What to feed my kids on the plane? High protein, not nuts

[bear_mom]

Unless your flights are really, really long, I wouldn't worry about cheese sticks and hard boiled eggs not being kept cold. Neither of those are likely to spoil in a short amount of time.

Emily

 

[aubriee]

Yes, you can, as long as they are frozen solid. Check tsa.gov for more info.

I agree that hard boiled eggs and cheese will be fine going a few hours without refrigeration, especially if you pack them in an insulated bag.

True. I just copied this from the TSA site:

'Frozen items are allowed as long as they are frozen solid when presented for screening. If frozen items are partially melted, slushy, or have any liquid at the bottom of the container, they must meet 3-1-1 requirements.'

As a diabetic, I carry those solid blue ice frozen thingys through several times a year. I have a Victoza pen, needles, and a snack in with them in an insulated lunch bag. I do pull them out and put every thing in that insulated bag in their own bin though. They've never received a second look from TSA. I do have a list of my medications and diagnoses from my doctor, but have never been asked for them. Technically the Victoza pens do not have to be refrigerated once they are open, but I like to keep everything together, so put them in there.

If I was the OP, I'd get a note from my physcian stating that my son had to have protein snacks regularly due to his physical condition. She shouldn't need it, but would have it just in case.

 

[laughinplace199]

I usually put string cheese in the freezer the night before our flight, Then I take it out in the morning and pack it in a lunchbox with some crackers, fruit and whatever else my kids are having for a "meal". The cheese is thawed but still cold by the time they eat it.

You can certainly bring nuts, but sometimes the flight attendant may ask people to refrain from eating nuts if there is an allergic passenger on board. In your case, I would bring nuts, but also bring some back-up sources of protein in case they ask for people to refrain from eating nuts on the flight.

 

[It'sWDW4me]

How many ounces are the Go-gurt sticks? I used to freeze them to use as an ice pack for DS's lunches. By lunchtime, the yogurt would be thawed but still cool.

I just looked it up - each stick of Gogurt is 2.25 oz. Freeze a few of those. If TSA lets them pass because they're frozen solid... great! If TSA has an issue with them, they'll still fit in the 3-1-1 bag (it's a quart-sized bag, yes?) The frozen yogurt sticks will keep any hard-boiled eggs or meats that you may take along cold and, once they're thawed, there's more protein ready to eat!

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

You can't bring ice packs through security.

Once again, yes you can. See the link in post #22.

Please check the tsa.gov website before posting erroneous information.

 

[zurgswife]

True. I just copied this from the TSA site:

'Frozen items are allowed as long as they are frozen solid when presented for screening. If frozen items are partially melted, slushy, or have any liquid at the bottom of the container, they must meet 3-1-1 requirements.'

As a diabetic, I carry those solid blue ice frozen thingys through several times a year. I have a Victoza pen, needles, and a snack in with them in an insulated lunch bag. I do pull them out and put every thing in that insulated bag in their own bin though. They've never received a second look from TSA. I do have a list of my medications and diagnoses from my doctor, but have never been asked for them. Technically the Victoza pens do not have to be refrigerated once they are open, but I like to keep everything together, so put them in there.

If I was the OP, I'd get a note from my physcian stating that my son had to have protein snacks regularly due to his physical condition. She shouldn't need it, but would have it just in case.

Exactly what I was going to post. If you get a note from your Dr about your need to have specific foods that need to be cooled....My kids are diabetic and we carry the frozen blue packs without issue. We have a dr note as back up just in case.

 

[Ed J]

Once again, yes you can. See the link in post #22.

Please check the tsa.gov website before posting erroneous information.

There is no yes or no answer to the ice pack question. The quote in post 22 is not complete. Ice packs are OK when solid, but not OK when not.

"Frozen liquid items are allowed through the checkpoint as long as they are frozen solid when presented for screening. If frozen liquid items are partially melted, slushy, or have any liquid at the bottom of the container, they must meet 3-1-1 liquids requirements.

If the frozen item is packed with ice or ice packs in a cooler or other container, the ice or ice packs must be completely frozen when brought through screening. If the ice or ice packs are partially melted and have any liquid at the bottom of the container, they will not be permitted ."

