Oh mi goodness! We will be in Chicago tomorrow! It has been over a year since we’ve been back in the states. We will be traveling through the states for the next 2 months… if you haven’t yet, check out the RO4Y Tour dates! If we are coming into your area, please let me know! We love meeting and connecting with new people :o)
So… I thought it was about time I wrote up a post about preparing wholesome meals and snacks take on the airplane. We’ve been traveling back and forth enough times that I have a whole list of healthy stuff to choose from!
I typically carry on a small suitcase full of snacks & individual meals for us… we always end up with leftovers, but better that then have nothing!
Nowadays, it is hard to fly and feel great by the end of your trip. Flying really does take a lot out of you and on top of that… healthy food choices in the airports are pretty slim. That’s why it is so important to plan ahead & bring your own healthy food and good water to strengthen your body to stand against the stress of traveling.
The bottled water in airports are expensive and will leave you dried out. We like to travel with our filtered water bottles
Now, I won’t get started on the food because I think you all know the direction I’m going here, but one thing I’ve learned when traveling with my girls and hubby… is to load up on the good fats. Low-fat food makes cranky & tired kids! Which means don’t overload on crackers, cookies and fruit. High carbs and sugar calls for hungry, emotional kids that will leave you exhausted & short-tempered by the time you arrive to your destination.
It really makes a difference to plan ahead and prepare your own meals & snacks to take on the airplane. Loading up on nourishing foods rich in good fats will have you & your family feeling good and satisfied wherever you go! When I say good fats, I’m talking about real butter, coconut oil, whole milk, real eggs, nuts and raw cheeses.
Before reading on… let me tell you from personal experience that you CAN bring your own food onto the plane! A friend once told me that it was against the rules, but I have not been told that directly from an airport staff.
Traveling In Style With Wholesome Food
Here’s what I’ve packed for our plane trips over the last few years:
Savories
- Raw cheese
- Coconut rice & beans
- Cortido & fresh sour cream
- Hard-boiled eggs (girls love it with sea salt and fresh sour cream!)
- Fritatas in a sandwich or tortillas
- Soaked & dehydrated nuts – almonds, pecans, pistachios & cashews
- Salads w/ homemade dressing (yeah, my girls dig in them!)
- Fresh veggies – carrot sticks, sliced tomatoes, sliced cucumbers & sliced avocado
- Raw, whole milk (I’ve had no problems carry on a small bottle of milk for each of my kids!)
- Popcorn – popped in coconut oil and topped with lots of butter (a little raw honey too!)
- Crackers – sourdough or soaked
- Raw honey, coconut oil & nut butter sandwiches (using sourdough english muffins)
- Beef jerky
- Plantain chips (can get at Trader Joe’s)
Sweets
- Flourless Chocolate Almond Cookies
- Nut butter cookies
- Coconut Custard Cake
- Banana Bread
- Homemade granola (using soaked & ready oats)
- Strawberry Coconut Muffins
- Banana Coconut Muffins
- Carrot Molasses mini-muffins
- Fresh fruits – bananas, oranges, apples & mangoes
- Dried fruits – pineapple, mango, apples & raisins
- Larabars
(favorites: cherry pie
& apple pie
)
- Coconut cookies
- Oatmeal Raisin Sourdough Cookies
I like to use my reusable sandwich bags
Not only is this list good for traveling via airplanes and car, but it is great to always have these on hand and ready to go! I often try to have some of these made every week to take with us whenever we head into town or the city. If I don’t, I end up buying plantain chips that only make my girls even more hungry and cranky!
A Penny For Your Thoughts
What do you like to bring for plane travels? Have any wholesome tips for us? Share your tips & ideas below in the comments section! I’m always looking for new ideas. Thanks!
Great ideas for travel foods! We also like to do cheese and meats, hard-boiled eggs, egg salad, oat cakes..Safe travels!
Thanks Jenn! Egg salad? Oat cakes? Got recipes? :o)
great ideas! i don’t bring sliced avocado though, they turn brown after a while, even with a very generous squeeze of lime juice.. any tips? ): i’m also iffy about bringing milk up where there’s no refrigeration, unless you finish it quick! but great great ideas, so creative! i also like crustless quiches, or veggie egg casseroles (:
Shu Han – Thanks! I haven’t really had any problems with avocados because I would smashed them up in the container AFTER we go through check point. I understand about the milk… but they wouldn’t allow you to bring it uniess you have kids. That’s what we were told ;o) quiches would be great!! yum!
Thanks for this! I’ve been brainstorming ideas of snacks & easy, quick meals to take with us on our family vacation to TX… I will definitely try some of these. 🙂 We are road-tripping, not flying but it’s all the same really.
I’m bummed I will be missing you guys while you visit Des Moines! 🙁 We are leaving for Texas when you arrive in DSM & will be gone for 10 days. Have a great time! Love you lots.
My list is similar to yours but less extensive. We always travel with bags of nuts I usually spend the day before we leave trying to use up all forms of dried fruits, soaked grains, etc in my pantry to make cookies or breads — we’ve taste tested a few ‘interesting’ concoctions our our airplane rides!
Avocados make fantastic baby food for flying if you can get them in the country you live in.
That makes sense about the milk although I never would’ve thought to try it! And I imagine that the airline could still say ‘no’ to taking it on at any point if they felt so — for example, you cannot take any liquid of any sort onto the planes flying into Australia. You have to go through a second security check while boarding the plane and they confiscate all liquids again! So annoying!!!
Thanks for sharing! My hubby is about to be commuting an hour away a few days a week, and while we won’t be on any airplanes any time soon, I appreciate any ideas on portable, healthy, affordable snacks!
Good ideas. I’m traveling next month, but with two teen boys and my hubby. Good reminder for me to think ahead to airplane and traveling snacks!
I didn’t realize you could take food on airplanes–definitely going to try this when we fly to Seattle in October! I’ll just make sure I don’t pack it in a container I might losing in case there’s a restriction on it.