Food for the road
 

So I'm getting really sick (literally) of airport/hotel/restaurant food and am wondering what you folks pack for your long trips to eat. Also I've seen a rash of pilots getting food poisoning recently from airport vendors.

I'm looking for something new and nutritional. I think if I have another can of tuna I'm going to have mercury poisoning. I carry a large overflow bag (which I get made fun of constantly) but I hate blowing money on the road.

What do you folks pack? How do those cooler bags work out? I need some fresh ideas. My assortment of bars, trail mixes, canned goods, and noodle bowls are getting old.

I bought a food saver vacuum sealer from Costco a few years ago and have been using it more an more for layover food.

My biggest problem is being hungry when all the local shops are closed (3am local). Dry food that won't spoil and is hard to crush is a good bet and that includes a lot. Also, I consider the nutrient density and for layover food. I don't mind a higher fat content because it tends to satiate my appetite a bit longer.

So ready to eat non-perishable, non-crushable, nutrient dense foods are my criteria. Wander the isles at Costco, you'll see 'em.

OK, i've been thinking about starting this thread every time i open my lunchbox, but i never think to when im on the site. HERE GOES, my tips:

1) Pita bread for sandwiches. does not smush, stays fresh for at least a 5 day. Takes up little room.

2) I just tried those tuna and salmon steaks in the package...just heat them up. Pretty big disappointment.

3) MVP move. The captain i flew with two trips ago showed me this one. I used to bring sandwich meat from the deli, but its a pain to keep changing out my ice and by day 4 or 5 i am kinda worried about its freshness. However, i just tried this new trick out on the last trip and it's fantastic. For the price of a pound of turkey, you can go to the most supermarkets and get a small, already done, BBQ or roasted chicken. They are about 6 to 7 bucks and you get about a pound of meat off of them. unprocessed chicken. Its like Thanksgiving leftovers!

3) I agree, tuna gets old and i'm getting sick of it, but the Starkist Tuna Creations are pretty good, especially with a stack of wheat crackers.

4) Seen a bunch of people with those crystal light packets...i hate nutrasweet, but i found out that Gatorade makes similar packets. They are a lot bigger and only made for a regular sized water bottle, but theres enough to flavor an airline sized bottle effectively.

5) If you live in domicile, use your crew rooms fridge. frozen dinners or anything you dont wanna carry with you. too bad i got shipped out to dulles.

6) I always carry a stack of fig newtons because they are a good snack. good, filling, and they dont take up a lot of room

As far as bringing a cooler, I have the ebags cooler. i take the ziploc bags from the stack as i go through security and fill those with airplane ice. The ebags cooler will keep ice for about 24 hrs if you really stretch it (or forget). The thing that kinda weird about it is that unless your food is directly touching the ice, its not going to stay cold. You could put dry ice on one side of the bag, close the bag for a couple hours and any part of the bag not touching the ice would be just below room temperature. I dont get it.

however, what i like about it most. although i have to carrry a good amount of ice, the bottom is water tight and never leaks and being able to bring cold stuff opens up your options a ton. i have no problem packing for a 4 day with this bag (especially if the hotels serve breakfast)

Here's some more tips....

http://www.airlinepilotforums.com/re...pack-food.html

I put a lunch Box inside my Tote Bag. I am able to carry about 4 servings placed inisde Glad Tupper ware containers. My fiancee will usualy make me some spagetti, chili, Enchiladas, Lasgna, basiically any dish where you can combine ground meet and vegitables. It cant feed me the whole time but it saves money and gives me at least one healthy meal a day for a four day trip. I also stuff my bag with granola bars for snacks.

Fruit and Vegetables..........

Dried Fruit makes you feel full for longer :). I am a Dried Fig Freak

I have the PNT bag that's identical to the E-bags one. My goal is to avoid eating in the airport. I'll usually go out with the crew for dinner if we don't have a late night. The bag was about $40 and it paid for itself on the first trip. I was spending at least $90 on a four day. Now I might spend $50 if I eat an expensive meal.

In the bag, I pack some sort of lunch meat. Usually turkey and roast beef but I'll change it up from time to time. Some sort of cheese, usually cheddar. I'll also take a ziplock full of sliced red bell pepper and a bag of baby carrots. In addition I take some pineapple cups (because they're packed in water, not syrup) and snack packs. Bread doesn't pack well so I use tortillas. There are enough different types of cheese, meat and tortilla that I can change it up from time to time and it doesn't get too monotonous. The top of the bag is some sort wheat thin or triscuit type crackers to snack on.

