What about something like a dressed couscous salad with roasted veggies. It won't spoil, can be eaten at "room" temp and would be easy to transport. One of my friends packs romaine leaves to use as scoopers. ;)
My favorite travel snacks: kale chips or sugar snap peas. I used to think homemade hummus was great, but TSA will take it from you if it's more than a few ounces. (!)
For an exotic sandwich, how about some really good bleu cheese on a fresh baguette, drizzled with white truffle honey. Probably could add some fine Italian meat (prosciutto?) to very good effect. May not pass the smell-less food test that some have suggested. : )
Since dehydration is a big issue on planes, try to go low/no salt with everything, especially if you have any blood pressure issues or take blood thinners. A bag of Ruffles potato chips (and a tabloid about Kate & Wills' new baby) is always a great comfort in the waiting lounge, but definitely not the last thing you want to eat before you get on the plane. I'm sure there are plenty of recipes and ideas for low salt snacks but if you need some, this community will oblige!
I always pack a bag of nut mix which I guess could be a problem per Drbabs! I usually do a mix of almonds, oat bran sesame sticks and rice crackers. Chef June's Chef June's sandwich sounds great for a short flight, but if you want to wait to eat it after three hours or so, roast beef might be a problem. Cheese might be a better choice. Most hard cheeses won't spoil easily when out for a few hours. Recently, I made an adaptation of a mixed grain "risotto" that was in the Wash Post not too long ago, which uses some stock and miso with some cheese. I cut the miso a little and used salt free stock as well - I don't want anything too salty when flying. I topped it with roasted broccoli. It was great at room temp as well as when I've served it warm. http://projects.washingtonpost.com/recipes/2013/03/06/five-grain-risotto-broccolini-and-brussels-sprouts/ I also like to have almonds with me. I wonder if almond butter would solve Drbabs' problem with the peanut butter sandwich....unless there's someone with a tree nut allergy!
Offended? Nah, only if they don't bring enough for everyone. Seriously, it's not like anyone's food is around a long time, it goes down the hatch and the empties get collected or packed away fairly quickly.
I've never had the experience of being offended by the smell of another passenger's carry-on food on an airplane -- usually if I smell it it just makes me hungry. Is this an experience many of you have had?
I like a slim baguette with salted butter and some ham and arugula. A fruit like grapes and an orange are also really refreshing. I also like dried fruit and nuts. I like the idea of a grain salad as well. All of those pack pretty nicely. Avoid those smelly items...even hard boiled eggs can be pretty stinky. I also like a sweet...biscoff cookies are my favorite!
A friend once packed me an airplane lunch. It turned out to be a green bean sandwich, reeking of garlic and dripping of olive oil. I felt like the whole plane was horrified.
Seems you have a relatively short flight - not 18 hours. The main consideration would be to stay hydrated. Don't need a lot of staying power to sit in an airplane other than hydration. The second would be to support fellow travelers by having no strong odors from food. Chef June has great recommendations. Possibly the food reward will be at your destination not in the plane.
But Bill says he's got a good 3 hours add'l in the airport & a connecting flight, hence 13 hours altogether, not counting surface-travel time getting to and from airports. Frankly I don't see why this has to be a day of fasting & self-denial. Bill deserves a reward just for getting through security (and, possibly, customs). Staying power doesn't have to mean strong smoked fish, stinky cheese, or garlic, but something tasty, when all around you people are settling on pre-fab chips from the cart, is nice. Maybe a good heavy bread with dried fruit & nuts in plus cream cheese, or some oatmeal cookies with chocolate chips and dried fruit? Or subbing for Barbara's fig sandwich idea (above) only pairing the fig jam with creamy goat cheese instead of peanut butter?
Thanks for that! - You just inspired me to pick up a mediterranean pasta salad from my local organic grocery store - It was a top contender - pasta, sun dried tomatoes, feta cheese, zucchini, kalamata olives - plus some other magical this and thats - Easy enough to eat with a plastic fork and certainly containing nothing that would go bad - OK - that is the side dish - now what are the mains?
Grain salads and bean salads are great--just be sure to pack a plastic fork or spoon. I have fantastic smoked pork chops where I live, so I often fry one the day before and cut it in manageable pieces before I pack it. I also pack some slices of cukes and peppers, grape tomatoes, and radishes. I also like to bring roasted nuts and dried or fresh fruit.
I wrap the fresh fruit in a paper towel to protect it from bruises. Hard boiled eggs are pretty decent, too, if you like them.
Thank you and Thank you again! This sounds wonderful! I was wondering why I wanted to fast all the way through this 3 hours in advance - 8 hour flight - 2 hour connection - then another 2 hour flight - not to mention paying those ridiculous prices for what passes for food in the airport!
