What "groceries" do you take on an airplane?

[praisefor3]

We will be there in May for 11 days with 3 kids. We will be staying in POR and CSR the whole time and will not have a vehicle. I really don't want to buy 3 meals a day (not on dining plan) for 11 days for 5 people. Any suggestions on what food we could safely pack in our luggage? We have free baggage check so we could take an extra suitcase if we needed to and since we will have a fridge in room that will help. I guess I could even put ice packs in the luggage and take a package of ham? Don't know - I have never done this. If you have any suggestions that would be great! We will definitely eat some meals out but it would be nice to cut down on some of the meal expense.

 

[CarolAnnB]

Why don't you try a grocery delivery service like gardengrocer.com or I think the other one a lot of people use is wegoshop. We used garden grocer and the delivery charge is only like $12. Personally I would not put ice packs and perishables in a suitcase. We have packed Poptarts, granola bars, pb crackers in suitcases but nothing crushable or perishable. We stayed at CSR and ordered all our breakfast stuff (bagels, cream cheese, juice) and a couple cases of water, snacks for the room, etc. The savings from that alone more than covered the delivery charge and tip.

 

[ibela]

I would never bring perishables, it can be crushed/spoiled/lost for a few days, etc.

I have brought cereal (took it out of the box, put the bag in between clothes, never any damage), granola bars, 100 calorie snack packs. For the next trip I'm also bringing microwaveable kraft mac & cheese - the packets not the individual bowls.

 

[nemofans]

I bought stuff at home for breakfast, snacks, diapers, wipes, & other supplies. Then I shipped a box out UPS about 1 week b4 we arrive. Then you have everything you need (besides perishables) w/o taking up suitcase space. Once we are there, we will buy milk & fruit from the resort store or food court.

 

[DisneySherpa]

I would also recommend going with a local grocery service...

We'll be at the Yacht Club for 6 nights in Sept/Oct and while we will be on the Dinning Plan... we like to keep snacks and drinks in the room! Not only is cost effective but we feel it "betters" our resort experience.

I tend to avoid bringing things down with us... simply because of space and weight. We fly Southwest (2 bags fly free per ticket) but are still cautious of the 50lb bag weight limit. Between everything we need... there isn't much room left for food.

Another option is to take a cab or even rent a one day car rental... and venture to the local Publix or Walmart.

From MouseSavers.com

If you are staying at a Disney resort, the easiest option is to rent a car from the Walt Disney World Car Care Center, which is operated by Alamo and National. The Car Care Center offers a shuttle that will pick you up from any Disney hotel and take you to the Center to pick up your car. The shuttle will also drop you off at your Disney hotel after you return your car. If you wish, call the Car Care Center up to 24 hours in advance and arrange for them to send a shuttle for you. Alternatively, go to the front desk of your Disney resort about 30 minutes before your pickup time and ask them to call the Car Care Center shuttle. The phone number of the Car Care Center is (407) 824-3470.

 

[Missytara]

Save yourself some aggravation and just use a grocery service...... you never know what could happen to perishables during the trip, as well as the extra screening. I put peanut butter in my checked baggage one year and they had to search the bag, because it comes up "dense" on the x-ray and they don't know what it is.

A ham would come up that way probably as well.

Other than instant oatmeal or granola bars, I wouldn't dream of taking anything that could potentially break open and ruin other people's bags, as well as my own.

 

[Miaka]

We did both Garden Grocer and brought snacks. we packed granola bars, pop tarts, peanut butter and jelly (caused our bags to get selected for a search), drink packs for water bottles, salad dressing, mayonaise, microwave popcorn, tuna, fruit snacks, cereal bars, microwave mac and cheese, the small cereal boxes, I am sure there were more things we packed because it took up a whole suitcase on it's own, but we also got perishables delivered by garden grocer.

 

[clanmcculloch]

I really like packing cereal and nuts and other dry goods for breakfasts or snacks (plus spoons & bowls for cereal) in my bag (I fly SWA so for my family we get 8 free bags though we've never exceeded 5 even for a 12 night trip). As we eat up the dry goods, that creates space for souvenirs to bring home. A grocery service is then great for the perishibles and liquids. If you're ordering anyway then get yourself a case or two of water.

 

[Anna114]

I like to bring a "snack" suitcase. This way I have room for souvenirs for the way home. Things you can bring peanut butter, Jelly, granola bars, cereal, snacks, pop tarts etc. Just plan to buy milk, bread and other perishables at the store at your resort. Don't forget to ask for a fridge if your room doesn't have one. Also, don't forget paper bowls if you have cereal.

 

[PrincessDreams2]

I have safely packed cereal, granola bars, pop tarts, easy mac, pb & j, a loaf of bread, goldfish crackers, trail mix, all packed inside of a hard sided rubbermaid container with a lid inside of our suitcase. The container then comes in handy on the way home for delicate souviners. If I bring any fruit, I bring that in the carry-on.

 

[alwaysdisney]

We had 4 teenagers with us and we rented the Disney Cabins at the Disney Campgroud. We order in May from Garden Grocer's website for our trip in August. All the grocers were paid in full and while we were at the pool, garden grocer and 2 disney cast members put away our groceries. Now that is a vacation. On top of that, I have an owners locker which I storage all of our disney items in, I also have a crock pot, so in the morning before we leave for a park, I get the Banquet Beef Stew and put that into the crock pot and when we return back to our cabin in the late afternoon, dinner is already made. We eat & then go back to the park.

