How to Pack Better Food When Traveling
Many of you will be traveling this holiday season, which means planes, trains (maybe not) and cars, and as you rush to your destination, you are likely to get hungry. Eating while traveling isn’t all that difficult, but eating while traveling that is truly enjoyable can be tricky. Here’s how to make it tastier.
Pack the picnic on the plane
Airplane food is arguably the most challenging as you are limited by both physical space and TSA regulations. Convenience is key and a little planning goes a long way. The most important part of packaging food is making sure that you pack it in a way that won’t get confiscated . Always check TSA instructions ahead of time and store sauces, spreads, liquids (yes) and yogurt less than 3.4 oz / 100 ml and pack in the required 1 liter plastic bag.
You can throw food into any carry-on baggage, but a bento box is a great way to feed yourself a variety of treats and protect it from getting squashed. As someone who cannot read on airplanes due to motion sickness, it is important that I am entertained with food, and lots of small treats (and drinks) are a good way to do this. This is not necessary, but I like choosing a theme for my in-flight meal. Some picnic-themed ideas:
- Rustic picnic: a piece of crispy bread + good, but not smelly, cheese + grapes + salami + good chocolate
- Make your own lunch: gourmet meat + sliced cheddar cheese + crackers + fun sized chocolate bar (maybe two)
- Mediterranean snacks: hummus (packaged according to TSA rules) + mini pita bread + olives (no liquid) + chopped bell peppers
Besides your bento, I would have thrown a couple of fruit pieces in there. Citrus fruits that are easily peeled (like clementines) will instantly enhance your flying experience. Not only does the water-infused fruit help fight dehydration and taste fantastic, but peeling an orange or tangerine also fills the stagnant air in the cabin with a bright, refreshing citrus scent.
Thanks to serving drinks, drinks are not something you really need to worry about, but if you want a decent adult drink made from your brand of booze, it’s worth buying small sample-sized bottles and making your own cocktails using the free mixers . Vinepair has some great ideas (inspiration for Kalimotxo), but I’ll share with you some of my favorites because I’m super cute:
- Spicy Bloody Mary : One mini bottle of your favorite vodka + Bloody Mary mix + free lime wedges + tiny bottle of hot sauce (you’ll need to pack it). Pour vodka over ice, squeeze out a couple of lime wedges, add a couple of drops of hot sauce, pour over the mixture and enjoy. For extra credit: Pack Slim Jim for a fun side dish.
- Italian Greyhound: Mini bottle of your favorite dry gin + mini bottle of Campari + complimentary grapefruit juice + complimentary lime wedge. Pour the entire bottle of gin and half of the Campari over the ice. Top with grapefruit juice, squeeze out a wedge of lime, stir and enjoy. Mix the remaining Campari with soda water.
- Irish Coffee : A mini bottle of your favorite Irish whiskey + free coffee + two free sugar cubes + free half and half. Throw everything into this little coffee cup and stir, stir, stir.
- Tom Collins: Mini Bottle of London Dry Gin + Free Lemon Slice As Flight Attendant Gives You + Free Sugar Cube + Free Soda. Ask for an extra cup and place a sugar cube in it. Crush a sugar cube with the mouth of your mini gin bottle and pour it into an ice-filled gin cup. Squeeze out a bunch of lemon wedges and cover with sparkling water.
I could go on, but I think you get it.
Carry a car-friendly kitchen with you
Eating on the road is a little easier than dining in the sky, but there are still a few bumps. Since you will be driving, it is very important to remain energized and vigorous, so you should think a little and take care of what you put into your body. What is the most important health tip? Don’t eat while driving; it’s dangerous, and you know better. If your route contains rest stops, stop and have a picnic at a real table. You will have the opportunity to stretch your legs and some of the rest stops are actually quite good.
Since you don’t have to worry about fluid restrictions and the like, you can pack pretty much whatever you like, just make sure it’s tasty at room temperature or below. My favorite petrol station for travel is Trader Joe’s. Not only do they have a myriad of dried fruits, nuts and chips, but their prepared salads, sandwiches, and wrappers are pretty tasty, and they even have great pre-sliced cheeses and meats so you don’t have to mess with slicing. (Also grab a cookie; long, repetitive trips are greatly improved by the presence of cookies.)
If your car has too much luggage and gifts to fit a hard-walled refrigerator, bring an insulated shopping bag at the grocery store. They’re pretty cheap and can be folded up and put in your backseat pocket as soon as you empty them.
If you don’t want to take any food with you at all, you will probably grab a fast food snack at some point. This can be a problem, but as we pointed out in our article on this topic, there are several options that you are not afraid of. Stick to grilled dishes, vegetable side dishes, rice bowls and beans and salads (but be careful: some are just bacon croutons).
Of course, depending on where you travel, fast food might not even be the right fit. Eating at a gas station may seem daunting, but there are a few options that won’t spoil you completely:
- Fruit Pieces : There are always bananas at gas stations, andbananas are good too.
- Trail Mixed with Yogurt: GORP mixed with yogurt gives you a good protein and carbohydrate mix, plus it’s really delicious.
- Jerky: Actually you should have thought about it beforehand and bought it from Trader Joe’s.
- A string of cheese and pretzels : Cheese will give you some protein, and hard pretzels are much less fatty than chips.
- Sour Cream Onion Pringles and M & M’s Pretzels: Because they’re delicious, you have to live a little and you deserve them, you road warrior.
- Water : These tall Diet Coke boys are tempting but give you a headache. (Well, they give me a headache.)
Hopefully this gives you some ideas on how to make your trip more delicious and enjoyable, but if all else fails and you just don’t have time to plan your flight or trip, don’t worry. Even if you have to order lousy aircraft wine, you are still drinking alcohol in the sky , which is pretty amazing.