Packing food for trips

[Kristie]

Originally Posted by ccbegay

I keep telling BF to pack food and such, so that he's not eating fast-food the whole time, and saves some $$$...but his responce was, "I just don't eat..." obviously NOT the way to go, but I've managed to sneak in bars/peanuts/and other misc. hand snacks, he is a very hard man to feed...

yea.. not eating is actually less healthy than just having something every few hours!

[DaytonaBeachGal]

My husband typically does a 3 day Int'l trip. Though I know they are not the best, he rarley gives up his dinner crew meals on those trips! I try to supplement that by packing him a ton of fresh fruits -- that seems to be the trickiest item to find in an airport food court -- if so, its expensive. I pack him apples, grapes, blueberries etc. What Kristie mentioned is so true too about eating every few hours. There are times he is up there for 3 hours before they get a bathroom break or a crumb.....I make my own trail mix too with almonds, raisins, peanut M & M's etc. I make a big bowl of it and put it in those snack size baggies. I get at the store reguraly Jiff Peanut Butter to go - they are individual servings of PB...Ohh yeah..the most important thing I pack is a love note in with all of that! ( sorry, what can I say I'm a Newlywed )

[GreenMtnGirl]

My BF and I found a great "cooler" type bag during a visit to L.L.Bean this fall. I'm assuming it's available online or in their catalogue. It doesn't come in black, which bummed my BF out, but we got in in a nice dark blue color.

Softpack Cooler, Personal: Coolers at L.L.Bean


It comes in "Personal" and "Picnic" size, I think he has the Personal. He can cram in a few sandwiches + cooked chicken, pasta salad, and veggies to mix up on break in the crew room, at the hotel, etc. It has several outside pockets (nice for packets of trail mix, etc.) and the inside is easy to clean. It looks much more professional than carrying around one of those plastic coleman things. Turn out, he mostly leaves it in the crew room at his base and grabs it at the end of the day or on his last trip out...like, he doesn't carry it with him at all times. But he loves it!

Does anyone use frozen water bottles as ice packs? They last about two days and when they are melted, BF can drink them!

[skyblupink]

Since my husband flys the 777 crew meals remain thankfully acceptable, but he's gone 3 to 4 days (international destinations) and eating 3 meals a day plus snacks out gets expensive. I pack a selection of the following:

* Homemade beef jerky (less sodium than store bought)
* Delmonte fruit cups (metal cans only)
* Kar's Sweet 'N Salty Snack Mix
* Plantar's nuts (cashews, peanuts and honey roased peanuts)
* Clementines (small, very easy to peel oranges)
* Tuna fish packets with crackers
* Peanut butter/cheese crackers
* Bumblebee snack packs with crackers (seafood salad or chicken salad)
* Homemade trail mix
* Dried fruit
* Oreo cookie packets
* Protein bars like Cliff Bars

None of these are intended as meal replacements although DH is often too tired upon arrival to go out for a meal so he tucks into his snack stash. I also include his favorite tea bags (PG Tips) and creamers (all packed in plasticware in case of leaks).

There are some things to consider when packing food;

A. Is your guy staying in a crew hotel with easy access to a variety of restaurants?
B. Does the crew hotel have a crew room with microwaves?
C. Does the crew hotel provide in room coffee/tea service?
D. Are you packing items that don't weigh down his suitcase?
E. Are the items you're packing fragile and likely to end up in crumbs?

I don't always ask my husband before I pack food what he wants, but I do ask for his feedback after the trip. If he really liked something I try to include it again. Conversely, if he hated an item, that's the end of that.

One last thing ... a Redbull tucked into his extra shoes seems to be appreciated on every trip.