I use two quart-sized ziplock freezer bags (with two seals) that I usually freeze solid before the trip. As they melt I'll throw ice in from the galley or hotel and make sure they're full every morning before leaving the hotel. I've never had a problem with the meat or cheese on a four day even in the middle of July and August. Never had a problem with the bags leaking either. Place the meat on the bottom of the stack, then ice then cheese and veggies. The packaged stuff doesn't need to be refrigerated so I don't worry about it as much. If it's really hot outside I'll nab a piece of dry ice out of the galley on a turn and I usually have frozen meat by the end of the turn.

I usually don't pack much fruit because so many hotels have it in the lobby or a grocery store within walking distance and it takes up a lot of space. I'll usually grab an apple or two per day where available. Also throw a couple of the microwavable soups in my overnight bag which are perfect for those late arrivals when the hotel restaurant is closed.

I avoid a lot of fruits and veggies mostly because they take up a lot of room without providing much in the way of calories. I look for calorie rich foods that are healthy.
1. Steel cut oats and raisins mix well with applesauce and none of them take up very much room. I bring two 8 oz tupperware containers, one with raisins and one with the oats. Each are about 150 calories per 1/4 cup. Then I bring a few apple sauce cups
2. Protein Bars. They come in all shapes, colors, costs and contents. I like the Clif Builders bars. No fructose/high fructose corn syrups, 20 grams protein and they're only around 1.30 at Trader Joe's.
3. Granola bars. Cheap, easy and filling
4. A small tub of almond or peanut butter. 200 calories per 2 tablespoons. Very filling and high calorie
5. Bagels in individual ziplock bags. Trader Joe's has some cheap stuff that will keep around a week and isn't super soft.
6. A 16 oz tupperware of protein powder. Mix it with a bottle of water or milk in the airport and you can get a lot of nutrition out of a few scoops of powder.

Military MRE's. Not exciting but high calorie and last for years.

MRE's are considered hazmat at some carriers. No joke.

Veggies
 

One thing I have started to do is pack canned vegetables. I buy the smaller cans with pop-tops. Don't take up alot of space and stack real good. They are good for a late night snack. If the room does not have a microwave I use the coffee pot. Pop the top on the can. Heat some water with the pot into one of the styrofoam cups. Place the can into the hot water to heat the whole can. You might have to reheat the water once or twice but it works pretty good. I'm told this also works for spaghetti-o's and ravioli's.

I first wash the coffe pot with dish soap that I bring along and then I put a can of Chunky stew in the pot and turn it on. About a half hour later the stew is warm enough to eat. I also pack a loaf of bread in my suitcase along with peanut butter and honey.

So thats why my coffee tasts like beef stew:confused:;)

Presliced cooked chicken meat + Tortillas + Cheese + Foil and a hotel iron will get you some pretty good Quesadillas.

Like others I usually just bring a feed bag and stuff it with Jerkey, Wheat Thins, Dried Fruit, and granolla bars.

So thats why my shirt smells like Quesadillas...

You know you love it!

It is the flameless ration heater that is the hazmat. The air force does not allow their use inflight. Hydrogen is a byproduct of the chemical reaction.

Don't eat anything from the airport with mayo in it. It took me several times, but I finally learned my lesson

Instant oatmeal works great. Mix it in coffee cups with hot water you likely have on your airplane. Kellogg makes good protein water; one package has 50 calories, 5 grams of fiber, and 5 grams of protein.

I usually pack 2 lbs bag of baby carrots for each 4 day trip; great to snack on and keeps my mouth busy (i.e. not being hungry). Fiber crackers are also pretty good. By the way, I have found that fiber and protein makes me feel full longer.

Yeah, that's what I thought. I knew they were allowed to be carried in the pit but not used in flight. I knew the food was heated through some exothermic reaction but I didn't know what the byproducts were.

You know how much of a let down it would be for all the business travelers to know we DON'T make the $199K/yr and utilize coffee pots and clothes irons to stay alive? I like these threads every 6 months or so b/c as I get bored with my current setup I keep getting new (and good) ideas!

Everyone Go get this!
 

This is how I pack my lunch.. It last for four day even if there isn't a fridge in your room. There is always an ice machine and always ice on the plane if you have a long day...

