmom]

Pack into the parks some cheese/peanut butter crackers in those little packages. You can also ask for cups of hot water free and bring your own hot cocoa or tea. This saved us a ton on the cool nights and was a special treats to watch fireworks and have hot cocoa!

 

[Chickysmom]

Oh, and if you like to bring chips for a snack or to go with lunch, buy Pringles...them being in a can protects them while being lugged around the parks or left in a locker!

Some hard candies go a long way for keeping the peace in lines too!

 

[polkadotladybug]

We went for a week in July 2003 and are returning for a week in June -
Here are the things we brought last time and will bring again - (keep in mind we drove but I'm sure a grocery pickup stop would work too).

- breakfast stuff - cereal, milk, danishes, poptarts, etc.
-fresh fruit - bananas, apples
-sweet snacks - choc.chip cookies, granola bars
-salty snacks - chips, bugles, slim-jims (sorry - my dh feels it's not a true vacation unless he can *snap into a slim-jim*)
-homemade trail mix - we make a big bag of chex, mixed nuts, pretzels, raisins and m&m's - stored in big ziplock - then we put it in small ziplocks and carry it in fanny packs.
-bread with pb and j/honey for kids sandwiches and some lunchmeat/cheese for adults sandwiches
-gum/lollipops/small candy packets - like m&m's - for putting in fanny pack to pull out while in line.
-several 12 packs of soda.
-coffee and real liquid creamer - my dh likes half and half and I must have my International Delight Hazelnut. We are coffee nuts and must have our ground starbucks in the morning so we bring our grinder and fullsize coffee maker from home. Don't forget the filters.
-TONS of bottled water. We are big water drinkers and I think we brought two 24 packs down last time and had to make a PUblix run halfway thru. It was SOOOOO hot and humid - we drank tons of water. Of course our little one was three at the time so we still had a stroller to tote a big cooler underneath with waters. Not sure how I'll lug it around this time! I can't bring myself to pay $2.50 per water. And my kids are germophobes and will not drink after each other or me and my dh! So that's $10 each time we have a water break. No thanks!

I'm sure I'll think of more things.

 

[Lorarama]

Not sure if I should start a different thread...but...do they allow you to bring food into the parks? I see you can bring water bottles..probably one per person....just wondering. My kids can do PB&J from nabbing the fixings at the hotel breakfast bar

 

[hugabearjo]

Before leaving home, I pack a suitcase of snacks, we eat them while gone and then have room for purchases. I buy the snack size ziplocks and split all kinds of things that the kids then grab and pick from before we leave the room in the morning. Cereal, raisins, trailmix, animal crackers, string cheese, fruit snacks, teddy grahams, any time of finger food. We also take stuff from the hotel breakfast for PB and J sandwiches, which we make and take. I have never had anyone say a word too me about the water or snacks/lunch we bring in a backpack. They look over it and say nothing, we have traveled to WDW and Disneyland doing this as well as many other theme parks across the country. That way I know the kids won't be upset because they are hungry or the portions are small. ( I have growing teen boys).

Have fun!

 

[we3disneygo]

I've stocked up on Crystal Light packets and well stop at the store for the rest.

 

[frannn]

I usually pack gum, snack bars, gummies, sucking candy, and two Brita sport bottles. The day we arrive, or the following day, we stop at a local supermarket or Walmart, and get a bunch of bottled water, iced tea, soda, bananas, applesause, fruit cups, jello (all in individual serving containers, chips, cereal, and any other non refrigerator item that looks good. We usually overbuy, leave all the leftover drinks for mousekeeping, and pack the leftover snacks in our carryon for the trip home. This year will be the first with free dining, so I'm thinking all those snacks will probably not be necessary. I'll probably just pack the same stuff, and only get drinks and very little snacks at the store.

 

[DLANGE3386]

for my ultra picky DD we brought Carnation instant breakfast packets to add to milk. Saved us a lot of hassles!

 

[dpayne1969]

Does anyone know if they sell cups of ice at the counter services at the resorts?If so,how much will that cost us! My kids LOVE crystal light lemonade but im sure the water will get warm by midday but maybe we could get a cup of ice and cram it into our water bottles. or i am debating on those cups they sell now at Wally World with the deal that goes down the middle of the cup that is ice,you freeze the middle section then insert into cup and it is supposed to chill your drink.Not sure though.LOL.

 

[DianaPrincessofWales]

Just wanted to add:

I really hate artificial sweeteners but alot of people are buying the crystal light packets to take along to the parks. I love this idea but not crystal light. I got a coupon in the mail for $1 off country time lemonade, so I used it for a box of the individual packets. Still pricey after the coupon when you consider it's only a few tablespoons of powder mix but, I like the handy little packets. My daughter will love these on our October trip, she hates water. They also sell these in Kool-aid brands. I'm also going to take along powdered ice tea mix. Should keep DD happy and hopefully hydrated!

The Dis rocks!

 

[mercydisney]

I always bring milk and oj. These 2 items seem to be very expensive in the food court, and you can not get them w/refilable mug. During the time we are their it seems to be the only nutrition my children seem to to consume while at Disney. I also bring smuckers (premade) peanut butter and jelly. Its so much easier and less that I have to do while in park. I also bring water, granola bars, chips and rice cakes (but they never seem to be as good as the Mickey rice cakes). Chocolate will melt in park, so be careful w/that.

Good Luck and have a great trip!!!

 

[Shagley]

Just wanted to add:

I really hate artificial sweeteners but alot of people are buying the crystal light packets to take along to the parks. I love this idea but not crystal light. I got a coupon in the mail for $1 off country time lemonade, so I used it for a box of the individual packets. Still pricey after the coupon when you consider it's only a few tablespoons of powder mix but, I like the handy little packets. My daughter will love these on our October trip, she hates water. They also sell these in Kool-aid brands. I'm also going to take along powdered ice tea mix. Should keep DD happy and hopefully hydrated!

The Dis rocks!

Does the Country Time lemonade in the individual packets not have artificial sweeters? I can't have any artificial sweeteners due to migraines, so this would be great. I think the Kool-Aid packets have some sort of artificial sweeteners. The only drink mix packages that I have found so far without any artificial sweeteners is the Gatorade packages.

 

[Linzybrooke]

The new 100 calorie packs are excellent. They are prepackaged so you don't have to worry about containers and they are the perfect size for a snack at the parks or in your room. They make them for cheetos, pringles, fruit snacks, wheat thins, nutter butters, chips ahoy, and everything else you can think of. You can get them pretty much anywhere in the cookie aisle, except the pringles and cheetos are usually with potato chips.

We always pack a box of cereal in our luggage to eat breakfast at the hotel.

 

[Shagley]

If you like almonds, peanuts, sunflower seeds etc., the Kashi chewy granola bars are great. I am not one that is into healthy foods, and I would be the first one to think the the description of these bars isn't very appealing - but I LOVE them because they taste good.

I get these at Sam's Club, and it is around $8.00 for a 3 box pack that includes one box (6 bars in each box) of each flavor... Trail Mix, Honey Almond Flax (I don't know exactly what flax is, but these are my favorite of the three flavors), and Peanut Peanut Butter.

They are yummy, they are kind of firm so they won't get crushed when carried around in a waist pack or backpack, they are healthier and more filling than a regular chewy granola bar, and they are not as sweet as the chewy granola bars that are filled with corn syrup.

http://www.kashi.com/product6.aspx?SID=1&Product_ID=140&Category_ID=59