taking a small cooler on the flight ? can we?

[gramto2boys]

We will be flying for quit a while and I see now where you have to buy a snack? I was wondering if people are allowed to bring food on the flights? my little one is 6 and I want to be sure he has something to eat on the flight which we leave at 6:40 in the morning and do not land in florida until 5:15 at night.

 

[Robo]

We will be flying for quit a while and I see now where you have to buy a snack? I was wondering if people are allowed to bring food on the flights? my little one is 6 and I want to be sure he has something to eat on the flight which we leave at 6:40 in the morning and do not land in florida until 5:15 at night.

If it fits as carry-on.
And you don't have any liquids in it.

(If you don't have liquids, how will it remain "cool"?)

I'd recommend the kind of snacks that fit and survive in a carry-on bag rather than a cooler.

 

[Donald is #1]

What kinds of things are you looking to take? For drinks, you will need to buy them inside security. You can't take any liquids (except for an infant) through security. (yes you can bring 1 quart size bag with 3 oz bottles per person through security -- but I figured this was too small for a drink.) None liquid food can be brought through but there are some interesting rules. For example, a bagel with cream cheese on it can be brought through but a bagel with the cream cheese separate can't.

 

[gramto2boys]

Our very tiny airport does not have any food in our airport I do not want him to eat chips etc. I will just wait until we get to Salt lake I bet there is some food venders once we get thru security ( I can not remember) then I will buy him a few things to last the flight.
thanks

 

[TDC Nala]

You will not be permitted to bring liquids or gels through security. Solid food is fine.

 

[TanyaS]

I think the follow types of snacks would be okay to pack (although goodness knows, TSA has some crazy rules, so they might not be allowed by the time you fly): raisins, granola bars, cereal bars, nuts, dried cereal mixes (Chex mix).

You could also pack an empty water bottle and fill it up at the water fountains once you are past security.

At least, I hope this is all allowed, since I have cereal bars and empty water bottles packed in my kids' carry on luggage, ready to fly out early Wednesday morning.

 

[Bev J]

We always bring along snacks for our kids (and us) for long flights.Pretzles, cheese and crackers, goldfish crackers, fruit snacks, fresh fruit, sandwiches, nuts. Pack him a school lunch with no liquids. You will be able to get a drink probably on the plane. We always buy a couple of bottles of water once we are through security too.
Depending on the airline some offer a snack box for sale for around $4 that has several items in it, some have sold sandwiches. If you have a layover on your flight you can get a bite to eat in the airport.
My kids were allways so excited about the flight they did not want to eat much anyway, then chow down when we get to the hotel..

Bev

 

[EnnEss]

Your flight time seems long, even given the time change. I come from a lot further away and fly in some big crazy circle because of where airlines have their hubs (vancouver ---> Seattle ---> Ohare ---> Orlando ---> Houston ---> Seattle ---> vancouver), have a lay over there and its still quicker. Are you flying from a small airport to a big one then waiting for a connector? If this is the case and you're at Salt lake you could get him a full meal while you wait, or there will be plenty of things you could buy as snacks there that don't need a cooler. Or, does the little one like sandwhiches, I'm sure any sandwhich would be ok for awhile in a backpack or whatever and you could buy the drink at one of the airports. I bring granola bars for myself, both the good for you kind and the chocolate chip kind.

Good luck

 

[dylanlogan]

Check the airline website- they all have there own quirks. Last time we flew I had fruit snacks for the boys and the first screener let us through but when we changed flights/airlines the screener made me pitch them!!

On a slightly different note... be sure to THOROUGHLY check your carry on for "leftovers". I had a VERY small wrench that I used on our stroller that I carried in my backpack/diaper bag when the boys were still of that age. WELL, last trip we were pulled aside and patted down because they found a "shadow" and I could not justify! Once I dug it out and realized what it was we tossed it and moved on but what an ordeal. My DH was mortified! I just flat out forgot it was there.
Needless to say... I turn my carry-ons inside out now and give them a mighty shake so nothing can hide!
Sorry... back to the food subject...

 

[PictureJumpr]

Things I've carried through airport security in the last few months:
Whole/sliced fresh fruit (can't do fruit cocktail or canned fruit)
baked goods of various sorts - rolls, croissant, doughnuts, muffins
crackers, pretzels, chips
sandwiches (but if you do pb&j put it together, they won't let it in seperately)
raisins
dried pineapple
trail mix
granola bars
cheerios (got milk as my 'drink' on the plane)
cheese (hard kind, not creamed)
lunchables packages with crackers, lunchmeat, and cheese in them

The earlier posters were right, in that you can bring a cooler (so long as it is smaller than the standard carryon dimensions) but you cannot bring either ice or frozen gel-type things.
No thermoses or anything like that either.

