Plane-Friendly Food/Beverages?

[klwdisney]

Hi! I'm bringing a soft-sided cooler on vacation this time for in room snacks and beverages. I will use it as my carry-on on the way there, and on the way there it'll be for souveniers.

My question is... what types of food/beverages are safe to bring on the plane in your carry-on? Can I bring soda with me? Or will it explode? How about waters/juices?

Thanks!

 

[JillU-DVC]

You can bring pretty much whatever food you want. Soda will not explode (remember, they have soda on the plane that they give to you). But i'm not certain about getting through security with cans of soda - I assume it will be absolutely fine, and they see them all the time, but you may need to open the cooler to show security that there are cans of soda in it.

I always bring a couple of bottled waters on board with me, juice would be fine too. I usually have some snacks (fruit, granola bars, etc) as well.

I also tend to buy something at the airport to bring on, sandwich, pizza, cinnamon roll, something like that.

So go ahead and bring pretty much whatever you want - just leave all the silverware at home (no metal knives), and grab some plastic at the airport.

 

[klwdisney]

Thank you so much!! It's the soda I was really worried about. Don't know why I didn't think about the fact they have it to serve you on the plane! hahaha

 

[kaytieeldr]

I'd be careful opening cans (or even bottles) of soda on the plane - not because of cabin pressure, but because they may get somewhat shaken between your fridge and the plane and would spray when opened

As for food - I bring some Uncrustables. Take them out of the freezer before you leave the house, and they should be thawed when you're ready to eat. On the other hand, they do contain peanut butter although that hasn't appeared to pose a problem on any flight I've taken.

 

[Alice's Mom]

I used a soft sided cooler as my carry on to WDW also, I froze about 10 juice boxes as my ice and also packed peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, yogurt and cheese sticks. In my purse I had fruit snacks, goldfish and granola bars. Nothing exploded, I was worried the yogurt would, but we were fine.

I was so glad I did this when I heard the next row of passengers purchasing meals at $8 a meal and $2 per snack and drink.

I know it sounds like a lot, but I wanted to be prepared and save some items for the parks, we just kept refilling the cooler with ice during our stay to keep everything cool.

If you are going to keep things in a cooler at the resort, I would put the cooler in the bathtub during the day to prevent condensation on carpet.

 

[klwdisney]

Well I was thinking of putting the ice in gallon-sized freezer zip locs to prevent condensation... do you think that would work?

 

[momsgoofy]

Well I was thinking of putting the ice in gallon-sized freezer zip locs to prevent condensation... do you think that would work?

I mean this nicely, so please don't get upset. Here is why I say no...

Please do not use ice in ziploc bags...on our flight to WDW in June a family did this and one sprung a leak!! So as the plane was ascending, water started leaking out onto someone's head. It just so happened it was the owner of the cooler, so at least it wasn't someone else getting soaked. But, had it leaked onto someone else I suspect the person would not have been too happy. Heck, the guy who owned the cooler...a soft sided Budweiser with wheels...wasn't thrilled. He jumped up (while he was suppose to be belted in), freaked out and started yelling about "there's something leaking out on me". The flight attendents naturally reacted as if it were an emergency only to find his cooler had leaked.

So, please don't use ice in ziploc bags to save yourself some potential problems. Another post suggested freezing the juice boxes and using those to keep other things cold.

For us, I take the non-perishables in my backpack (all inside a freezer ziploc just in case something gets squished) and buy a beverage at the airport if we need it. Usually, we don't and just drink the complimentary stuff. I do pack crackers with cheese, cookies, chips...not super healthy, but it gets us through till we can actually eat a meal when we our flight covers a meal time.

 

[klwdisney]

Thanks for the warning, but I wasn't planning on putting ice in the ziplocs until I was in my hotel room. I'd be packing things warm to travel... unless I try the juice box trick.

Thank you!

 

[jenelope]

I usually bring a soda and bottle of water, along with a couple of Nutrigrain bars. I try to think ahead about what kind of garbage my snack will create. Wrappers and bottle are okay. Apple cores are not. For this reason, I also prefer bottled soda. It doesn't stay as cold, but I can seal it up when I'm not actually drinking it.

 

[minkydog]

Over the years I have learned from my youngest child to never be caught without plenty of diapers, snacks, spoons, and an extra set of clothes. We recently flew from Newport News to Atlanta, usually about a 1-1/2hr flight. This one turned into a 10-hour ordeal due to weather delays, et al. Memories of whilrling 'round and 'round and 'round Atlanta...

The hit of the day was the instant oatmeal I found in my purse!
I got some hot water from the fight attendent and made oatmeal in styrofoam cups, put an ice cube in it to cool it off, and the kids chowed down. "Dinner" was followed by "dessert" of jello and fruit cocktail (I have a big purse ). We adults were starving(I'd have to be past starving to eat instant oatmeal) but the kids were fine.

 

[fran99999]

I have packed juice boxes and they get soggy when defrosting, they are paper covering foil. I now pack frozen juice pouches. They at least are all plastic. I would freeze them a few nights prior though as I have had both juice boxes and pouches that were overfilled leak. I now freeze them in plastic bags to prevent messy freezer. I freeze them for my kids lunches for school all year long it helps keep the sandwiches and fruit cool until lunch time.

He jumped up (while he was suppose to be belted in), freaked out and started yelling about "there's something leaking out on me".

 

[Jen_in_NH]

I usually pack 2 Nalgene bottles that have been frozen, and a few juice pouches, cheese sticks, trail mix, and granola bars into one of those soft coolers. It seems to work well for us. By the time the juice pouches run out, the water bottles are thawed out.

Jen

 

[Jenn]

RE: the trash generated on the flight. I bring an empty gallon size ziplock bag for all the trash my kids and husband pass me - gum wrappers, juice boxes, straw wrappers, wipes, snack wrappers etc. Keeps me sane - and I toss it when the flight attendants come around for the trash.

 

[momsgoofy]

I have packed juice boxes and they get soggy when defrosting, they are paper covering foil. I now pack frozen juice pouches. They at least are all plastic. I would freeze them a few nights prior though as I have had both juice boxes and pouches that were overfilled leak. I now freeze them in plastic bags to prevent messy freezer. I freeze them for my kids lunches for school all year long it helps keep the sandwiches and fruit cool until lunch time.

He jumped up (while he was suppose to be belted in), freaked out and started yelling about "there's something leaking out on me".

What was funny was after all the commotion, DS (13) and has recently found Blue Collar Humor, leans over to me and says....

"If you bring a cooler of your favorite beverage on the airplane......you might be a redneck!!!"