 

[grecorj]

I bought stuff at home for breakfast, snacks, diapers, wipes, & other supplies. Then I shipped a box out UPS about 1 week b4 we arrive. Then you have everything you need (besides perishables) w/o taking up suitcase space. Once we are there, we will buy milk & fruit from the resort store or food court.

We do this as well. We ship a pretty decent size box (3 day service) from UPS store each trip...about $15. We also order water from Costco and have delivered to resort.

But if you have a free suitcase, that's probably a better plan...I like one poster's suggestion about packing everything in a sturdy container inside the suitcase.

 

[corinascot]

We've brought a suitcase full of food on a couple trips. I packed cereal, nuts and snacks, coffee (we don't like wdw coffee) bread, peanut butter, etc.

Didn't pack perishables b/c you never really know when your suitcase will arrive.

It worked out fine. I didn't want full packages of many things, so it was nice to be able to pack what we thought we would really need.

TSA did open our suitcase every time.

 

[DISNEYNY]

I have also brought all the items the above posters have mentioned in my suitcase. I have a small softsided cooler that I carry on the plane. I put things in there that I don't want to get smashed. We also go to the Hess store at Downtown Disney to buy stuff. Get off the bus at the Pleasure Island stop. It is right across the street. My husband likes a beer when he gets back to the room at night. Last year we bought a six pack & a case of water at Hess.

 

[maryloubsw]

If you wanted to bring any perishables I wouldnt pack them in checked suitcase, maybe carry them on, but you cant bring any liquids. I packed protein bars, coffee, sugar packets, laundry detergent, juice boxes, cereal, coffee filters (I didnt know they would have them there), little snack packs of cheezits for the kids, cream of wheat instant packets and green tea packets. I would definitley do it again, it was nice to be able to eat breakfast quickly in the room and have on the go snacks. I would probably pack even more next time of snacks and cereal for breakfast.

 

[Dowellfam]

We are big on bringing snacks and breakfast items too. We have brought, and will bring when we visit again, hostess donuts, pop tarts, cereal, oatmeal, capri suns, bread (on my carry on) jelly, plastic bowls, cups, spoons, fruit snacks, granola bars, cereal bars, crystal light to-go packets for water bottles etc. I did bring a case of water which I divided up between all the checked bags, but that's really a pain- so I would love more information on HESS in DTD- as far a prices etc. I don't want to pay $12 delivery fee + tip for a case of water. We are staying at POR so DTD is only a boat ride away. For those of you bringing peanut butter, DO NOT take it with you on your carry on. I had a jar of unopened peanut butter, and I had to throw it away at check in. So- we had bread and jelly- no peanut butter!

 

[bcuinohio]

I packed a small cooler with a six pack of coke in it. It very nicely in side the suitcase. Since we stayed at POP the first night it was nice since we did not have a fridge. On the way home, I filled it with whatever I could fit inside.

We rented a car so I went to the Winn Dixie by DTD. It is an intersection past DTD on 535 I think. It is a mile or so from DTD. Worst case you could take a cab. The money saved on a case or water would probably pay for the cab, LOL. I have read in the Unofficial guide about getting your groceries delivered.

 

[Sue M]

We only eat breakfast in our room, so I bring a few bags of bagels (can use food court toaster), and some boxes of granola bars.
We are rarely in our room for lunch, so lunch and dinner are at the parks, or other resort, as we go with the DDP.
I would consider Garden Grocer if you plan on returning to your room for meals.

 

[lisagirl88]

For those that ordered cases of water from Costco....do you order it on their website?

 

[waynesgirl]

You can pack a mother load!!!

I went to the Dollar Store and Publix and this is what I was able to pack for a 5 day trip for 2 adults, 2 teens, and 1 BIG toddler:

First, make sure they have a microwave in your room and that you also will be packing in checked baggage!!!

1. Powdered drinks-Kool-aid or Crystal Lite; you can buy 3 or 4 bottles of water there and just refill from your tap or in the parks over and over again.

2. Granola bars and pop-tarts; you can use coupons and Buy 1 Get 1 sales to get these cheap-great for snacks or breakfast

3. Chef Boyardee microwavable cups; they make these in lots of flavors and they are great for a filling dinner and can be bought on sale and with coupons

4. Dried fruit and nut packs or mini cookie packs

IF YOU ARE RENTING A CAR-lots of coupons for dinner off site. Lots of people on the DIS Boards rent cars-maybe you could start a thread and share a ride with someone staying at your resort during the same time-pay the gas money or make the daddies babysit while the mommies make the run (even mommies need a break) so they can go together!


However, I would not pack meat or anything such as that. The money you save with the snacks above is gonna be great to begin with, but with a little planning, you will be okay. Fruit is some of the cheapest snacks you can buy in the park-add a granola bar and a mini-cookie pack and you have really given your younger kids everything they would want to eat...plus, if you buy the glow sticks and cheaper Disney toys at Wal-mart and such before you go (especially the necklaces which can be the first thing kids want), you can really save a fortune to really make eating at the parks a better option...

You can do it!!! Just plan!