The airlines will still give everyone a soda/juice/coffee and some who claim that 'all snacks are for sale' still give snack mix. On a long flight, don't be afraid to ask the stewardess 'could i have the can?' during beverage service, they'll give you the whole thing instead of pouring a third of it into a cup for you.

 

[abc999]

bring the cooler with an empty plastic bag.. after you get on the plane, ask the stewardess to fill the bag up with ice. If your son likes grapes, freeze a bunch of them in a plastic container, which will help keep your items cold. And, he can eat them frozen (little popsicles!) or after they have melted.

 

[CarolA]

Check the airline website- they all have there own quirks. Last time we flew I had fruit snacks for the boys and the first screener let us through but when we changed flights/airlines the screener made me pitch them!!

...

Airline has NOTHING to do with it. It's the TSA and it's general incompetence. They play "let's make up the rules today" Next time if it's NOT liquid ask for a supervisor. You probably got a hungry TSA agent!

 

[mickaholic4077]

Airline has NOTHING to do with it. It's the TSA and it's general incompetence. They play "let's make up the rules today" Next time if it's NOT liquid ask for a supervisor. You probably got a hungry TSA agent!

What? The TSA incompetent???

 

[stopher1]

We've brought a small, soft-sided collapsible cooler bag (the lunch box type), and have used the blue-ice type frozen sticks (2 or 3) with string cheese, sandwiches, lunchables, etc inside and have had no problems going through security. Because they are frozen, they are not liquids, and TSA has never had a problem with them at our airport. Then after the flight, we simply collapse the cooler and put it into our suitcase for the way home. Since the blue ice sticks will naturally thaw out before flying home, we simply pack them in our bathroom bag for the return flight home, which is checked, so it doesn't matter that they're back to their liquid-gel form at that point.

We've done this on at least 6 different trips all around the country, and TSA had no problem both the John Wayne and Ontario airports in So. Cal when we returned home from trips west to visit the grandparents (and of course DL too!)

 

[Sandy Fisher]

My DH was mortified when we were pulled out of line (random checking) before boarding our flight in Pittsburgh one time -- November after 9/11 -- and he had my carry-on bag in which I'd packed snacks in ziploc bags. We had packs of peanut butter and cheese crackers, hard candy, gum, etc. And I know that most airports except the smallest ones like the little regional that fly the commuter planes, have vendors where you can get drinks. I've even seen people buy McDonald's meals after they pass through security and take them on the plane! Taking fruit is a good idea.

 

[disnut8]

Our very tiny airport does not have any food in our airport I do not want him to eat chips etc. I will just wait until we get to Salt lake I bet there is some food venders once we get thru security ( I can not remember) then I will buy him a few things to last the flight.
thanks

Salt Lake City has plenty of food vendors. As long as you are there before 10:00PM After that, everything except on 24 hour cafeteria closes. Try an unexpected four hour delay that started at 10:05 PM!

And you can get what you want in Salt Lake City and then take it on the plane for the rest of your trip. Since you won't have to go outside of security, you will be fine.

 

[LuckyMamaInDE]

If you want something for your first leg, pack the little cooler with the (non-liquid) food and a baggie or two of ice cubes. Toss the ice cubes before you go through security---the food will stay cool to enjoy during that first leg.

My kids like string cheese and crackers We don't pack peanut butter due to allergies. We also take individual packets of goldfish (outlet store nearby, very handy for trips) and granola bars.

 

[gramto2boys]

I took a flight from Montana to Orange county 2 years ago and had a knife in my purse. yep a very large pocket knife I have always carried. I forgot to take it out of my purse before I left I went thru the metal detector and it went off like mad. so I had to go thru again, and they ran my Purse thru again,found I had 10.00 in quarters.... but they did not find the knife. I did not know it was even there until I got home. I went thru both coming and going and not one airport found it. I found it a few weeks later when I bought a new purse and transfered things from one to the other.

 

[zumbergc]

If you want to keep your food cold. Buy some frozen veggies on sale. Then use them as ice. They will keep your contents of the cooler cold for the trip and are not ice, and not liquid.

It is wasteful to toss them once you get to your destination, but at least you have some food to eat for your long day of flying.

 

[abc999]

I took a flight from Montana to Orange county 2 years ago and had a knife in my purse. yep a very large pocket knife I have always carried. I forgot to take it out of my purse before I left I went thru the metal detector and it went off like mad. so I had to go thru again, and they ran my Purse thru again,found I had 10.00 in quarters.... but they did not find the knife. I did not know it was even there until I got home. I went thru both coming and going and not one airport found it. I found it a few weeks later when I bought a new purse and transfered things from one to the other.

A couple of years ago, I got stopped and was asked if I had a knife in my bag. They went through my bag and pound a plastic knife I had stuck in there after lunch at Wendy's.