I was going to suggest my current favorite sandwich: chunky peanut butter and fig butter layered on 2 slices of multi grain bread with a layer of thinly sliced banana in the center. But then I remembered that the last time I flew there was a boy in the row in front of me who had a peanut allergy, and the flight attendant asked everyone on the plane to refrain from eating peanuts or peanut products. :(
Foodie or not, I think the most important thing is that flyers bring food that's considerate to others i.e. has no strong smells. For me, a plethora of small, healthy snacks is the way to go, even on longer flights.
I've been carrying food on airplanes for decades. Usually a sandwich because that's easy to eat and easy to pack. I put my lettuce on the side and add just before eating. Roast beef on an onion roll is my favorite, but it depends on my mood and the season, as well as what time of day I'm flying. Breakfast might be a bagel or bialy and creamcheese, or a baggie of granola and some fruit. Almonds are a great snack. clean, healthy and tasty. Cannot imagine trying to heat anything up in the sky.
"Kicker" Roast Beef Sandwich: 1/3 pound rare roast beef (I get in-house roasted from Whole Foods if I don't have any of mine on hand), the best onion roll I can find..., Fallot Dijon mustard. Pile the beef on the roll, top it and slice. Pace along side in baggies, 1 slice ripe tomato (if in season) 2 or 3 crisp romaine or leaf lettuce leaves. A slice of avocado is also nice, if you like that. I pack the additions separately because they tend to make the sandwich soggy otherwise.
And I am waiting for them - Surely they can come up with something exceptional - otherwise, it is sandwiches and potato salad! - Which is not necessarily bad - But certainly someone should be able to come up with a Lunch Box Blockbuster!
Keep kicking it up - I am looking for some good ideas of the best picnic in a Sistema lunch box - Certainly all of these food junkie experts can come up with some fantastic ideas!
I hear you, Bill! I just try to fight the fat-cravings that long flights and tiredness lead to for me. You are too funny! Eating well out of a grocery store - I can do that! I will try your goat cheese, black olive pesto on ciabatto...sounds so good! Along with my salt and vinegar chips of course! Thank you!
Well, I am looking for something really exotic and tasty - something a whole lot better than a generic ham sandwich - I looked at the info that the New Yorker people and some others posted, but I just cannot imagine carrying whole wheat pasta and heating it up with tea water - and I detest ramen noodles - YUCK - I've got an 8 hour flight and then another 2 hour flight - plus probably a good 3 hours sitting in the airport prior to that - Your potato chips sound wonderful - A couple of years ago I took a salami, goat cheese and black olive pesto on ciabatta with a mozzarella and tomato salad on toothpick skewers - red grapes, lentil chips, and a cucumber salad. Using cured meats and cheese gives it staying power - I am looking for some innovative variations worthy of a foodie! This should be a contest! - But I also end up making picnics while on the road all the time - Eating well out of a grocery store is one of my specialties!
Brave Bill using the word "foodie". Seems like you are very deeply rooted in the Italian food culture. Not a bad place to be. However, the conventional medical wisdom is that we shouldn't eat on those long journeys - better to drink spring water and sleep or read and move around as much as the staff will allow to prevent blog clots forming. Fatty, greasy foods are especially advised against. Our flights from the southern hemisphere to anywhere significant in the western developed world are 21-24 hours in length from leaving home to actually arriving. No alcohol and very little food is the best advice we have at the moment and we do notice that we arrive in better shape than in the old days before we knew any better.
My sandwich of choice is roasted turkey breast, havarti cheese, avocado, tomato, and crispy iceberg lettuce. I seem to crave a lot of fat on long voyages and this keeps me from buying Popeye's fried chicken at the airport.
Hello - and thanks! - I have been experimenting with some staying power sandwiches, etc - I used to be an avid backpacker - What would your favorite gourmet sandwich for flying be? - thanks!
TSA had a good laugh over me! I was traveling on planes where I needed to consider both breakfast and lunch....and had it all packed in my carry-on. I was chosen for inspection and they salivated over my carry-on full of food. Breakfast was bagels and cream cheese along with fruit of your choice - in my case, bananas. Lunch was a hearty sandwich (your choice of bread, cheese, meat, etc. with salt and vinegar chips (always crave salt on a long flight), and something sweet of your choice. For me, something chocolate and nutty to go with the sweet. Not sure about the staying power but it hits the mark! Have fun with trying different combinations!
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For an exotic sandwich, how about some really good bleu cheese on a fresh baguette, drizzled with white truffle honey. Probably could add some fine Italian meat (prosciutto?) to very good effect. May not pass the smell-less food test that some have suggested. : )
Voted the Best Reply!
I wrap the fresh fruit in a paper towel to protect it from bruises. Hard boiled eggs are pretty decent, too, if you like them.
Bill