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Original poster

Packed lunch with no overnight refrigeration

54 replies

Twizbe · 02/02/2023 20:40

Please help me with some ideas here. Lots of back story but basic situation is this;

DS is 6 years old and allergic to milk. We have a holiday coming up and I'll need a packed breakfast and lunch for him. I won't have a fridge overnight or cooking facilities in the morning.

We will be at an airport for breakfast and on the plane at lunch time.

Experience has taught me that finding something beyond crisps / fruit at an airport that he'll eat is impossible.

He doesn't like ham or eggs.

I'm taking some vegan croissants for breakfast but I can't give him those for lunch too ... can I?

On the way home we've ordered the children a meal as it will be over tea time and chances of finding suitable food in that airport are even fewer. Don't really want to order him a meal for the way out too as £££ and there only 1 dairy free choice. Plus that also comes with chocolate and cheese crackers which can't be substituted (I've already asked and pointed out the issue to the airline)

So any ideas?

Thank you :)

OP posts:
WestOfWestminster · 02/02/2023 21:11

I have a fussy eater with allergies so know your situation, and we have flown a lot. I don't think an airline vegan meal has ever been successful for us, so now I don't rely on it.

I think if the sandwhich filling is not a meat or dairy item the risk of food poisoning is unlikely, marmite should be fine. If you think about it, you could make a packed lunch at say 8am and not think twice about eating it at 6pm if you were out on a day out.

I recon do few marmite sandwiches, wrap in foil and put next to a frozen bottle of water. Chuck the bottle of water out before you go through security then replace with a bought refrigerated one when you are into the other side if you are particularly concerned re lack of refrigeration.

Have fun & hope all goes well!!

doadeer · 02/02/2023 21:12

The ella kid yoghurt pouches don't need to be refrigerated. They are nice.

Lcb123 · 02/02/2023 21:14

I’d just take plenty of snacky bits, otherwise pasta or wraps? I wouldn’t worry about the lack of fridge, it’s not like it’s raw meat

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caringcarer · 02/02/2023 21:17

Poridge pot for breakfast just add boiling water. Croissant
Peperami stick
Baby bel x 2
Apple
Banana
Cheesy Pasta pot for lunch just ask for boiling water on plane. Just stir.
Quavers
Mini cheddars
Bag with cherry tomatoes in.

Wildernesstips · 02/02/2023 21:18

Could you freeze a sandwich beforehand and it will stay cool as it defrosts through the day. This used to be my standard packed lunch as a child.

Oopswediditagain2023 · 02/02/2023 21:18

Cold marmite on toast 🙌

Wildernesstips · 02/02/2023 21:20

caringcarer I think the OP’s DS is allergic to milk so babybel and cheesy pasta may not be such a good idea.

SunsetGirl · 02/02/2023 21:22

I've gotten some quite tasty tins with tuna pasta in different flavours - not certain if any are dairy free, but definitely look at the "ready to eat" stuff like that.

Whatthediddlyfeck · 02/02/2023 21:25

Mammyofonlyone · 02/02/2023 20:58

You're not going to be able to take food through security with you though are you? I thought you could only buy food once you were through ie your supplies would work for breakfast but then you would have to feed him with what was available airside, be it from the lounges or the aeroplane depending on where you were?

That’s absolutely not the case! We take food through all the time…the only thing you have to be careful of is cheese spread as that’s classed alongside liquids but won’t be something OP would take anyway

Whatevergetsyouthroughthenight · 02/02/2023 21:25

John West Tuna do a range called ‘on the go’ which are tins with ring pull tops of pasta/rice couscous etc tuna salads

www.john-west.co.uk/products/range/on-the-go/

Original poster
Twizbe · 02/02/2023 21:26

I'm so glad I posted as I feel like I have a plan now.

I'm going to try him on the porridge pot this weekend. I will take a couple of little cartons of soya milk as well. He can have one and add some to the porridge

Vegan croissants

Pears - which he loves and need to be soft anyway

Grapes brought the day before and distributed at the hotel

Love the idea of using a frozen water bottle as an ice pack for some marmite sandwiches

Usual grazing type things he likes

I am going to investigate if any dairy free yoghurt pouches exist. I think I have seen one and that with the frozen water could work for breakfast too.

OP posts:
Original poster
Twizbe · 02/02/2023 21:26

Whatevergetsyouthroughthenight · 02/02/2023 21:25

John West Tuna do a range called ‘on the go’ which are tins with ring pull tops of pasta/rice couscous etc tuna salads

www.john-west.co.uk/products/range/on-the-go/

I'm not sure I can subject a plane load of people to a tin of tuna lol

OP posts:
oswego · 02/02/2023 21:29

Jam sandwich

PippinStar · 02/02/2023 21:35

Ella’s kitchen do dairy free yoghurt pouches in banana flavour (possibly other flavours too - I’m not sure though).

emmathedilemma · 02/02/2023 21:37

caringcarer · 02/02/2023 21:17

Poridge pot for breakfast just add boiling water. Croissant
Peperami stick
Baby bel x 2
Apple
Banana
Cheesy Pasta pot for lunch just ask for boiling water on plane. Just stir.
Quavers
Mini cheddars
Bag with cherry tomatoes in.

He’s allergic to milk which rules out porridge pots, cheesy pasta, babybel and possibly quavers 🙄
my go to airport breakfast is a bagel with jam and peanut butter and a banana, or with smoked salmon and cream cheese (not ideal unless you buy dairy free cheese). If I had to make it the day before and didn’t have a fridge I’d go for jam & PB. You might have to remortgage your house to pay for it, but you should be able to get a smoothie or orange juice once airside.
take empty water bottles through security as most airports now have water fountains where you can fill them up for free, thus saving a small fortune on bottled water.
I’d probably take him some filling snacks for lunch unless he’d have a wrap or sandwich? Does he eat chicken, or maybe falafel?? Carrot sticks and cucumber would be ok without a fridge overnight.

demotedreally · 02/02/2023 21:38

I buy smoothie cartons which are dairy free (allergic DD). Also soreens or oat bars also good.

I've never found a df pancake except the ones I make. Some shops have iced buns / whirls which are filling.

Id probably buy lunch if it was me - there would be plenty airside.

Also cereal mini boxes with or without milk to add.

Hard boiled eggs?

Augend23 · 02/02/2023 21:39

You definitely don't need to refrigerate a marmite sandwich - non dairy spread isn't going to go off out the fridge and marmite lives in the cupboard.

I can't think what would happen to non dairy spread out the fridge tbh. Butter is literally designed as a method of preserving milk and non dairy spread will essentially just be some hydrogenated vegetable oils.

Bluesandwhites · 02/02/2023 21:44

peanut butter sarnie with fruit?

redbigbananafeet · 02/02/2023 21:47

Falafels

WestOfWestminster · 02/02/2023 21:58

Thinking about it, if needed a restaurant/pub airside would give you ice cubes to refil a water bottle of ice if you need.

You can buy your own refillable 'ellas kitchen' style pouches too, not sure where i've seen them perhaps Jojo maman bebe?

SquigglePigs · 02/02/2023 22:04

You can get vegan/dairy free babybels and I'm sure they'd be fine for a good few hours with the water bottle ice pack.

ChrisPPancake · 02/02/2023 22:28

Make your Marmite sandwiches the day before and freeze them?

Undercoverdetective · 02/02/2023 22:43

Will the pouches count as liquids? If so, might need to have eaten them before you go airside.

Itsfridaynightok · 02/02/2023 22:52

Maybe some hot dogs in a thermal flask to keep warm ish with some rolls to shove them on ?