Food on board

[OKhitmewithit]

Despite being pretty good eaters my 2DD seem to hate airline food. We are flying long haul at Xmas and part from ‘snacks’ I’m a bit out of sensible ideas to take onboard. I’d like a meal for them, but apart from making sandwiches I’m not really coming up with much.

Any clever ideas?

It depends on the time of your flight, but I would try to get to the airport early enough to eat a meal in a restaurant before the flight, then take sandwiches and snacks for during the flight.

Noodles that could be made with hot water? Sausage rolls or pasty? Cold sausages? Quiche or pies that can be eaten cold

Obv you could take salads, crudités, crisps or vegetable crisps, breadsticks, cheese and crackers but they’re more snacky

We take a Tupperware picnic on flights for our fusspot - ham, cheese, salad bits, bread, crackers, fruit, etc.

Would they eat pasta salad or sushi? How about crackers & cheese or cold pizza? Chopped peppers/carrots /bread sticks & hummus?

Do you have a stopover? In which case eating at the airports might be an option.

We do tend to try and fill them up at the airport with something reasonable, but a 12 hour flight needs more.

Ha yes to sushi, that’s a good idea. Why raw fish is acceptable yet a hot meal isn’t, goodness knows. I may have a look at a pot noodle too, good idea. I think you’re right though, a proper picnic and just accept this is the only way —another bloody job!—

I really wouldn't take sushi unless it's the vegetarian type. Think of the time food will be unrefrigerated for. From leaving home, to thr airport to the flight itself. High chance you get ill.

Take stuff that doesn't need to be refrigerated so much.

I wouldn't even take veggie sushi - cold rice at room temp for several hours is a food safety hazard.

I hate airline food as well; its either salty or otherwise unappetising.

Where are you flying from/to?. Heathrow's T5 for instance has some good places to eat and buy food beforehand. Would take foodstuffs that neither need water, heating up or refrigeration. Leave anything uneaten afterwards like fruit on the aircraft.

Do not take sushi on board; apart from the high risk of food poisoning it could smell. Rice has the same problem re potential food poisoning.

but this is it you see. I struggle to think of much that doesn’t need keeping cool that isn’t just biscuits/crisps/cake

I think pot boodles are a good punt if health and safety doesn’t do for me

Are you travelling from T5?
https://www.gordonramsayrestaurants.com/plane-food/menus/#Picnic%20Menu

If it's an overnighter a big meal at the airport then snacks from home might be enough.

Bananas, cheese, crackers/bread sticks individual dips and maybe grapes plus crisps etc. All available from M&S. All fine for a few hours in an aircraft.

Oh, and eat well in the airport!

How old are they?

What time of day is it?

Make sure that the staff will make a pot noodle. British Airways won't, neither will Emirates. It's for safety reasons; they can't give out boiling water and aren't allowed to make it for you.

Used to be a great hack!

If it is a BA flight; have you contacted them? They're usually quite flexible about making the meal as good as possible and they may be able to carry sushi or something if they have an airplane meal with it in.

It’s Sri Lankan .... guess where we’re going Well I suppose I’ve not missed a trick. Perhaps I should just ignore their fussiness!

We’re going in August next year. How exciting!

Have a fabulous time 🌞

Thanks Longdistance... I’ve been planning this for ages so really looking forward to it. I’m sure we won’t actually starve on the plane!

"I wouldn't even take veggie sushi - cold rice at room temp for several hours is a food safety hazard."

This ^^
The risk of bacillus cereus poisoning is very small, but not a risk I would take, especially not when going on holiday.

I thought there was something about the vinegar used in the sushi rice that made it ok to be out of the fridge for an extended time (probably not 12 hours tho)

Have I missed how old the kids are? If teens I'd be doing 'like it or lump it airplane food' TBF

DC 10. & 7. Yes agree ‘lump it’ is becoming more of an option for DD10, but not yet for DD7

We took sandwiches, chopped veg, cherry toms, fruit and flapjacks. They picked at airplane meals and topped up from our stash. Meals are part of the flight entertainment as far as I'm concerned, so we didn't do big meals in the airport.

Okhitmewithit - please post about your trip when you get back!!

When we flew Sri Lankan, the food options were all spiced or heavily flavoured so do bear that in mind also.
As an aside, Sri Lanka is one of the most wonderful places I have ever been to. The people were so friendly and warm.

Are you flying direct or transferring? You can eat at Dubai or other airport very well.
How old are they? Tinies need to eat, of course but after about 8 years I’d let them eat what there was or go without. There’s always rolls, pudding and must be something they’d force down. If you’re changing then there are two lots of meals to choose from and too much food is the usual problem.
When we went to Sri Lanka, we had supper on board the first leg and breakfast after a sleep. Then food in the lounge at Dubai. Then another breakfast and then lunch. It would have been impossible to be hungry. There’s also the snack bar on most long hauls and they can pick snacks for themselves.

If you charm the cabin crew they might give you two fruit platters each with a cheeseboard each plus pudding. That with soup and rolls is surely enough.

Looking at their website, it seems there’s 2 different kids’ meals depending on their age. Not sure if there’ll be much difference other than size?

www.srilankan.com/en_uk/flying-with-us/meals

I agree that snack things like cheese, bread, ham should be good - could make a sandwich or eat separately. Add non perishables like crisps, popcorn, some sweets. Would those fruit pots from M&S work?

Like it or leave it, and nick from everyone else tray once they they have had their pick.
I typically end up with 3 sets of cheese and crackers, and lots of salads. Kids take my puddings and bread rolls. I eat selectivly, and leave stuff i think they will eat if they arent making much headway with their meals.
Pepperoni snacks are ok out of the fridge. Fruit. Crackers.
How are you going to deal with the return journey?

Enjoy the holiday!