Happy Travels,

Skyblupink
wife of CO 777 FO

[ccbegay]

Originally Posted by skyblupink

Since my husband flys the 777 crew meals remain thankfully acceptable, but he's gone 3 to 4 days (international destinations) and eating 3 meals a day plus snacks out gets expensive. I pack a selection of the following:

* Homemade beef jerky (less sodium than store bought)
* Delmonte fruit cups (metal cans only)
* Kar's Sweet 'N Salty Snack Mix
* Plantar's nuts (cashews, peanuts and honey roased peanuts)
* Clementines (small, very easy to peel oranges)
* Tuna fish packets with crackers
* Peanut butter/cheese crackers
* Bumblebee snack packs with crackers (seafood salad or chicken salad)
* Homemade trail mix
* Dried fruit
* Oreo cookie packets
* Protein bars like Cliff Bars

None of these are intended as meal replacements although DH is often too tired upon arrival to go out for a meal so he tucks into his snack stash. I also include his favorite tea bags (PG Tips) and creamers (all packed in plasticware in case of leaks).

There are some things to consider when packing food;

A. Is your guy staying in a crew hotel with easy access to a variety of restaurants?
B. Does the crew hotel have a crew room with microwaves?
C. Does the crew hotel provide in room coffee/tea service?
D. Are you packing items that don't weigh down his suitcase?
E. Are the items you're packing fragile and likely to end up in crumbs?

I don't always ask my husband before I pack food what he wants, but I do ask for his feedback after the trip. If he really liked something I try to include it again. Conversely, if he hated an item, that's the end of that.

One last thing ... a Redbull tucked into his extra shoes seems to be appreciated on every trip.

Happy Travels,

Skyblupink
wife of CO 777 FO

that helps me out a lot! BF is such a picky eater, and all of this food items he'd eat! once we get a 'system' down, I hope his eating habit get better...and yes, we have a continuous supply of RedBull, and the sugar free ones are a 100 calories less! Thanks!

[spotty4]

I still am amazed you all can fit so much into their rollaboards!!! Seriously, where are you coming up w/ room!?

Fiance` has a 22" Purdy Neat and it is STUFFED just w/ his basic essentials for his trips. I'd like to learn some of this Houdini magic so I can stuff some snacks into his bag, too.

[jr_lenz]

we have a small cooler/lunchbox and stuff it to the max. he stashes it in the cockpit with him. A couple of weeks ago he was on a 6 day and had to hit the grocery store for a refill, but we make it through all of the 4 day trips.

[amelia]

Originally Posted by spotty4

I still am amazed you all can fit so much into their rollaboards!!! Seriously, where are you coming up w/ room!?

Fiance` has a 22" Purdy Neat and it is STUFFED just w/ his basic essentials for his trips. I'd like to learn some of this Houdini magic so I can stuff some snacks into his bag, too.

My DH has a sweet lunch bag that he got off of e-bags. It fits a lot of stuff in it. My DH loves it. It seems like a lot of people at his airline use the same lunch bag. Then to keep everything cold, he uses one of those large medical ice bags (can get it at a food store). Its blue, floppy and has a screw on cap. He likes that better than regular ice packs or zip locks full of ice. Here are some links to waht I'm talking about.

His lunch bag:
eBags Crew Cooler > Travel Coolers > Travel Accessories - eBags


Link to the type of ice bag he uses:
Ice Bag - DMI Reusable Small Ice Bag 6" (1 Pint)

[spotty4]

Since fiance is a commuter, I wonder it he's permitted to carry that 3rd bag (lunch box) on his flight from SJC to MSP. He has a pretty nice/cool lunch box/bag like many have spoken of. There's no way the lunch box/bag would fit inside his flight case or rollaboard.

[amelia]

Originally Posted by spotty4

Since fiance is a commuter, I wonder it he's permitted to carry that 3rd bag (lunch box) on his flight from SJC to MSP. He has a pretty nice/cool lunch box/bag like many have spoken of. There's no way the lunch box/bag would fit inside his flight case or rollaboard.

My DH commutes also and takes 4 bags with him and has no issues with it. He has his rollaboard, laptop, lunch bag and his flight bag.