So why are you posting erroneous information?

 

[NotUrsula]

Post #22 contains a gotcha: the poster is diabetic, and she is using the blocks to cool medical supplies. That is a medical supply exception, and ice packs are always allowed for breast milk or for medications that need to be kept cool -- which is NOT the same thing as cooling regular food. Different rules apply.

IME, which is pretty extensive, blue ice blocks are NOT normally allowed for the purpose of cooling ordinary food. Essentially, what I have seen is that if the frozen substance is just ice or a beverage (a juice box, for instance), you won't get it through, but if it is a frozen food product that is solid when room temp (grapes, veggies, meat, etc), you will. Things that would not hold their shape if they were not frozen (casseroles and the like) are a grey area, sometimes they get by and sometimes they don't, it seems to depend on the screener.

 

[disneyfaninaz]

Post #22 contains a gotcha: the poster is diabetic, and she is using the blocks to cool medical supplies. That is a medical supply exception, and ice packs are always allowed for breast milk or for medications that need to be kept cool -- which is NOT the same thing as cooling regular food. Different rules apply.

Not always. There have been reports of diabetics having their ice packs confiscated because they weren't frozen solid. Is this right? Heck no!
However, it has been known to happen. I just gave up on the whole ice pack thing through the airport. We use FRIO packs for our insulin.

On our most recent flight, we packed a lunch. Pulled it from the fridge and put it in an insulated lunch bag with no ice packs or coolers. We got to the airport and the lunch was still hand screened because the TSA agent thought the Lunchables were ice packs. Go figure!

BTW, the lunch stayed cool enough to eat during our flight.

 

[CPT Tripss]

disneyfaninaz . . . No sense trying to make sense of the senseless, Airport Security Screeners are totally inconsistant in applying the "frozen" rule.

OP's best bet is to use ice in a baggie, empty out the liquid before passing through security and hoping for the best. Worse case, get ice from one of the food places airside.

 

[disneyfaninaz]

disneyfaninaz . . . No sense trying to make sense of the senseless, Airport Security Screeners are totally inconsistant in applying the "frozen" rule.

Totally agree!

 

[It'sWDW4me]

disneyfaninaz . . . No sense trying to make sense of the senseless, Airport Security Screeners are totally inconsistant in applying the "frozen" rule.

OP's best bet is to use ice in a baggie, empty out the liquid before passing through security and hoping for the best. Worse case, get ice from one of the food places airside.

Actually, OP's best bet is to freeze either cheese sticks or tubes of Gogurt to be used as mini ice packs inside an insulated bag. No need to hunt down ice and/or a way of dispensing with the melted remains. Once the products thaw out, they can be consumed. If TSA has any issue with potentially partially thawed Gogurt, the tubes can easily be added to a 3-1-1 baggie and passed through security that way. No fuss, no mess, and things to snack on to boot!

 

[CPT Tripss]

Actually, OP's best bet is to freeze either cheese sticks or tubes of Gogurt to be used as mini ice packs inside an insulated bag. No need to hunt down ice and/or a way of dispensing with the melted remains. Once the products thaw out, they can be consumed. If TSA has any issue with potentially partially thawed Gogurt, the tubes can easily be added to a 3-1-1 baggie and passed through security that way. No fuss, no mess, and things to snack on to boot!

Frozen cheese is tough on the teeth. Airport Security screeners may not approve of frozen yogurt and require that it be voluntarily surrendered . . . no way of telling in advance and the downside is OP loses it.

 

[Skye23]

Well as people have mentioned - there is absolutely no need to freeze cheese or even keep it cold in the short term. My mom and I used to keep cheese in a ziploc bag in our backpack when we'd travel through Europe. It lasted safely for days and I'm immune system compromised. Specifically pre-wrapped string cheese etc would be extremely safe for the length of time it takes to get through airport security, board a plane and wait till lunch time. As also mentioned sealed packets of jerky or things like slim jims would also be perfectly fine. Then there are the dozens of kinds of protein bars, at least some of which would not be nut-based. In addition you could get some sort of protein shake mix powder and carry it, and an empty screw-lid type container that you can use to make the shake in through security. All you'd need to do is procure the liquid on the other side from a vendor - something like milk, water or even juice.