Your tips for avoiding airport food prices? Where do you eat?

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Soon we’re taking a four hour flight with our three year-old. It’s easyJet so the on-board food is crap: greasy and horrible and really don’t want to give them money. But there again airport food is also super expensive. Do you have any hacks that I’m not thinking of? I was thinking of sandwiches, but I imagine they’d just go soggy and not so fresh between leaving the house and the long way to the airport? Our flight is at 3.30 p.m. so we’re hoping to be there around 1.30 p.m.

Sandwiches will keep fine. Fill up lots of water bottles after going through security. I haven't seen any uk airports that don't have taps for this. Even airports abroad mostly do this too

my husband gets free Itsu meals (or 25% off) through our healthcare app when he makes x number of steps and we’re allowed to use the vouchers at the airport too so we try and save them when we’re going somewhere.

We generally eat at the airport because it’s part of the experience for us but I generally have some cold pizza in a box for DS as he can be very fussy.

All money is Monopoly money after you drop your cases off 🤣 no? Just me? 😂

Sandwiches are fine, and even if a bit soggy it’s not the end of the world, is it?
We usually book a really early flight so just grab a pastry and a coffee for breakfast in the airport. For a lunchtime flight we have previously just grabbed a Boots meal deal 😊

I cba bringing a picnic but I'm not on a tight budget. We get Starbucks or pret or eat on plane.

Pret is pretty expensive now but it's more about having a place to sit and something to do to while away time until boarding. I don't mind easyjet meals but they often don't have what we want and you end up eating the hot meals rather than toasties.

I do often bring those pre wrapped croissants or pain au choc. That's more about having snacks to keep dh and dc going as we get to destination.

The vast majority of people who have sandwiches for lunch in any scenario (from work to climbing a mountain) make them in the morning, pack them up and then eat them around lunch time, and they generally survive that time sat in a bag! It would never occur to me that sandwiches made in the morning wouldn't last until 1.30-2pm!

Sandwiches would be fine. They’ll be packed for no more than an average amount of time, surely?

I've been making sandwiches and salads the night before, and then taking them to work, my entire life! Have you never done that?

Making sandwiches ... It's just one more thing to do when packing to go away on holiday and sorting the dog out and airport parking or taxi etc....I'd rather just put a Pret sandwich as part of the holiday budget. Agree with you though that the on plane food is normally awful.

Crackers, baby bell, salami, cherry tomatoes, cucumber slices, strawberries, cheese cubes, cookies. Basically lots of snacky finger foods that build up into a meal. For myself I've taken a salad box in the past. Plastic cutlery.

Meal deal from boots in the airport

As long as you make a sandwich correctly it shouldn’t get soggy. A thin layer of butter out to the corners of the bread is the damp course layer. If you’re using sliced meats, they are waterproof and should be against the bread. Dry lettuce properly, and that and any other potentially damp fillings go in the middle. Many people make sandwiches for lunch the night before, so a few hours won’t be a problem.

This is a revelation, I didn't even know you could take food through security!

I made the mistake once of buying breakfast for 3 of us at an airport pret and spent the best part of £50 on one coffee, two fruit juices, 3 croissants and a fruit pot. Now I bring our own food….

Sandwiches are fine, and I bring pots of grapes which travel well.

Security ban liquids due to not being able to control these and the risk that they could be chemicals brought with nefarious intent. A cherry tomato and a cheese sandwich do not pose the same risk. But for the love of god don’t eat egg sandwiches on the plane.

Sandwiches will be totally fine. Why would they go soggy?!

We take sarnies if we aren't far from the airport or find somewhere decent to eat not too far away - there is a Wagas about 10 minutes from Liverpool Airport for example
If neither of those are possible I take snacks and if everyone wants to we will eat in Departures but I resent crazy prices for shit food.

Boots meal deal plus taking some snacks and a banana for child. Empty water bottles which we fill up after security.

Yep meal deal in Boots or WH Smith bring a reusable water bottle. You will need one for your hols anyway
DS gets a burger king

I just suck it up as part of the overall holiday cost. Holiday starts for me once the bags are checked in!

Surely you've made a packed lunch before? Why does it need to be any different just because you're eating it on a plane?

Wh smiths or boots meal deal!

DS may get a subway.

take through empty water bottles.

some of the bigger airports (Gatwick etc) will have some big restaurants that can be expensive but you don’t have to use those. McDonald’s and BK usually available too.

Some people feel a family meal and a drink is part of the holiday so the market for it is there but it’s not the only option.

Agree with this. Full meal and drinks before you leave plus some peace and quiet -no need to eat on the plane.

Wooww you lot are organised; we normally buy in Pret, but agree is a rip iff these days eating at the airport. Will check boots meal deals and bring snacks m.

My dd is anaphylactic to peanuts and so I took all her food on flights and we lived in Australia which is twenty six hours.

Sandwiches on a four hour flight will be fine.