Snacks to Pack for the Plane

Gone are the days of high class air travel. On a recent cross country American Airlines flight we didn’t even get a packet of peanuts. By the time the steel cart made its way to me in row 26, the ever so friendly Audrey sneered as she pranced by announcing that all the sandwiches were sold out. My option was to buy a tin of Pringles or a sleeve of cookies to stand in as a meal. My stomach was growling, my head was reeling, and my temper was raging. What I really wanted to do was stick my foot in the aisle and watch Audrey bounce.

Instead, I reached for my handy dandy sealed bag of snacks. Mac Daddy teases me for all the food I pack when I fly. But let me tell you, when we had an emergency landing for a medical issue and were stuck on the ground in Kansas City for two hours with no food, drinks, or use of electronic gadgets, my stash of snacks was a lifesaver. I saw the other passengers ogling our row, and I considered offering up my granola bars as a little cash making cottage industry.

We’ll be flying across country with Bird and Deal again soon. I’ve got my Trader Joe’s list in hand. The tough part is making room in my carry on bag because my pile of books and magazines sure take up a lot of room. Hmmm…wouldn’t it be nice if someone bought me a Color Nook or an iPad? <Insert puppy dog eyed pathetic look of longing here.> The key to snack packing is to choose items that are hearty enough to get banged around in your bag and not release an odorous stench to your fellow passengers. Muffins are a crumby idea unless you want to be a ragamuffin covered in bits of muffin top (not to be confused with the muffin top cleverly disguised by the tunic covering the waistband of my skinny jeans). Ditto for anything coated in cheese powder or cinnamon sugar. Obviously refrigeration isn’t an option so don’t bring anything that will spoil. We go through this every time we fly when Bird wonders why I can’t just pack some Tupperware with sushi for his in-air snack.

As you know, I’m a big believer in healthy eating, and that includes snacks too. I tuck in our fair share of treats, as I like to balance moderation and indulgence. It sickens me to see what constitutes snacks, and boy, nothing opens your eyes to the nastiness of our food system like a trip to the grocery store. What you won’t see in my carry on bag are the likes of Doritos, Oreos, or most anything sold at Hudson News in the airport terminal. I’m pretty sure consuming too much of that garbage will lead to some terminal ailment alright.

If you happen to be sitting near our family en route to San Diego and feel hunger pangs, here’s what I’ll have to snack on. Bring cash. Prices soar when we reach flying altitude.

I put everything into individual zip top bags and/or plastic lidded containers. If I am uber organized, I prepare separate snack bags for Bird and Deal to avoid the inevitable “He got more than I did!” bickering. I put the whole shebang into one of those giant Ziploc bags.

• Dried fruit (mix of pineapple, banana chips, apple slices, craisins)
• Nuts (mix of raw almonds, walnuts, cashews, peanuts)
• Trader Joe’s carrot apple sauce Crushers
• Fruit (bananas, clementines)
• Trail mix granola bars
• Lollipops and gum (something to suck on or chew for take off and landing…Our MO is that the gum comes out when the pilot makes his first announcement. I can’t stand gum chomping.)
• Crackers and cheese stick
• Trader Joe’s Gummy Bears
• Various nuggets of chocolate
• Homemade chocolate chip cookies (Tip: Wrap in freezer bags and freeze. They will thaw as you fly and be less likely to crumble. Works for bars too.)
• Stretch Island fruit strips

I’m also considering those little single serving peanut butter and hummus containers with some pita chips, apple slices, or carrots for dipping. What do you think? Tell me, what do you snack on when you fly?

PS

Even though the standards of flight have decreased significantly, I still believe in dressing nicely when I fly. Bird and Deal wear a collared shirt and know to thank the flight attendants and pilot when we disembark. Manners have no boundaries! Note that dressing well and being comfortable are not mutually exclusive. I never sacrifice comfort for style. But trust me here, everyone is much more helpful and polite when we’re all tidied up.