What's Your Standard "food Bag" When Travelling?

[Nutmegger]

When I travel by air and will be staying in hotels, I always bring a checked duffel bag of food just in case. More often than not, I find myself relying on that bag for the majority of the trip. And as long as I eat my way through it, there's no return checked bag fee!

I usually bring:

- Serving-sized rice milks

- Cereal

- Thai Kitchen rice noodle bowls (just add coffee pot water)

- Schar bread

- Jam

- Almond butter or Sunbutter

- Bag of pepperoni (in case there's a fridge)

- Two containers of Laughing Cow cheese (same)

- Cookies and other snacks

- Protein powder can (though that seems to get checked a lot by TSA)

- Lots of protein bars

- Seal-packed beans, vegetables, and fruit

I am getting sick of those options, though, and with a six-day trip coming up in August, I imagine I'm really going to want some more variety.

Any suggestions? What do you pack when you know you're not going to be anywhere near restaurants and might not have a fridge or microwave?

[sreese68]

I have an electric hot pot that I use to cook corn pasta or red potatoes in. Can also use it to heat water for Starbucks instant coffee. It fits into a large tote bag I can carry on. Though security does usually check the bag once it goes through X-ray.

Canned or vacuum-sealed-in-a-bag meat also works. Not terribly tasty, but goes over pasta OK.

[Darissa]

Nutmegger -

What type of protein powder and protein bars do you use that are gluten free? We are having a hard time finding ones that we like. I would love a suggestion!

Thanks:)

Darissa

[Nutmegger]

Nutmegger -

What type of protein powder and protein bars do you use that are gluten free? We are having a hard time finding ones that we like. I would love a suggestion!

Thanks:)

Darissa

To be honest, I get whatever's on sale at Whole Foods. They have a pretty wide selection, and their store brand (365) usually has decent-enough choices on both fronts. I'll take a peek in the pantry tomorrow and see if I can be more specific.

[Jestgar]

I put a couple nut bars in my carry on, just in case, and scope out the nearest store as soon as I get to my destination. Hard cheeses and salami don't need refrigeration if you'll be eating them over a couple days, and you can make an ice bath using the ice bucket they usually provide,or even a trash can and a couple plastic bags. Good for overnight storage of lunchmeat for brekkie, or the remains of last night's dinner.

[tgrahek]

We always bring packets of Gluten Freeda oatmeal. You can use coffee pot water or on the plane the flight attendent can bring you hot water.

We also bring concentrated chicken broth packets (Trader Joe's) and Minute Rice. Get some hot water and add both and you have a quick soup. On the plane we just make small amounts in the styrofoam cup but in the hotel room, you could even add a foil pouch of chicken. Use the coffee pot as the bowl.

[RockChalkChic]

Great topic! I totally need ideas for traveling! Here's a few things I've been jotting down on my pack list, not all would be good for air travel though:

Zucchinni (I use slices to dip in hummus, salsa, etc.)

Apples

Bananas

Oranges

Strawberries

Spinach salad

baby carrots

lemons/limes for seasoning

avocado

Hormel (or other) Lunch meat

sliced cheese

hard cheese (Dubliner at Costco, mmmm)

Sabra Roasted Garlic Hummus

Chex Cereals

Lays Potato Chips or Frito Lay Scoops

HyVee Spicy Bean Dip

HyVee Organic Blue Corn Chips

Salsa

Blue Diamond Nut Crackers

Skippy Natural Peanut Butter

Chicken

Shrimp Cocktail

Salmon

Bigelow tea

Republic of tea

Almond, Rice, or Cocunut Milk

Udi's bread, muffins

Snyder's gluten-free pretzels

Blue Diamon Nut Thins

Crunchmaster gluten-free crackers

Quinoa pasta (if stove available)

GR mac and cheese powder

Welch's gummy fruit snacks

"Kind" bars and/or granola

dark chocolate amonds

Kind bars

Coconut water

Wine

Captain Morgan

San Pelligrino Arianciata or Limonata

Culturelle probiotics

So is Starbucks instant coffee safe?