What are some meals I can pack for child for a long-haul airplane ride?

Question

I'll be flying with a three (almost four) year old from Naples, Italy to Cleveland, Ohio. Somehow, I doubt that he'll be excited to eat what the airline is serving. I've found lots of web sites with snack ideas, but not meal ideas. I need meals that don't need to be kept hot or cold, don't need to be heated or have hot water added, and that don't squish easily (I don't want to carry a bunch of hard containers). So peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are out because jelly has to be refrigerated and the sandwich would squish easily. The only thing I've come up with so far is a roll-up (peanut butter and honey on a wheat tortilla rolled up); he loves those. Any other ideas in that vein?

I posted this question in the Food and Drink section and got some very rude, disgusting answers. Serious and helpful answers only, please, or I'll happily report the abuse. I don't mean to be rude, but there are some really horrible people on here I guess.

Answer 1

Put them in ziploc baggies:

-->  Nuts

-->  Cookies

-->  Trail mix

-->  Fruit

ETC.

No worries too becuase they should have snacks and even meals on the plane.  Send a Nintendo or DVD player along to entertain!!

Whatever you do - do NOT pack lunchables.  They are the worst things you can give a kid!!!

Answer 2

-Sandwiches

-Crisps/ Chips

-Biscuits Like Oreos

Normal Snack Foods I Guess

Good Luck

X

Answer 3

Lunchables are good but have to be refridgerated.  How about fruit roll ups, pringles in the plastic small containers, you can buy them in small travel size.  You could do peanut butter sandwich with out jelly.  I will try to think of more.  Good luck that is a long trip for all of you.

Answer 4

What I have done in the past is to make up some pasta, with whatever you want to add to it, ie. pesto, vegetables, cheese, ham etc. and put it in a tupperware type box with a small plastic spoon or fork. Also the usual of biscuits, fruit, sweets and the like. Hope this helps and have a good trip!

Answer 5

cookies and sandwiches with no mayo, i think planes are kept cool inside, cashew nuts, carrots, canned vienna sausages, bottles of juice

Answer 6

raisins in individual packs

any type of dried fruit. My 3 year old is good on the plane from Tokyo to NYC, she eats teddy grahams, dried fruit, crackers,  beef jerky, and I always have a few juice boxes with me.

Answer 7

PB&honey, it doesnt spoil and if placed on top, it wont squish. baby carrots, grapes,juice boxes or anything that is pre-sealed for freshness. Put the childs lunch on top of your carry on or diaper bag or what ever your using for the childs entertainment during the ride. Dont forget the wet wipes.

Answer 8

take some french stick or bread

take some meat or jam or something he likes

make it at home before you fly

wrap it in cling film

and eat it on the plane

hope this helps

Answer 9

Lunchables!

Answer 10

when growing up, ages ago, i had peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for lunch every day, they'd sit in my locker for 6 hours or more. the important thing is to keep the jelly side up, over time, the jelly would seep through the bread due to gravity, peanut butter is a solid "base" and prevents seepage.

i doubt if there's anything else you can really "carry on" with airline security these days, no cans at all, liquids no larger than 3 ounces, all these "sub 3 oz" liquids have to fit in ONE "one quart" ZIP-LOCK baggie (i don't know about security in italy, but in the "states" airline security is ANAL, you have to take off your shoes and have them x-rayed!)

that would leave dry foods/cereals, pretzels and chips as the only real option.