It’s always an good idea to pack plenty of food when flying, whether or not your kids are with you. The more self-sufficient you are, the easier it will be to handle interruptions in your travel day. Have you ever been on a flight that didn’t get catered as planned? What if you’re counting on purchasing something on the plane but they run out of food before they get to you? Or you don’t realize until it’s too late that the flight you’re on has no snack service? If an hour long flight becomes a 3 hour delay on the ground followed by a 3 hour flight, will you be prepared?
Here are some of the foods we find easy to pack:
1. NUT BUTTER AND JELLY SANDWICH
This old standby is always good for travel. I always pack a sandwich for every person traveling with me. It’s a perfect meal or snack any time of day. When I’m working as a flight attendant, PB&J’s are my daily breakfast since they last days pre-made and don’t require refrigeration. You can use any type of nut butter. SunButter, made from sunflower seeds, is great for those with nut allergies. I love the sandwich thins or Pepperidge Farm Goldfish Sandwich bread because they are flat already so it doesn’t matter if something in your bag smashes them. Plus the fish bread is cute and fun.
2. QUESADILLAS
My favorite thing to do is make an entire batch of quesadillas then cut in fourths, wrap in foil, and freeze. Then when it’s time to leave, grab a few and by the time you’re ready to eat them they’ve thawed. You can make quesadillas with any type of filling. Our favorites are plain cheese; cheese and bean; canned salmon mixed with canned green chili peppers and cheese; tuna melt. Get creative with your favorite ingredients. Ella calls a cheese quesadilla a pizza and loves it. I make plain cheese for her and mix it with salsa for me. Pictured above is a delicious Mexican Egg & Cheese Quesadilla from Weelicious.
Another thing that’s nice to have ready-made in the freezer is pancakes. Make them in small 2” circles and freeze. Then you can make little sandwiches with any favorite filling. Weelicious recommends cream cheese filling. You can use Nut Butters, Nutella, or even Marshmallow Fluff for a sweet treat.
Have you ever thought to make macaroni and cheese in muffin tins? I hadn’t until I saw this recipe. We tried it and they’re quite good. Make a huge batch and freeze in bags. (As you see, I’m a fan of doubling and tripling recipes so I can freeze some and cook less often.) If you’re cooking these for flights, you might consider whether or not you’ll be able to keep them cool enough to include chicken.
5. CHEESE AND FRUIT PLATE
If you try to buy a small container for fruit and cheese in the airport it costs around $8-$10. Think of how much you’ll save if you bring your own! I like to keep Starbucks’ Bistro Boxes when I occasionally buy them and reuse them for travel. Fill it with fruit, cheese, veggies…the possibilities are endless! (Just remember, nothing that could be considered “liquid or gel” is permitted by TSA. Hummus, as pictured above, is out unless you pack under 3 oz. and put it in your Quart-sized bag to declare.) Wild Garden Hummus is available in 1.76 oz. pouches and would be great for travel.
These are just a few ideas to get started. What are your favorite homemade travel-friendly foods?
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