First go to ebags.com and invest in this

eBags Professional Series Crew Cooler > Travel Coolers > Travel Accessories - eBags

Then go to walmart or any other pharmacy and get 2 of these. They are like $4 or so..

http://www.firstaidwarehouse.co.uk/p...19/ice_bag.jpg


This will save you a lot of money..
Hope this helps..

I make about a dozen breakfast burritos the night before a trip and freeze them overnight. As someone mentioned before, the ebags cooler doesn't do a very good job of retaining the cold, but with a bag of burritos frozen solid I never have a problem with them staying cold through the day. Then I just stuff them in the mini-fridge freezer overnight and they're good to go the next day. Nuke a couple of them for a few minutes, and you'll be the envy of the crew room on a lunch break.

I also slice up and bag veggies and throw them in my bag too. Cucumbers and jicama are my favorites right now. As long as they're kept in ziploc bags through the day and not left out to sit somewhere, they'll stay relatively cool for a day or two.

The grocery store I go to sells tons of things wholesale, and I've found that corn nuts, at 1.29/lb are an awesome and economical snack. As far as nutritional value, I haven't a clue, but a few handfuls of these on breaks get me through the day.

Corn nuts are fun when you throw in a hot mic

I am big into weightlifting and working out so for me , bringing my food is essential for overall health/gains but also to save a ton of $$$.....I go out occasionally with the crew if theres a good place to go...I have the ebag cooler that easily fits 4 days of food. I eat 5-6 small meals a day and I still have plenty of extra food. Im 185lbs 5-9" so I def dont skimp on eating thats for sure. Heres a typical 3-4 day trip and what i take for it.


Breakfast- 3 hard boiled eggs
1 packet of low sugar oatmeal (apple/cin. or brown sugar flavor)
1 small box of raisins, usually i mix it in w the oatmeal
Midmorning Snack- Protein bar or banana (i usually take one from the hotel)

Lunch- 1 sandwich (turkey, rst beef, ham, or tuna) on pita flatbread w 1 slice of cheese and low fat mayo.
-Baby carrots or sliced cucumber

Afternoon Snack- 1 pack of beef jerkey 98% fat free ( I get them at dollar tree) or a protein shake mixed w water, I bring about 3 shakes worth and put the powder in a ziplock bag.

Dinner- 6-8 oz of chicken or steak (grilled or broiled) w rice and peas. I take frozen peas and toss them in w the rice, I switch up the rice each week, sometimes w black beans or couscous.

Evening snack- usually another sandwich turkey/rst beef/tuna

---Thats one day of eating. Here are a few tips
-I have a medical bag that i keep filling w ice throughout the day to keep everything cold.
-On a 4 day trip , I only bring eggs for the first 2 days since it is difficult to keep them fresh
-The protein bars are usually balance, clif or go lean....whichever one is on sale that week at the supermarket.
-for a 4 day trip I usually bring 2 steaks and 2 chicken just so i have some variety.
-I am based in ATL so I usually go get honey musttard and or BBQ sauce up at one of the concessions so i can put it on the meat for flavor.
-I try to stock up on fruit bananas/apples at the free breakfasts at the hotels.

All in all it takes up about 2 hours of my time between going to the grocery store and cooking all of the food. I will put a can of healthy choice soup or turkey chili (Hormel make s a good one) in my rollaboard in the event that i run out of food or just get extra hungry. I am a commuter (PWM/BOS) so usually i will eat this on the flight home as by then i am out of food from my cooler. Anyways, thats about it, thats a typical 4 day and what I bring. Hope this helps.

A dozen breakfast burritos?!!! Make sure to take an extra roll of tp with you from the hotel. I just wish I had a dollar for every time someone opened a tuna can next to me in cruise flight. Tuna is not my thing, but I endure. Otherwise good posts.

With a name like skidmark, you should carry an extra roll of tp with you everywhere!

without a doubt the Quote of the day

I have just started bringing Indian food with me on trips and it has been a superb change up. Any store that has a good ethnic food section (I shop at Whole Foods) should have decent selection of poplular packaged, ready to heat Indian dishes. They come in flat foil pouches and take up very little room. They cost about $3.50 and give you about the same amount of food as a can of soup. To complete the experience, I also get some Naan (Indian flat bread) to scoop up my meal and it doesn't smoosh in the lunchbox. And since all you need is coffee pot to warm them up in, I keep a couple in my laptop bag in case schedule changes or delays prevent me from packing dinner. I also do all the other things mentioned, but this new discovery has been a real life saver.

