highfarfast

I use the aerocoast EFB + cooler bag II. 4 day trip would include 3 dinners and depending on when the trip started/ended 2 to 4 lunches + snacks.

When we cook at home, which is most of the time, we generally have leftovers. If it's of the sort that freezes easily in Rubbermaid 2.9 cup container with little air, then it goes in one, gets labeled and set in the chest freezer for a trip. These will make up my dinners. We consider ourselves good cooks and do generally look forward to these all day when I'm working.

For lunch, I make up a salad in the same containers, one for today if necessary, and one for tomorrow. Salad dressing in used baby food jars. For days after that it's sandwiches. I've seen guys make a full on sandwich in cockpit, pulling out a loaf of bread and packets of cheese and lunchmeat and such. I prefer to make mine in advance than try to make the cockpit my kitchen.

I always carry snacks in the cooler too and it depends on what we have when I'm packing. It can be carrots, oranges, boiled eggs, cheese sticks, and sometimes a banana for the first day. I also generally have peanutbutter crackers on hand.

In the roller back, I carry a packet or two of microwavable rice packets to go with a dinner or two if appropriate as well as some crackers. Also carry sachets of oatmeal for those hotels that don't offer a free breakfast.

I stack the frozen dinners together on top of each other to reduce the surface area from touching non-frozen items and air. Next to them, I stock the refrigerated lunches. Two thin ice packs on the sides and one on the top. Cool snacks that I intend to eat that day go on the top.

If hotel fridge has no freezer, I stack the frozen dinners together to reduce exposed surface area. I don't mind if they thaw over the course of the trip, as long as they stay cold enough to be safe (use common sense here and if you're really unsure about how common your sense is, you can buy a thermometer). I have felt the need to use the freezer in the crew room from time to time but not often and never had it stolen. Only time I've felt the need to throw something out it was due to the hotel fridge turning off with the light switch and I didn't realize it until the morning.

Empty tupperware is filled with ice before leaving the hotel and is stacked on bottom and top of frozen dinners.

I usually end up bringing some food back. I don't mind eating out. I just don't want to beholden to eating out.