If you're lucky, you might receive a miniature bag of pretzels on your next plane trip. Larger snacks and meals cost money on many flights, and they can be both pricey and unsatisfying. You can fit enough healthy snacks to last the day in your carry-on and have plenty of room left over. But because your bags will be jostled plenty between the curb and your airplane seat, packing snacks in protective containers is crucial.
Even a short flight can go awry due to weather and mechanical issues, so plan to bring enough snacks to last the day. With that in mind, most of your snacks should be safe to eat at room temperature. While the Transportation Security Administration allows you to bring ice packs through security if they're completely frozen, you can't keep perishable food adequately cold all day with just ice packs. Choose snacks that don't have strong odors, for the sake of your fellow passengers, and that don't require much assembly at your cramped seat.
Choose snacks that will keep you full for a long time. Pack low-fat string cheese in an insulated bag with ice packs and snack on the cheese at the beginning of the flight, while it's still cold. Energy bars, trail mix, granola, crackers or pretzels are sturdy enough to take on any flight. Bring whole pieces of fruit, washed berries, carrot sticks, snow peas, and strips of bell pepper or celery. For a more substantial snack, fill pita halves with peanut butter and jelly or pesto and sliced tomatoes.
The TSA limits the amount of liquids, gels and aerosols passengers can pack in their carry-ons. Unless they're medically necessary, you can't bring bottles containing more than 3.4 ounces of liquid onto a plane, so plan to buy drinks after you clear security. Sauces, dips, jams and dressings must adhere to these rules too. If you want to eat dips such as peanut butter, hummus and salad dressing, buy individual packets or pack them in containers no larger than 3.4 ounces. All your liquids, gels and aerosols must fit in one 1-quart plastic bag.
Invest in some cheap food storage containers before your flight. Package sandwiches, fruit and other crushable foods in these boxes. Package other snacks in small plastic baggies. Divide the snacks so each bag contains a single serving, to help you track how much you're eating. Tuck these baggies into the food storage boxes if they have space. You can also try freezing tubes of yogurt overnight. If they're still frozen solid when you go through security, TSA workers shouldn't confiscate them, but they'll soften enough to eat midflight. Store perishable snacks and ice packs in an insulated bag. Place all food at the top of your carry-on bag.