If you have acess to a crew room fridge, cook for the trip the night prior (Pasta, chicken and rice etc.) and store single meals in ziplock containers and nuke them as you need them. You get looks like you are about to enter the wildnerness for six months but it seriously cuts down on the processed foods and sodium.

I have been known to use airport restrooms:D

We're all just living the dream !!! Glamorous life of an airline pilot! :)

Considering what I have seen others use coffee pots for, you might consider using something stronger than dish soap...like maybe a 10M nitric acid bath followed by autoclaving.

Nu

How many calories are you putting away each day? Trying to put on weight?

Really? We all like the hairy ball sack stories, but please tell me what is being done to coffee pots that soap and water can't clean?

I just wish I could sand blast the remote control in the hotel rooms. Think about what people are touching while they are touching the remote. Beef stew flavored coffee might be a big seller at Starbucks. And bacon milkshakes at Baskin Robins.

What I do (meaning what my wife does for me) is..She typically makes a good amount of home cooked meals that are usually healthy and made with good ingredients. Some of the meals are typically lasagna, a pasta and meat sauce, honey ham and mashed sweet potatoes, chicken and rice, steak tips and potatoes and the list goes on. She cooks them completely and then she vacuum seals and deep freezes them in our chest freezer.

Each meal is portion sized (portion control is always an issue) and I typically take 5 meals on a 4 day. In addition to that I bring a bunch of instant oatmeals so I typically end up with breakfast every morning and enough meals for lunch and dinner every night minus one meal. I do not need a true 4 days worth of meals because my trips are usually commutable. I buy my one meal usually at the airport cafeteria or a subway and I have averaged less than 5 dollars spent per trip for the last year and a half.

I like this because I only eat an oatmeal packet for breakfast, eat a portioned lunch, a portioned dinner, drink water all day and get a workout in at the hotel and it keeps me in good healthy shape for at least 3-4 days out of my week. The meals stay frozen for usually a few days and I either add ice or use a hotel fridge as necessary to keep them cool. Even if they warm up a bit I do not worry since not only are they pre cooked but they are vacuum sealed.

I just ordered a new lunch box though that will give me a bit more room since this one is overstuffed and falling apart but it was free.

Here is a pic of what I have left after 2 days of a 4 day. The meals do not look like much when I microwave (in the bags) and then dump as a whole in my container. They are all mashed and mixed together with whatever is in the bag. All the FAs and others say it looks gross because the vacuum sealer smashes it all together and then it all goes in one bowl when I eat it but I figure it all goes to the same place anyway.

Pictured is:
front, pasta with meat sauce
back left, lasagna
middle, rice pilaf with chicken
back right, meatloaf with sweet potatos

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h2...er/photo-2.jpg

I marinate several chicken breast and grill them off, keep em cold with ice packs. The wife just made me some chicken enchiladas(sp?)and froze them, can't wait for that meal. I actually carry a loaf of bread with me and lunch meat for sandwiches. I have a tupperware container that fits in my roller bag that hold a few slices shy of a loaf. Peppered beef jerky in my flight kit, high in protein low in fat.

You don't wanna know Eric. I've heard they make good washing machines for underwear though.

Your system looks interesting. Sorry for all the questions, but I'd like to know more:

Is vacuum sealing for preservation or only compactedness? If for preserving, how long will the food keep?

How much for the initial setup (vacuum-sealer and bags) and the cost of replacement bags?

Are they safe for microwaving? There have been recent reports about the safety of microwaving certain plastics. I used to reuse (once) 16 and 32 oz yogurt or cottage cheese tubs then dump them after nuking a meal. This type of plastic is now known to be unsafe . https://www.health.harvard.edu/fhg/u...ate0706a.shtml

Thanks in advance.

Yup. I won't use any glassware in the hotel rooms. It has to be sealed/disposable. A lot of places do not use proper santizing for glassware in the rooms.

Soap is OK for washing your hands, but anything that gets food/liquid in it needs to be sterlized before use, whether in a commerical dishwasher, or chemically (that goop behind the bar).

Dysentary is no joke.

We can all make fun of the sticky remote, but to eat/drink anything out of one of those coffee pots is asking for trouble.

Nu